The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe The Tell-Tale Ribbon Date: Mar 30 1951

The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe
'The Case of the Tell-Tale Ribbon'
based on the characters created by Rex Stout

CAST OF CHARACTERS
Archie & Wolfe..............who they always are
Mr Jenkins..............an eccentric messenger
Edward................................a millionaire
Dorothy.......................His dishy secretary
Eva........A disturbed woman (Edward's wife)
Larry.....Edward's adult son (Eva's stepson)
Dr.Hauser.................................Physician
Jefferies..............................a dour servant
Inspector Kramer...................Lestrad type

SOUND: PHONE RINGING, CONTINUED UNDER. ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, the ringing of that phone bell brings you mystery! Adventure! SOUND: PHONE PICKUP ARCHIE: Nero Wolfe's office, this is Archie Goodwin speaking. (BEAT) What? Who? Who is this? Who wants to speak to Mr Wolfe? WOLFE: Nobody. ARCHIE: Nobody? WOLFE: That's what I said. Now hang up. It's late and it's cold, and even if it weren't, I would not consider -- for one moment -- moving from this chair. ARCHIE: Please, Mr Wolfe, I can't hear a thing this old gentleman's saying. WOLFE: Does it matter? You heard what I said! ARCHIE: What was that you said, sir? (BEAT) You were late because she was killed? Who was killed? Speak up, sir. I can't hear you. WOLFE: What's it about, Archie? -- ARCHIE: He says he was due here an hour ago, but she was killed. WOLFE: Who was killed? What does he want? ARCHIE: Do you want us to solve the crime? (BEAT) I say, do you want to find out who killed her? (BEAT) Oh. He says he knows who did it, but he has an important message for you. Come right over. We'll be waiting, Mr Jenkins. SOUND: PHONE HANG UP. WOLFE: Archie, why do you insist on taking every silly little case? ARCHIE: Because, boss, we need to recover from April 15th and a certain bill we owed Uncle Sam, remember? WOLFE: Pfui! MUSIC: THEME UP, THEN DOWN AND CONTINUED UNDER. ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, it's that renowned genius who is the bulkiest, balkiest, most brilliant and most renounced detective in the world. Yes, none other than that chair-borne mass of unpredictable intellect, Nero Wolfe! Created by Rex Stout and brought to you over the Icebox Radio network in the person of Justin Kapla! MUSIC: BIG STING/LEAD-IN ARCHIE: This case I like to refer to as The Case of the Tell-Tale Ribbon. Perhaps a better title would be 'Wolfe Goes a-hunting'. For this was one of those unusual instances in which my boss - of his own free will and without any coercion - actually decided to leave the house and go to the scene of the crime. It started when the strange old gentleman who phoned us finally arrived. SOUND: DOOR BUZZER. ARCHIE: Well, there's our client, Mr Wolfe. SOUND: A DOOR OPENS. JENKINS: Evening. It's me. ARCHIE: Who's 'me' exactly? JENKINS: I just phoned you. I've got a dispatch for Nero Wolfe. ARCHIE: Oooh, you're Jenkins. Come in. SOUND: SOME SHUFFLED FEET. DOOR CLOSES. ARCHIE: Mr Wolfe, this is Mr Jenkins. Says he has a dispatch for you. JENKINS: Yup. Are you Wolfe? WOLFE: I am. Where is this dispatch from? JENKINS: Don't know. ARCHIE: You don't know? How come? JENKINS: Oh I know, but I'm supposed to say I don't. See? That's my job. ARCHIE: What is? JENKINS: Just to say I don't know. WOLFE: What about the murder? ARCHIE: Yeah, who was killed? JENKINS: Oh, it was a terrible thing. We was just crossing the turnpike and this fella come at us out of nowhere. ARCHIE: The killer? JENKINS: Yeah. He must have been drunk, I guess. WOLFE: How did it happen? Did he shoot her? Stab her? JENKINS: Oh no, no. He ran into her with his car. And she was only nine years old. ARCHIE: Your granddaughter? JENKINS: No! It was Bessie. But the police got him. I have to appear, I guess. Probably get 90 days, he will. WOLFE: Ninety days for murder? JENKINS: Murder?! Was somebody murdered? I must have missed something. ARCHIE: Look, we're talking about Bessie, and what you want us to do about it. JENKINS: