Midnight Signal Episode 1: Sorry Wrong Number

A woman named Mrs. Elbert Stephenson overhears a murder plot on a crossed telephone line involving a client, two men, and an intended victim at 11:15. She tries to report it to the police and the telephone operator, facing obstacles in getting help quickly. The suspenseful tale unfolds as she desperately seeks assistance to prevent the murder, feeling unsafe alone in her home due to poor health. This is Midnight Signal. Broadcasting from the shadows of the past. Tonight's transmission. Sorry, wrong number. Originally broadcast in 1943 on the radio program Suspense, written by Lucille Fletcher and starring Agnes Moorhead. A woman alone in her apartment accidentally overhears a murder plot unfolding on a crossed telephone line, and soon realizes the intended victim may be her. Tuned to midnight. The signal begins now. This is the Man in Black, here again to introduce Columbia's program, Suspense. Our star tonight is one of the most compelling actresses in America today, Miss Agnes Moorhead. Miss Moorhead returns to our stage to appear in a new study in terror by Lucille Fletcher called Sorry, Wrong Number. This story of a woman who accidentally overheard a conversation with death and who strove frantically to prevent murder from claiming an innocent victim is tonight's tale of Suspense. If you have been with us on these Tuesday nights, you will know that Suspense is compounded of mystery and suspicion and dangerous adventure. In this series, our tales are calculated to intrigue you, stir your nerves, to offer you a precarious situation, and then withhold the solution until the last possible moment. And so it is with Sorry, Wrong Number, and the performance of Agnes Moorhead, we again hope to keep you in Suspense. Oh, dear. Operator, I've been dialing Murray Hill 7-0-0-9-3 now for the last three-quarters of an hour, and the line is always busy. I don't see how it could be busy that long. Will you try it for me, please? I'll be glad to try that number for you. One moment, please. I don't see how it could be busy all this time. It's my husband's office. He's working late tonight, and I'm all alone here in the house. My health is very poor, and I've been feeling so nervous all day. Ringing Murray Hill 7-0-0-9-3. Hello? Hello? Uh, hello? Is Mr. Stevenson there? Hello? Hello? Oh, hello, George. Yes, sir. This is George speaking. Oh, who's this? What number am I calling, please? I'm here with our client now. He says the coast is clear for tonight. Yes, sir. Where are you now? In a phone booth. Don't worry. Everything's okay. Very well. Now, you know the address? At 11 o'clock, the private patrolman goes around to the bar on Second Avenue for a beer. Be sure to pull the lights downstairs out, huh? There should be only one light visible from the street. At 11-15, a train crosses the bridge. It makes a noise in case a window is open and she should scream. Oh, hello! What number is this, please? Okay. I understand. Now, make it quick. As little blood as possible, huh? Our client does not wish to make her supper long. Will a knife be your occasion? Well, a knife will be okay. And, uh, do you remember the other details? Yeah, yeah. I know. Remove the rings and bracelets and the jewelry in the beer drawer. That's right. Our client wishes it to look like simple robbery. Don't worry. Everything is going to be okay. All right, then. Be sure to... Oh! Oh! Oh, how awful! How unfeasibly awful! Your call, please. Operator, I, I, I've just been cut off. I'm sorry. What number were you calling? Right. It, it, it was supposed to be Mario 7-0093, but it wasn't. Some wires must have got crossed. I was cut into a wrong number and I, I, I've, I've just heard the most dreadful thing. Something about a murder. And, Operator, you'll simply have to retrace that call once. I beg your pardon. May I help you? Oh, I, I know it was a wrong number and I had no business listening, but these two men, they were cold-blooded fiends and they were going to murder somebody. Some poor innocent woman who was all alone in a house near a bridge and we've got to stop them. We've got to... What number were you calling, please? Oh, that doesn't matter. This was a wrong number and you dialed it for me and we've got to find out what it was immediately. What number did you call? Oh, why are you so stupid? What, what time is it? Do you mean to tell me you can't