Inspector Thorne 51-08-10 (04) The Defrosted Refrigerator Murder Case

Summary

Podcast Summary: Inspector Thorne 51-08-10 (04) – The Defrosted Refrigerator Murder Case

Podcast Information

• Title: Harold's Old Time Radio
• Host/Author: Harolds Old Time Radio
• Episode: Inspector Thorne 51-08-10 (04) – The Defrosted Refrigerator Murder Case
• Release Date: July 28, 2025

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Introduction

The Defrosted Refrigerator Murder Case transports listeners to the Golden Age of Radio, immersing them in a classic detective narrative featuring the astute Inspector Thorne of the Homicide Bureau. This episode masterfully blends suspense, interpersonal drama, and sharp investigative tactics, characteristic of timeless radio mysteries.

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Setting the Scene

The episode opens in the opulent kitchen of Arnold Winters' large home. Marcia Winters, the glamorous young wife of the wealthy banker Arnold Winters, is seen defrosting her refrigerator—a task she clearly resents.

• [00:01] Narrator: Introduces Inspector Thorne and sets the stage for the evening's mystery.
• [01:16] Marcia Winters: Expresses her disdain for kitchen chores, revealing tension in her seemingly perfect life.

Rising Tensions

The plot thickens as Marcia's sister-in-law, Emily Winters, confronts her, igniting a heated argument over a man named Eric Stevenson.

• [01:39] Emily Winters: Announces a confrontation, saying, "I'm coming here for a showdown with you, Marcia."
• [01:53] Emily Winters: Accuses Marcia, stating, "We're practically sisters. Sisters forget their sisters when they're both infatuated with the same man."
• [02:28] Eric Stevenson: Threatens Marcia with a kitchen knife, heightening the scene's volatility.

The Murder

An hour after the intense confrontation, tragedy strikes. Arnold Winters frantically calls the police to report his wife's murder, discovered with a kitchen knife lodged in her back.

• [03:30] Arnold Winters: Desperately states, "My wife's been murdered. I just found her."
• [04:04] Inspector Thorne: Arrives promptly, initiating the investigation.

Initial Investigation

Inspector Thorne and Sergeant Muggin start piecing together the events leading to Marcia's death.

• [05:13] Inspector Thorne: Observes, "The murdered woman must have been in the process of defrosting her refrigerator when she was stabbed."
• [05:26] Inspector Thorne: Notes Marcia's attire, questioning her likelihood of enjoying kitchen work, adding to the intrigue.

Suspects and Motives

As the investigation unfolds, multiple suspects emerge, each with potential motives:

1. Arnold Winters (Marcia’s Husband):

   • Claims a harmonious marriage with no quarrels.
   • [06:20] Inspector Thorne: Senses discrepancies in Arnold’s statements, probing deeper into his alibi.

2. Emily Winters (Marcia’s Sister-in-Law and Arnold’s Sister):

   • Admits to confronting Marcia over Eric Stevenson.
   • [07:40] Emily Winters: Initially denies being present but later admits to meeting Marcia at 2 o'clock.
   • [09:07] Inspector Thorne: Notes her false statements, suspecting deceit.

3. Eric Stevenson (Emily’s Fiancé):

   • Initially presents as unaware of his connection to Marcia.
   • [11:07] Eric Stevenson: Reveals his affair with Marcia, stating, "Marcia and I were in love. We were planning to run away together."
   • [12:07] Eric Stevenson: Contradicts Arnold’s claim of a happy marriage, revealing Marcia's unhappiness.

4. Bob Winters (Marcia’s Stepson):

   • Displays animosity towards Marcia, hinting at deeper family conflicts.
   • [13:20] Bob Winters: Confesses, "The way she took dad for a ride. I heard her make that phone call to you, Stevenson."

Clues and Revelations

Inspector Thorne meticulously examines evidence, uncovering critical clues that shift suspicion:

• [05:08] Inspector Thorne: Orders, "Send the knife to the lab for a fingerprint check immediately," indicating his methodical approach.
• [12:31] Eric Stevenson: Alleges Arnold’s involvement, adding complexity to the case.
• [26:19] Inspector Thorne: Discovers a handkerchief in the refrigerator, linking fingerprints to Emily Winters.

The Breakthrough

Thorne's keen observation leads to the unraveling of the mystery:

• [25:42] Inspector Thorne: Notices inconsistencies in the defrosted refrigerator scenario, stating, "Strikes me as funny that a woman doing her own work, like Marcia was, would start to defrost her refrigerator if she were going out."
• [26:54] Inspector Thorne: Confronts Eric with the evidence: "This handkerchief was used to wipe the fingerprints from the murder knife. And you, Eric Stevenson, used it for that purpose after stabbing Marsha."

Conclusion

In a dramatic revelation, Eric Stevenson is apprehended for Marcia's murder, motivated by a tangled web of love, jealousy, and deceit.