Nothing. Bessie's my old horse. ARCHIE: Oh no. JENKINS: Who was it that was murdered? ARCHIE: Nobody yet. I thought you said this was important. JENKINS: It might be. At least that's what I was told. WOLFE: What might be important? JENKINS: This here letter I was bringing to you. This uh...dispatch. Well, gotta get along now. Goodbye! SOUND: A PAIR OF FOOTSTEPS, DOOR OPENS, CLOSES. ARCHIE: Well, get him. What a pixie. SOUND: ENVELOPE OPENING WOLFE: What is in the envelope? ARCHIE: Five one-hundred dollar bills. And the note says, 'Mr Wolfe, your services are desperately needed. Come up this weekend as my guest at my estate, Gray Gardens. Signed E. Millot WOLFE: Edward Millot, the millionaire manufacturer. ARCHIE: It looks as though you're going out this weekend. WOLFE: You jest. ARCHIE: I do. But you see I had plans this weekend, and -- WOLFE: Well, Archie, pay my respects to Mr. Millot and I hope you enjoy the weekend. ARCHIE: Right. MUSIC: TRANSITION, CROSS-FADES WITH SOUND: WINTER WIND BLOWING. THEN, A DOOR KNOCK ARCHIE: Something certainly phony about this. There's no party going on here tonight. SOUND: MORE KNOCKING. THEN, THE DOOR OPENS JEFFERIES: Yes, what is it? ARCHIE: Is this the Millot place? JEFFERIES: It is. What do you want? ARCHIE: My name's Goodwin. I'm a guest of Mr. Millot's. JEFFERIES: A guest? ARCHIE: Yes. He invited me down for the weekend. JEFFERIES: Weekend? Oh. Well, you'd better step in please, Mr Goodwin. SOUND: SOME SHUFFLED FOOTSTEPS. DOOR CLOSES, WIND OUT. A LARGE DOOR BOLT SLIDES INTO PLACE. ARCHIE: Quite a large bolt you have on that door. JEFFERIES: Yes, isn't it. Just sit down there, please. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS APPROACH. JEFFERIES: Oh Mr Millot, this is Mr. Goodwin, sir. Says he's come down for the weekend. EDWARD: Mr. Goodwin? Good evening. You've come for the weekend, you say? ARCHIE: Yes. Wasn't that the idea, Mr Millot? EDWARD: I don't understand, Mr. Goodwin. ARCHIE: Didn't you send me this note asking me to come here? EDWARD: Note? I didn't send any note. SOUND: PAPER RUSTLING EDWARD: Well, this is my personal note stationary. But I don't recall sending this. I didn't even type it. And I'm in the habit of signing my name with a pen, not with a typewriter. (BEAT) E. Millot. ARCHIE: You're certainly Edward Millot. EDWARD: Yes. 'Services are desperately needed'. What does this mean? Who are you, Mr. Goodwin? ARCHIE: A private investigator. I'm Nero Wolfe's assistant. EDWARD: Oh, indeed. Nero Wolfe, eh? I know of him, yes indeed. ARCHIE: And you really don't know anything about his note? EDWARD: I do not. ARCHIE: Then who sent it? And there were five one-hundred dollar bills as a retainer. EDWARD: I haven't the slightest idea. (CALLING) Oh, Dorothy? DOROTHY: (DISTANT) Yes? EDWARD: (CALLING) Would you step in here, please? Miss Davis is my private secretary. She may know something about this. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS APPROACH DOROTHY: (COMING ON) What is it, Mr Millot I don't.....oh. EDWARD: Dorothy, this is Mr Goodwin. DOROTHY: (INTERESTED) How do you do, Mr. Goodwin? ARCHIE: (ALSO INTERESTED) Well, how do YOU do, Miss Davis? EDWARD: Uh...yes, well. (CLEARS THROAT) Mr Goodwin is assistant to Nero Wolfe. DOROTHY: You don't say. Nero Wolfe, the detective? I've heard a great deal about him. A bit about you too, Mr Goodwin. ARCHIE: I am delighted to hear you say that, Miss Davis. EDWARD: Yes, Mr Goodwin has a note hear from -- EVA: (DISTANT) Edward? SOUND: FOOTSTEPS APPROACH EVA: (COMING ON) Is anything wrong, Edward? I heard voices and....oh. Do we have company? EDWARD: Nothing is wrong, Eva. I was calling Dorothy, that's all. Oh, this is Mr. Goodwin, Eva. My wife, Mr. Goodwin. ARCHIE: How do you do, Mrs Millot? EVA: Mr Goodwin I...yes. Oh yes, how do you do? EDWARD: Now, as I was about to say, Dorothy, Mr Goodwin has -- SOUND: FOOTSTEPS APPROACH LARRY: (COMING ON) What's going on? EDWARD: Oh. Mr Goodwin, this is my son, Larry. LARRY: Evening. What's going on? EDWARD: Mr Goodwin has been invited here for the weekend. He has an invitation supposedly from me, at least it was written