 Yes, Roma Wines taste better because only Roma selects from the world's greatest wine 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. In they call me Patrice. A suspense play produced, edited and directed for Roma Wines by William Spear. Suspense. Radio's outstanding theater 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. She was on the train that I first met Patrice. It was all over and done with, and I was on my way back to San Francisco. Not that I cared much just then where I was going, but at least I had friends in San Francisco, and 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. Hi, that 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. Why, 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 trays. Okay, I'll meet you back now. See you. You want to come with me, Helen? All right, yes. Well, tomorrow when we arrive, the worst will be over. Hugh says I'm silly, but I can't help being nervous. Nervous? About meeting his people. His brother and his mother, that is. His 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 a 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 right back home the next day. And all we had time to do was to 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. Would you mind holding my ring while I wash? I have such a horror of losing it. It slipped down a drain in Paris once and they had to take out the whole pipe to get it back. Oh, it's a lovely ring. Isn't it? I told you we 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 bad luck. Why this road? First it seemed as though everything was white. White ceiling, white porcelain things around me, white uniform bending over me, the white coverlet on the bed, my hands lying there pale and white too. 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 again. 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. 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. Long while I just lay there thinking, I hadn't decided yet. I was just thinking. Things that she told me echoing around in my head. They're terribly wealthy. Never seen me, not even 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 much better today. I feel better. Where did these 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... Oh, no, honey, it'll do you a world of good. I'm frightened. Frightened? But I've never seen them before. You haven't? I declare, but don't you worry one little bit, honey. They're just the nicest folks you'd ever want to meet anywhere. I know they think an awful lot of you. Do they? I'll bring them in. 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, of course, we can only stay a minute this time. And 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 just 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. But, 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, as it was hard for you to lose your mother. I know. But it'll all be easier now, now that I have a daughter, and you have a mother. Do you see? I... 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. For Suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you Susan Peters. In They Call Me Patrice by Cornel Woolridge. Roma Wines' presentation 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's 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 sautern. This year, save merry Christmas smartly with grand estate wines. And now Roma Wines bring back to our Hollywood Soundstage Susan Peters in They Call Me Patrice. A tale 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 a chance to trade it all in for security and wealth and a home. Just because somebody somewhere made a little mistake, you're the daughter-in-law of a wealthy family in California. 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 and 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 but draggled little girl who'd been divorced two months ago in a rotten leech of a husband. I was Patrice for two months. And then everything seemed to happen at once. In just one day. Today. It began at breakfast this morning. More coffee, Bill? No, thanks. I'll 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? He wasn't there when you were. How could she know if it's different than it was then? Oh, you know 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 postmarked bill. I have it right upstairs somewhere I can show you. Well, you hardly have to do that. Patrice certainly knows where she was married. All right, smarty, we'll see. Which was it, Patrice? London or Paris? It was London. Well, I could have sworn it. But we left right away for Paris. I think what happened was that she wrote the letter in London and, well, he didn't get a chance to mail it until we got to Paris. Well, that probably was it. It's funny. I don't remember anything about London. Oh, Mrs. Hazard, the morning mail. Oh, thank you, Stephen. Just put it right down here. Yes, ma'am. Two bills, bills, bills. And circulars. Well, here's one for you, Bill. Fred Ellis, I guess. Oh, thanks. By Patrice, here's one for you. For me? Uh-huh. It's a local postmark, too. I wonder who it could be from. I don't know. Patrice, where are you going? I just remembered. I think I left the bathwater running. The bathwater? The letter was typewritten. It was unsigned. All it said was, I know who you are. It's 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 that 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, the younger Mrs. Hazard. This is she. Well, I'm glad at least that you remember me. The circumstances you might have forgotten. What do you want? I want to see you. You know I can't do that. Oh, but I must. I want to hear all about it. The train wreck and everything. It can't be done. I... Now, now, Helen, I simply won't take no for an answer. You'll drive out of town along the lake road and about five miles out on the left, you'll see a little bungalow with a green coop standing in front of it. I'll be waiting. Look, Steve, I... Helen, for your own good, I think you'd better come. In fact, I know you'd better come. 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? Well, don't you think so? What are you doing? Mental arithmetic? I'm wondering how I could ever have married a man who'd stoop to blackmail. Oh, 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? Now, I'm going to be very fair with you, Helen. The truth is, I just needed a little, just enough for a little business venture in Mexico. How much? Only $1,000. If you've neglected to bring your checkbook with you, I have one here. A check? It goes through the bank and comes back to you with my signature on it. You'll have evidence against me. I think you called it blackmail. Do you know another name for it? I think you're being a little unkind, considering that when you get that check back, you'll have permanent insurance against my asking you for any more. Now, here. Make the check out to me, Helen, not to Cash. The name is Stephen Jortzen, if you remember. I remember. Thank you. I have an idea. 