The Topaz Flower  -  Part 1
Story by Charlotte M. Russel
Radio script be Wyllis Cooper
Originally broadcast 24 April 1947
on The Crime Club radio program

SOUND: (PHONE RINGS TWICE, PICKS UP)

LIBRARIAN: (INTO PHONE) Hello, I hope I haven't kept you waiting. ... Yes, 
this is the Crime Club. ... I'm the Librarian. ... "The Topaz Flower"? Yes, we 
have that Crime Club story for you. Come right over. 

(MUSIC ... THEME ... IN AND OUT)

SOUND: (DOORBELL CHIMES SULLENLY ... DOOR OPENS)

LIBRARIAN: Ah! You're here. Good. 

SOUND: (DOOR SHUTS)

LIBRARIAN: Take the easy chair by the window. ... Comfortable? The book is on 
this shelf.

(MUSIC ... AN ACCENT ... IN AND UNDER)

LIBRARIAN: Here it is. "The Topaz Flower" by Charlotte M. Russell. The 
exciting story of a flower that was plucked by the hand of Death. Let's look 
at it under the reading lamp. ...

It was a little after seven o'clock in the evening. A family and friends were 
scattered through the rather austere house. And Mr. Sloane was even more than 
usually indifferent to their comfort and his responsibility as host. 

Wally Kent was the only person there who did not fear the old man. He even 
admitted to himself that he liked him in a strange sort of way. And that was 
good, especially as the Sloanes were inclined to be clannish, and Wally 
intended to propose to Natalie -- if he could find her. After having looked 
everywhere else for her, he finally decided to try Mr. Sloane's room. Perhaps 
she had been closeted with her uncle. 

(MUSIC ... OUT)

LIBRARIAN: Standing at the door, he hesitated. Then, squaring his shoulders, 
he knocked.

SOUND: (KNOCKING ON DOOR)

WALLY: Mr. Sloane? Mr. Sloane, is Natalie there?

SOUND: (MORE KNOCKING)

WALLY: Mr. Sloane? Hey, Mr. Sloane!

SOUND: (RATTLES LOCKED DOOR)

WALLY: Ah, it's locked. (CALLS OUT) Natalie? Mr. Sloane? 

SOUND: (MORE KNOCKING, DOOR UNLOCKS AND OPENS)

WALLY: Oh, Natalie darling! I've been looking all over the house for ya. The 
party-- Why, honey, what's the matter?

NATALIE: Let me go, Wally.

WALLY: Oh, but, listen--

NATALIE: Let me go, I tell you!

SOUND: (NATALIE'S FOOTSTEPS RUSH OFF)

WALLY: Well, what the d--? (SIGHS)

SOUND: (WALLY'S FOOTSTEPS WALK INTO ROOM)

WALLY: (STUNNED) Mr. Sloane? Oh, my good gosh. Natalie, what were you doing--?

BOWER: (THE BUTLER, ENTERING) Did you call, Mr. Sloane? (SEES WALLY) Oh, Mr. 
Kent-- (SEES SLOANE, IS SHOCKED) Oh! Oh.

WALLY: Take it easy, Bower.

BOWER: Oh, but he's murdered! Mr. Sloane's been murdered!

WALLY: Get to the phone, Bower, right away. Call Captain Tom Bane of the 
Homicide Bureau. Tell him what's happened. He'll be here right away.

BOWER: Y-yes, sir.

WALLY: Oh, and, Bower -- just see that nobody leaves until he gets here, will 
you?

BOWER: Well, well, sir, I - I don't know but I'll try, sir. Oh, poor Mr. 
Sloane.

WALLY: And if you see Miss Natalie, tell her to come up here, please. It's 
very important.

(MUSIC ... A BRIDGE ... IN AND OUT)

BOWER: Captain Bane is here, Mr. Kent.

WALLY: Oh, thanks, Bower. Bring him right in here.

BOWER: Yes, sir. (TO CAPTAIN) Er, come in, please, Captain.

CAPTAIN: Thank you.

WALLY: Hello, Tom.

CAPTAIN: Hello, Wally. Hear you got a murder here.

WALLY: Got a dead man, anyway, Tom.

CAPTAIN: Let's have a look.

WALLY: Right in here.

SOUND: (DOOR OPENS AND SHUTS)

CAPTAIN: Yeah, he's dead all right. Harry Sloane, huh?

WALLY: Yeah.

CAPTAIN: Nobody saw it done, I suppose.

WALLY: Far as I know.

CAPTAIN: Now, let's see. Two glasses. Drinking with somebody.

WALLY: Looks like it.

