Molle Mystery Theater: Red Wine (EP4558)

Summary

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio: "Molle Mystery Theater: Red Wine" (EP4558) – Detailed Summary

Release Date: November 26, 2024
Host/Author: Adam Graham, Radio Detective Podcasts

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Introduction

In episode EP4558 of The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio, host Adam Graham presents a captivating midweek special featuring "Red Wine," an episode from the Molle Mystery Theater. This rendition, adapted from L.G. Blockman's original story, weaves a suspenseful tale set in the dense jungles of the Amazon. Graham not only narrates the enthralling narrative but also provides insightful commentary that enhances the listener's experience.

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Red Wine: The Mole Mystery Theater Adaptation

Setting the Scene

The story unfolds at the Bohar Plantation in the Amazon Valley, a rubber plantation fraught with tension and mystery. The central figure, Boyd Trasker, is an American detective from San Francisco, accompanied by three fellow Americans: Joe Best, William Carr, and Dick Halop. Their mission is to locate Jerome Steek, a murderer believed to have escaped to Brazil.

The Poker Game

The narrative kicks off with a tense poker game where Trasker attempts to identify Steek among his companions.

• Mr. Finley (Joe Best): "I got 15 people after this house." (00:38)
• William Carr (Posed as Trasker): "I'm looking for a murderer named Jerome Steek." (08:37)

During the game, suspicions arise as each man's demeanor and actions are scrutinized. Carr subtly accuses Trasker of incompetence, hinting at his true motive.

Rising Tensions and Suspicion

As days pass, the dynamics among the group become increasingly strained. Trasker, determined to unmask Steek, faces mounting hostility:

• Mr. Finley: "You better go back where you came from. We don't like you." (08:10)
• William Carr: "Maybe we can help you find what you're looking for, Trasker." (08:26)

Trasker's relentless pursuit makes him a target, leading to several attempts on his life:

1. Attack with a Melee Man Catcher: A concealed device that plunges spiked bamboo stakes.
2. Snake Assault: A deadly bushmaster snake is released to eliminate Trasker.

Despite these dangers, Trasker remains steadfast, narrowing down his suspects while grappling with his vulnerability in the hostile environment.

The Climax: The Party Trap

In a strategic move, William Carr invites his companions to a supposed farewell party featuring rare wine, aiming to reveal Steek's identity.

• William Carr: "This wine is Chateau Malleur 1911." (26:20)
• Mr. Finley: "Any fool knows it." (28:00)

Carr's plan hinges on the knowledge that only Steek would recognize discrepancies in the wine's provenance. When Halop questions the existence of "Chateau Malheur" in 1911, Carr seizes the moment to arrest him, believing it confirms Halop as Steek.

Twist and Resolution

However, the plot thickens as Mr. Finley exposes Carr's deception:

• Mr. Finley: "There was no chateau Malheur in 1911. It was a bad year." (29:26)
• Joe Best: "Only one man around these parts would know a thing like that. Jerome Steek." (29:38)

Realizing his mistake, Carr admits his true identity as Jerome Steek. The story culminates with Steek's arrest, while his former companions confront the ramifications of their actions.

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Host Commentary and Analysis

After the dramatic conclusion of "Red Wine," Adam Graham offers his reflections on the episode, highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement:

• Faithfulness to Source Material: Graham praises the Escape version of "Red Wine" for its adherence to the original story but acknowledges the Mole Mystery Theater's efforts in preserving the narrative.

  • "The Escape version is better because it's more faithful to the source material." (33:28)

• Plot Twists: He identifies two significant twists: the revelation about the ice in the Chateau Malheur and the introduction of a potential insider within the group. While the first twist maintains suspense, the second, according to Graham, somewhat undermines the mystery by suggesting an inside man that could have prematurely resolved the conflict.

  • "The idea that Trasker had an inside man of the three and therefore there were really only two suspects, kind of diminishes the mystery." (33:28)

• Appreciation for Mole Mystery Theater: Despite some narrative shortcomings, Graham commends the podcast for resurrecting forgotten stories like "Red Wine," ensuring they remain accessible to mystery enthusiasts.

  • "Mole may have spared Red Wine from that fate." (33:28)

• Supporting the Podcast Community: Graham takes a moment to thank his Patreon supporter, Susan, emphasizing the podcast's reliance on community backing to continue delivering quality content.

