 Yes, Roma Wines taste better because only Roma selects from the world's greatest reserves for your pleasure. And now, Roma Wines, R-O-M-A, Roma Wines, present. Suspense. Tonight Roma Wines bring you the MGM star, Miss Susan Peters. And they call me Patrice, a suspense play produced, edited and directed for Roma Wines by William Spear. Suspense. Radio's outstanding theatre of thrills is presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines. Those better tasting California wines enjoyed by more Americans than any other wine. For friendly entertaining, for delightful dining. Yes, right now a glass full would be very pleasant as Roma Wines bring you Susan Peters in a remarkable tale of... Suspense. It was on the train that I first met Patrice. It was all over and done with. I was on my way back to San Francisco. Not that I cared much just then where I was going. At least I had friends in San Francisco. It would be easier there as long as I had to start out from scratch again anyway. She was one of those friendly, trusting, wide-eyed girls who give you their life history at the drop of a hat. Besides, she was happy. She wanted to talk. She was a bride. My dad was a good dinner. Do you think I'll ever be able to cook a meal like that, Hugh? You can't do better than that. It's the divorce courts for you, young lady. Oh, I'm Mr. Hazard. I thought it was a wonderful dinner. And thank you. Oh, forget it. Nice to have you with us. Hugh, I think I'll step into the ladies' lounge here and do a little primping. I always feel so messy on these trains. Okay. I'll meet you back in a second. Want to come with me, Helen? All right, yes. Well, tomorrow with the bride, we'll still be open. Hugh says I'm silly, but I can't help being nervous. Nervous? About meeting his people. His brother and his mother, that is. And dad is dead. They're terribly wealthy, I guess. I suppose I'm a snob. That shouldn't make any difference, should it? It's nice, though. But they'll like you, don't you worry. But sometimes I'm afraid they'll expect that nothing less than our raving beauty is good enough for their Hugh. And I know I'm not that. Don't they even know what you look like? Not even a picture. Isn't that awful? But you see, we were married in Europe. We were both working for Unrod. And then we had a chance to get a boat back home the next day. And all we had time to do was send them a cable. And now I'm scared to death. Does your own family live in California? I don't have any family. Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, that's all right. It was a long time ago. Oh, would you mind holding my ring while I wash? I have such a horror of losing it. It slipped on a drain in Paris once and they had to take the whole pipe out to get it back. Oh, it's a lovely ring. Isn't it? I told Hugh he shouldn't spend so much money on a ring, but you know how men are sometimes. See what it says on the inside? Hugh and Patrice. That's nice. Try it on if you want to. Isn't it supposed to be bad luck? I mean to take your ring off. Bad luck? I couldn't have any bad luck. Oh, my, this road is rough. First it just seems as though everything was white. White ceiling and white porcelain things around me. The white uniform bending over me, the white cover that on the bed. My hands lying there pale and white too. And then I saw a ring on the third finger of my left hand. I brought it up before my eyes. Things began to come back then. Well, how are you feeling now? How long have I been here? Almost two days. What happened? What happened to? To who? There was another girl. I was talking to another girl and then... Is she all right? Did you know her very well? Just on the train. Is she all right? No. She's dead? Yes. Oh. Is there anyone else you want to ask about? What happened to? To him? Yes. You're going to have to be a very brave girl. Can you be? Yes. Your husband wasn't saved either, Patrice. For a long while I just lay there thinking. I hadn't decided yet. I was just thinking. The things that she had told me echoing around in my head. They're terribly wealthy. Never seen me not even in a picture. No family of my own. They're terribly wealthy. The next afternoon the nurse came in with a big bunch of flowers. Well, we're looking lots better today. I feel better. Where did those come from? Do you think you feel well enough to have visitors? Visitors? Of course you don't have to. Who? Can't you guess, honey? Oh, but... But I don't think that I've... No, honey, it'll do you a world of good. A lot. I'm frightened. Frightened? But I've never seen them before. You haven't? I declare. Don't