CAPTAIN: Wonder who.

WALLY: Search me.

CAPTAIN: Anybody in here besides you?

WALLY: No. Oh, yes, there was, too. Young Raymond Sloane, his nephew.

CAPTAIN: Hm?

WALLY: Came roaring in when the news got out that the old gentleman was dead. 
I kept the others out.

CAPTAIN: Well, maybe we can get some prints off those glasses.

WALLY: Yeah. Oh, say, though -- Raymond Sloane picked up one of the glasses. 
This one.

CAPTAIN: Picked it up? What for?

WALLY: Well, he was kind of upset and he wanted a drink. So he just grabbed 
the glass, poured a shot into it and--

CAPTAIN: Yes, and smeared the prints all over the place, darn the luck. I 
always get the tough jobs. Why couldn't he have picked up the old gentleman's 
glass?

WALLY: Well, how would he know which was which?

CAPTAIN: Yeah, you got something there. Well-- Well, thanks anyway. Let's go 
see these folks, shall we?

WALLY: Sure.

SOUND: (DOOR OPENS, FOOTSTEPS)

WALLY: Downstairs and to your right.

CAPTAIN: Mmm.

SOUND: (DOOR SHUTS, FOOTSTEPS)

WALLY: I'll show ya.

SOUND: (FOOTSTEPS DOWN STAIRS)

CAPTAIN: (THOUGHTFUL) The, uh, old man -- had a lot o' dough, didn't he?

WALLY: He was pretty well off.

CAPTAIN: Ah. This the room?

WALLY: That's right.

SOUND: (DOOR OPENS, CROWD OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS MURMURS)

CAPTAIN: (TO ALL) Now, uh, ladies and gentlemen, if you please. (CROWD QUIETS) 
I'm Captain Tom Bane of the Homicide Bureau. I know Wally Kent here but you 
others-- uh, will you please tell me who you are? You first, sir.

BOWER: I'm Bower, the butler, sir.

CAPTAIN: (TO THE NEXT PERSON) You?

MARIA: I'm Maria Sloane, Mr. Sloane's sister-in-law.

RAYMOND: And I'm his son, Raymond Sloane.

CLARINDA: Clarinda Bell, Mr. Sloane's secretary.

CAPTAIN: And this gentleman here in the corner?

BANNISTER: Joe Bannister. I'm an old friend of Harry Sloane.

CAPTAIN: Uh, shouldn't there be someone else?

RAYMOND: Well, Natalie--

MARIA: My daughter.

CAPTAIN: Where's she?

WALLY: Well, I - I think she--

NATALIE: (ENTERS) Sorry I'm late. I'm Natalie Sloane.

CAPTAIN: All right. Now sit down please, everybody. Let's just check those 
names again so I know to whom I'm talking. Bower, the butler?

BOWER: Yes, sir.

CAPTAIN: Mrs. Maria Sloane?

MARIA: Yes.

CAPTAIN: And Miss Clarinda Bell?

CLARINDA: I'm right here.

CAPTAIN: I see. And you're Joe Bannister?

BANNISTER: I am.

CAPTAIN: Miss Natalie Sloane?

NATALIE: Yes.

CAPTAIN: Have I forgotten anybody? Oh, yes. Raymond Sloane.

RAYMOND: Present!

WALLY: And me.

CAPTAIN: Mm hm. Wally Kent. Okay, here we go. We know that Mr. Sloane was shot 
about seven-fifteen by someone with a revolver with a silencer. He'd been 
drinking in his locked room with - someone, who, um, apparently killed him and 
took the, uh, Topaz Flower. What, er, what IS the Topaz Flower?

CROWD: (SEVERAL SPEAK AT ONCE)

NATALIE: It's a jewel, a cluster of jewels, a family heirloom.













CAPTAIN: Easily recognizable, Miss Natalie?

NATALIE: Oh, yes.

BANNISTER: "The Topaz Flower" is also a gold mine in Canada that Harry Sloane 
and I discovered.

CAPTAIN: Oh. Thank you, Mr., uh, Bannister.

BANNISTER: You're welcome.

CAPTAIN: Now, let's just check what each of you were doing when, uh... Wally 
Kent?

WALLY: I - I discovered the body, Captain. I was looking for Natalie and--

CAPTAIN: Uh, where were you, Miss Natalie?

NATALIE: (HESITANT) I was, er, dressing.

WALLY: (TO NATALIE) But--

CAPTAIN: (TO WALLY) What?

WALLY: Oh, I didn't say anything.

CAPTAIN: Okay. You, young man -- Raymond Sloane.