  • "Thank you so much for your support, Susan." (33:28)

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Conclusion

Episode EP4558 of The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio masterfully blends classic mystery storytelling with modern commentary. Through "Red Wine," listeners are transported to a bygone era of radio drama, experiencing the thrills and suspense that define the genre. Adam Graham's insightful analysis further enriches the episode, providing depth and context that enhance the overall narrative. Whether you're a long-time fan or a newcomer to old-time radio mysteries, this episode offers a compelling glimpse into the timeless allure of detective fiction.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Mr. Finley (Joe Best): "I got 15 people after this house." (00:38)
• William Carr: "I'm looking for a murderer named Jerome Steek." (08:37)
• Mr. Finley: "You better go back where you came from. We don't like you." (08:10)
• William Carr: "This wine is Chateau Malleur 1911." (26:20)
• Mr. Finley: "There was no chateau Malheur in 1911. It was a bad year." (29:26)
• Joe Best: "Only one man around these parts would know a thing like that. Jerome Steek." (29:38)
• Adam Graham: "The Escape version is better because it's more faithful to the source material." (33:28)
• Adam Graham: "Mole may have spared Red Wine from that fate." (33:28)

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For more episodes and updates, subscribe to The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio on your preferred podcast platform or visit greatdetectives.net. Follow us on Twitter at @radiodetectives and on Instagram at instagram.com/great.detectives.

Transcript

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[Adam Graham]

Week on the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon.

[Mr. Finley]

Well, boy?

[Boyd Trasker]

Yes, Mr. Finley.

[Mr. Finley]

Where are you, boy? What about my house?

[William Carr]

Well, I'll tell you, Mr. Finley.

[Mr. Finley]

Where's your word? You said you'd be over with a down payment. What are you made of, boy? Rock, maple or pint?

[Boyd Trasker]

Something has come up, Mr. Finley.

[Mr. Finley]

I got 15 people after this house.

[Adam Graham]

Listen to the Old Time radio snack wagon, snackwagon.net or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Boyd Trasker]

SA.

[Adam Graham]

Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you a rare midweek special, but if you are enjoying the podcast, I want to encourage you to follow us using your favorite podcast software. And I want to encourage you to check out our other podcast. And today I'm highlighting the amazing world of [e-mail] Tomorrow that series returns from its hiatus for our annual Thanksgiving special. Check it out over at amazing.greatdetectives.net and you can find all of our podcast over at [e-mail] As I mentioned, we ended up finishing Bulldog Drummond abruptly a week early, and I did not want to reschedule the rest of the year. So we're playing a midweek special which will bring us another episode of Mole Mystery Theater. And this is actually a story we played an adaptation of back in season seven in an episode of Escape starring Jeff Chandler. And we recently got season seven uploaded on our Volume three feed. And I was thinking that it would be fun to revisit that story because there was an Escape version with Willard Waterman. I found out that there was an entirely different version that was actually done for the Mole Mystery Theater, which is kind of appropriate for what we'll be bringing you next week. So here now from March 8, 1946, is the episode Red Wine.

[Jeffrey Barnes]

And now the Mole Mystery Theater, presented by M O L L E Mole, the Heavier Brushless Shaving cream for Heavy Ben.

[Boyd Trasker]

Good evening. This is Jeffrey Barnes welcoming you to the program that presents the best in detective and mystery fiction. Tonight we have selected for you a masterful story of suspense entitled Red Wine. In red wine, we have an unusual thing. It's a mystery story that stood a good chance of being completely lost to mystery fans. It was published more than 15 years ago and to the best of my knowledge, has never been republished in any mystery anthology. And so it is with great pleasure that we now present LG Blockman's Red Wine. It's an extraordinary story and one that certainly does not deserve to be forgotten.

[Jeffrey Barnes]

Before you begin your story, Mr. Barnes, here's something it will pay the men in our audience not to forget. If you have wiry, hard to cut whiskers or a tender skin and you dread the agony of that morning shave, then shave with Molle, the heavier brushless shaving cream. Yes, sir. Man, it's smooth. So smooth. It's slick. Soul slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave you get with M O L L E. Mole, the heavier brushless cream for tender skins. That's right. Mole is a heavier cream. The kind of cream you need if you have a wiry, hard to cut beard or a tender skin. Because Mole is heavier, it softens your whiskers, holds them up straighter and makes them easy to cut. So you shave faster, closer, easier. And you shave painlessly with Mole, the heavier brushless cream for tender skins. Mole. And now here is Jeffrey Barnes with tonight's Mole mystery rev. Wine.