on my stationary. Look at this, Dorothy? Know anything about this note? SOUND: PAPER SHUFFLING DOROTHY: No. I certainly didn't write it. EDWARD: But it's my personal note paper and my signature is typewritten. I'd never do that. LARRY: Somebody sent it. Who's Jenkins? EDWARD: Jenkins? Never heard of him. ARCHIE: A little dried up old man. He delivered it too me. Hmm, maybe it didn't even come from this house. EDWARD: I'm positive it didn't. I've never heard of any Jenkins. ARCHIE: You have a typewriter here, of course. EDWARD: Yes. ARCHIE: I'd like to see it. (SHORT, HEAVY PAUSE) EDWARD: Uh, certainly Mr Goodwin. In the library. EVA: How far have you come, Mr. Goodwin? ARCHIE: From New York, Manhattan. EVA: Oh, and it's such a dreadful night. EDWARD: Yes it is. And it is rather late. ARCHIE: Late? It's only 7:30. LARRY: Why not stay here for the night. Plenty of room. EVA: Yes, plenty of room. ARCHIE: I don't really think that's necessary. EVA: Oh. (PAUSE) ARCHIE: On the other hand, it would be a tough drive back to the city in this storm. I'll accept your hospitality, Mr Millot. EDWARD: Very good. Uh, Jefferies? Show Mr. Goodwin to the East wing. And uh, take care of his car. JEFFERIES: Yes sir. EDWARD: Goodnight, Mr. Goodwin. ARCHIE: You mean you're all going to retire now? I haven't even had my dinner. EDWARD: We retire very early here. But Jefferies will prepare anything you want. Good night. MUSIC: TRANSITION SOUND: PHONE RINGING WOLFE: Confound it! Who moved that phone? (GRUNTS) SOUND: PHONE PICKUP WOLFE: Nero Wolfe, speaking. ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): Archie, boss. Well, I'm here at Millot's place but their ain't no party. WOLFE: Are you in the right house? ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): I'm afraid I am. They've all gone to bed. Weird bunch. The wife, who looks very sickly and I think wants to say something to me alone, Larry the son, and Millot's secretary Dorothy Davis. She has me bothered a bit. WOLFE: How unusual. I assume she's pretty. ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): A beauty. But she seems to know all about me. WOLFE: Hmm. You'd better come home, Archie. I can see you're in no condition to handle this case properly. Give them their money back. ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): Oh, I forgot to tell you. Millot didn't send the note, no one here knows anything about it, so we can keep the dough. WOLFE: Interesting. In that case, the circumstances would indicate that you should stay there and wait for it to happen. ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): For what to happen? WOLFE: Whatever the fates have conspired to have happen whilst your shinny little ego is in the midst of it. Goodbye. MUSIC: TRANSITION SOUND: DOOR KNOCK EVA: (THROUGH DOOR) Who is it? ARCHIE: It's Archie Goodwin, Mrs. Millot. SOUND: A DOOR UNLOCKED, THEN OPENED. FOOTSTEPS SHUFFLED EVA: Come in. Quickly. SOUND: DOOR CLOSE ARCHIE: I saw you give me the eye when I was about to leave. So I waited until I was sure everyone was asleep. Now what's up? EVA: I wrote you that note. I sent for you. ARCHIE: I see. EVA: Old Man Jenkins is a scissor and knife sharpener who happens along every month or so. They wouldn't know him. I put five 100 dollar bills in the envelope. ARCHIE: That proves you sent it, which only leaves why? EVA: My life is endangered, I've been threatened. I've received three notes through the mail. They were all postmarked in New York City. ARCHIE: Can I see them? EVA: Here. SOUND: ENVELOPE SHUFFLED. ARCHIE: All typewritten. EVA: The first one reads, 'There is no love for you in Gray Gables.' The second, 'Why stay on in the face of death?' ARCHIE: And the third, 'The time is shorter than you think.' Do you think this is an inside job, Mrs. Millot? EVA: At first I didn't. But lately I've come to think it is. ARCHIE: What caused you to think that? EVA: For some time, I've been having severe spells. I thought it was indigestion. But then it occurred to me that I always broke out in cold perspiration. I was left horribly weakened and terribly thirsty. ARCHIE: Thirsty? You feel you're being poisoned? EVA: Yes. And since the thought came to me, I've been living in fear. Fear of every bite of food or drink. It's so shattered my nerves that I have to take these sleeping capsules to even close my eyes. ARCHIE: Well, there's your husband, and the secretary and your son Larry -- EVA: Larry's my stepson. ARCHIE: Which one do you suspect? (BEAT) EVA: The secretary Dorothy, or my husband, or both. ARCHIE: What's the motive? EVA: They're in love. She's been here over two years and they've spent most of their time together. The idea never occurred to me until last week. When I watched them...it was quite obvious. ARCHIE: Anybody else know about these three notes? EVA: No. ARCHIE: Then I'll keep them for a while. SOUND: ENVELOPES FOLDING, UNDER FOLLOWING ARCHIE: Good night, Mrs Millot. And uh...don't worry. I'll make sure Mr. Wolfe gets to the bottom of this. MUSIC: TRANSITION SOUND: A FEW DELIBERATE KEYS ON THE TYPEWRITER LARRY: (COMING ON) What are you doing, Mr Goodwin? Snooping around in father's library? SOUND: DOOR CLOSES ARCHIE: I was just trying to find out if this typewriter was the machine used to type those notes. LARRY: What? What notes? ARCHIE: The notes you sent your stepmother. LARRY: Wha...I don't know anything about any notes. ARCHIE: Then why were you so startled? LARRY: I'm not startled. I just...well I...why would I threaten her? ARCHIE: So you do know about them. I didn't mention the contents of the notes. LARRY: I just happened to see them on the table in the sitting room. ARCHIE: You don't care too much about your stepmother, do you? LARRY: Oh...she's all right. ARCHIE: You don't care too much about Dorothy, either, do you? LARRY: I certainly don't. ARCHIE: Why not? LARRY: I don't like her tactics. She's making a fool out of my father. If anybody here sent those notes, she did. ARCHIE: Do you think Dorothy would have a motive? LARRY: I certainly do. ARCHIE: Of course you wouldn't have a motive yourself, would you? LARRY: No! ARCHIE: Well I'm inclined to think you would. LARRY: Just what motive would I have? ARCHIE: You don't seem to like any woman who gets too close to your father. Maybe because you'd resent anyone sharing in the estate if your father died. (PAUSE) LARRY: If I were you, Mr Goodwin, I'd leave. Tonight. And the sooner the better. Good night! MUSIC: TRANSITION SOUND: PHONE RINGING WOLFE: Archie! Say, Archie you...oh, confounded boy. SOUND: PHONE PICKUP WOLFE: Yes, Archie? ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): You have the wrong number. This is Sherlock Holmes speaking. WOLFE: Why are you bothering me? Why didn't you go to bed like the others? You don't have to push it. It will happen. ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): Do you want me to go to bed? WOLFE: No. You've forced me to pick up this confounded device, so report! ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): Eva Millot thinks she's being slowly poisoned. She suspects her husband and his secretary. WOLFE: She could be right. What are the symptoms she suffers? ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): Gastric disturbances, weakness, thirst. WOLFE: Indeed. What about the son? Any ideas? ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): He doesn't like his stepmother, and is decidedly against his father's secretary Dorothy. He knew all about the notes Mrs Millot had received. Saw them on her dressing table, he says. He believes Dorothy's the culprit. WOLFE: Then I would say that Dorothy should be the next on your list. ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): You can say that again. WOLFE: Be careful, Archie. Use your brain this time. ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): Incidentally, Larry advised me to leave the place, tonight. Bit of a threat it was, too. What shall I do? WOLFE: You do nothing. The trouble will come to you. MUSIC: TRANSITION SOUND: DOOR CLOSES ARCHIE: Oh. Hello there, Mr Millot. I thought you'd turned in for the night. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS APPROACH UNDER FOLLOWING EDWARD (COMING ON) : It's quite obvious you thought so, Mr. Goodwin. What are you doing in the library? ARCHIE: I'm just looking for something to read. EDWARD: You'll find the books all around the walls. Not on my desk. ARCHIE: I'm looking for a particular kind of book. I'm very interested in poisons. EDWARD: Poisons? ARCHIE: Yeah. It's a hobby of mine. You happen to have any books on toxicology? EDWARD: I do not. ARCHIE: Than what's the book on the fourth shelf right beside you? EDWARD: I uh...well...hmm. Toxicology. Where did that come from? I never saw it before. Perhaps it was in that assorted collection of books I bought a couple of weeks ago. I hadn't noticed it. Larry probably put them on the shelves. ARCHIE: Mr. Millot, how long have you known Dorothy, your secretary? EDWARD: A little over two years. ARCHIE: Did it ever occur to you that she might be, well, infatuated with you? EDWARD: What?! Well of all the....Now see here! I don't know what you're up to. And I don't know how you got a hold of my stationary to write that fake note but -- ARCHIE: The notes not fake, Millot. I'm only trying to find out what's back of it. EDWARD: Mr. Goodwin, there is nothing going on here that requires the services of a detective. And Dorothy is not in love with me. ARCHIE: I didn't say she was. I only asked you if you thought she might be. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS APPROACH UNDER FOLLOWING DOROTHY (COMING ON): Well since this conversation seems to concern me, I suppose I'm at liberty to come in. ARCHIE: So you're still up too, Miss Davis. EDWARD: Did you hear what this man said, Dorothy? (BEAT) DOROTHY: Yes I did, Mr. Millot. And I'd like to have a few words alone with Mr Goodwin, if you don't mind. Mr Goodwin, would you mind coming with me for a few minutes? ARCHIE: No, not at all. DOROTHY: And it's rather late, Mr Millot. Don't you think you should retire for the evening? It's a heavy day tomorrow. EDWARD: Well uh...um, yes. Yes, I suppose I should. DOROTHY: And please, don't let this upset you. Mr Goodwin has been misinformed. I'll straighten him out. Come on, Mr Goodwin. SOUND: TWO SETS OF FOOTSTEPS, CONTINUED UNDER. DOROTHY: Come on. The bar is right across the hall. I'll fix you a nice, soothing drink. ARCHIE: That'll be nice. DOROTHY: What would you like? ARCHIE: In the way of drinks? Well, some 7-Up. DOROTHY: Really? (LAUGHS) Just sit down over there. ARCHIE: Okay. What do you want to talk about? DOROTHY: Well, where did you get the idea that I was in love with Mr Millot? ARCHIE: First, suppose you tell me whether you are in love with him. SOUND: DRINK POURS INTO A GLASS DOROTHY: Yes I am. But until a few minutes ago, he wasn't even aware of it. I worship him. And his work. I never wanted him to know because he's married. It would have caused trouble and I would have had to leave here. And now he knows. ARCHIE: Now that he knows, what will happen? DOROTHY: I'm going to leave tonight. Now. ARCHIE: I see. DOROTHY: And since I don't own a car, Mr Goodwin, I'm going to ask you to do me a very great favor. Will you run me into New York? I want to leave without a word. If I wait until morning, I'll have to explain to Mr Millot and...that will be most embarrassing. Can you help me, Archie? ARCHIE: Oh, so now it's Archie? DOROTHY: You don't really mind, do you? ARCHIE: No, no I suppose I don't. I should, maybe. DOROTHY: Don't you like your drink? ARCHIE: I was just wondering what you put in it. DOROTHY: What do you mean? ARCHIE: What'd you dope it with? DOROTHY: (LAUGHS) Why would I do that? ARCHIE: There might be several reasons. Maybe you wanted to knock me out and steal my car. DOROTHY: There's nothing in that drink. ARCHIE: Suppose you drink it, then. DOROTHY: Why? ARCHIE: (CHUCKLES) DOROTHY: Give it to me. I'll throw it out. You want another drink, fix it yourself. I'll have my things ready in five minutes. (BEAT) Are you going to take me? ARCHIE: Certainly I'll take you. Are you sure you have to go tonight? DOROTHY: I must go tonight. ARCHIE: Mr Wolfe's always so right. I wish I knew why. DOROTHY: What? ARCHIE: Just talking to myself. EDWARD (DISTANT): Dorothy! Larry! Jefferies! Come