Becker House Detective - An Expensive Bottle of Poison

Summary

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Becker House Detective: "An Expensive Bottle of Poison"

Podcast: Harold’s Old Time Radio
Air Date: March 14, 2026
Summary by: Harold's Old Time Radio

Main Theme

This classic detective radio drama revolves around a mysterious case of sudden illness—possibly poison—at an elite dinner in the Queen of the Rockies hotel. Detective Becker must unravel the tangled motives and relationships among guests, chefs, and medical professionals to discover who is responsible for the apparent poisoning of Dr. Frost, the new physician to the Prime Minister.

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Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. The Unusual Whisper and Setup (00:36 – 03:10)

• Setting: Elegant hotel restaurant during a College of Physicians and Surgeons event.
• Detective Becker is approached by his old friend, chef Francois Martel, who is uncharacteristically whispering—a sign of trouble.
  • “Never, not once in our friendship...have I ever heard him whisper. Shout, yes, whine, absolutely...but never, never whisper.” (Detective Becker, 00:38)
• Francois’s Anxiety: Highly stressed due to the presence of Dr. Frost and Mrs. Frost’s last-minute request for a special (and expensive) bottle of wine: Veuve Clicquot ’86.

2. The Incident: Sudden Illness at the Dinner Table (03:11 – 04:48)

• At Dr. Frost's table, laughter turns to concern as Dr. Frost shows signs of distress—clutching his chest, unable to breathe.
• Immediate chaos as several at the table—Dr. Frost, Dr. Webb, and Mrs. Frost—fall gravely ill. Only Mrs. Webb remains unaffected.
  • “He clutched his chest...I imagined he was lecturing them on some point of moral conduct. As I moved closer...he rose, his gestures becoming wild.” (Detective Becker, 02:35)
  • “My husband is having an attack. Lacy, do something!” (Mrs. Frost, 03:14)

3. Theories and Suspicions Emerge (04:48 – 08:49)

• Initial Blame: Francois worries his kitchen is at fault, possibly due to sabotage by rival chef Gustav Hunk.
• Wine as a Suspect: Mrs. Webb, the sole unaffected diner, reveals she gave the table a bottle of wine she does not drink—she claims the wine is the likely culprit.

4. Clues, False Leads, and More Interviews (08:50 – 12:43)

• Dr. Frost's Death: News arrives that Dr. Frost has died, making the case a possible homicide.
• The Search for Motive: Becker presses both Mrs. Frost and Mrs. Webb about their relationships, histories, and possible motives.
  • “Did you keep in touch with the Webbs after Harvard?” (Detective Becker, 10:58)
  • Mrs. Frost discusses connections at Harvard and later events.

5. Emerging Poison Hypothesis (12:43 – 16:02)

• Detective Becker suggests curare, a rare Amazonian poison, might be responsible—drawing on Dr. Webb's scheduled lecture about Amazonian poisons.
  • “Ask him if he’s got a test for Karari...the poison the Amazonian Indians put on their darts.” (Detective Becker, 13:01)
• Evidence Appears: A small blue perfume bottle, possibly containing poison, is found near the table and linked to Mrs. Webb.

6. Revelations and the Letter (16:03 – 24:43)

• A Letter Emerges: A typewritten note from Dr. Frost to Mrs. Webb suggests an affair, but Detective Becker uncovers it is typewritten in American spelling ("honor" instead of the Canadian "honour").
  • “Canadian rules, Mrs. Frost. You see here, it just popped out at me like a word game.” (Detective Becker, 25:13)
• Doubt Falls on Mrs. Frost: The precise details and physical impossibility for Mrs. Webb to have poisoned Dr. Frost lead Becker to reconsider Mrs. Frost as the main suspect.

7. The Solution: How the Poison was Delivered (24:44 – 26:58)

• Final Deduction: Becker realizes Mrs. Frost gave her husband what appeared to be angina medicine at the moment of crisis, but in reality, it was the lethal poison.
  • “My husband had angina.” (Mrs. Frost, 21:50)
  • “What if what she gave him wasn’t his medicine?...She could have murdered him right in front of me.” (Detective Becker, 21:24)
• Confession: Mrs. Frost confesses, revealing she and Dr. Webb plotted the murder, but Mrs. Frost tried to also frame Mrs. Webb once she discovered Mrs. Webb didn’t drink red wine.

