The Relic Radio Show - Episode Summary

Episode: Box 13 and The Whistler
Date: October 21, 2025
Host: RelicRadio.com
Theme: Unearthing audio artifacts from radio’s golden age, this episode features two classic radio mysteries: an episode of Box 13 starring Alan Ladd and a tale from The Whistler.

Episode Overview

This episode delivers two masterworks from radio's heyday:

• Box 13: "The Professor and the Puzzle" – A suspense-driven mystery as writer-turned-amateur sleuth Dan Holliday investigates a suspicious suicide at a small college, unraveling a web involving love, blackmail, and illicit diamond cutting.
• The Whistler: "The Waterford Case" – A tale of jealousy, betrayal, and double-cross as a woman’s dark ambition leads to murder and attempted framing within her own family.

Each show highlights radio's unique blend of atmosphere, character, and intricate plotting.

"Box 13: The Professor and the Puzzle"

Main Plot

Dan Holliday receives a plea for help from his old friend Bob Lanham, a teacher at a quiet college, after Bob’s fiancée suddenly breaks off their engagement following her uncle's supposed suicide. As Dan investigates, he discovers layers of deceit, ending in murder—and a diamond-smuggling ring.

Key Discussion Points & Story Developments

• Initial Set-Up & Call for Help

  • [00:57] Bob writes to Dan: “I’m writing to you as a friend to come and see me... I’ve got a problem.”
  • Evelyn Gardner breaks off her engagement with Bob after Uncle Professor Gardner’s suicide.
  • [02:04] Dan’s hallmark humor:

    “Somehow I have a habit of running into trouble. Or it runs into me.” (Dan Holliday)

• Examining the Case

  • Gardner was a respected crystallographer in a quiet college town.
  • [04:34] The $64 question—why did Gardner kill himself? Bob insists:

    “He didn’t have a reason in the world. Not a single reason.” (Bob Lanham)

• Uncovering Motives

  • Ed Macklin, the late professor’s assistant, becomes romantically involved with Evelyn almost immediately after the suicide, arousing suspicion.
  • [07:37] Dan consults local Chief Carson, who candidly admits:

    “Can’t say as I can tell you any more than Bob Lanham did.” (Chief Carson)

• Escalation to Murder

  • An altercation breaks out between Bob and Macklin, witnessed by Dan ([09:47]).
  • Next morning, Macklin is found murdered, and Bob is arrested.
  • [11:53] Bob pleads:

    “I didn’t kill him.” (Bob Lanham)

• Dan’s Investigation: Oddities & Clues

  • [15:03] Dan catches Evelyn burning papers. Among the remains, he finds evidence pointing to Gardner’s side business in illicit diamond cutting.

  • [16:07] Dan breaks the news to Evelyn that Bob is jailed for murder; she insists,

    “Oh no. No, he didn’t.” (Evelyn Gardner, on Bob's innocence)

  • Dan deduces a larger conspiracy, involving an alias (Samuel Stoner) and suspicious banking activity.

• Showdown & Confession

  • [19:47] Dan is forced at gunpoint to burn evidence but memorizes Stoner’s address.
  • [21:59] Eavesdrops on the killer:

    “I only signed for the Gardner job... I killed him with his own gun while the machines in the shop were running. Nobody heard the shot. Suicide.”

  • Dan confronts and subdues the criminals, clearing Bob’s name.

• Resolution & Reveal

  • The professor was illicitly recutting stolen diamonds but wanted out; his death was a murder for hire. Macklin’s murder followed after he threatened to expose the racket or use it for personal gain.
  • [24:42] Dan explains:

    “Professor Gardner was doing illicit diamond cutting... The stolen diamonds were sent to him. He recut and polished them so they could be offered for sale.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You keep working on it. I’ll be back in, say... say a week.” (Dan, to Susie, 02:16)
• “Suicide? Oh, I’m sorry, Bob.” (Dan Holliday, 03:33)
• “A man doesn’t usually kill himself that way.” (Dan, on suicide method, 08:37)
• “Trouble has a bad habit of popping up.” (Dan Holliday, 06:39)
• “If I find anything fishy about this, I’ll have to call the police.” (Dan, 06:55)