• [27:46] Inspector Thorne: Declares, "Instead of thinking about you, I guess I should have turned my ideas to that defrosted refrigerator."
• [27:46] Eric Stevenson: Retorts, "I went out to her house and murdered her but don't pin any flowers on yourself, Thorn, for getting me. It was all luck."

Aftermath

The episode concludes with Inspector Thorne solving the case through astute deduction and attention to detail, leaving listeners with the satisfaction of justice served.

• [28:09] Narrator: Summarizes the resolution and teases future cases, maintaining the classic radio drama allure.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Marcia Winters: "[01:16] 'Another kitchen job that I hate...'"
• Emily Winters: "[01:53] 'We're practically sisters...'"
• Arnold Winters: "[03:30] 'My wife's been murdered...'"
• Inspector Thorne: "[05:13] 'The murdered woman must have been in the process of defrosting her refrigerator...'"
• Eric Stevenson: "[11:07] 'Marcia and I were in love. We were planning to run away together.'"
• Bob Winters: "[13:20] 'The way she took dad for a ride...'"
• Inspector Thorne: "[26:54] 'This handkerchief was used to wipe the fingerprints from the murder knife...'"

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Final Thoughts

The Defrosted Refrigerator Murder Case exemplifies the enduring charm of old-time radio mysteries. Through compelling dialogue, intricate plotting, and memorable characters, Harold's Old Time Radio delivers a captivating story that keeps listeners engaged from start to finish. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to the genre, this episode offers a thrilling glimpse into classic radio storytelling.

Transcript

[Narrator]

And now, the National Broadcasting Company presents Inspector Thorne in the defrosted Refrigerator Murder Clue. Tonight, the National Broadcasting Company presents the exploits of the spectacular young Inspector Thorne of the Homicide Bureau. Those investigations rank with many of the most celebrated ones in the annals of crime fiction. An investigator smart enough to claim he is dumb and modest enough to believe it. Tonight, Inspector Thorne turns to the defrosted refrigerator murder Clue. The scene is the kitchen of a large home, and standing before an electric refrigerator, we see a charming young woman, obviously quite out of her element in a kitchen, her costly frock protected only by a small apron. She is Marcia Winters, wife of the wealthy banker Arnold Winters. And as she opens the refrigerator door, we hear her say to herself, oh.

[Marcia Winters]

Another kitchen job that I hate. This refrigerator needs defrosting again. How my friends would laugh, seeing me, of all people, the glamorous young wife of old moneybag's Arnold Winters doing kitchen work. But I have my reasons, Marcia. Well, Emily, my own darling sister in law.

[Emily Winters]

I came here for a showdown with you, Marcia.

[Marcia Winters]

A showdown, Emily? What about?

[Emily Winters]

I'm your husband's sister and you are his wife.

[Marcia Winters]

Nothing for us to quarrel about there, Emily. Both are a matter of record.

[Emily Winters]

We're practically sisters. Sisters forget their sisters when they're both infatuated with the same man.

[Marcia Winters]

What do you mean by that?

[Emily Winters]

You know what I mean, Marcia. I warn you to let my fiance, Eric Stevenson, alone or.

[Marcia Winters]

All right, you asked for it. Eric Stevenson is not your man. He's mine. Mine, I tell you. And we have plans that don't take you into account.

[Emily Winters]

You're married to my brother. I'll tell him the whole thing.

[Marcia Winters]

I can wrap him around my finger. He won't believe you.

[Emily Winters]

Listen, Marcia. You'll put Eric Stevenson out of your life or I'll. I'll.

[Eric Stevenson]

I'll kill you.

[Marcia Winters]

Emily, put down that knife.

[Emily Winters]

I'm going to kill you with this kitchen knife.

[Marcia Winters]

Emily, stop. I promise. Anything you ask.

[Emily Winters]

Anything. All I want is for you to stay away from Eric Stevenson.

[Marcia Winters]

I promised never to see Eric again. Now give me that knife. Emily.

[Emily Winters]

You swear never to see Eric again?

[Marcia Winters]

Yes. Yes.

[Emily Winters]

All right. Here's the knife.

[Marcia Winters]

Now I have the knife. And you have a promise I don't intend to keep. Get out, Emily, or I'll call the police and accuse you of trying to murder me.

[Emily Winters]

Get out. I'll get out. But you haven't heard the last of this, Marcia. You'll never get Eric Stevenson.

[Narrator]

And now, one hour later, in the same house where this violent scene between sisters in law took place. We see the husband in the case frenziedly speaking into the telephone as he says.

[Arnold Winters]

Hello?

[Sergeant Muggin]

Hello, Is this the police? My wife's been murdered. I just found her. Do you hear me? She's been murdered.

[Eric Stevenson]

Hold on, I'll switch you to the Homicide Bureau.

[Sergeant Muggin]

All right, all right, but hurry.