8. Epilogue and Character Farewells (26:58 – 28:07)

• Francois prepares to leave for Ottawa to be the Prime Minister’s chef. Emotional farewell between Becker and Francois.
  • “I should have told you I was going. It has hurt you.” (Francois Martel, 26:48)
  • “I’ll miss you, my friend.” (Detective Becker, 27:02)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Francois’s Anxiety about the Menu:
  “For him, I have created the perfect menu. Perfect, until Madame Frost brings...a bottle of wine, special for her husband. Veuve Clicquot 86. Very expensive, but not very appropriate.” (Francois Martel, 01:28)

• The Dramatic Unveiling of the Poison:
  “Karari. It’s the poison the Amazonian Indians put on their darts.” (Detective Becker, 13:04)

• Foreshadowing via Typographical Clue:
  “The French have almost the same word, honor. But of course, they spell it differently from us...The Americans...spell honor H-O-N-O-R. No U. Canadian rules, Mrs. Frost.” (Detective Becker, 25:13)

• Twist about the Affair and Motivation:
  “Honor must be a very different concept for the French than it is for the English. Same word, but we spell it differently.” (Francois Martel, 18:45)

• Becker’s Emotional Reflection:
  “She set me up to find that bottle, Neil. She set us up to find the letter. Damn it. She poisoned him in front of me. I held his head while she popped in the poison, Becker. And that’s not consistent with my honor.” (Detective Becker, 24:27)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:36 – Becker and Francois, the whisper and chef’s anxiety
• 03:11 – The dinner turns disastrous, sudden illnesses
• 04:48 – Initial accusations: was it food poisoning?
• 07:44 – Mrs. Webb’s admission about bringing the wine
• 09:32 – News that Dr. Frost is dead
• 13:01 – 13:22 – Becker suggests the poison is curare
• 16:18 – Small blue bottle (perfume/poison) is found
• 18:36 – Repercussions of the affair and the typewritten letter
• 21:16 – Solution: Mrs. Frost gives Dr. Frost the poisoned pill
• 24:03 – 25:32 – Becker’s “honor” wordplay exposes the American spelling clue
• 26:08 – 26:58 – Mrs. Frost’s confession, case closed
• 26:58 – 28:07 – Emotional farewell between Becker and Francois

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Tone and Style

• Wry, subtle, and classic detective banter, evocative of Golden Age radio drama
• Careful attention to details—small gestures, wine choices, and typing quirks become crucial.
• Emotional undercurrent with Becker’s personal connections, particularly the farewell with Francois.

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Conclusion

"An Expensive Bottle of Poison" is a tightly crafted radio mystery with red herrings, clever clues, and a dramatic revelation hinging on something as minute as a single letter. Detective Becker, guided by observation and instinct, uncovers a plot of jealousy and betrayal in the sophisticated setting of a grand hotel. The episode deftly combines the era’s charm with timeless detective intrigue.

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Transcript

[Narrator]

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[Sergeant Becker]

Becker.

[Detective Becker]

Becker, listen. Francois was whispering. Now, that's unusual to realize. How unusual, you have to know that never, not once in our friendship, not once since I came to work at the Queen of the Rockies, have I ever heard him whisper, shout, yes, wine, absolutely bellow above the incessant clamor of his kitchen. But never, never whisper. I suppose I should have known then that I was in for a surprise.

[Francois Martel]

Listen, it is very simple, Becker. You are a detective, aren't you? Then you must do some detecting.

[Detective Becker]

What did you have in mind?

[Francois Martel]

Oh, mon Dieu. You scroll past their table and observe whether they are enjoying the meal.

[Detective Becker]

I thought a great chef was above carrot.

[Francois Martel]

This is Dr. Frost, Becker, the new physician to the Prime Minister. For him, I have created the perfect menu. Perfect, until Madame Frost brings to my kitchen a bottle of wine special for her husband. Veuve Clicquot 86.

[Mrs. Webb]

Very good.

[Francois Martel]

Very expensive, but not very appropriate. No, no, no. Put it over there. Imagine, at the last moment, I have had to improvise to change the menu to fit the wine. Sometimes when you improvise, the results are not so good.

[Detective Becker]

Oh, I wouldn't worry, Francois. The dining room's full of.

[Francois Martel]

I beg your pardon.

[Detective Becker]

The College of Physicians and Surgeons. It's their annual get together.

[Francois Martel]

This is not funny, Becker. If Dr. Frost does not like the cuisine, he will tell the Prime Minister my invitation to cook for him.

[Detective Becker]

You've been invited to cook for the Prime Minister? Well, you didn't tell me this.