[Boyd Trasker]

This happened at Bohar plantation down in the valley of the Amazon. And the men who grow rubber in the jungle will vouch for the story. And they tell it nights in the bars of maracas. And they say that it had to do with three who were hunted and the fourth, the hunter. Four in all, they say, and the bitter ending in a bottle of red wine. The four sit at the table. No sound as the dealer flicks the cards. The lamp shines wearily on the set faces. The dealer's eyes move slowly, watching each man. Joe Best, hard, heavy lipped, sensual, eye.

[Mr. Finley]

Open for two bucks.

[Boyd Trasker]

Dick Halop. Easy, full, muscled, sometimes smiling.

[Joe Best]

I'll bump that three.

[Boyd Trasker]

William Carr, quiet, quick, handy with a knife.

[Dick Halop]

I'll ride along.

[Boyd Trasker]

The dealer's eyes moved slowly, watching each man inside the stifling room. The never ceasing smell of coagulating rubber from the mill of the dull, wet heat of the jungle.

[William Carr]

Cards, gentlemen?

[Boyd Trasker]

The dealer spoke. Boyd Trasker, the dealer.

[Mr. Finley]

I'll take two.

[Boyd Trasker]

Joe Best takes two cards. And now the fifth man in the room, Don Hernando Vaca, gets up from his chair in the far Corner and comes close to the table.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Is permitted to watch, senor. Thank you.

[William Carr]

Cards. Halep, three cards.

[Dick Halop]

Car, one card.

[William Carr]

Dealer stands pat. Well, best, you open.

[Mr. Finley]

Opener checks the bet.

[William Carr]

Help.

[Joe Best]

Check.

[William Carr]

Car.

[Dick Halop]

Check.

[William Carr]

I'll bet 50 bucks.

[Mr. Finley]

I've got all I can stand on this cat and mouse stuff.

[William Carr]

What do you mean by.

[Mr. Finley]

I mean Trasker. You're an out and out pony. You're not watching the game at all. You're watching us. You heard what I said, Trasker?

[William Carr]

I heard you best.

[Joe Best]

What are you here for, Trasker?

[Dick Halop]

Yeah, Trasker. You said you were a stockholder in Boha rubber. Boha is privately owned. They're.

[Joe Best]

Somebody was snooping around my bunk this morning. What are you here for, Traska?

[Mr. Finley]

Somebody went through my footlocker two days ago.

[Joe Best]

I'm warning you, Traska. You better go back where you came from. We don't like you.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Ah, gentlemen. Gentlemen.

[Joe Best]

We don't like you either, Vacker.

[Mr. Finley]

Easy. Easy. For what?

[Joe Best]

A native fly cop. So he's Don Hernando Vaca. So he's police chief of maracas. So what? So we're American citizens, all three of us.

[Mr. Finley]

What are you here for, Trasker?

[Dick Halop]

Maybe we can help you find what you're looking for, Trasker.

[William Carr]

Maybe you can. Car. I'm looking for a murderer named Jerome Steek.

[Dick Halop]

Jerome Steek.

[William Carr]

So, yeah, Jerome Steek. Wanted in San Francisco for the murder of his wife. Known to have escaped to Brazil.

[Dick Halop]

Brazil's a big place. Traska.

[William Carr]

Also known to have paddled down the Amazon valley to Bohar rubber plantation. Appearance, of course, will be altered. Dark hair, probably bleached blond.

[Mr. Finley]

Now I'm blonde, Tresca.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

See? All three of you are. That is what I told senor Trasker when he first came to my office in Maracas. I said all three men are blonde. Senor. I said don't want Tresca.

[William Carr]

Jerome Steek is an American. Quite cultured, very well read. Connoisseur of wine, Fond of horse racing, women, good clothes. Also a heavy gambler.

[Joe Best]

So that's why you arranged this poker game. To see how we bet.

