Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:00 — 6.6MB)
An elderly woman has been murdered, and it’s up to Joe Friday to find the heartless killer. In the office, Joe Friday begins by making long distance phone calls. Probably a bit of mundane drudgery to the person of the late 1940’s, but a nice slice of history for us in seeing how far communication technology has progressed. Mrs Renard is the prime suspect, and reported to have struck her mother in law in fights. She has trouble convincing Joe Friday, and Ben Romero of where she was during the time of the killing. She had the time, motive, and opportunity, but then a phone call changes things.
Reporting to chief Backstrand, Joe and Ben review more details in the case. Forensics seems to prove Mrs Renard is innocent. The crime scene investigator explains to Joe why it was someone else. With an outsider involved, where does that leave Joe’s investigation? Mrs Renard still has to clear a polygraph.
Clues involve a stolen radio, topaz ring, and the trail to link the suspect to the killer is begun. Pawn shop records lead to Mr Barry, but the man has just moved. The cooperative apartment manager provides more connections to the crime. The dragnet closes tighter around Albert Barry, but has the wary burglar gone killer slipped away? Will it come down to gunplay to bring in the fugitive?
Note: A disclaimer that commercials are left in for entertainment and historical purposes only. Don’t smoke, it’s bad for you.
