Calling Dr. Death Page #3

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Oh, you'll confess

sooner or later,

because you can't

escape your conscience.

Already,

it's beginning to bother you.

Why don't you confess now?

You're mad.

Mad? No.

No, Doctor.

Did it ever occur to you

that perhaps you are?

No. Everybody else is.

That's what all of you think.

You know, Doctor, it isn't

death that frightens men.

It's waiting.

Anticipation.

Your conscience haunting you

in your sleep,

in your dreams.

Get out!

It's so easy.

Just a few little words.

That's all it'd take.

Get out!

Sorry, Doctor.

Was it expensive?

Must be your nerves.

I'd check that.

I've got to find out.

Self-hypnosis. Yes.

That's the only way.

I'll attempt

to put myself under.

If I succeed,

you start the recorder,

then question me

about what happened

from Saturday afternoon on.

Keep repeating

and repeating until I reply.

Understand?

Relax.

Relax.

I'm tired.

Very tired.

My eyes are getting heavy.

I'm going to sleep.

Going to...

Think, Mark, think.

You're completely relaxed.

It's all so clear.

Think now, Mark.

You drove.

Then what happened?

Who are you?

Inspector Gregg. You must have heard

of me. Hasn't the Doctor told you?

Please, he's asleep.

Using his own medicine?

He didn't do it. Please

believe me. We have proof.

Wait a minute,

I'll wake him.

You're sending an innocent man

to the chair.

You know

the Doctor killed his wife.

You know how he hated her.

You like him, don't you?

But you'll never be

happy with him.

You'll despise him

after a while,

and Duval will always

loom up before you.

Tell me what you know.

He's innocent. I know he is.

Mark, wake up. Mark!

What are you doing here?

How did you get in?

He's trying to blame you.

He wants me to help him.

Don't try to fight it, Doctor.

It has to come.

Don't listen to him, Mark.

You didn't do it.

You told me so yourself.

It's on the recording.

I told you what happened

last Saturday and Sunday?

Yes.

I got into the car,

drove directly to the lodge.

I found Maria there.

She was alone.

She was drunk.

She accused me

of following her.

We argued.

I pushed her away, ran out.

As I got into my car,

through the rearview mirror,

I saw Duval enter the house.

He must have

hidden behind the tree

when he first

heard my approach.

Disgusted,

I drove back to my office,

took a sedative,

a little too strong.

I began to fall asleep then...

Very interesting.

What does it prove?

You saw the condition he was

in when he made the recording.

He hypnotized himself.

I helped him.

Maybe you helped him

get rid of his wife.

Leave her out of this,

or I'II...

What, kill me?

No. That isn't the solution.

Why didn't you tell me

you were at the lodge?

I didn't know it.

Amnesia, Doctor?

Yes, I found him here, asleep,

the next morning.

Very convenient,

but hardly probable.

However, this interests me.

You'd call that

a subconscious voice, Doctor?

Does it always tell

the truth? Invariably.

You see, Doctor, I disagree

with you. And I'll tell you why.

You don't want to die

for more reasons than one.

I believe in the will to live,

and you want to live.

You're well-trained, Doctor.

I also believe you can

control the subconscious.

No, I'm afraid

you haven't got a chance.

Oh, I owe you

a vote of thanks, though.

You're big game, Doctor.

Makes the chase interesting.

He's mad.

Perhaps,

but not without reason.

But the record.

I know.

But the will to live,

it might be strong enough

to control the subconscious.

Stella,

I'm afraid he may be right.

Duval, you've been hiding

something from me.

You've got to tell me

the truth.

Everything.

Everything that you know.

How did you meet Maria?

What were the circumstances?

All right.

I'd been rather successful.

Then I began to gamble.

I lost everything,

everything I built up.

Fifteen years of success

went overnight.

Then I met Maria.

I didn't pay much attention to

her until your name was mentioned.

Then it suddenly dawned on me

how successful you'd been.

Go ahead.

Maria didn't mean

anything to me.

I was desperate for money.

I'd have done anything.

We went out together a few times,

and then when I was sure of her,

I told her I was in trouble.

It wasn't hard.

In a few months

she'd given me $10,000.

I thought after I got

the money that I'd leave her,

but it wasn't that simple.

She got under my skin.

I kept away from her

for a few days,

and then I realized

I loved her.

Did you return the money?

Half of it.

What about the rest?

How about the rest?

He is obviously

shielding someone.

But who? His wife?

"Governor denies

Duval reprieve.

"Duval must die. "

Stella.

Here.

Here now.

I'm sorry. I...

Stella, you've been working

too hard. You must take a rest.

I don't want to go away.

I want to be with you.

We'll be together

the rest of our lives if...

Oh, you need a rest.

You've been doing too much.

You've been my nurse, secretary,

bookkeeper, that is too much.

Now, please.

Call a girl to take care

of the office.

As a nurse, I'm afraid

I couldn't replace you.

Thank you, Doctor.

I'll have a girl here

Monday morning.

That's fine.

You know,

I've been tired, too.

Thought maybe we'd close up

the office for a few days

and take a run up

to Spring Lake.

They have excellent

fishing, boating, fresh air.

I'd love to, Mark,

but I promised

to visit my family.

I haven't seen them

in months.

Oh, I didn't know that you...

They live in Malcolm Falls,

about 70 miles

above Spring Lake.

Well, that's perfect.

I'll drive you up to Malcolm

Falls, leave you there,

then I'll come back to

Spring Lake for some fishing.

You can return by train, and

I'll see you here on Monday.

How about it?

All right.

Bill, what happened here?

I was coming down the hallway,

Doctor.

There was a blast.

Good thing I was there.

There was a couple

investigators here.

Investigators?

Yeah.

They asked me a whole

lot of questions about you.

I told them you was okay.

Thanks, Bill.

Say, you're lucky, Doctor.

A few minutes more and all

that stuff would have been gone.

I hope you're insured,

Doctor.

I'm not in the habit

of running after fires,

but when they told me at headquarters

it was here, naturally, I was interested.

Think you'll need me?

No.

Mind if I have

a look around?

The investigators

have already done that.

Well, I feel, especially

in a case like this,

that everything is a clue.

Nothing must be overlooked.

Thank you.

Doctor, just a minute. Here's

something might interest you.

You see, I wasn't wrong.

And the most innocent thing.

Acid.

Oh, by the way, wasn't

your wife disfigured by...

Sorry, Doctor.

Now, this particular...

Strange that it should

occur to you twice.

Acid, I mean.

Peculiar place for a chemical,

don't you think, Doctor?

Very clever.

Are you insinuating...

Why not? Perhaps

you had something to hide.

Well,

it was a pretty good fire.

Looks like it took

a long while to get started.

Where were you

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