[Inspector Thorne]

Hello? Inspector Thorne of Homicide speaking.

[Sergeant Muggin]

This is Arnold Winters. My wife Marcia has been murdered.

[Inspector Thorne]

I'll be out instantly.

[Sergeant Muggin]

The address is.

[Inspector Thorne]

If you're Arnold Winters, the banker, I know your address already. Ring the bell, Sergeant Muggin.

[Arnold Winters]

Okay, Inspector Thorne.

[Sergeant Muggin]

Come in, come in. I'm Arnold Winters. I suppose you're Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

Yes, and this is Sergeant Muggin.

[Arnold Winters]

Good afternoon, sir.

[Inspector Thorne]

You said on the phone you found your wife murdered. When was that?

[Sergeant Muggin]

When I came home from work just ten minutes ago, Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

That would be 2. 45. Do you always get home this early, Mr. Winters? What?

[Sergeant Muggin]

Oh, no, Inspector Thorne. But today I thought I'd surprise my wife, Marcia.

[Inspector Thorne]

I see.

[Sergeant Muggin]

I came in the house and called to her and when she didn't answer, I went out to the kitchen. She was there, lying right in front of the refrigerator, the kitchen knife sticking in her back. It was horrible. Horrible.

[Inspector Thorne]

Which way is the kitchen?

[Sergeant Muggin]

It's right through here, down this hall.

[Inspector Thorne]

Wait here in the living room, please, Mr. Winters. Sergeant Muggin and I will go there.

[Sergeant Muggin]

Of course, Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

Here we are, Muggin. This is the kitchen.

[Arnold Winters]

Boy.

[Inspector Thorne]

Look at that.

[Arnold Winters]

Kitchen knife in her.

[Inspector Thorne]

Send the knife to the lab for a fingerprint check immediately.

[Arnold Winters]

Right. Say, look at this water by the refrigerator, Chief.

[Inspector Thorne]

It's interesting. The murdered woman must have been in the process of defrosting her refrigerator when she was stabbed. Mugging. Does she look like the type of woman to enjoy working in the kitchen?

[Arnold Winters]

Not by a long shot.

[Inspector Thorne]

That expensive dress she's wearing and certainly not meant for kitchen work.

[Arnold Winters]

She was sure a lot younger than her husband, Arnold Winters.

[Inspector Thorne]

That's another interesting point, Muggin. I think I'll have a talk with Arnold Winters right now.

[Sergeant Muggin]

Did you discover anything about my wife Marcia's murder, Inspector Thorne?

[Inspector Thorne]

Nothing yet, Mr. Winters. Did you and your wife have many quarrels?

[Sergeant Muggin]

We never quarrel, Inspector Thorne. Marcia and I were ideally happy.

[Inspector Thorne]

Your wife was a great deal younger than you.

[Sergeant Muggin]

Marcia was my second wife. I have a son, Bob, by my first marriage. He's 22 now.

[Inspector Thorne]

Oh, is this the servants day off, Mr. Winters?

[Sergeant Muggin]

We have no servants, Inspector Thorne. Marcia said she preferred taking care of her own home.

[Inspector Thorne]

Funny thing for the young wife of a rich banker to do.

[Sergeant Muggin]

She was that kind, Inspector Thorne. That's One of the things that made our marriage so ideal.

[Inspector Thorne]

And you came home early to surprise your wife?

[Sergeant Muggin]

Yes.

[Inspector Thorne]

Wouldn't a better word for surprise be trap? You came home because you were suspicious of your wife, didn't you, Mr. Winters?

[Sergeant Muggin]

I trusted my wife implicitly, Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

Oh, Sergeant Muggin. Go see who's at the door.

[Arnold Winters]

Okay, chief.

[Inspector Thorne]

Are you expecting any callers, Mr. Winters?

[Sergeant Muggin]

I'm expecting my sister, Emily. I telephoned her right after I called the police.

[Arnold Winters]

This way, ma'. Am.

[Emily Winters]

Where is he? Where is my brother? Oh, Arnold. Poor Marcia. I can't believe she's dead. Murdered in the kitchen.

[Sergeant Muggin]

Emily, this is Inspector Thorne and Sergeant Muggin. My sister, Emily Winters.

[Inspector Thorne]

How do you do, Ms. Winters? Please sit down.

[Emily Winters]

Inspector Thorne. How could anyone do such a dreadful thing?

[Inspector Thorne]

Ms. Emily, when did you last see your sister in law, Marcia?

[Emily Winters]

Not for days, poor thing.

[Inspector Thorne]

I see. Sergeant Muggin, did you send the kitchen knife down to the laboratory? Yes.

[Arnold Winters]

Yeah, Chief, they're working it over for fingerprints right now.

[Inspector Thorne]

The kitchen knife, that was the murder weapon, Ms. Emily.