[Francois Martel]

Sacre bleu. When have I had time? I must do everything myself. You, my friend, will not even make an observation.

[Detective Becker]

Okay, okay, I'm going. Put a saucer over my coffee.

[Francois Martel]

Merci.

[Detective Becker]

Doctor Frost's party was seated on the opposite side of the room from the kitchen overlooking the mountains. Two men and two women obviously enjoying themselves. I made my way across the floor towards them. Suddenly, the man with his back to me began to gesticulate rapidly. The women's faces changed from laughter to concern. From their expression, I imagined he was lecturing them on some point of moral conduct. As I moved closer, however, he rose from his seat, his gestures becoming wild.

[Francois Martel]

I can't breathe.

[Mrs. Frost]

Somebody do Something.

[Detective Becker]

He clutched his chest.

[Mrs. Frost]

Lacy, do something. For God's sake, Paul, do something.

[Francois Martel]

Yes, yes. Do something.

[Detective Becker]

Excuse me. Coming through. Excuse me. My medicine. Excuse me. He's going to.

[Narrator]

Paul.

[Detective Becker]

Stand back.

[Mrs. Frost]

What are you doing?

[Detective Becker]

Loosening his clothes. Can you get his medicine?

[Mrs. Frost]

Yes, it's in his breast pocket. Here. Dudley. Dudley, I've got your tablets. I'm just opening the box. Damn. Can I help? No, I've got them. Here you are, dear. There. They only take a second to work.

[Mrs. Webb]

It'll be all right, dear. He'll be just fine now, won't you, Dudley?

[Detective Becker]

Just rest for a minute, sir. Then we'll get you to your room. Thank you. Thank you. In just be a minute. Just touch your vagina.

[Mrs. Frost]

Dudley.

[Detective Becker]

We need a doctor.

[Mrs. Frost]

He's a doctor. Paul Webb. Sitting right there. And she's a nurse.

[Detective Becker]

You're a doctor, sir?

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Yes.

[Francois Martel]

I'd help.

[Sergeant Becker]

I can't breathe.

[Francois Martel]

Paul.

[Sergeant Becker]

I can't breathe.

[Detective Becker]

A minute hadn't passed before Mrs. Webb was the only member of the party still standing. Dr. Frost, Dr. Webb and Mrs. Frost were all gasping for air. Luckily, we were surrounded by physicians and a doctor was quickly found to take charge. Dr. Frost, the most seriously affected, was taken to the infirmary where he could be kept under observation. Dr. Webb and Mrs. Frost were carried to their rooms. The Queen of the Rockies had a first class scandal on its hands.

[Francois Martel]

Food poisoning. Food poisoning? Oh, Becker, I thought you were my friend.

[Detective Becker]

Don't be silly.

[Francois Martel]

I run an immaculate kitchen, Becker. Immaculate? How could be? Particularly today. Oh, sacre bleu. Hunk.

[Gustav Hunk]

Hunk?

[Francois Martel]

Gustav Hunk, the chef from the Empress. He made a tour this afternoon and he might.

[Narrator]

No.

[Francois Martel]

He would poison the food.

[Detective Becker]

What?

[Francois Martel]

He was not asked to cook for the Prime Minister. The special dinner for the Prime Minister.

[Detective Becker]

You're crazy.

[Francois Martel]

You wait to see if I am crazy. He was here, Becker. He was the only one who was here.

[Detective Becker]

So where might I find Monsieur Gustav Hunk?

[Francois Martel]

Herr Hunk? Becker. Herr Hunk is staying somewhere in the hotel.

[Detective Becker]

Yes, Becker. Mr. Hunk. The house detective. Yes.

[Gustav Hunk]

What is this about?

[Detective Becker]

It's about three people who may have been poisoned in the dining room tonight. Ah, yes. I understand you toured the kitchen this afternoon. Did you notice anything unusual?

[Gustav Hunk]

It is not my kitchen, Mr. Becker.

[Detective Becker]

So, did you or didn't you notice anything?

[Gustav Hunk]

A lady brought in a bottle of wine she wanted to serve. It was an inappropriate wine, true, but Monsieur Martel panicked. He decided to reinvent the entire meal.

[Detective Becker]

And.

[Gustav Hunk]

And he could have dropped anything in without realizing it.

[Detective Becker]

Just out of interest, what would you have done if an inappropriate bottle of wine was demanded.

[Gustav Hunk]

One does not make demands on the chef, Mr. Becker. A great chef makes demands on us.