you worry one little bit, honey. They're just the nicest folks who'd ever meet anywhere. I know they think an awful lot of you. Do they? I'll bring them in. Just have it. You can come in now. Only just a minute or two, though. Yes, I understand. Patrice, I'm Hugh's mother. How do you do? And this is my other son, Bill. Hello, Patrice. Hello. My dear, you know we can only stay a minute. But I... Well, I don't want to talk about anything that's painful to you. It's... All right. I just want you to know that your loss, our loss, is something I hope we can overcome together. We both feel that, Patrice. Thank you. Now, as soon as you're well, in a few days, we're going to take you home with us to Caulfield. And we want you to know that our home will be your home. Always. Oh, I... I don't see how... Now, you let us do the planning for a while, Patrice. I'm afraid you're not in very good shape for it just yet. Patrice, from everything we both know of Hugh. We know he'd want it that way, don't we? It's hard to lose a son. And it was hard for you to lose your mother. I know. But it'll be easier now. Now that I have a daughter, and you have a mother. You see? I don't know what to say, Mrs. Hazard. Not Mrs. Hazard, dear. From now on, it's mother. I... You see, I... Come on, my dear. Say it. Yes. Mother. And tonight, in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills... Suspense. Between the acts of suspense, this is Ken Niles for Roma Wines. Ten more shopping days till Christmas. And if your shopping isn't done, why not solve both your gift-giving and entertaining problems this easy, gracious way? Buy an assorted case of Grand Estate Wines. Use several bottles for gifts of outstanding distinction. Use the remaining Grand Estate Wines to serve your every holiday, dining, and entertaining need. Grand Estate Wines, the crowning achievement of Vintner Skill, are presented by Roma, America's greatest winemaker. You can give or serve Grand Estate Wines proudly to anyone. For the taste excellence of Grand Estate Wines bespeaks your desire to offer only the finest. Distinguish your Christmas giving and hospitality with all five Grand Estate California Wines. For gracious entertaining, medium sherry, ruby port, and golden muscatel. For distinctive dining, burgundy, and so turn. This year, say Merry Christmas smartly with Grand Estate Wines. And now Roma Wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage Susan Peters. And they call me Patrice. A pale, well-calculated to keep you in... suspense. What would you have done? Don't judge me unless you've worked in a hash house or behind the counter of a third-rate department store and scrimped and starved to keep up appearances. Don't judge me unless you've been through that. And suddenly had a chance to trade it all in for security and wealth and all. Just because somebody somewhere made a little mistake. You're the daughter-in-law of a wealthy family in California and all you have to do is keep your mouth shut and not deny it. What would you have done? I kept my mouth shut and there were clothes in a car and a lovely room of my own and a mother and Bill. Bill was my brother-in-law. The brother-in-law of Patrice. Because I wasn't Helen Georgetown anymore. I wasn't the poor bedrag of the little girl who'd been divorced two months ago by a rotten breach of a husband. I was for two months. And then everything seemed to happen at once. In just one day. Today. I began at breakfast this morning. More coffee, Bill? No, thanks. I have to run in a minute. You knew Patrice I was in Paris once as a girl many years ago. Tell me, has it changed much since those days? Changed? How can she answer that, Mother? She wasn't there when you were, so how could she know if it's different than it was then? Oh, you knew what I mean. Don't be so technical. Why? Yes, it has changed, I suppose. You and you were married there, weren't you? No, Mother London. Don't you remember the letter with some London letterhead? You mean the cable? No, dear. I remember the cable, of course. I mean the letter. And I'm positive it had a Paris postmark fill. I have it right upstairs somewhere I can show you. Where do you hardly have to do that? Patrice certainly knows where she was married. All right, Smartie. We'll see. Which was it, Patrice? London or Paris? It was London. Well, I could have sworn. But we left right away for Paris, you see. I think what happened was that he wrote the letter in London and he didn't get a chance to mail it until we got to Paris. Well, that probably was it. Funny, I don't remember anything about