up stairs! DOROTHY: (CALLING OUT) What's happened? EDWARD (DISTANT): Call Dr Hauser. Something terrible happened to Eva! MUSIC: TRANSITION ARCHIE: Well, Dr Hauser? DR HAUSER: Poor Mrs Millot. No, there's nothing to be done now. It's all over. EDWARD: Eva.... DR HAUSER: You'd better lay down, Edward. I'll phone and take care of everything. I'll be here if you need me. I have to make out the certificate. DOROTHY: Yes, come along Mr Millot. ARCHIE: Just a minute. You stay too, Larry. I don't want to make this any more unpleasant for you, but doctor, just what are you going to put on the certificate as the cause of death? DR HAUSER: Acute gastritis. ARCHIE: Is that what you've been treating her for? DR HAUSER: Well, she'd had several attacks lately. I'd warned her to be cautious of her diet. ARCHIE: And that was wise advice, too. Did you know about these attacks, Mr Millot? EDWARD: Yes, I did. ARCHIE: And you, Dorothy? DOROTHY: Yes, I knew. ARCHIE: And you knew also, Larry? LARRY: Um...no. I mean, I knew she hadn't been feeling well. ARCHIE: How long had Mrs Millot been suffering from insomnia? DR HAUSER: Oh, a year at least. I prescribed Nembutal. ARCHIE: The yellow capsules? DR HAUSER: Of course. I wrote a prescription every so often for 12 capsules. ARCHIE: You all knew about that, of course. (PAUSE) I thought so. And would this be the prescription, this little box of capsules-- Well. DOROTHY: What's the matter, Mr Goodwin? ARCHIE: That box of sleeping capsules was on this table when we walked into this room.` SOUND: A PAIR OF FOOTSTEPS. ARCHIE (Cont'd): But now, it's gone. All right, let's have the box, Mr Millot (PAUSE) Thank you. Why'd you pick it up? EDWARD: Because I...I didn't want the stigma of suicide on Eva's name, nor mine. DR HAUSER: Suicide?! EDWARD: Yes. Eva had this prescription filled yesterday morning, twelve capsules. The dose is one at bedtime. She took one last night. I glanced at the open box when I came into the room and there were only eight capsules left. I knew what had happened at once. She'd taken an overdose. ARCHIE: Twelve to start with, one taken last night, that means three have disappeared. Doctor, do you think three capsules would be sufficient to cause her death? DR HAUSER: I doubt it very much. ARCHIE: So do I. Mrs Millot didn't die from an overdose of sleeping capsules. She was poisoned. EDWARD: Poisoned?! Are you crazy? By whom? ARCHIE: By you. Or Dorothy, or Larry. LARRY: No! I didn't do it! I didn't write those notes! EDWARD: What notes? ARCHIE: Mrs Millot received three notes threatening her life if she didn't leave this house. Each of you had a motive, so I'm sending this body to the coroner for an immediate autopsy. EDWARD: I won't permit it! ARCHIE: The police will see too it. You have no choice. MUSIC: TRANSITION SOUND: PHONE RINGS ONCE. PICKED UP WOLFE: Yes, Archie? What now? Do you know who did it? ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): How do you know anything's happened? WOLFE: Let us call it extra sensory perception. ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): Well, Mrs Millot was right. She's dead. The doctor thought the spells she was having were caused by indigestion. WOLFE: How about the autopsy? ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): Still in the works. Looks like a metallic poison. It has all the symptoms. WOLFE: Oh? Did you search the house carefully for such a poison? ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): I did. I'll check the drug stores in the morning. WOLFE: Somebody in that house purchased some poison. Let me know when the autopsy report is in. ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): Right. WOLFE: Let's see now, we have Mr Millot, Dorothy Davis and Larry, the son. ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): He's Mr Millot's son, but not the child of Eva Millot, remember? WOLFE: Yes. Is it true that Dorothy is in love with Millot? ARCHIE (PHONE FILTER): Yup. Dorothy admitted it to me, but claimed Millot wasn't aware of it until tonight. And earlier this evening, Dorothy did her best to get me out of the house, insisted I drive her into town. Then, she tried to give me a drink that I think contained knock-out drugs. WOLFE: You don't say. Archie, this case is for more intriguing than I anticipated. I shall have Fritz drive me up to the Millot place at once. (BEAT) Archie? Are you there? WOLFE: No, boss. I just fainted. MUSIC: TRANSITION ARCHIE: And that, Mr Wolfe, is most of the story up until now. WOLFE: Very interesting. Yes, indeed. DOROTHY: But it isn't true. I did not put anything into Mr. Goodwin's drink. EDWARD: Did you ask him to take you into town? DOROTHY: Yes. ARCHIE: And I might have been found in a ditch. DOROTHY: Oh, that's ridiculous. WOLFE: Why did you attempt to have Mr. Goodwin take you to town? DOROTHY: Because I felt it would be too embarrassing to remain until morning. LARRY: Or maybe you'd already given mother the big dose of poison and wanted Goodwin out of the way before it was discovered. ARCHIE: Wait a minute, wait a minute. Go ahead, boss. WOLFE: Now Mr Millot, you claim that you knew nothing about Dorothy being in love with you? Should we believe that? EDWARD: You can believe it or not. WOLFE: So Dorothy had a motive to get rid of Mrs Millot. It seems that Mr. Millot had one, too. ARCHIE: And so did Larry. LARRY: What?! ARCHIE: You admitted to me that you didn't like your stepmother. WOLFE: And that you disliked Dorothy even more. LARRY: I didn't say that. ARCHIE: You said Dorothy was making a fool of your father. You resented the possibility of having to share your father's estate. WOLFE: You knew about the sleeping capsules, and you could have put poison in some of them. You could have written those threat notes. And by getting rid of your stepmother and placing the blame on Dorothy, you'd be getting rid of them both. LARRY: I didn't! I did not write those notes. WOLFE: You were the only one who knew about them. LARRY: I was not the only one. I saw Dorothy coming out of Mother's room. It was this afternoon. Mother was out taking a sun bath. Dorothy did it! She's the one! ARCHIE: I think you're the one. LARRY: No! Dorothy wrote those notes! DOROTHY: That's a lie! LARRY: She probably slipped into Mother's room and wrote those notes on Mother's portable! WOLFE: What? Now, just a minute. Archie, come here. DOROTHY: I never heard such lies! LARRY: I didn't do it! You can't send me to jail! I'll kill you first! EDWARD: Larry! Put down that gun! LARRY: Don't come near me, any of you! EDWARD: You're such a fool, Larry. ARCHIE: Give me that gun. LARRY: I'll shoot! I'll shoot! ARCHIE: Come on! SOUND: FOOTSTEPS AND STRUGGLE SOUNDS, CONTINUE UNDER. THEN, THREE GUNSHOTS. THEN, THE STRUGGLE SUBSIDES. LARRY: (FRUSTRATED GROAN) ARCHIE: There. Three shots into the floor -- I assume everyone's okay? (QUICK BEAT) Good. You'd better quiet down, kid. Inspector Kramer will take care of you when he arrives. MUSIC: TRANSITION KRAMER: Well Wolfe, what goes on here? Where's Goodwin? WOLFE: I sent him upstairs, Inspector Kramer. Upstairs to Mrs Millot's room to check on something. Ah, here he is. KRAMER: What have you been doing, Goodwin? ARCHIE: This, inspector, is the piece de resistance. This little black box contains a typewriter, a portable noiseless Remington. WOLFE: Mrs Millot's typewriter. EDWARD: What? I didn't even know she had a typewriter. WOLFE: Larry knew she had one. And this is undoubtedly the very typewriter the threat notes were written on. All three of them. ARCHIE: You were right, boss. LARRY: I knew she had a typewriter, but I didn't write those notes! KRAMER: Pipe down! Goodwin, how do you know the notes were written on this typewriter? ARCHIE: I've compared the type and the ribbon. They're both the same. The notes were written on this Remington. LARRY: It was Dorothy! EDWARD: Larry, I don't believe a word you've been saying. Dorothy couldn't possibly be guilty of such a thing. If anyone is guilty, you yourself certainly have all the earmarks. LARRY: Everybody's against me -- even my own father! But I'm innocent, I tell you! SOUND: PHONE RINGS. ARCHIE: Hold on. Let me get that. SOUND: PHONE PICKUP ARCHIE: Hello? (BEAT) Yeah, just a second. You'd