[William Carr]

Jerome Steek is also very clever. He's a good actor. He's capable of concealing his breeding. Of passing himself off as a ship's engineer, say, or a stevedore field hand.

[Joe Best]

I'm a ship's engineer. You want to see my papers?

[William Carr]

I don't want anything, Halep. Except.

[Dick Halop]

Except what?

[William Carr]

Except to admit I've made a mistake.

[Dick Halop]

Okay.

[Mr. Finley]

Yeah, that's better.

[William Carr]

Don Hernando. I apologize. I should have listened to you.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

I told you it was a wild goose chase.

[William Carr]

I had to see for myself.

[Dick Halop]

Well, have you?

[William Carr]

Yes. It's quite obvious that none of you is Jerome Steek. So when the launch comes up the river again, I'll take it and return to the United States.

[Mr. Finley]

The launch won't be here for a week.

[William Carr]

That's unfortunate, Best. You'll have to put up with me until then.

[Dick Halop]

A week is a long time, Traska. Four guys could get on each other's nerves in a week.

[William Carr]

We'll have to take a chance on that car. My nerves are pretty good. Trunk of the right. Must be something here for the love. Oh, don Hernando, I didn't hear you right.

[Mr. Finley]

Nerves.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Senor Traska, don't be foolish. I would not blame you, my friend. Coming here to the bunkhouse and snooping. This is an unwise thing you do. If that Joe Beth saw you going through his trunk. Senor Traska, please come away from here. I have heard the men talk. I am responsible for your safety.

[William Carr]

You're a good guy, Hernando. Relax, please.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

I have heard the talk. These are dangerous men.

[William Carr]

You know what I'm going to do when I get home, Hernando? I'm going to make you an honorary member of the San Francisco police.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Ah, Don Hernando Vaca, San Francisco police. That is nice.

[William Carr]

An honorary member for helping us catch Jerome Steek.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Steek Santa Maria. Why you keep mentioning his name? You already said you have made a mistake, that you do not believe any of these men.

[William Carr]

I said that for a reason, Hernando. One of them is Steek. Come here. Now, if you were a field hand on a rubber plantation, would you be reading the poems of Charles Algernon Swinburne?

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Senor, I do not understand.

[William Carr]

Maybe I do, Senor Best.

[Mr. Finley]

What's the matter with reading Swinburne Thresker?

[William Carr]

Nothing at all, Best. It's just a little unusual. Jerome Steek is the sort of a man who might read love poems.

[Mr. Finley]

Joe Best wouldn't.

[William Carr]

He might and he might not.

[Mr. Finley]

I put that book back in my trunk. Trasker, close the trunk and get out.

[William Carr]

Of here before I. Steek was known to have a severe temper.

[Mr. Finley]

Are you?

[Don Hernando Vaca]

No, no, senor Best. It would not be good to resort to violence. After all, there is a law in Maracas district. I am only its humble instrument.

[Mr. Finley]

Okay, okay, okay. Put the gun down. But I'm telling you, Trasker, you're poking your nose into trouble.

[William Carr]

Car seems to have enough bottles hanging around here.

[Dick Halop]

Looking for something, Mr. Tres?

[William Carr]

What? Oh, hello, Car. I cut myself. I was told there was some peroxide in this first aid cabinet.

[Dick Halop]

Funny they told you to come all the way down to my shack for peroxide, is it? I think so. They have iodine up at the main office.

[William Carr]

Is that so?

[Dick Halop]

Yeah, iodine's much better for cuts. Particularly little scratches like that.

[William Carr]

Thanks, Carr. I'll remember that.

[Dick Halop]

I would if I were you, Trasky. You can't be too careful.

[William Carr]

That's right. Especially when your bottle labeled machine oil contains peroxide. Might fool people. Lady. Nothing important. I was just thinking peroxide is bad for the hair. Tends to bleach it.

[Dick Halop]

Does it really?

[William Carr]

That's what they say.

[Dick Halop]

Tresca. You lied to us the other day. That apology of yours was a stall. You still think one of us is this Jerome Steek?

[William Carr]

Could be. Car. I've got five days to find out.

[Dick Halop]

Yeah, Traska, you've got five days. If you live that long.