London, though. But, Mrs. Hazard, the morning mail. Just put it right down here. Yes, ma'am. Bills, bills, bills. And circulars. Oh, here's one for you, Bill. Fred Ellis, I guess. Oh, thanks. Why, Patrice, here's one for you. For me? Uh-huh. That's a local postmark, too. I wonder who it could be from. Wow. I don't know. Patrice, where are you going? I just remembered I think I let the bathwater running. The letter was typewritten. It was unsigned. All it said was, I know who you are. It was in the afternoon that I got the phone call. And the hours in between were almost worse than anything else that happened. Wondering who it was who knew who I was. It was just by luck that I was downstairs when it rang. Hello? I'd like to speak to Mrs. Hazard, please. Mrs. Hazard. This is she. This is Steve. Steve. But you remember me. I was afraid that under the circumstances you might have forgotten. What do you want? I want to see you. You know that can't be. Oh, but I must. I want to hear all about it. The train wreck and everything. It can't be done. Now, Helen, I simply won't take no for an answer. You'll drive out of town along the lake road and you'd better come. In fact, I know you'd better come. I went, of course. He hadn't changed. A little more rundown at the heel. A little more cynical and sardonic than usual, perhaps. But he hadn't changed. Oh, no. He hadn't changed. And after I heard about the train wreck, it was comparatively simple. Oh, by the way, I identified your body. You owe me something for that, at least. Oh, you something? Don't you think so? What are you doing? Mental arithmetic? I'm wondering how I could have ever married a man who'd stooped a black male. Come, come, Helen. Let's not be emotional about this. You have a very nice thing here. I don't have a thing. They have the money. But you do have your own bank account, don't you? How much do you want? I'm going to be very fair with you, Helen. The truth is I need just enough for a little business venture in Mexico. How much? Only a thousand dollars. If you have neglected to bring your checkbook with you, I have one here. A check? I said I was going to be fair. Don't you see, Helen, when the check goes through the bank and comes back to you with my signature on it, you will have evidence against me. I think you called it the black male. Do you know another name for it? I think you're being a little unkind considering that when you get your check back, you'll have permanent insurance and then make the check out to me, Helen. Not to cash. And the name is Stephen Jortsen, if you remember. I remember. Thank you, dear. I have an idea that I shall make a very handsome profit on this little investment. I hope you do. And when I do, darling, I promise that you will be the first to know. That should have been enough. Enough for one day. But I might have known that it wouldn't be. I might have known if I'd stopped to think that I was only getting in deeper and deeper. There was a strange car in front of the house when I got back. I tried to come in quietly to fear someone would ask where I'd been. The family was in the library and they couldn't help but see me. Oh, Patrice! Yes, Mother. Patrice, do you know Mr. Winthrop? I don't believe I do. Mr. Winthrop is our attorney. How do you do? Sit down, Patrice. Join the party. I think I've just about done my part. The rest of it is up to you two now. All right. Shall I sign now? Well, I think you'd better tell Patrice first. Don't you think she ought to know? I'll tell her if you like. Perhaps I can explain it a little easier. You see, Mrs. Hazard is changing her will. Her will? Yes. Previously, her estate had been equally divided between her two sons. But now, since there is only one remaining heir, that is Bill, she's adding a cortisol providing that one of her estate shall now go to you. Well, don't look that way about it. You're not doing anybody out of anything, Patrice. I have the business dad left for me. No. No, you mustn't do it. It was Bill's own suggestion, my dear. I don't want any particle. Don't you see, she feels that way on account of Hugh. Oh, I know, Mother, but... Patrice! You better go after her and try to talk to her. All right, Patrice. Wait a minute. Listen to me. Patrice, what in the world? I... Father, I've been so wonderful to you. Why not? You're one of the family now. I don't deserve it, that's all. Listen, Patrice, there's something I want to tell you very seriously. I'll admit that at first, I wondered if you're coming to us, if the money had anything to do with it. I wondered about one or two other little things, but now I know. Because