[Detective Becker]

I see.

[Gustav Hunk]

Not that Monsieur Martel is a great chef. Still, he is the Prime Minister's new cook. That's something, I suppose.

[Detective Becker]

The Prime Minister's new?

[Gustav Hunk]

Why do you think he's so anxious? That little Frenchman is about to become a very big man. Indeed.

[Detective Becker]

Permanently.

[Gustav Hunk]

I start here next week.

[Detective Becker]

Oh, don't be too sure about that. This poisoning.

[Gustav Hunk]

Even a mediocre chef can survive a poisoning or two, Becker. Besides, the Prime Minister has been won over to the provincial charms of la cuisine Francaise.

[Detective Becker]

Hunk flashed a wide, self satisfied smile. Then he shut the door, leaving me alone in the hallway. I wanted a drink. Francois was leaving. I took a couple of deep breaths to clear my head. It was going to be damned lonely around here without him. I took another breath. My chest hurt. But I knew I had to help him. It would kill him not to go. How's Dr. Webb?

[Mrs. Webb]

He seems stable.

[Detective Becker]

Mrs. Frost said you were a nurse.

[Mrs. Webb]

Yes.

[Detective Becker]

Do you have any thoughts about what happened?

[Mrs. Webb]

I. Yes, I. I think it might be my fault. Well, mine and my husband's.

[Detective Becker]

How's that?

[Mrs. Webb]

We gave them a bottle of wine to celebrate Dr. Frost's new appointment.

[Detective Becker]

And you think that's what did it?

[Mrs. Webb]

Well, it's obvious, I'm afraid. You see, I don't drink red wines. They give me acute headaches. Well, that's why I'm not well. They're all sick. Except for me. I took it to their suite myself.

[Detective Becker]

And that was the same bottle Mrs. Frost took to the kitchen.

[Mrs. Frost]

It must have been contaminated.

[Detective Becker]

It looked like my friend could stop worrying. A simple case of frank food poisoning. Contaminated bottle of wine. No reflection on the chef. He'd be off to Ottawa on schedule. As for me, I was hurrying down to the kitchen with the news when I realized I was getting angry.

[Francois Martel]

I am sorry. Very sorry, Becker. I couldn't say it.

[Detective Becker]

And it's true, eh?

[Francois Martel]

It is a great honor.

[Detective Becker]

Damn it, Francois, you're gonna hate Ottawa.

[Francois Martel]

So they have told me. Maybe the Prime Minister will not want me when he hears about Dr. Frost.

[Detective Becker]

No such luck. It looks like the culprit was a contaminated bottle of wine. Nothing to do with you, Neil. Becker.

[Sergeant Becker]

You got any coffee on Francois? I can't believe it. The place is overrun with doctors and I can't get a straight answer anywhere.

[Francois Martel]

It wasn't food poisoning.

[Detective Becker]

I don't know.

[Sergeant Becker]

I've heard 34 theories, but it wasn't Anything common, that's for sure.

[Francois Martel]

Perhaps Dr. Frost will be able to help.

[Sergeant Becker]

Dr. Frost is dead, Francois.

[Francois Martel]

Oh, my God.

[Sergeant Becker]

That's what I came to tell you.

[Detective Becker]

Any others? Mrs.

[Sergeant Becker]

Frost is pretty well recovered and Dr. Webb's still alive.

[Francois Martel]

You didn't have. What is the word? An anecdote, antidote?

[Sergeant Becker]

No, I told you, we don't know what it was.

[Detective Becker]

Have you talked with Doc Moore?

[Sergeant Becker]

He's begun the autopsy, but so far he's as puzzled as everyone else. I'm sending the bottle to Winnipeg for analysis.

[Francois Martel]

That will take a while.

[Sergeant Becker]

Maybe the doc will get lucky.

[Francois Martel]

People will start to talk.

[Detective Becker]

Thank you.

[Sergeant Becker]

It might be a good idea to see what you can pick up, Becker. Maybe you could exercise your charms on the widow.

[Francois Martel]

Oh, sacrile.

[Mrs. Frost]

Thank you, Mr. Becker. I'm sure my husband was very grateful for your help.

[Detective Becker]

I wish I could have done more, Mrs. Frost.

[Mrs. Frost]

You did what could be done. I tell myself it was the Lord's will.

[Detective Becker]

Maybe, but how well do you know the web's Mrs. Frost?

[Mrs. Frost]

Quite well. We all met at medical school. Harvard.