[Boyd Trasker]

As the curtain falls on act one of our story, it looks as though Boyd Trasker is in for plenty of trouble. And very shortly, the chances are Mr. Trasker would much rather be back in San Francisco right now than risking his life in the Brazilian jungle.

[Jeffrey Barnes]

Well, Mr. Barnes, I don't know about Mr. Trasker, but I do know this. There are a lot of men who'd rather face all the tortures of the worst jungle than go through the punishment of a morning shave. Well, almost. You see, many a man has a wiry, hard to cut beard or a tender skin. And shaving can really be painful. And yet it needn't be. Not if they shave with mole. Brushless shaving cream. The heavier cream for tender skins. Yes, mole is a heavier cream. The cream that softens your whiskers, sets them up straighter and lets your razor sweep right through them. With mole, you shave faster, closer, easier. And you shave painlessly. Try it and see if you don't say it's smooth. So smooth it's slick. So slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave you get with M O L L E. Mole. The heavier brushless cream for tender skins. Mole. And now back to Jeffrey Barnes and Act 2 of the Mole mystery. Red wine.

[Boyd Trasker]

Boyd Trasker, San Francisco detective, is on a rubber plantation in the jungles of the Amazon looking for a murderer named Jerome Steeke. He is convinced that one of the Americans there is the murderer. When he challenges the three men, each denies he is Jerome Steek. The search becomes a Hunt one man hunting three Hunted Joe Best, William Carr, Dick Halop, the hunted. Boyd Trasker, the hunter. But as the hours of the week slip by, the tension grows tighter. The hostility comes out in the open and the tables are turned. The hunter becomes the hunted. Then one afternoon, the four go off into the jungle to shoot wild pigs.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Senor. Senor Tosca.

[Boyd Trasker]

Senor Tosca.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

You are all right?

[William Carr]

Where did you come from? Hernando, You.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

You are all right.

[William Carr]

I told you not to worry about me.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

I could not help it. I had to come when I heard you had agreed to go pig hunting with those men.

[William Carr]

I can take care of myself.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

But such unnecessary risks in this jungle, anything.

[William Carr]

What would you want me to do? They came to me this morning, all three of them, and said they always hunt pig on a day off and would I like to come along.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

But it would be so easy. A haunting accident. Ping. Everybody is so sorry and you are dead.

[William Carr]

Yes, I'm expecting it any minute.

[Boyd Trasker]

What?

[William Carr]

The hunting accident. One of those men out there on the brush is Steak. I feel certain of it. He already has one murder to his credit. And I'm going to find out if he has nerve enough to try a second.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Senior.

[William Carr]

See that little rise of ground ahead?

[Don Hernando Vaca]

See?

[William Carr]

They gave me that as my post when a pig is sighted. Now, Carr is somewhere to the left. Vesta's over there to the right by that clump of trees. And Halop is behind us. Now, when.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Please do not go to your post, senor Traskar.

[William Carr]

I don't intend to.

[Dick Halop]

Huh?

[William Carr]

But my sun helmet is going. My sun helmet will show just above the bushes in the spot where I'm supposed to be.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Wait. Wait. I am coming with you. Please send your Trask.

[William Carr]

Please stay down.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

This is your post right here. Yes, Traska coming your way.

[William Carr]

Here goes. Senor Roy Traska's helmet showing just above the bushes.

[Mr. Finley]

No one would.

[William Carr]

Traska's helmet, gentlemen, is Jerome Steak watching.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

This will prove nothing.

[William Carr]

You see? Now watch.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Santa Maria.

[William Carr]

It didn't take him long, did it? Clean through the helmet.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Mother of heaven.

[William Carr]

Clean through the helmet. And the direction indicated? Clear as a weather vane. It came from behind us.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Behind. Senor Halep is behind.

[William Carr]

Halop was behind us. But Carr and Best could have dropped back. It could have been any one of them. But it was one of them. What do you say now, Don Hernando?

[Don Hernando Vaca]

What do I say now? I say you are right, senor. One of these three men is the murderer. Jerome Steek.

[Boyd Trasker]

That was the first attempt on Board Trasker's life. The second attempt involves a melee man catcher. That horrible machine that is set off by a concealed wire and plunges spiked bamboo stakes into its victim.

