Steve-Calvert.co.uk
Steve-Calvert.co.uk
A Passion For Horror
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Old Radio ShowsInner Sanctum MysteriesThe Death LaughThe Death Laugh is a story of revenge from beyond the grave. When a jury sentences a killer to life the Judge, Richard Thornton, overrides their decision and imposes the death penalty. The prisoner, John Spencer, begs for mercy, but when his pleas fall on deaf ears Spencer tells the judge that he won't always be on top; one day he will be where Spencer is now, and when that day arrives Spencer hopes that they throw the book at the judge and, when they do, wherever he is Spencer will be laughing. When the judge arrives home his wife, Laura, calls him into her room. Laura, who is eleven years older than the judge, has a heart condition and she needs him to explain the duties to the new nurse. The nurse is called Margaret Cummins and the judge is sure that he has seen her somewhere before, but he cannot remember where or when. He asks Margaret about this but she refuses to enlighten him and over the next few weeks she turns it into a kind of game: "Don't you remember yet?" Margaret is a lot younger than the judge's wife and when Laura sees how well the two are getting on together she becomes jealous and tells the judge to dismiss Margaret. The judge does indeed dismiss Margaret, but he also tells her that he has fallen in love with her and requests her address so that they can meet. That same night he hears the dead man, Spencer, laughing at him. The next time the judge sees
Margaret he
asks her if she would marry him if his wife were dead; and all too soon
his wife does die. That very same day, as it happens. In fact Laura
dies almost as soon as the judge arrives home. What a guy! But don't
worry, no bad deed goes unpunished in this story and he who laughs last
laughs best. Click to Listen >> The Death Laugh
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