I know you, Patrice. And changing the will won't really make any difference now, because I... No. No, wait, Bill. Don't. You know, don't you? Bill, please not yet. This isn't the time. I know it hasn't been very long, but I've got to tell you. Now, I love you, Patrice, and I want you to marry me. Oh, Bill... Yes, it is bad as all that. I know I didn't say it right, but I see you every day, Patrice. I'm with you every day. I just... Why couldn't you just have given me a few more days? Well then, there is some hope, Patrice. I don't know. Patrice, is it the past? Oh, no, I've never really been in luck. I've got to go now, Bill. Are you afraid I'll kiss you? I'm afraid. I'll want you to. It wasn't just the money, the security anymore. I'd have loved him if he'd been a pauper. This is it, he said. This was it, all right. At first, I hadn't wanted to go to the dance at the country club and be stared at and asked tactful questions about you. Now I was glad. Now it was pure escape from the turmoil of my thoughts and the guilt and indecision. Pure escape. I thought. Well, if I'd known you danced this well... Do I? Hasn't anybody ever told you that before? Then I'll continue. That you're by far the most beautiful girl here. Am I? You know quite well you're perfectly aware of all this. And if you weren't, one look at that stag line would tell you. Patrice, what's the matter? I must have stumbled. Oh, not you. I beg your pardon. Do you mind if I cut in? Oh, Mrs. Hazard, Mr. Georgeson. Oh, this is a very great pleasure, Mrs. Hazard. I'll see you later. Right, Patrice. What are you doing here? Oh, I've been moving in quite the best circles. Didn't you know, dear? You shouldn't be dancing with me. You know why not. It's not safe. Is there anything that is for someone in your position? Leave me alone, can't you? I want to talk to you about that. No, no, not here. Yes, I guess you're right. Come on, let's go out on the veranda. What I have to say won't take very long, dear. All right, Steve, what about the check? Oh, yes, indeed. It's quite the nicest check I've ever had. In fact, I've still got it. Aren't you going to cash it? I'm afraid you weren't picking very clearly this afternoon, Helen. You remember, I told you that once that check passed through the bank and came back to you with my signature on it, you would be holding evidence against me. Yes. But, of course, if I don't catch it, if I just hang on to it, then I'm holding evidence against you, dear. Damaging evidence. Don't you see it? What do you want now? Helen, I'm afraid I'm not interested in a mere thousand dollars. Then give it back to me and I'll give you more, whatever I can. Oh, no, no, no, Helen, I have no intention of giving this check back to you. But do you see this envelope? Yes. You'll notice that it's addressed to William Hazard at his office so that you can't intercept it. It contains that check and it's going into the mail tonight. You wouldn't do that, Steve. Oh, yes, I would, unless... Unless you take a little drive with me that I've planned for tonight. Oh, it's not far just to Hastings, but it's over the state line and there's a justice of the peace there. Justice of the peace? Mm-hmm. And he's going to make us man and wife all over again. Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Johnson. Steve. No. Then I'll mail the check tonight. Why? Why do you have to do this? Mrs. Hazard, whom you've been calling your mother in law, can't last forever. And when she goes, of course, she's been made about $200,000. Under the law, your husband a third of that is mine. And for that kind of money, darling, I can afford to win. How could you? How could you? You're the bride. I'll let you choose the time that it must be tonight. Oh, Steve, there must be some way. There isn't. It's tonight, or I'll mail the check. All right. But late. It's got to be late. Three o'clock. All right. I'll meet you at your house. Three o'clock. And then be on time, Helen, because the United States mail is always on time. Oh, there you are, Patrice. Oh, excuse me. Good night, Mrs. Hazard. I've been looking for you. I wasn't too long, was I? Oh, no. Do you know that fellow, Jortson? No, I... Well, I'm glad you don't. He's no good. He's a professional gambler. I wasn't sure until tonight, but he's done some of our members out of quite a little money, including me. Bill, would you take me home? I'm terribly tired. Of course, of course I will. Thanks. Patrice. Yes, Bill? Have you... thought about what I said this afternoon? Yes, Bill. Well... soon? Yes, Bill. Soon. There was nothing else to do now. I waited