[Detective Becker]

I'm impressed.

[Mrs. Frost]

I should clarify, Mr. Becker. Dr. Webb and my husband were at medical school. Lacy Webb was a nurse.

[Detective Becker]

And you?

[Mrs. Frost]

Oh, I wasn't anything. My father was the Episcopalian chaplain. I used to do a little secretarial work for some of the young doctors. I did quite a bit for Dudley, Dr. Frost, until he brought me here. I'm afraid I could never get the Canadian rules.

[Detective Becker]

It must be quite difficult. Did you keep in touch with the Webbs after Harvard?

[Mrs. Frost]

Not at first. We met again five years ago at the Royal Society. My husband was impressed by Dr. Webb's views and we've been seeing them every year since. Dudley says. I'm sorry. Said that Dr. Webb was his bridge to the world of science. He was so looking forward to his paper.

[Detective Becker]

His paper?

[Mrs. Frost]

On some South American thing. He'd done a lot of work on South American things. Plants and such like. Mrs. Webb would know. She's been his assistant for years.

[Detective Becker]

Right. Can you think of any reason the Webbs would have had for it was

[Mrs. Frost]

simply a tainted bottle of wine, Mr. Becker. I'm sure of it. Besides, Dr. Webb is hardly out of danger himself. I suppose I'm lucky I didn't drink as quickly as the men.

[Detective Becker]

And Mrs. Webb.

[Mrs. Frost]

Mrs. Webb didn't drink.

[Detective Becker]

She mentioned that.

[Mrs. Frost]

I'm wondering now this sweet little woman is a mass murderer.

[Detective Becker]

Well, there was a moment last night when you didn't think she was so sweet.

[Mrs. Frost]

I beg your pardon?

[Detective Becker]

In fact, you were very Angry that the webs weren't helping.

[Mrs. Frost]

I don't remember anything like that.

[Detective Becker]

How much do you remember?

[Mrs. Frost]

Very little, I'm afraid.

[Detective Becker]

Perhaps we should go down to the dining room. Maybe something would come back to you.

[Mrs. Frost]

No, I don't think so. Something important I'm not sure I'm up to reliving last night. Not yet. Later then, if it will help. But for the moment, I'm going to see if I can relieve Mrs. Webb. She must be exhausted. Despite your suspicions, the web's are our friends, Mr. Becke.

[Francois Martel]

I know you must find him, but no, he's not. Way easier.

[Sergeant Becker]

Good.

[Detective Becker]

I need coffee.

[Francois Martel]

This phone. It is for you.

[Sergeant Becker]

Becker, where have you been?

[Detective Becker]

Doing your job for you. What's up?

[Sergeant Becker]

I was hoping you might be able to tell me. Doc Moore's stumped. He's sure it was poison, but he can't find a thing.

[Detective Becker]

Ask him if he's got a test for Karari.

[Sergeant Becker]

What?

[Detective Becker]

Karari. It's the poison the Amazonian Indians put on their darts.

[Sergeant Becker]

Come on, becker.

[Detective Becker]

No, no. Dr. Webb was scheduled to give a paper on the anesthetic properties of certain Amazonian poisons. According to the conference secretary, that means Karari. Either one of the webs could have got it, Neil.

[Sergeant Becker]

So you figure Mrs. Webb tried to kill her husband?

[Detective Becker]

That's one possibility.

[Sergeant Becker]

I'll bet she figured that with three victims we'd have to assume it was food poisoning.

[Detective Becker]

But only Dr. Frost ended up dead.

[Sergeant Becker]

Different constitutions. He was just unlucky.

[Detective Becker]

Yeah, maybe. I think I'll have a look at the scene again with Mrs. Frost.

[Sergeant Becker]

I went over it pretty thoroughly, but let me know if you find anything.

[Detective Becker]

Yep. You got that coffee, Francois?

[Francois Martel]

It is the usual thing. For the sergeant the case is simple, but for you it is growing more complex.

[Detective Becker]

Don't let the band bother you. They're in another world.

[Mrs. Frost]

Frankly, I wish I were as well. I'd like to go home, Mr. Becker.

[Detective Becker]

I've never been in Ottawa.

[Mrs. Frost]

I was thinking of South Carolina.

[Detective Becker]

This is where you were sitting, is it?

[Mrs. Frost]

You know, I really don't remember very much. Dudley must have been sitting here. I always sat on his rack. That would have put Dr. Webb there and his wife there across from me.

[Detective Becker]

You're doing very well.