[William Carr]

I'm all right, Hernando. Luckily for me, I've traveled in Java. I know the setup of a melee man catcher when I see one. My houseboy wasn't so fortunate.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Oh, poor Manuel. Those bamboo stakes pierced right through. But how could.

[William Carr]

How could a melee man catcher suddenly appear outside my shack? Jerome Steek lived many years in Java. He could answer that.

[Boyd Trasker]

That was attempt number two on Trasker's life. And then that night, attempt number three.

[William Carr]

Don Hernando, this way. Quick.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

What has happened? Mother of heaven. A bushmaster.

[William Carr]

Yeah, it was curled up between my bed sheets. I got it just in time. If I hadn't been on the lookout for something.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

The deadliest snake in all the world.

[William Carr]

Yes, another quaint device of our friend Jerome Steek.

[Boyd Trasker]

The hunter has become the hunted. And both are working against time. One day left.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Senor, I cannot stand much more of these.

[William Carr]

You won't have to, Hernando. It has been steaks life of mine. Now it's going to be stiq's.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

You are sure? The river launch arrived tomorrow.

[William Carr]

I know, but I still haven't played my trump card.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Your trump?

[William Carr]

Yes, Hernando. In north America, we call it our ace in the hole. I'm tired and I want to go to bed. I had a little drink. About an hour. Come in, gentlemen.

[Mr. Finley]

And this guy. How are you doing here, Trasker? This is a private party.

[William Carr]

I don't expect to stay. Best good.

[Joe Best]

Amen.

[William Carr]

I came to extend an invitation. Yeah?

[Mr. Finley]

How far you'd get with any of.

[William Carr]

Your invitations, Trasker, Will you listen or not?

[Joe Best]

If it'll help get you out of here any faster. Go ahead, spill it.

[William Carr]

Tomorrow I am leaving Bohar for good. But I'd like to leave with no hard feelings, if you let me. Boys, I want to throw a party for you. We're having a party, a real party. On board the steamer before I sail. I know the skipper of the salvador. And the skipper knows food. He has a top notch wine cellar. Board specializes in chateau malheur. He also has a fine chinese cook. What do you say?

[Mr. Finley]

Ah, the devil with you and your partner.

[Joe Best]

Now, wait a minute, fellas. Wait a minute. We don't like Traskin. We made no bones about it. But I think we should take him up on this offer. After all, good food and wine don't turn up around here every day. I'll eat your child, Traska.

[William Carr]

Thanks, Halep. And you, Carm?

[Dick Halop]

Well, if it's okay with Halep, it's okay with me.

[William Carr]

That leaves you best.

[Mr. Finley]

Well, I wouldn't like you any better, Traska, but count me in.

[William Carr]

Thank you, gentlemen. You'll come on the launch with me?

[Mr. Finley]

No, we'll paddle down the river ourselves.

[William Carr]

As you like. Well, good night. I'll see you on the steamer tomorrow. I have an idea. It'll be a party you'll never forget.

[Boyd Trasker]

This is Jeffrey Barnes again. In just a moment, we'll return you to act of Red Wine.

[Dan Seymour]

Don't let specks of dandruff on your coater collar embarrass you. Do what thousands are doing. For relief from this social and business handicap, use double Danderine. You'll quickly discover that double danderine is unlike so many hair preparations available today. Preparations that really do no more to fight a common type of dandruff than plain water does. That is, they simply remove loose dandruff. Double danderine, you see, actually combats this dandruff by killing on contact the germs that many outstanding authorities contend are a cause. I repeat, it actually kills them on contact. Now, the amazing effectiveness of double danderine is due to a special ingredient called alzan, an active antiseptic so remarkably efficient that many hospitals use it. And among hair preparations, double danderine and double danderine alone has it. So try double dandering and see if you don't agree that most ordinary hair preparations can't compare with its dandruff combating effectiveness. If you're not satisfied, return the empty bottle and get your money back. Buy double Danderine at your druggists.

[William Carr]

Alight, Mr. Taska.

[Mr. Finley]

Slide. Shims ready.

[William Carr]

Mushrooms on toast.

[Mr. Finley]

Letty. Everything ready?

[William Carr]

You taste? No, Yang. Everything smells perfect. That's proven up for me. You agree, Don Hernando?