find out what that number was just now? I'll connect you with the chief operator. Oh, I think it's perfectly shameful. Now look, look, it was obviously a case of some little slip of the finger. I told you to try Murray Hill 70093 for me. You dialed it, but your finger must have slipped and I was connected with some other number. And I could hear them, but they couldn't hear me. Now, now I simply fail to see why you couldn't make that same mistake again on, on purpose. Why you couldn't try to dial Murray Hill 70093 in the same sort of careless way. Murray Hill 70093. I will try to get it for you. Oh, thank you. I'm sorry, Murray Hill 70093 is busy. I will call you when... Operator, operator, operator. Operator, will you answer me? Your call, please. I didn't try to get that wrong number at all. I asked you explicitly and all you did was dial correctly. I'm sorry. What number are you calling? Oh, can't you for once forget what number I'm calling and do something for me? Now, I want to trace that call. It's my civic duty, it's your civic duty to trace that call and apprehend those dangerous killers. And if you won't... I will connect you with the chief operator. Please. Oh. A new answer. This is the chief operator. Chief operator, I want you to trace a call, a telephone call immediately. I don't know where it came from or who was making it, but it's absolutely necessary that it be tracked down because it was about a murder that someone's planning. A terrible, cold-blooded murder of a poor, innocent woman. Tonight at 11.15. I see. Well, can you trace it for me? Can you track down those men? I'm not certain. It depends. Depends on what? It depends on whether the call is still going on. If it's a live call, we can trace it on the equipment. If it's been disconnected, we can't. Disconnected? If the parties have stopped talking to each other. Oh, but even of course they must have stopped talking to each other by now. That was at least five minutes ago and it didn't sound like the typo would make a long call. Well, I can try tracing it. May I have your name, please? Mrs. Stephenson. Mrs. Elbert Stephenson. Now, but listen... And your telephone number, please. Oh, Plaza 42295. But if you go on wasting all this time... Why do you want the call traced, please? Why? Well... Oh, no reason. No reason. I mean, I merely felt very strongly that something ought to be done about it. These men sounded like killers. They're dangerous. They're going to murder this woman at 11.15 tonight and I thought the police ought to know. Have you reported this to the police? Well, no. No, not yet. You want this call checked purely as a private individual? Yes. Yes, but meanwhile... I'm sorry, Mrs. Stephenson, but I'm afraid we couldn't make this check for you and trace the call just in your place, though, as a private individual. Well, I... We'd have to do something more official. Oh, for heaven's sake. You mean to tell me I can't report that there's going to be a murder without getting tied up in all this red tape? Why, you... It's perfectly idiotic. Well, all right. All right. I'll call the police. Thank you. I'm sure that would be the best way to... Ridiculous. That's perfectly ridiculous. Oh. Your call, please. This is the police department. Get me the police department, please. Thank you. Bringing the police department. Police station, precinct 43, Sergeant Martin speaking. Police department, this is Mrs. Stephenson, Mrs. Elbert Smyth Stephenson of 53 North Sutton Place. I'm calling up to report a murder. I mean, the murder hasn't been committed yet, but I just overheard plans for it over the telephone, over a wrong number that the operator gave me. I've been trying to trace down the call myself, but everybody is so stupid, and I guess in the end you're the only people who could do anything. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Well, it was a perfectly definite murder. I heard their plans distinctly. Two men were talking, and they were going to murder some woman at 1115 tonight. She lived in a house near a bridge. Are you listening to me? Yes, ma'am. And there was a private patrolman on the street. He was going to go around for a beer on 2nd Avenue, and there was some third man, a client, who was paying to have this poor woman murdered. He was going to take her rings and bracelets and use a knife. Well, it unnerved me dreadfully, and I'm not well. I see. When was all this, ma'am? Well, about eight minutes ago. Oh, then you can do something. You do understand. What is your name, ma'am? Mrs. Stevenson. Mrs. Elbert Stevenson. And your address? 