[Emily Winters]

But there could be a great many fingerprints on that knife. I mean, probably all of us picked it up at some time or other.

[Inspector Thorne]

You don't have to worry, Ms. Emily. Not if you haven't been here for days.

[Emily Winters]

Yes, of course, but. Well, you can't tell Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

I'm a little slow on the uptake, Ms. Emily, but I think you're lying to me. At what time today were you in this house?

[Emily Winters]

I wasn't here. I. I might as well tell you.

[Inspector Thorne]

In a murder case, that is the only policy to follow.

[Emily Winters]

Well, Inspector Thorne, I came here at 2 o' clock this afternoon. Marcia and I had a little chat and then I left.

[Inspector Thorne]

And during the course of that little chat you picked up the kitchen knife and threatened to kill her.

[Emily Winters]

Arnold, you said you wouldn't tell the police anything.

[Inspector Thorne]

What?

[Sergeant Muggin]

Emily, I.

[Inspector Thorne]

Looks like you've been holding out something too, Mr. Winters. Just what did happen, Emily? I'd like your version of it.

[Emily Winters]

Marcia laughed at me. She said she wouldn't give up my fiance Eric. She said she and Eric had plans that didn't include me. When I picked up that kitchen knife, I only wanted to frighten her. I never would have used it to kill her.

[Inspector Thorne]

Marcia said she wouldn't give up your fiance Eric.

[Emily Winters]

That's what she said. Imagine her, my brother's wife saying that. It was just the way I told Arnold.

[Sergeant Muggin]

Emily, you mustn't.

[Emily Winters]

Why shouldn't I Tell the police what you knew about Marcia and Eric? You told them about me?

[Inspector Thorne]

Your brother didn't miss Emily. You did. Looks like you're saving me a lot of trouble here. Don't like to use my brain any more than I have to.

[Emily Winters]

What?

[Inspector Thorne]

You and your brother's young wife were fighting it out over some man named Eric, and she was murdered. Now, just who is this Eric?

[Emily Winters]

Eric Stevenson. He's an investment broker.

[Inspector Thorne]

About the same age as your brother, I guess.

[Emily Winters]

Why? No, Eric is 25 years younger. But why bring Eric into it? Marcia promised me to put Eric out of her life entirely.

[Inspector Thorne]

Sergeant Muggin, check up on this man, Eric Stevenson. Maybe he didn't want to be put out of the murdered woman's life.

[Arnold Winters]

Right, Chief.

[Inspector Thorne]

Now, Mr. Winters, what do you know of this man Eric Stevenson?

[Sergeant Muggin]

I've never met him or heard of him until today.

[Inspector Thorne]

Husbands are usually the last to know.

[Emily Winters]

I don't really think there was anything between Eric and Marcia. I'm just a jealous woman, I guess, Inspector Thorne. Always imagining things.

[Inspector Thorne]

Imagining that Marcia told you she and Eric had plans. Imagining the kitchen knife with which you threatened her. Those won't be imaginary fingerprints that we find on the murder knife, Emily.

[Emily Winters]

Marcia was alive when I left this house, Inspector Thorne.

[Sergeant Muggin]

If I were you, Inspector Thorne, I'd look into Eric Stevenson more closely.

[Inspector Thorne]

Mr. Winters, how long have you known about this relationship between your wife and Eric Stevenson?

[Sergeant Muggin]

Only since this afternoon. Since my sister Emily told me about them.

[Emily Winters]

I went to see Arnold as soon as I left Marcia. I told him the whole story.

[Sergeant Muggin]

That's right. And I was with Emily from that time until I came home. So you see, Inspector Thorne, I couldn't have killed Marcia.

[Inspector Thorne]

How do you know at what time your wife was murdered, Mr. Winters?

[Sergeant Muggin]

I don't. I just meant if Emily and I were together all the time after she left Marcia in the kitchen, alive.

[Inspector Thorne]

Where does Eric Stevenson live, Emily?

[Emily Winters]

He lives at the French Hotel, Inspector.

[Sergeant Muggin]

I think he came here this afternoon and murdered my wife.

[Inspector Thorne]

Come on, Sergeant Muggin. We're going to the French Hotel to see Eric Stevenson.

[Arnold Winters]

This is Eric Stevenson's room, Inspector Thorne. I'll knock on the door.

[Inspector Thorne]

Good afternoon. I'm Inspector Thorne. This is Sergeant Muggin. You're Eric Stevenson? Yes, but I'm inside with me, Muggin.

[Eric Stevenson]

I'm sorry, Inspector Thorne. I haven't time to talk to you right now. I'm expecting a lady.

[Inspector Thorne]

What lady, Mr. Stevenson?

[Eric Stevenson]

I'm sure that could be of no interest to you, Inspector.

[Inspector Thorne]

It may be of great interest, Mr. Stevenson. I'm investigating a murder.

[Eric Stevenson]

A murder? Who?