[Mrs. Frost]

I know how to arrange a table, Mr. Becker, but I really don't remember much more.

[Detective Becker]

Let me help. The wine steward had just poured the wine.

[Mrs. Frost]

Yes.

[Detective Becker]

And Mrs. Webb didn't have any.

[Mrs. Frost]

That's correct. We toasted my husband then. I don't think this is going to be much help, Mr. Becker. I think I better return to my room. I'm not feeling.

[Detective Becker]

Mrs. Frost.

[Mrs. Frost]

Mrs. Frost, I'm not hurt. I'm not hurt. I'm just not quite as recovered as I thought I was.

[Detective Becker]

Let me help you out.

[Mrs. Frost]

I think I'll just sit here for a minute or two.

[Detective Becker]

Of course.

[Mrs. Frost]

Oh, I feel very silly. I must. Would you hand me my purse?

[Detective Becker]

Here we are. Oh, you must have dropped this, too.

[Mrs. Webb]

That.

[Mrs. Frost]

What is it?

[Detective Becker]

A little bottle. Very pretty.

[Mrs. Frost]

It's not mine.

[Detective Becker]

It didn't fall out of your purse.

[Mrs. Frost]

It's closed. My purse is closed. Let me see it. Oh, it is very pretty, isn't it? I love that shade of blue. You know, I think it's Mrs. Webb's. She must have dropped it last night.

[Detective Becker]

Mrs. Webb's? Are you certain?

[Mrs. Frost]

Not entirely. But yes, it's hers. It's a perfume bot.

[Mrs. Webb]

He seems a bit more awake. He's opened his eyes a few times. He's still not talking.

[Sergeant Becker]

Would it surprise you, Mrs. Webb, if I told you that we think that the Frost and your husband were poisoned with carare?

[Mrs. Frost]

Carare?

[Sergeant Becker]

You know what Karare is, Mrs. Webb?

[Mrs. Frost]

Of course.

[Mrs. Webb]

Dr. Webb was. My husband would have no reason to poison himself.

[Detective Becker]

Do you recognize this bottle, Mrs. Webb?

[Mrs. Webb]

Why, yes, it's mine. Where did you find it?

[Detective Becker]

In the dining room, close to your table.

[Mrs. Webb]

It must have dropped out of my purse.

[Mrs. Frost]

Thank you.

[Detective Becker]

This bottle contains a residue, Mrs. Webb.

[Sergeant Becker]

Can we see that purse, ma'?

[Narrator]

Am?

[Mrs. Webb]

Well, yes, of course. It's right here. Do you mean. Are you going to go through it?

[Sergeant Becker]

Just routine. Take a look at this card. Becker.

[Mrs. Webb]

What is it?

[Detective Becker]

My dear, you must accept the fact that it's over. I do love you, but it's simply not consistent with my honor to betray a friend and colleague. I hope you will accept this in the spirit in which I write. Goodbye. It's signed with a D. Dudley.

[Sergeant Becker]

Dudley Frost.

[Mrs. Webb]

Dudley Frost. Are you. I've never seen that before in my life. I. Well, someone must. Dudley Frost.

[Sergeant Becker]

I'm going to have to ask you to come with me to the station, ma'.

[Detective Becker]

Am.

[Mrs. Frost]

Now?

[Sergeant Becker]

I'm afraid so.

[Mrs. Webb]

But I can't. Well, look at him. Somebody has to be here to care for him.

[Detective Becker]

Oh, don't worry, ma'.

[Mrs. Frost]

Am.

[Detective Becker]

I'll stay until a nurse arrives. He'll be fine.

[Sergeant Becker]

But this way, Mrs. Webb.

[Mrs. Webb]

I see. I'll be back soon, Paul.

[Detective Becker]

I wouldn't bet on that, my friend.

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[Francois Martel]

So I don't understand.

[Mrs. Frost]

Dr.

[Francois Martel]

Frost was leaving his mistress, Madame Webb.

[Detective Becker]

That's what it looks like. It was not consistent with his honor to betray a friend and colleague.

[Francois Martel]

I beg your pardon?

[Detective Becker]

That's what he said in the letter, or something like that.

[Francois Martel]

Honor must be a very different concept for the French than it is for the English. Same word, but we spell it differently.

[Detective Becker]

Is there a point to this, Francois?

[Francois Martel]

I am trying to solve your problems, Becker. How can I solve them unless I understand?

[Detective Becker]

I see. Now we will continue.