until a house was dark and I was sure everyone was asleep. And then I slipped out and got the gun that I'd found one day in a cupboard in the garage. And I drove out to meet Steve. He didn't need to worry about my being on time. I was right there on schedule. Well, well, well, well. Come in, come in. Anything you'd like to have before we start? Yes. I'd like to see the check. Why? Oh, I just want to be sure you still have it. Oh. All right. Here it is, right in my coat... Helen. Helen, put down that gun. You deserve this. You deserve every bit of it. I took the check out of his pocket and burned it there on the fireplace. I threw the gun as far as I could into the lake. And then I drove home and let myself into the dark, quiet house. And although I just killed a man, I slept like an innocent child. Wake up to trees. What time is it? This morning. I'm sorry to wake you, but they'd only give me a few minutes. Bill, what's the matter? I've just been arrested for murder. Murder? I just wanted you to know from me first of all and tell you I didn't do it. No matter how bad it looks, I didn't do it. I threatened him publicly about the money he cheated me out of and the bullets were the same as those for a German Mauser I got in the Far East and people around town knew I had, although they haven't found the gun yet. And then they found me out there. I'd gone out to have a showdown with him. The farmer that delivered his milk came in just after I got there. Bill, who? Georgeson. Stephen Georgeson. Oh, Bill. All right. You'll have to come along now, Mr. Hazard. Darling, don't worry. But you know I didn't do it, don't you? Yes, Bill. I know you didn't do it. That's why I've written this. It's one of those things you read about in the papers. A signed confession. Oh, they've been terribly nice to me. Hired the best lawyers. They say maybe I won't get too bad a sentence. And Bill says that no matter how long it is, he'll still be waiting. But I wonder. I wonder. Suspense. Presented by Roma Wines, R-O-M-A. Selected for your pleasure from the world's greatest reserves of fine wines. And now we bring back to our suspense microphone the star of tonight's play, one of Hollywood's finest young actresses, Miss Susan Peters. Thank you, Mr. Niles. I didn't know you cared. Why, Susan, you know very well that your suspense is mad about you. But with that devoted and very husky husband of yours hanging around, I'm afraid we'll have to remain just friends. Friends it is then, Ken. And Susan, when some of your many friends drop in, so you can entertain them in the grand manner, Roma presents you with this gift basket of Grand Estate California wines. Wonderful. Your Grand Estate wines will be just the thing for the holidays. Right, Susan. There's nothing finer than Grand Estate on any occasion. And Grand Estate Ruby Port or Golden Muscatel are perfect with dessert. Delightful with nuts or cake later in the evening. And I get all those? More besides. Your Roma basket includes Grand Estate Burgundy and Sautern. Proud wines that add dining pleasure and distinction to any meal. Yes, Susan, every Grand Estate wine is a distinguished, limited bottling by Roma, America's greatest vendor. Every Grand Estate wine is born of choicest grapes, then guided to mellow, rich perfection of taste by the unmatched skills and resources of Roma master vintners. When you serve Grand Estate wines, you enjoy the crowning achievement of vintner skill. That's good enough for me, Ken. I hear that you're going to have Joe Cotton on to be your star next Thursday on Suspense. That's right, and the play will be something rather special, if we think. The Thing in the Window. The very newest thriller to come from the pen of Lucille Fletcher, who has written some of our finest suspense plays, including the one which is probably the most famous of them all, Sorry Wrong Number. Well, that I'll certainly have to mark off as a red letter day on my calendar next week. And now, good night. I've certainly enjoyed being with you all this evening. Well, thank you, Susan Peters. And thanks to Metro-Goldwyn Mayor, producers of the yearling, for arranging for you to be with us this evening. At the same time, you will hear Mr. Joseph Cotton as star of... Suspense. Produced and directed by William Spear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. In the coming weeks, suspense will present such stars as Olivia de Havilland, Lily Palmer, Mark Stevens, and others. Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense, Radio's outstanding Theatre of Thrills. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.