[Inspector Thorne]

Who is the lady you're expecting?

[Eric Stevenson]

Just a friend of mine. Name of Marcia Winters. She's a bit late.

[Inspector Thorne]

At what time was she expected? 3 o'. Clock.

[Eric Stevenson]

It's almost four now. But Marcia's often late. Inspector Thorne, has anything happened to Marcia?

[Inspector Thorne]

Marcia Winters was stabbed to death at exactly 2:30 this afternoon.

[Bob Winters]

Oh, no.

[Eric Stevenson]

No, it isn't possible.

[Inspector Thorne]

How well did you know Marcia Winters?

[Eric Stevenson]

Just casually, Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

Do your casual women friends always drop into your hotel rooms alone?

[Eric Stevenson]

You don't understand.

[Inspector Thorne]

Oh yes, I do understand, Larry Stevenson. I understand that you and Marcia had plans. Secret plans. The kind casual friends don't have.

[Eric Stevenson]

Who told you that?

[Inspector Thorne]

Marcia's sister in law. Your fiance, Emily Winters.

[Eric Stevenson]

I see. All right, Inspector Thorne. Marcia and I were in love. We were planning to run away together. Just as soon as we had enough money.

[Inspector Thorne]

What do you mean by enough money?

[Eric Stevenson]

I don't know. That was all Marcia's idea. She said she was going to make her husband Arnold pay for being so mean to her.

[Inspector Thorne]

Arnold says he and his wife are ideally happy.

[Eric Stevenson]

That's a lie.

[Inspector Thorne]

He says Marcia insisted upon doing her own housework because she liked taking care of their home.

[Eric Stevenson]

The old skin flint probably made her do it.

[Inspector Thorne]

Marcia was in the kitchen defrosting the refrigerator at the time she was murdered.

[Eric Stevenson]

Arnold must have killed her when he found out about us.

[Inspector Thorne]

And you might have killed her, Eric.

[Eric Stevenson]

I. I loved her, Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

Love has been known to turn into hate. Murderous hate.

[Eric Stevenson]

But what reason would I have to kill Marcia anyway? I couldn't have. Not if she was killed at 2.30. It takes almost an hour to get to my hotel from her house. And I was here in my hotel room at 3 o', clock waiting for Marsha to keep our appointment. She telephoned me this morning. You can check with the hotel switchboard. She called and said she'd be here at three.

[Inspector Thorne]

Sergeant Muggin, Go to the door. I think we have an eavesdropper. Oh, come. Let me go.

[Arnold Winters]

No, you don't. Get inside, you.

[Inspector Thorne]

Bob.

[Eric Stevenson]

What are you doing here?

[Inspector Thorne]

Who is this young man?

[Eric Stevenson]

That's Marsha's stepson, Bob Winters.

[Inspector Thorne]

Do you make a practice of listening at keyholes, Bob Winters?

[Bob Winters]

Where this skunk is concerned, I'd do a lot more.

[Eric Stevenson]

Bob always hated his stepmother, Inspector Thorne.

[Bob Winters]

And why shouldn't I? The way she took dad for a ride. I heard her make that phone call to you, Stevenson. I made up my mind I'd catch you two together.

[Inspector Thorne]

What purpose would that serve, Bob?

[Bob Winters]

Dad would have to believe me then and get rid of her for good. That was My plan, Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

So your plan, Bob, was to get rid of your stepmother for good? Was it a plan that you've already carried out? A plan of murder.

[Narrator]

Inspector Thorne in the defrosted refrigerator murder. Clue will return in just a moment. But first we'd like to take just 60 seconds of your time to tell you a little about some of the programs we've prepared for your summer radio entertainment this evening. Be sure to hear Mr. Keen, tracer of lost persons. Tonight Mr. Keane brings you the mysterious story of the abandoned. Well, murder case. Then on Sunday we have Tom Conway as the debonair gentleman detective known as the Saint. Then there's screen actor Lloyd Nolan in another fast moving, hard hitting story as Martin Kane, Private Eye. Later, actor Carlton Young comes to the NBC microphone in the double role of Philip Galt and the Whisperer. Top Sunday evening, off with security agent Mr. Moto, Japanese American security agent fighting against the evil forces which would plunge the world into another global conflict. Then on Thursday, travel to the world of the future with stories bringing you the very best in science fiction on Dimension X. There you have it, a full schedule of programming designed to bring you the very best in radio entertainment morning, noon and night over this your NBC station. Now back to Inspector Thorne and the defrosted refrigerator murder.

[Inspector Thorne]

Clue.

[Narrator]

Investigating the murder of Marcia Winters, Inspector Thorne discovers that she was planning to leave her wealthy husband Arnold and run away with Eric Stevenson, her sister in law's fiance. While Inspector Thorne and Sergeant Muggin are questioning Eric Stevenson at his hotel, they discover the murdered woman's stepson Bob Winters, listening at the door. And now we hear Inspector Thorne saying.