53 North Sutton Place. 53 North Sutton Place. That's near a bridge. The Queensborough Bridge, you know. And we have a private patrolman on North Street and 2nd Avenue. And what was the number you were calling? Murray Hill 70093. But that wasn't a number I overheard. I mean Murray Hill 70093 is my husband's office. He's working late tonight, and I was trying to reach him to ask him to come home. I'm an invalid, you know, and it's the maid's night off, and I hate to be alone, even though he says I'm perfectly safe as long as I have the telephone right beside my bed. Well, we'll look into it, Mrs. Stevenson, and we'll see if we can check it with the telephone company. But the telephone company said they couldn't check the call if the parties had stopped talking. I've already taken care of that. Oh, you have? Yes, and personally I feel you ought to do something far more immediate and drastic than just check the call. What good does checking the call do if they stopped talking? By the time you track it down, they'll already have committed the murder. Well, we'll take care of it. Don't you worry. Well, I'd say the whole thing called for a search, a complete and thorough search of the whole city. Now, I'm very near the bridge, and I'm not far from 2nd Avenue, and I know I'd feel a lot better if you sent around a radio car to this neighborhood at once. And what makes you think the murder's going to be committed in your neighborhood, ma'am? Oh, well, I don't know. Only the coincidence is so horrible. 2nd Avenue and patrolmen and the bridge. 2nd Avenue is a very long street, ma'am. I know. And you know how many bridges there are in the city of New York alone, not to mention Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, LeBron. I know. How do you know there isn't some little house out on Staten Island on some little 2nd Avenue you've never even heard about? How do you know they're even talking about New York at all? But I heard the call in the New York dialing system. Maybe it was the long-distance call you overheard. A telephone's a funny thing. Look, lady, why don't you look at it this way. Supposing you hadn't broken in on that telephone call. Supposing you'd got your husband the way you always do. You wouldn't be upset, would you? No, I suppose not. Only it sounded so inhuman, so cold-blooded. A lot of murders are plotted in this city every day, ma'am. We manage to prevent most all of them, but a clue of this kind is so vague it isn't much more used to us than no clue at all. But surely you... Unless, of course, you have some reason for thinking this call was phony and that somebody may be planning to murder you. Me? Oh, no, I hardly think so. Well, I mean, why should anybody? I'm alone all day and night. I see nobody except my maid, Eloise. And she's a big girl. She weighs 200 pounds. She's too lazy to bring up my breakfast tray. And the only other person is my husband, Elbert. He's crazy about me. He just adores me. Waits on me hand and foot. Has scarcely left my side since I took six twelve years ago. Well, and there's nothing for you to worry about. Now, if you'll just leave the rest of this to us, we'll take care of it. But what will you do? It's so late. It's nearly 11 now. We'll take care of it, lady. Well, will you broadcast it all over the city and send out squads and warn your radio cars to watch out, especially in suspicious neighborhoods like mine. Lady, I said we'd take care of it. Just now I've got a couple of other matters here on my desk that require immediate attention. Good night, ma'am, and thank you. Oh, you, you idiot. Oh, now why did I hang up the phone like that? Now he'll think I am a fool. Oh, why doesn't Elbert come home? Why doesn't he? Oh. Your call, please. Operator, for heaven's sake, will you ring that Murray Hill 70093 number again? I can't think what's keeping him so long. I will try it for you. Well, try, try. I'm so nervous. Why does it take so long? I'm sorry. Murray Hill 70093 is busy. I will call you later. I can hear it. You don't have to tell me. I know it's busy. Oh, if I could only get out of this bed for a little while. If I could, if I could get a breath of fresh air and lean out of the window or see the street. Hello, Elbert? Hello? Hello? Hello? Oh, what's