RAYMOND: I was having a drink in the living room, down here.

BANNISTER: (DRYLY) He's ALWAYS having a drink. Aren't you, Ray?

CAPTAIN: What were you doing, Mr. Bannister?

BANNISTER: I don't remember.

CAPTAIN: Oh, you don't remember? I see.

CLARINDA: I was downstairs here, all the time.

CAPTAIN: You're the secretary, Clarinda Bell?

CLARINDA: Yes. And -- may I go home?

CAPTAIN: You may not. You, Mrs. Sloane?

MARIA: Me? I was dressing. You can ask my maid.

CAPTAIN: (CHUCKLES) I will. And the butler?

BOWER: I - I was in the front hall, all evening, sir.

CAPTAIN: (PRETTY MUCH WHAT HE EXPECTED) Mm hmm. (SIGHS) Wally, you're supposed 
to be an amateur detective. What's your theory -- since you found the body? 
Was there, um, anybody else in the room?

WALLY: (CHOOSES WORDS CAREFULLY) Not - when I found the body, Captain, no.

CAPTAIN: Well, how'd you get in there if the door was locked?

WALLY: (PAUSE) What?

CAPTAIN: I said, how did you get in there if the door was locked?

WALLY: (LIGHTLY) Ohhhh, that.

CAPTAIN: (MATCHES HIM) Yeah. That.

WALLY: Well, I - I never thought of that, Tom. Well, one minute the door was 
locked and - and - then it was unlocked.

CAPTAIN: (IRONIC) Mmm.

WALLY: (CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY) That's right. I never thought of that.

CAPTAIN: There must have been somebody in there.

BANNISTER: There sure must have been.

CAPTAIN: And you didn't see anybody when you went in?

WALLY: No. No, I didn't see anybody.

MARIA: Well, perhaps whoever it was got out through the French doors that open 
on the terrace.

CAPTAIN: Ah, they were locked, Mrs. Sloane.

CLARINDA: Were there any fingerprints on the glasses that they were drinking 
out of?

CAPTAIN: Thanks to young Mr. Sloane here, no. He smeared his own prints all 
over 'em.

RAYMOND: Well, I was only trying to help.

CAPTAIN: (IRONIC) Yeah, great help. Well ... whoever killed Mr. Sloane took 
the Topaz Flower, I suppose.

MARIA: (SCOFFS) Oh, that couldn't have been the motive for the murder. It was 
only worth about five thousand dollars.

CAPTAIN: (CHUCKLES, SURPRISED) Only five thousand? Mrs. Sloane, you'd be 
surprised what people'll do for five thousand doll-- (SUDDENLY THOUGHTFUL) 
Wait a minute. Young Mr. Sloane, how are you treated in your father's will?

RAYMOND: What? What do you mean? Do you mean--?

CAPTAIN: Easy, easy, lad. Er, do you come into a lot of money?

BANNISTER: If he does, Captain, so does practically everybody in the room 
here. Maria here is his sister-in-law. Natalie is his favorite niece. Bower's 
been an employee of Sloane's for--

BOWER: Twenty-eight years, sir.

BANNISTER: And I know I'm provided for in his will. Everybody here except 
Wally Kent stands to benefit by the will.

CAPTAIN: How 'bout you, Wally? You AND Miss Natalie, I take it?

WALLY: Er, Tom it could it be that the murderer took the Topaz Flower to 
direct suspicions along another line?

CLARINDA: It certainly could be, Mr. Kent.

CAPTAIN: Ah, Miss Clarinda Bell! Incidentally, you didn't say anything when 
Bannister was talkin' about people who might profit by, uh--

CLARINDA: Uh, no. I stood to lose a great deal by Mr. Sloane's death.

CAPTAIN: Oh, you mean he wasn't going to do the right thing by his secretary?

CLARINDA: By his first will, yes.

CROWD: (GASPS AND SPEAKS AT ONCE:)

MARIA: First will? Why--!

RAYMOND: What?

BANNISTER: What do you mean? There was only one--

CAPTAIN: Now, hold it, hold it! What do you mean by that, Miss Bell?

CLARINDA: Mr. Sloane dictated a new will to me only a week ago.

CAPTAIN: Why didn't you tell me this before?

CLARINDA: You didn't ask me, Captain.

MARIA: Well, I don't believe it.

RAYMOND: I don't either!

CAPTAIN: Miss Natalie, what do you think?

NATALIE: (FLUSTERED) Well, I - I don't know what--

WALLY: Now, wait a minute. Let's find out about this new will.