[Inspector Thorne]

That was your plan, wasn't it Bob? To murder your stepmother Marcia. And then come here and put on this act to convince the police of your innocence.

[Bob Winters]

Marcia dead?

[Inspector Thorne]

I didn't know that's what you'd like us to believe. Why did you kill her?

[Bob Winters]

Look, Inspector Thorne, I won't pretend that I'm sorry my stepmother is dead. I'm not. I hated her. Hated what she was doing to dad. But I know nothing about her being murdered. I didn't even know she was murdered until you just told me.

[Inspector Thorne]

Where have you been all day? Why?

[Bob Winters]

Just wandering around.

[Inspector Thorne]

Just wandering around. It may interest you Bob, to know that you have the weakest alibi of any suspect. Eric Stevenson says he was right in this hotel room at the time of the murder. As for your Aunt Emily and your father, they say they were together.

[Bob Winters]

Aunt Emily and father.

[Inspector Thorne]

Eric Stevenson here says your father didn't treat your stepmother well.

[Bob Winters]

Eric's a liar. I'll tell you something, Inspector. My stepmother was doing her own housework.

[Inspector Thorne]

Why, Bob, your father's a very rich man.

[Bob Winters]

Because she was paying me off. Paying me every cent she could get together so I wouldn't tell dad about her having an affair with Eric.

[Inspector Thorne]

So you go in for blackmail and murder.

[Bob Winters]

Why should I kill Marcia? I was getting plenty from her. Every cent she could get from dad. Including the money he gave her to hire servants to do the housework. Work she did herself.

[Inspector Thorne]

Sergeant Mugan.

[Arnold Winters]

Yes, Chief?

[Inspector Thorne]

Telephone headquarters and see if the boys have uncovered that information I asked for.

[Arnold Winters]

Right away, Chief.

[Inspector Thorne]

And then, Mugan, you and I are returning to the Murder house to have a further talk with the murdered woman's husband, Arnold Winters, and his sister Emily. And we're taking Eric Stevenson with us.

[Sergeant Muggin]

Come in. Inspector Thorne. Sergeant Muggin. Hello, Stephenson.

[Inspector Thorne]

I see your sister Emily is still here, Mr. Winters. Shall we all go into the living room?

[Emily Winters]

What is it, Inspector Thorne? Why have you brought Eric with you?

[Inspector Thorne]

Please sit down, Emily, all of you. I have questions to ask.

[Sergeant Muggin]

Oh, nothing to be alarmed about, of course, Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

Go.

[Sergeant Muggin]

Go right ahead.

[Inspector Thorne]

You. Mr. Winters, did you have many arguments?

[Sergeant Muggin]

My wife Marcia and I never argued.

[Inspector Thorne]

Arguments with your son Bob about money?

[Sergeant Muggin]

Arguments with Bob? Of course not. Bob knew he could come to me for anything he needed.

[Emily Winters]

I'm not so sure of that, Inspector Thorne. Only the other week, Bob borrowed some money from me, his Aunt Emily.

[Inspector Thorne]

How about Eric Stevenson, Ms. Emily? How much money has he borrowed from you?

[Eric Stevenson]

Not a penny.

[Emily Winters]

That's absolutely right, Inspector Thorne. Eric never asked me for money.

[Inspector Thorne]

But you did go out together?

[Emily Winters]

Naturally, Inspector Thorne. The theatre, the best nightclubs. Eric and I always had a wonderful time.

[Inspector Thorne]

Considering that Eric is practically penniless, that's very interesting.

[Emily Winters]

Eric's an investment broker.

[Inspector Thorne]

My men have checked that, Emily. Eric Stevenson is not a broker. In fact, he has no visible means of support and no bank account.

[Eric Stevenson]

What if I haven't? Is that a crime, Thorne?

[Inspector Thorne]

Men who are penniless don't usually take their fiance to expensive nightclubs, Eric.

[Emily Winters]

All right. I paid the check because I wanted to. Eric and I loved each other. That was all that mattered.

[Inspector Thorne]

Is that right, Eric?

[Eric Stevenson]

Entirely, Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

How many women did you love, Eric? Your fiance, Emily. Your fiance's sister in law, Marsha.

[Eric Stevenson]

Was that the trouble?

[Inspector Thorne]

You love too many women and so you had to eliminate one from your life?

[Eric Stevenson]

I did love Emily, Inspector Thorne. Until I met Marcia. Then no one else counted.

[Emily Winters]

Eric.

[Eric Stevenson]

I'm sorry, Emily, but there was something about Marcia that wove a spell about me. I couldn't think of anything else.

[Inspector Thorne]

And you even forgot about Emily Winters money. Or did you decide that you could get more from Marcia through her husband, Arnold?

[Eric Stevenson]

Inspector Thorne, I think Arnold Winters knew about his wife Marcia and me being in love from the very beginning.