Key Timestamps

• 00:57 – Bob’s letter to Dan
• 02:16 – Dan sets off to the college
• 03:33 – Bob reveals Evelyn’s uncle’s suicide
• 09:47 – Fight between Bob and Macklin
• 11:51 – Bob arrested for Macklin’s murder
• 15:03 – Evelyn burning evidence
• 21:59 – Villains exposed in their office
• 24:15 – The full conspiracy revealed

"The Whistler: The Waterford Case"

Main Plot

A cunning and envious woman, Elaine, schemes to gain her uncle’s millions by setting up her cousin, Richard, for murder. When her plan succeeds and Richard is sentenced to die, Elaine spirals into further plotting to secure her inheritance—leading to her eventual downfall.

Key Discussion Points & Story Developments

• Setting the Stage: Inheritance & Jealousy

  • The Waterford family is fractured by resentment and greed; Elaine resents her cousin Richard’s status as sole heir.
  • [29:31] Richard, about his father:

    “You know, I used to be the fair haired boy. Only child, son and heir, et cetera, et cetera.”

• Manipulation & Murder

  • Elaine manipulates family tensions and orchestrates a scene in which Richard’s gun is used to kill his father, ensuring all evidence points to Richard.
  • [44:19] Richard discovers the murder:

    “Dad... Good Lord.”

• Legal Wrangling & False Testimony

  • Elaine testifies at Richard’s trial, sealing his fate by suggesting (falsely) she saw him with the murder weapon.
  • Richard is sentenced to die in the electric chair.

• Desperate Measures & Second Plot

  • To secure the estate (which would go to Richard’s fiancée Margaret if she married him before his execution), Elaine attempts to push Margaret to suicide, inviting her to a secluded boat.
  • [51:23] Elaine’s confession:

    “Yes, dear, I did. I killed Richard’s father. Isn’t it unfortunate, Margaret, that you can’t swim?” (Elaine)

• The Twist: Justice Unfolds

  • The authorities, suspecting Elaine’s ambitions, set a trap with Margaret’s help. As Elaine tries to murder Margaret, they intervene and arrest her for murder.
  • [54:07] Chief:

    “You had every motive for killing your uncle. We knew it from the first, but everything else pointed to Dick. Quite unofficially, we decided to give you the opportunity of either clearing yourself completely or convicting yourself.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Avarice is a good thing, Elaine, but only when you know how to hide it.” (Uncle Richard, 32:49)
• “If you do anything to bring a single moment’s unhappiness to that girl, I swear I’ll kill you.” (Richard, to his father, 35:51)
• “It was his last request; since Ms. Winters agreed, there was no reason to refuse it.” (District Attorney, 47:40)
• “You did it, Elaine. Yes, dear, I did. I killed Richard’s father.” (Elaine confesses, 51:23)

Key Timestamps

• 29:39 – Richard and Margaret discuss their future
• 32:25 – Elaine confronts Uncle Richard about the inheritance
• 44:19 – Richard discovers his father’s body
• 45:40 – Elaine sets up her story for trial
• 47:14 – Elaine tries to prevent Margaret and Richard’s wedding
• 51:23 – Elaine attempts to drown Margaret
• 54:00 – Elaine’s arrest and confession

Engaging Moments & Highlights

• The comedic exchanges between Dan and his assistant Susie provide levity to Box 13's intrigue:
  • [02:04] "Remember that old saying, never trouble, trouble until... Oh, no, that’s wrong..."
• The Whistler’s chilling, omniscient narration frames each scene with foreboding, such as:
  • [29:05] "I am the Whistler, and I know many things, for I walk by night..."

Tone & Language

Both stories maintain the classic mid-century radio cadence: crisp, witty, and laden with dramatism. Dan Holliday's narration is dryly humorous and clever, while The Whistler’s story is atmospheric, laced with psychological suspense and fatalistic irony.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode of The Relic Radio Show exudes the intrigue, style, and complexity that made old time radio a bedrock for the mystery genre. Box 13 delivers a twisty college murder that unravels into a gem-smuggling plot, while The Whistler presents a noir tale of family betrayal and poetic justice. Each is a standalone story, brimming with atmosphere and expertly woven suspense—a must for fans of vintage mysteries.