CAPTAIN: Yes. By all means. (TO CLARINDA) What did you mean about losing by 
the terms of the new will? Will you explain that, please?

CLARINDA: I will. Mr. Sloane and I were to be married.

CROWD: (GASPS, SCOFFS)

MARIA: Why, that's ridiculous!

CLARINDA: And the new will named Clarinda Bell Sloane, his wife, as a 
principal beneficiary. (DARKLY) However, since I'm still Clarinda Bell -- 
probably always will be -- you see --

CAPTAIN: Where is this will, Miss Bell?

CLARINDA: In the safe. Mr. Sloane's office. So, Captain, now that I've 
demonstrated that I have no possible motive -- do you suppose I might go home?

CAPTAIN: Why, sure. Sure, you can go home. I'll be in touch with you.

CLARINDA: Thank you. Good night.

CROWD: (MURMURS) Wait, Clarinda! Good night. Good night.

SOUND: (DOOR SHUTS, DURING FOLLOWING DIALOGUE THE PHONE RINGS IN B.G. AND 
BOWER ANSWERS IT)

BANNISTER: Well, people, looks as if we're out of luck.

MARIA: No, we're not out of luck yet, Joe. That second will can't be probated 
so the first one is still good.

BANNISTER: Oh, no, my dear. The INTENT of the will is the thing. We're still 
out of luck.

RAYMOND: I didn't know there was another will.

BOWER: Telephone, Captain Bane. Headquarters calling, sir.

CAPTAIN: Oh, thanks. Uh, the rest of you clear out for a few minutes. Uh, 
Bower, see that they don't run all over the place and get lost.

BOWER: Oh, yes, sir, yes, sir.

SOUND: (CROWD MURMURS AND FILES OUT LOUDLY UNDER THE FOLLOWING:)

CAPTAIN: (INTO PHONE) Uh, hello? ... Oh, you did, eh? ... No, hold it a minute 
till these people get out of here. (IMPATIENT, TO ALL) All right, let's go, 
sweeties, let's go!

(MUSIC ... A BRIDGE ... IN AND OUT)

WALLY: Natalie?

NATALIE: What, Wally?

WALLY: Come in here a minute, will you?

NATALIE: Where?

WALLY: Here in this room. I want to ask you something. No, wait, let's see if 
there's anybody in there. (PAUSE) No. Come on.

NATALIE: What do you want?

SOUND: (DOOR SHUTS)

WALLY: Now, honey -- look at me. What were you doing in your uncle's room when 
he was shot?

NATALIE: I - I don't know what you mean.

WALLY: Nat, darling, this guy Bane is a sharp cop. Now, look, I can't cover up 
for you all the time.

NATALIE: Do you mean you think I shot Uncle Harry?

WALLY: Darling, no, but I-- I mean, you WERE in there with the door locked. 
You unlocked it yourself. I nearly got caught when Bane asked me how I got in.

NATALIE: (ALARMED) You're not going to tell him, Wally!

WALLY: Natalie, darling, listen, please. I--

SOUND: (DOOR OPENS)

CAPTAIN: Well, Wally Kent, I've been looking all over-- (SEES NATALIE) Excuse 
me. Wally, I want to see you.

WALLY: Oh, excuse me, Natalie, I - I'll see you later, huh? Okay, Tom. What 
now?

CAPTAIN: Sorry, Miss Natalie.

SOUND: (DOOR SHUTS, WALLY AND THE CAPTAIN ARE ALONE)

CAPTAIN: Wally -- we found the Topaz Flower.

WALLY: You - you what?

CAPTAIN: Yeah. John Jarboe of the hock shop squad just called -- that was the 
phone call. Uh, found it in a shop six blocks from here and he's, uh, bringing 
the owner and the Topaz Flower first thing tomorrow morning.

WALLY: Well, I'll be-- Say, that's fast work, Tom.

CAPTAIN: Yeah, it sure is, isn't it? Says a woman hocked it.

WALLY: (WORRIED) A woman?

CAPTAIN: You suppose somebody could have gotten out of the house, run over to 
the hock shop and, uh--?

WALLY: (APPREHENSIVE) Well, what - what did the woman look like, Tom?

CAPTAIN: Well, the fella said she was wearing a green hat, a purple scarf, and 
she had red hair.

WALLY: (SURPRISED) Red hair?

CAPTAIN: Yeah.

WALLY: (RELIEVED) Oh-- Well-- Thank goodness there's no redheaded women in 
this house.

CAPTAIN: Think again, Wally. There may be - a red wig.

(MUSIC ... A BRIDGE ... IN AND OUT)


-= PART 2 =-