[Sergeant Muggin]

Inspector Thorne, you must believe me. I have no idea, no inkling that there was anything between my wife, Marcia and this man, Eric. Until this afternoon.

[Inspector Thorne]

For a big banker, you seem to miss a lot that's going on around you, Arnold Winters.

[Sergeant Muggin]

If you mean my wife's affair with this man, I didn't know anything about it.

[Inspector Thorne]

And you saw nothing strange in the fact that your wife did not use the money you gave her to hire servants, but did all the housework herself? And you did not know that your own son Bob was blackmailing your wife, his stepmother?

[Sergeant Muggin]

What?

[Inspector Thorne]

You are a very innocent man, Mr. Winters. Suspiciously innocent.

[Arnold Winters]

I'll take it. Inspector Thorne. Hello, Sergeant Muggin. Talking. What? When? Okay, I'll tell the chief. Inspector Thorne, can I see you outside a minute?

[Inspector Thorne]

Everybody wait in here, please. Come along, Sergeant Muggin.

[Arnold Winters]

That was headquarters, Chief. You had one of the boys tailing the stepson, Bob Winters.

[Inspector Thorne]

And he caught young Bob trying to leave town.

[Arnold Winters]

Yeah. He's bringing him down to your office. Say, how did you get the idea he tried to make a getaway, Chief?

[Inspector Thorne]

Just one of my hunches, Mugget.

[Narrator]

Now, in Inspector Thorne's office at the Homicide Bureau, we see him with Bob Winters, the stepson of the murdered Marsha Winters. And we hear Inspector Thorne say, men.

[Inspector Thorne]

Who have nothing to conceal. Don't try to run away, Bob.

[Bob Winters]

I didn't kill my stepmother.

[Inspector Thorne]

What did you do with the blackmail money your murdered stepmother Marcia gave you?

[Bob Winters]

I'm not answering any questions, Inspector Thorne, because you can't.

[Inspector Thorne]

There was no blackmail money.

[Bob Winters]

I lost it gambling.

[Inspector Thorne]

No, you didn't. We'd have found that out. You made up that story of getting blackmail money from your murdered stepmother in order to protect your father. To draw suspicion away from his having killed her.

[Bob Winters]

Dad didn't kill Marsha.

[Inspector Thorne]

You knew your father's alibi was phony. He wasn't with your Aunt Emily at the time his wife was murdered.

[Bob Winters]

You can't trick me like that, Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

It isn't a trick, Bob. You saw your father drive away from your Aunt Emily's house long before the murder time.

[Eric Stevenson]

Yes, yes.

[Bob Winters]

Everything you said is right. Except about dad being guilty. He didn't kill Marcia.

[Inspector Thorne]

Do you say that, Bob, because you know who did kill her?

[Bob Winters]

No.

[Inspector Thorne]

Well, I think I know. Sergeant Muggin.

[Arnold Winters]

Yes, Chief.

[Inspector Thorne]

Let Bob Winters wait in the other room.

[Arnold Winters]

Right out here, Bob. Okay, Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

Bring me that money that the searching squad found and all the information from the banks. And then Muggin, pull in the other suspects immediately. I'm ready to uncover the killer.

[Arnold Winters]

Got them outside, Inspector Thorne. Arnold Winters, the murdered woman's husband, his sister Emily and her fiance, Eric Stevenson. Who do you want in here first?

[Inspector Thorne]

Bring them all in, Sergeant Muggin.

[Narrator]

All of you, come in.

[Sergeant Muggin]

I hope you have good reason for dragging us all down here. This way, inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

Yes, Mr. Winters, I have. Have you ever seen this bank book before?

[Sergeant Muggin]

Where did you get that?

[Inspector Thorne]

In your house, Mr. Winters. Among your murdered wife's belongings. It's a joint checking account you had with your wife Marsha. An account which you closed over a month ago after you discovered that she had withdrawn $25,000 from it.

[Sergeant Muggin]

What if I did? She had no right giving my money to Eric Stevenson.

[Inspector Thorne]

He's lying. Never mind that. Eric, I suppose. Arnold Winters, you realize what you have just admitted? You've admitted that you knew about your wife and Eric Stevenson over a month ago.

[Sergeant Muggin]

At least Marcia was a cheat. I've known about her and Eric all along.

[Emily Winters]

Marcia was worse than that, Inspector Thorne. Worse than that.

[Inspector Thorne]

My men discovered something that might interest you, Emily. There was no money among your sister in law Marcia's belongings. But we found money somewhere else.

[Emily Winters]

That was my money.

[Inspector Thorne]

Do you always keep $50,000 in cash in your house?

[Emily Winters]

My brother Arnold gave it to me this afternoon.

[Sergeant Muggin]

My dear sister was blackmailing me, Inspector Thorne. Emily said she'd tell you I'd known about Marcia and Eric all along.