better take it, boss. WOLFE: Wolfe. Oh yes. Go ahead, let's have it. Yes, he's here but he won't mind. Yes? I see, uh-huh. You just finished? Umm. Thank you, goodbye. SOUND: PHONE HANGUP WOLFE: That was the police lab reporting that poison was found in the sleeping capsules. Also, the coroner completed the autopsy. ARCHIE: Did they find poison in the body? WOLFE: They did. The cause of death was acute arsenic poisoning, not drug overdose. ARCHIE: You were right again, boss. WOLFE: I'm going up to Mrs Millot's room for a while. I want you to come along with me. MUSIC: TRANSITION SOUND: PAPERS SHUFFLING WOLFE: Find anything yet, Archie? ARCHIE: No. Mostly bills and invitations to bridge parties and so on. WOLFE: Hmm. ARCHIE: You find something, boss? WOLFE: Yes and no. This pocketbook detective story. ARCHIE: What about it? WOLFE: I was just flipping through the pages and I find this corner turned down. (BEAT) Well. ARCHIE: What is it? WOLFE: Look and read. ARCHIE: (READING) 'Why stay on in the face of death.' The very words used in one of the notes. WOLFE: Interesting. Give me the book. Of course, this doesn't prove a thing, but it does confirm what I....Oh. Interesting. ARCHIE: What now? WOLFE: This cinches it. Get them all up here, Archie. Tell Kramer to bring them all to the bedroom. MUSIC: TRANSITION KRAMER: Well Mr Wolfe, what now? WOLFE: As you all know, Mrs Millot was poisoned by someone with an opportunity to put poison in her sleeping capsules, someone in this household. KRAMER: Yeah, but which one? The kid? LARRY: I never bought any poison in my life! EDWARD: Be quiet, will you! WOLFE: No, inspector, it wasn't Larry. DOROTHY: And I suppose you think I put the rest of that rat poison in your drink, Mr Goodwin. WOLFE: No Dorothy it wasn't you. But how did you know it was rat poison? DOROTHY: I didn't. I just guessed. I can think, too. EDWARD: If it wasn't Dorothy, or Larry...you must mean me! WOLFE: No, Mr Millot. KRAMER: Now wait a minute, it had to be somebody. WOLFE: Yes. This is going to be painful to your, Mr Millot. EDWARD: You mean Eva did commit suicide? WOLFE: More than suicide. While she did poison herself, she did it in such a way that both you and Dorothy would look guilty of murder. EDWARD: I can't believe it. WOLFE: Show them the pocketbook mystery novel. ARCHIE: Here's the proof. WOLFE: Some of the threat notes are lifted verbatim from this novel. And here, on the back cover. Isn't that Mrs Millot's handwriting? EDWARD: Yes. And this is the other note, the one to you, Mr Wolfe. Composed in pencil before she typed it out on her machine. KRAMER: Then, Wolfe, the note you received was the same typing as the threat notes? WOLFE: See for yourself, inspector. KRAMER: Then why, the dickens didn't Archie compare them right away? WOLFE: Just one of those things, Inspector. There are times when even a good detective is, shall we say, on the dull side. MUSIC: TRANSITION ARCHIE: Nice of you to go all the way out there, boss. I was a bit stuck. WOLFE: Think nothing of it, Archie. ARCHIE: Something still bothers me? WOLFE: So? ARCHIE: How can a sweet, motherly type as Mrs Millot cook up such gruesome ideas? WOLFE: She was a very sick woman, mentally as well as physically. She probably felt she was going to die. In her warped mind, she saw this opportunity to make sure Miss Dorothy did not get her man after she was dead. ARCHIE: And speaking of Dorothy, she's a mighty pretty -- WOLFE: Yes! (CHUCKLES) Some beer please, Archie. And along that line, why didn't you suspect her if she attempted to drug you? ARCHIE: Huh? Well, I -- WOLFE: Never mind the raised eyebrows. Just answer the question. ARCHIE: Well...there are certain rules a good detective always follows. Some are in the book, others aren't. SOUND: BEER BEING OPENED, POURED UNDER FOLLOWING WOLFE: You mean there's nothing in the book that says a good detective shouldn't give several benefits of the doubt to an attractive brunette? Even though she is a murder suspect? The author of that book can be non other than the incomparable Archie Goodwin. (TAKES A SIP OF BEER AND SIGHS CONTENTEDLY.) MUSIC: END THEME