[Don Hernando Vaca]

See, see? As the Chinese say, Ho Yang is number one cook.

[William Carr]

My guests have arrived.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

They are waiting in the sheep salon.

[William Carr]

Let's go then. Everything is all ready. And don't forget, you bring in the ice cubes when I call for you.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

See, I will bring them. I will Remember, he's all planned.

[William Carr]

Good. Now, Don Hernando, I'm ready for my ace in the hole. Yes, I've told you before. Jerome Steek is a connoisseur of good food and rare wine. Now, this little bottle of Chateau Malheur will be his finish.

[Boyd Trasker]

This little bottle it will as surely.

[William Carr]

As he meant his Malay man catcher to finish me. Midway through the dinner, I'll rise and call for silence. Gentlemen, I'll say, in a moment, I'll open this rare vintage wine. I'd be pleased if all of you will join me in a farewell drink.

[Joe Best]

I was standing outside.

[William Carr]

You're having a good time, boys?

[Mr. Finley]

Yeah, fine.

[William Carr]

Fine. Good. Now, may I have your attention for just a moment? Gentlemen, please. Gentlemen, in a moment, I'll open this rare vintage wine. I'll be pleased if all of you will join me in a farewell drink.

[Dick Halop]

Why not?

[Mr. Finley]

Pour it out? Might as well go to the limit.

[William Carr]

This wine is Chateau Malleur 1911.

[Joe Best]

Pour it out. Never mind the buildup.

[William Carr]

The vineyards produce real nectar that year.

[Mr. Finley]

Let's drink and not talk.

[William Carr]

Okay, Best. Here she comes. Mmm. The bouquet. I'll pass the bottle around. Just have a whiff of it. Here, Bess, smell it.

[Mr. Finley]

Smells okay.

[Jeffrey Barnes]

Here.

[Mr. Finley]

Here, card. Take a sniff. Make the man happy.

[Dick Halop]

Ah, look, Trask, I prefer drinking some.

[William Carr]

As you say. The glasses, gentlemen.

[Joe Best]

Now we're getting somewhere. Pass them down.

[William Carr]

It's precious stuff. You'll taste no other like it. Glass for Joe Best, one for Dick Hallup, and one for William Cox.

[Joe Best]

Well, let's hope it tastes as good as you've tried to make it sound.

[William Carr]

It will, Halop, I assure you. Don Hernando.

[Mr. Finley]

Don Hernando. What's he doing here?

[William Carr]

He was with me in the launch. Don Hernando.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

Coming, Senor Oscar. Coming.

[William Carr]

Had the ice pail.

[Don Hernando Vaca]

See? Right here.

[Joe Best]

Ice pail.

[William Carr]

Yes, Halep. Look, are we going to drink this wine or not? We're going to drink it, Car. We just remove the COVID from the pail and drop a cube of ice into each glass. It'll add to the refreshment. One cube for Joe Best. Can't wait to have any. One cube for Dick Hall.

[Dick Halop]

Nice party.

[William Carr]

And one cube for William. Hey.

[Jeffrey Barnes]

Hey.

[Dick Halop]

You're not going to put ice on my Chateau Malor.

[Joe Best]

Hey, what's the matter? Car?

[William Carr]

Why not? Car?

[Mr. Finley]

Well.

[Dick Halop]

Any fool knows it.

[William Carr]

Yes. Car.

[Dick Halop]

Well, I mean, everyone knows at Chateau Melat is drunk at room temperature.

[William Carr]

Everyone does? I don't think so, Car. I think that is something only Jerome Steek would know. William Carr, or if you prefer Jerome Steek, I arrest you for the murder of your wife.

[Boyd Trasker]

William Carr was arrested, but Joe Best and Dick Halop are freed the next morning. Best and Halep push their canoe into the river and start paddling upstream toward home.

[Mr. Finley]

Two of you are at liberty to return upriver to Boha. That pompous fool Yeah. I just can't get it through my head.

[William Carr]

Quiet.

[Dick Halop]

Billy Carr.

[Mr. Finley]

Who'd have thought it could be our friend Billy Carr? Yeah, nice guy. All the same.

[Joe Best]

You know best. When you come to think of it. That was pretty darn clever, Trasky. He figured only a guy who really knew his liquor. Would balk and have an ice put in his wine. He sure enough trapped Bill with those cubes in the Chateau Malheure, 1911. Pretty clever, I'd say.