[Francois Martel]

Madame Webb poisoned the bottle of Verticot.

[Detective Becker]

Neil thinks she used a syringe to inject it through the cork, but just enough to make everyone sick, to make it look like the food poisoning. Then she poured the lethal dose from the little blue bottle into Dr. Frost's drink. Or anyway, that's the theory.

[Francois Martel]

Ingenious, no?

[Detective Becker]

Yes, but I just don't believe it. I mean, she was sitting on his left. She'd have had to reach right across him to pour it in.

[Francois Martel]

That's true.

[Detective Becker]

There were four people at that table. One of them would have seen her. It just doesn't make any sense.

[Francois Martel]

Another coffee?

[Detective Becker]

No, no, thanks.

[Francois Martel]

It's the last of the pop.

[Detective Becker]

Don't you think we've had enough poisoning around here?

[Francois Martel]

The Germans make very bad coffee, Becca. Or whipped cream and sugar.

[Detective Becker]

Ah, yes. Well, no point wasting it, I guess, is there? Thanks, Becca.

[Francois Martel]

I. I think we should.

[Detective Becker]

Then there's that letter. She seemed shocked when I read it.

[Francois Martel]

Perhaps she was ashamed.

[Detective Becker]

No. Shocked. As if she suddenly realized someone was out to get her. But who?

[Francois Martel]

Maybe her husband.

[Detective Becker]

Why not? Well, he certainly had better access to the poison than she did. Ah, but he was sitting directly across the table from Dr. Frost. Same problem.

[Francois Martel]

No. The only person who could have given the poison to Dr. Frost without being noticed was Dr.

[Detective Becker]

Frost.

[Francois Martel]

Perhaps a medicinal powder?

[Detective Becker]

No, I thought of that. But according to Doc Moore, he was perfectly healthy. With such a vangina. Besides, doctors never take medicine until they are sick.

[Francois Martel]

Ah, I remember the doctor of my family.

[Detective Becker]

That's it.

[Francois Martel]

The doctor in Lyon.

[Detective Becker]

Doctors don't take medicine until they are sick. That night you asked me to observe the Frosts to see if they were enjoying their meal. Remember? I went into the dining room. I think I saw it. Francois.

[Francois Martel]

I'm not sure. What? Listen.

[Detective Becker]

Dr. Frost fell to the floor. He was struggling for air. He was calling for his pills.

[Francois Martel]

The angina.

[Detective Becker]

Exactly. Mrs. Frost took a pill from a small box in his pocket and she gave it to him.

[Francois Martel]

Wee, Wee.

[Detective Becker]

Well, what if what she gave him wasn't his medicine? I mean, it didn't have to be medicine, did it? It could have been anything. A concentrated dose of karare. She could have murdered him right in front of me.

[Francois Martel]

Oh, Becca.

[Detective Becker]

I may have watched her poison her husband.

[Mrs. Frost]

That's ridiculous, Mr. Becker. My husband had angina.

[Detective Becker]

Which made it possible for you to slip him a lethal dose of curare under everybody's nose.

[Mrs. Frost]

Do I have to accept this, Sergeant?

[Sergeant Becker]

You understand, Mrs. Frost, that we have to investigate every lead.

[Mrs. Frost]

Yes, of course. But I thought you have evidence implicating someone else.

[Detective Becker]

Planted. When you relieved her.

[Mrs. Frost]

What?

[Detective Becker]

You took that little bottle from her purse. You put a tiny bit of the poison in it and dropped it in front of me when you fell, or pretended to fall.

[Mrs. Frost]

I'd like to return to the hotel now, if you don't mind, Sergeant.

[Sergeant Becker]

We did clean the dining room right after your husband was taken away, ma'. Am. We didn't find a perfume bottle I

[Mrs. Frost]

don't know anything about. What is it? Carare. How would I go about getting it?

[Detective Becker]

You'd ask Dr. Webb.

[Mrs. Frost]

And why would Dr. Webb have given it to me?

[Detective Becker]

Surely that's obvious. To murder your husband.

[Mrs. Frost]

It might be obvious to you, Mr. Becker, but I can assure you I had no reason to do that.

[Detective Becker]

But if you'd been having an affair with Dr. Webb, that might provide the beginnings of a reason.

[Mrs. Frost]

I was not having an affair with him. On the contrary, I believe you have a letter indicating that my husband was having an affair with Lacy Webb.

[Sergeant Becker]

This letter, you mean?

[Mrs. Frost]

I've not seen it.

