CAST OF CHARACTERS

CAPTAIN DANIEL VON FLANAGAN, of Homicide, who hadn’t wanted to be a policeman in the first place and whose life is made difficult by the methodical murder of postmen

JOHN J. MALONE, fast-talking criminal lawyer, chronically short of funds, who gets involved in detective work

MAGGIE, his long-suffering secretary

RODNEY FAIRFAXX, gentle and wealthy eccentric, still expecting a letter from his sweetheart, lost at sea more than thirty years ago

BRIDIE, the tearful Fairfaxx maid

KENNETH FAIRFAXX, Rodney’s nephew and an heir to his fortune, who is up to his neck in woman-trouble

ELIZABETH FAIRFAXX, Rodney’s beautiful niece, who has a motive for the crime

VIOLET, faded and silent housekeeper of the Fairfaxx ménage, who reminds Malone of someone he has seen before

A STRAY MUTT, looking for a home

HELENE JUSTUS, who snarls up activities and insists that her friends the Fairfaxxes couldn’t have done it

JAKE JUSTUS, Helene’s husband, who comes down with a spectacular case of the chicken pox and makes a find

MRS. ABBY LACY, neighbor of the Fairfaxxes, who’s unpleasant and knows it

GAY LACY, her homely daughter, engaged to Kenneth Fairfaxx

UNCLE ERNIE FAIRFAXX, who has information to impart and is hit by a brick wall

GLIDA, irrepressible mother of six twins

DR. MCSMITH, irate physician, who turns up on the most convenient occasions

BOB ALLEN, seedy-looking actor, on whom Elizabeth Fairfaxx is sweet

HUNTLEIGH, the Lacy butler, who could make a living as Boris Karloff’s stand-in and whose devotion knows no bounds