[Mr. Finley]

Maybe. And maybe not so clever.

[Joe Best]

What do you mean, not so clever?

[Mr. Finley]

Any wine merchant could tell you, Halep, there was no chateau Malheur in 1911. It was a bad year. The vineyards didn't bottle.

[Dick Halop]

Yes, that's.

[Joe Best]

Hey, best. Wait a minute. Only one man around these parts would know a thing like that. Jerome Steek.

[Mr. Finley]

That's right. Keep right on paddling, Halep, and don't turn around. You might be sorry.

[Joe Best]

You.

[Dick Halop]

You're gonna kill me.

[Mr. Finley]

I suppose so, yes. You're the only man alive who knows I'm Jerome Steek. I can hardly allow you to return to Pohar with that knowledge. I'd be embarrassed.

[Joe Best]

Yeah, you'll be even more embarrassed when you try to shoot that revolver. I emptied the chambers this morning.

[Mr. Finley]

What?

[Joe Best]

You see, Bess, Trask and I have been trying to find you for months. We narrowed it down to you and Carr, but we were stymied from there. We had to hear it from your own mouth. We chose this way, counting on your ego. I wouldn't try anything, Joe. The chambers in this gun are quite well loaded.

[Mr. Finley]

I see.

[Joe Best]

Shall we be getting back to the Salvador? Trasker will be waiting.

[Mr. Finley]

Hi, Gasol.

[Joe Best]

We can finish the bottle if you like.

[Mr. Finley]

Finish the bottle if you like. Okay. Ellip. I always was a sucker for red wine.

[Boyd Trasker]

Now, this is Jeffrey Barnes again inviting you to be with us next week when we present a comedy mystery by Joseph Ruskall. Entitled the Case of the Missing Mind. You'll meet a delightful little Broadway wise guy named Kenny. Who has one of the most mad, exciting, hilarious experiences on record. When he meets a strange mystic named Aladdin. So join us next week to meet two wonderful characters in the Case of the Missing.

[Jeffrey Barnes]

The original music for the Mole Mystery Theater. Is composed and conducted by Alexander Semmler. Red Wine was written by L.G. blockman. And adapted for radio by Louis Pelletier and Jacques Fink. Kenneth lynch was featured in tonight's program. This is Dan Seymour saying good night until next Friday when the Mystery Theater presents the Case of the Missing Mind.

[Dan Seymour]

Tonight's Mystery Theater presentation came to you from New York's Radio City. This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.

[Geico Advertiser]

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[Adam Graham]

Welcome back. I thought it was an enjoyable episode and a nice chance to see Ken lynch in action as the lead. I still think the Escape version is better because it's more faithful to the source material. There were two big twists in this episode. The first was from the short story and the revelation about the ice and the red wine. The second was an original to the Mole Mystery Theater, and it's not a great one. The idea that Trasker had an inside man of the three and therefore there were really only two suspects, kind of diminishes the mystery. And if Trasker did have a secret partner, it seems like they could have wrapped this up much earlier rather than this dragging out for days and weeks. If nothing else, having someone among the three suspects should have prevented the murderer from going out and setting up elaborate death traps for Trasker. I mean, you would think. However, this story may, despite some of the issues with the adaptation, owe Mole for bringing it to light. Because who knows if the Escape Adapt adaptation or a later TV adaptation with David Niven on the Four Star Playhouse would have come to fruition if Molais hadn't highlighted the story. There were a lot of mystery stories that were published at the same time as Red Wine with so many popular mystery magazines that some have just really been lost in the and been forgotten, even though they're perfectly stories. So Mole may have spared Red Wine from that fate. All right, well, now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day and I want to go ahead and thank Susan, who's been one of our patreon supporters since March 2023, currently supporting the podcast at the shamus level of $4 or more per month. Thank you so much for your support, Susan, and that will actually do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate and review the podcast wherever you download us from. We'll be back next Tuesday with a previously uncirculated episode featuring Hearthstone of the death squad. In the meantime, send your comments to Box13REAT detectives.net follow us on Twitter at radiodetactives and check us out on Instagram. Instagram. Com. Great. Detectives from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, son and all.