[Detective Becker]

Have a look then.

[Sergeant Becker]

Careful, Becker. That's evidence.

[Detective Becker]

Have a look.

[Sergeant Becker]

It Says typewritten, except for the initial on the bottom.

[Mrs. Frost]

My dear, you must accept the fact that it's over. I do love you. But it's simply not consistent with my honor to betray a friend and colleague. Dudley wrote this?

[Sergeant Becker]

Is that a question, Mrs. Frost?

[Mrs. Frost]

No. Only Dudley would write consistent with his honor. He liked to sound serious, particularly since he got his new appointment.

[Sergeant Becker]

And the initial?

[Mrs. Frost]

It's his.

[Detective Becker]

The D. That's right.

[Mrs. Frost]

He wrote it like that, with a little curl at the bottom. I swear, I didn't know any of this was going on. If I had, I'd. I don't know what I'd have done. But she didn't have to kill him.

[Detective Becker]

But you're convinced she did. On the strength of one letter.

[Mrs. Frost]

I bet one letter tells the story, doesn't it?

[Detective Becker]

Perhaps it does. Didn't you tell me that you often did secretarial work for your husband at university? But you must have seen this dee

[Mrs. Frost]

a great deal now, you're suggesting I forge this letter.

[Detective Becker]

Exactly.

[Mrs. Frost]

And why would I?

[Detective Becker]

To kill two birds with one stone. Your husband's already dead, and your lover's wife is in a cell back there under suspicion of his murder. Makes sense to me.

[Mrs. Frost]

I suppose it would. If I were in love with Dr. Webb and if I had wanted to murder Dudley. But I wasn't and I didn't. And you can't prove I was.

[Detective Becker]

But I'm going to.

[Mrs. Frost]

Is that a threat, Mr. Becker? No, ma'.

[Detective Becker]

Am. It's a fact. I don't like being deceived, Becker. She set me up to find that bottle, Neil. She set me us up to find the letter, Damn it. She poisoned him in front of me. I held his head while she popped in the poison, Becker. And that's not consistent with my honor.

[Mrs. Frost]

I shouldn't think the word applies to you at all, Mr. Becker.

[Mrs. Webb]

What?

[Mrs. Frost]

Honor.

[Detective Becker]

Oh, honor, Right. You know, I've been looking at that damn D so much that there's not

[Sergeant Becker]

a lot more there, Becker.

[Detective Becker]

True, but, you know, if you just shift your focus. I was discussing the concept of honor only last night. Mrs. Frost. The French have almost the same word, honor. But of course, they spell it differently from us.

[Sergeant Becker]

Becker.

[Mrs. Frost]

Word games, Mr. Becker.

[Detective Becker]

The funny thing is, so do the Americans. They spell honor H, O, N, O, R. No U. I beg your pardon? Canadian rules, Mrs. Frost. You see here, it just popped out at me like a word game.

[Sergeant Becker]

Right here.

[Detective Becker]

Consistent with my honor.

[Sergeant Becker]

No, you.

[Detective Becker]

This letter was written by an American, Mrs. Frost. Not a Canadian. An American who just couldn't get the Canadian rules.

[Mrs. Frost]

May I see that?

[Detective Becker]

Right here.

[Mrs. Frost]

It's one letter.

[Detective Becker]

But as you said, that one letter tells the story, doesn't it?

[Mrs. Frost]

You think that's enough to convict me?

[Detective Becker]

No, but the sergeant will tell you it's enough to hold you until Dr. Webb recovers. I'm not sure about this, but you just may find it's inconsistent with his honor to watch his wife hang.

[Francois Martel]

Always. She is late.

[Detective Becker]

She'll be here.

[Francois Martel]

So Mrs. Frost confessed?

[Detective Becker]

Yeah. She and Dr. Webb planned the murder pretty much as we thought. But Mrs. Frost went a step too far when she discovered that Mrs. Webb didn't drink red wine. She decided to get rid of her rival as well.

[Francois Martel]

And Dr. Webb went along with her.

[Detective Becker]

He provided the bottle of wine and the poison. She did the rest.

[Francois Martel]

So I have solved another case.

[Detective Becker]

Here she comes. Please.

[Francois Martel]

It is late to say this, Becca, but I am sorry.

[Detective Becker]

What for?

[Francois Martel]

I should have told you I was going. It has hurt you.

[Detective Becker]

I'll get over it.

[Francois Martel]

Goodbye, Becca.

[Detective Becker]

I'll miss you, my friend.

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