the matter with this phone? Hello, hello? Hello? Hello? Oh, for heaven's sake, who is this? Hello? Hello? Hello? Your call, please. Hello, operator? I don't know what's the matter with this telephone tonight, but it's positively driving me crazy. I've never seen such inefficient, miserable service. Now, now, now, now, look. I'm an invalid and I'm very nervous and I'm not supposed to be annoyed. But if this keeps on much longer. What seems to be the trouble, please? Well, everything's wrong. I haven't had one bit of satisfaction out of one call I've made this evening. The whole world could be murdered for all you people care. And now, now, my phone keeps ringing and ringing and ringing and ringing and ringing every five seconds or so. And when I pick it up, there's no one there. I'm sorry. If you will hang up, I will test it for you. I don't want you to test it for me. I want you to put that call through. Whatever it is, it's one. I'm afraid I cannot do that. You can't? Then why? Why, may I ask? The dial system is automatic. If someone is trying to dial your number, there is no way to check whether the call is coming through the system or not. Unless the person who is trying to reach you complains to a particular operator. Well, of all this stupidness. And meanwhile, I've got to sit here in my bed suffering every time that phone rings, imagining everything. I will try to check the trouble for you. Check it, check it. That's all anybody can do. Oh, what's the use of talking to you? You're stupid. I'll fix her. Of all late incidents. Oh, how dare she speak to me like that. How dare she speak to me like that. Hello? Your call, please. Young woman, I don't know your name. But there are ways of finding you out. And I'm going to report you to your superiors for the most unpardonable rudeness and insolence that has ever been my privilege. Give me the business office at once. You may dial that number direct. Dial it direct? I'll do no such thing. I don't even know the number. The number is in the directory. So you may secure it by dialing information. Now listen here, you... Oh, what's the use? Oh, for heaven's sake. I'm going out of my mind. Hello? Hello? Hello? Stop ringing me, do you hear? Answer me, who is this? You realize you're driving me crazy? Who's calling me? What are you doing it for? Now stop it, stop it, stop it, I say. Hello? Hello? If you don't stop ringing me, I'm going to call the police, you hear? The police. Oh, if Alfred would only come home. Oh, let it ring. Let it go on ringing. It's a trick of some kind. And I won't answer it, I won't, I won't, even if it goes on ringing all night. Now what's the matter? Why do they stop ringing all of a sudden? What time is it? Oh, where did I put that clock? Five to eleven. Oh, they've decided something. They're sure I'm home. They heard my voice answer them just now. That's why they've been ringing me. Why no one has answered me? I'm afraid I did. Oh. Oh, where is she? Why doesn't she answer? Oh, I'm afraid I did. Why doesn't she answer? Your call, please. Where were you just now? Why didn't you answer at once? Give me the police department. I'm sorry. Just a minute. Oh. Oh. I'm sorry. The line is busy. I will call you. Busy? Busy? But that's impossible. A police department can't be busy. There must be other lines available. The line is busy. I will try to get them for you later. No, no, I've got to speak to them now, or it may be too late. I've got to talk to someone. What number do you wish to speak to? I don't know, but there must be someone to protect people beside the police department. A detective agency. You will find agencies listed in the classified directory. But I don't have a classified directory. I mean, I'm too nervous. I will connect you with information. Perhaps she will be able to help you. No, no. Oh, you're being spiteful, aren't you? You don't care, do you, what happens to me? I could die and you wouldn't care. Oh, stop it. Stop it, I can't stand anymore. Hello, what do you want? Stop ringing, will you? Stop it. Hello, is this Plaza 42295? Yes, I'm sorry. Yes, this is Plaza 42295. This is Western Union. I have a telegram here for Mrs. Albert Stephenson. Is there anyone there to receive the message? Yes, I'm Mrs. Stephenson. The telegram is as follows. Mrs. Albert Stephenson, 53 North Sutton Plate, New York, New York. Darling, terribly sorry. Tried to get you