[Inspector Thorne]

So you gave your sister Emily $50,000 to keep her quiet. But you wouldn't give your wife Marcia enough to hire servants to look after that big mansion of yours.

[Sergeant Muggin]

I gave her money. She gave it to Eric Stevenson. That's why she did her own housework.

[Inspector Thorne]

Letting your sister Blackmail you for $50,000 makes you look like our man Winters.

[Bob Winters]

Dad didn't kill her, Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

Bob, you always jump quick to your father's defense, don't you?

[Bob Winters]

But Inspector, you said.

[Inspector Thorne]

I was saying that your stepmother Marcia, by being forced to work in the kitchen, has pointed out the murderer to me. Emily.

[Emily Winters]

Yes, Inspector Thorne.

[Inspector Thorne]

Would you choose to defrost the refrigerator, Emily, at a time when you were planning to leave the house?

[Emily Winters]

Of course I wouldn't, Inspector Thorne. Everything in it would be spoiled.

[Inspector Thorne]

Exactly. Yet one of you here said as your alibi that you were expecting the Murdered. Marcia Winters to Visit you at 3 o'. Clock. A short time after Emily saw Marcia start to defrost the refrigerator in the.

[Eric Stevenson]

Kitchen, Marcia telephoned and made the appointment with me. Inspector Thorne, you can check the hotel switchboard. And Bob told you he heard her make the call?

[Inspector Thorne]

Yes. And that seems to let you out, Eric. Out?

[Eric Stevenson]

I was never in.

[Inspector Thorne]

I guess I was just plain dumb, suspecting you in the first place.

[Eric Stevenson]

Well, everybody makes mistakes, Inspector Thorne. I don't hold anything against you.

[Inspector Thorne]

Instead. Instead of thinking about you, I. I guess I should have turned my ideas to that defrosted refrigerator.

[Eric Stevenson]

Defrosted refrigerator?

[Inspector Thorne]

Strikes me as funny that a woman doing her own work, like Marcia was, would start to defrost her refrigerator if she were going out.

[Eric Stevenson]

That is odd. But I don't know much about defrosting refrigerators.

[Inspector Thorne]

No housewife would make such a mistake, especially in summer. A smart murderer would have turned the current back on and shut the refrigerator door. Yes, I'd say a man did the murder, if it weren't for another puzzling thing.

[Eric Stevenson]

What, Inspector Thorne?

[Inspector Thorne]

This lady's handkerchief I found stuffed back in the freezing compartment of the refrigerator.

[Eric Stevenson]

Emily. Emily, you must have been crazy. That's your handkerchief. So you killed Marcia.

[Emily Winters]

I admit that handkerchief is mine, Inspector Thorne. I admit it's mine. But I swear I didn't murder Marcia. I don't know how it got there. I must have dropped it on the floor when I was quarreling with Marcia.

[Bob Winters]

Emily.

[Eric Stevenson]

Do you think Inspector Thorne will believe that?

[Inspector Thorne]

In my slow thinking way, I do believe her.

[Eric Stevenson]

Then you are stupid.

[Inspector Thorne]

This handkerchief was used to wipe the fingerprints from the murder knife. And you, Eric Stevenson, used it for that purpose after stabbing Marsha.

[Eric Stevenson]

What gives you that idea, you stupid fool?

[Inspector Thorne]

A woman wouldn't be any more likely to put her handkerchief in the freezing compartment of a refrigerator than she would to start defrosting it just before going out.

[Eric Stevenson]

Do you think you can send me to the chair on a stupid idea like that, Thorne?

[Inspector Thorne]

Your fingerprints are on the handkerchief, Stevenson. No. Oh, yes. They show on a fabric as well as on anything else.

[Eric Stevenson]

I never thought of that.

[Inspector Thorne]

And you didn't think we'd find out that you got a second telephone call at your hotel today.

[Eric Stevenson]

What?

[Inspector Thorne]

A call from Marcia breaking her three o' clock date with you. Lucky for me that the hotel operator, not being busy on a warm summer afternoon, listened in. All right.

[Eric Stevenson]

Marcia did break her date with me. Said she promised Emily not to see me again. I was mad about her. I went out to her house and murdered her but don't pin any flowers on yourself, Thorn, for getting me. It was all luck.

[Inspector Thorne]

A dumb cop like me needs all the luck that comes his way. These handcuffs are for you, Eric Stevenson.

[Narrator]

And so ends the defrosted refrigerator murder clue. The part of Inspector Thorne is played by Carl Weber. Direction by Kenneth McGregor. The script was written by Geraldine Merkin and Edward Francis, based on the original radio play by Frank and Anne Hummard. This is Fred Collins inviting you to tune in again next Friday at the same time when the National Broadcasting Company will present Inspector Thorne in the High Style Murder Case. Stay tuned for Mr. Keane, tracer of lost persons on NBC.