for last hour, but line busy. Leaving for Boston 11 p.m. tonight on urgent business. Back tomorrow afternoon. Keep happy. Love, signed, Albert. Oh, no. You wish us to deliver a copy of the message? No. No, thank you. Thank you, madam. Good night. Good night. Good night. Oh, no. No, I don't believe it. He couldn't do it. Not when he knows I'll be all alone. It's some trick. It's some trick. Something. Something is trick. I know. Oh, I'm so nervous. Your call, please. Operator, try that Murray Hill 7-0-0-9-3 number for me just once more, please. You may dial that number direct. You... Not... me... Oh, he's gone. Oh, Albert, how could you? How could you? Oh, I can't be alone tonight. I can't be alone tonight. I can't. If I'm alone one more second, I'll go mad. I don't care what he says or what the extent is. I'm a sick woman. I'm entirely sick. This is information. May I help you? I want the telephone number of Henshley Hospital. Henshley Hospital? Yes. Do you have the street address? No. No, it's somewhere in the 70s. It's a very small, private and exclusive hospital that I had my appendix out two years ago. Henshley, H-E-N-S... One moment. Will you please hurry and... Please, what is the time? You may find out the time by dialing Meridian 7-1-2-1-2. Oh, for heaven's sake. I've no time to be dialing. The number of Henshley Hospital is Butterfield 7-0-1-0-5. Butterfield 7-0-1-0-5. Butterfield 7-0-1-0-5. Henshley Hospital, good evening. The nurse's registry. Who is it you wish to speak to, please? I want the nurse's registry at once. I want a trained nurse. Immediately, for the night. I see. And what is the nature of the case, madam? Nurse. I'm very nervous. I need soothing and companionship. You see, my husband is away, and I'm also... Have you been recommended to us by any doctor in particular, madam? No, but I really don't see why all this catechizing is necessary. I just want a trained nurse. I was a patient in your hospital two years ago, and after all, I do expect to pay this person for attending me. We quite understand that, madam, but these are war times, you know. I know that. Registered nurses are very scarce just now, and our superintendent has asked us to send people out only on cases where the physician in charge feels it's absolutely necessary. Well, it is absolutely necessary. I'm a sick woman. I'm very much upset, very. I'm alone in this house, and I'm an invalid, and tonight I overheard a telephone conversation that upset me dreadfully. In fact, if someone doesn't come at once, I'm afraid I'll go out of my mind. I see. Well, I'll speak to Miss Phillips as soon as she comes in. And what is your name, ma'am? Miss Phillips? And when do you expect her in? I really couldn't say. She went out to supper at 11 o'clock. 11 o'clock? But it's not 11 o'clock yet. Oh. Oh, my clock has stopped. I thought it was running down. What time is it? Just 15 minutes past 11. What was that? What was what, ma'am? That. That click. Just now in my own telephone. As though someone had lifted the receiver off the hook of the extension telephone downstairs. I didn't hear it, ma'am. Now, about this. But I did. There's someone in this house. Someone's downstairs in the kitchen. And they're listening to me now. That is it. Ah. I won't. I won't pick it up. I. I won't let them hear me. I won't let them hear me. I'll be quiet. I'll be so quiet. And they'll think. Oh. Oh, but if I don't call someone now. I'm going to kill down there. Wait. There'll be no time. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Your call, please. Operator. I'm. I'm in desperate trouble. I'm sorry. I cannot hear you. Please speak louder. I. I. I. I don't dare. I. There's someone listening. Can. Can you hear me now? I'm sorry. Oh. But you've got to. You've got to hear me. Oh, please. Please. You've got to help me. There's. There's someone in this house. Someone who's going to murder me. And. And you've got to get in touch with. You. Oh. Oh, there it is. There it is. Did you hear it? He's. He's put it down. He's put down the extension cord. He's. He's coming up. He's coming upstairs. Okay. Give me the police department. The police department. Give me the police department. One moment, please. I will connect you. I can hear him. Oh, I can hear him. He's coming near me. Oh, I know it. Hurry. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. 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