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 for fear someone would ask where I'd been. The family was in the library and they couldn't help but see me. Yes, Mother. 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. Yes, dear. We want you to hear this. It concerns you. Well, I think I've just about done my part. The rest of it's up to you too. All right. Shall I sign now? Well, I think you'd better tell Patrice first. Don't you think she ought to know? Well, I'll tell her if you like. Perhaps I can explain it a little easier. You see, Mrs. Hazard is changing her will. Her? 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 is adding a courtesan providing that one half of her estate shall now go to you. Well, don't look that way about it, Patrice. You're not doing anybody out of anything. I have the business dad left me. No. No, you mustn't do it. Why, it was Bill's own suggestion, my dear. I don't want any part of it. Don't you see, she feels that way on account of you. I know, but... Patrice! You'd better go after her. Try to talk to her. All right. Patrice, wait a minute. Listen to me. Patrice, what in the world? Oh, you and your mother have been so wonderful to me. Well, why not? You're one of the family now. Oh, I don't deserve it, that's all. Listen, Patrice, 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 wanted about one or two other little things, but now I know. Because I know you. Changing the will won't really make any difference now because I... No, wait, Bill. Don't. You know, don't you? Bill, 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. I want you to marry me. Oh, Bill. Is it as 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 have given me just a few more days? Then there is some hope, Patrice. I don't know. Patrice, is it the past? Oh, no. I've never really been in love. I've got to go now, Bill. You're afraid I'd kiss you? I'm afraid I'll want you to. Well, you see, 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. First, I had wanted to go to the dance of the country club and be stared at and ask tactful questions about you, but now I was glad. Now it was pure escape from the turmoil and my thoughts and the guilt and the indecision. Pure escape. I thought. I'd known you danced this well. Do I? Hasn't anyone ever told you that before? Oh, not really. Well, 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 the stag line would tell you. Patrice, what's the matter? I must have stumbled. Stumbled? Not you. I beg your pardon. May I cut in? Mrs. Hazard, Mr. George. Well, this is a very great pleasure, Mrs. Hazard. Bill, I'll see you later. All right, Patrice. What are you doing here? Oh, I've been moving in quite the best circles, didn't you know? You shouldn't be dancing with me. Why not? You know why not. It's not safe. Is there anything that is for someone in your position? Leave me alone, Cat. I want to talk to you about that check. No, no, not here. I think you're right. Let's go out on the veranda. What I have to say won't take very long. Yes, I think it's much better out here. All right, Steve. What about the check? Oh, yes, indeed, yes. 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 thinking very clearly this afternoon, Helen. 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. Well, of course, sir. If I don't cash it, if I just hang onto it, I'm holding evidence against you. Quite damaging evidence, do you see? 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, Helen, no. 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, Steve. Oh, yes, I would, unless... Unless what? Unless you take a little drive with me that I've planned for tonight. It's not far just to Hastings, but it's just over the state line and there's a justice of the peace there. Justice of the peace? Yes. And he's going to make us man and wife all over again. Mr. and Mrs. Stephen George. 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, you'll inherit. Oh, I should estimate about $200,000 under the law as your husband, a third of that is mine. And for that kind of money, darling, I can afford to wait. How could you? How could you? You're the bride. I'll let you choose the time, but it must be tonight. Steve, there must be some other way... There isn't. It's tonight or I'll mail the check. All right. But late. It's got to be late. I see your point. Three o'clock. All right. I'll meet you at your house. Three o'clock. And be on time, Helen, because the United States mail is always on time. Oh, there you are, Patrice. Oh. Well, good night, Mrs. Hazard. I've been looking for you. I wasn't too long, was I? No, no. Do you know that fellow, Jortson? No, I... Well, I'm glad you don't. He's no good. Oh. He seems 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? I... I can't give you an answer now. Will it be soon? Yes, Bill. Soon. There was nothing else to do now. I waited until the house was dark, and I was sure everyone was asleep. Then I slipped out and got the gun that I'd found one day in a cupboard in the garage and drove out to meet Steve. He didn't need to worry about my being on time. I was there right on schedule. Anything you'd like to have before we start? Yes. I'd like to see the check. Why? Oh, I just want to make sure you still have it. Oh. All right. Here it is, right here in my co... 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 in the fireplace. I threw the gun as far as I could into the lake. Then I drove home and let myself into the dark, quiet house. And although I had just killed a man, I slept like an innocent child. Wake up, Patrice. Bill, Bill, what time is it? It's 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, Patrice. 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. But they know I threatened him publicly about the money he cheated me out of and the bullets were the same as for a German Luger I got in the Far East and people around town knew I had. Although they haven't found the gun yet and they found me out there. I'm going to have a showdown with him. The farmer that delivered his milk came in just as I got there. Bill, who? Georgeson. Stephen Georgeson. Oh, Bill. I'm afraid 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 that 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. 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. Hazard. I didn't know you cared. Why, Susan, you know very well that everyone on 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, Ben Kim. And Susan, when some of your many friends drop in, so you can entertain them in the grand manner, your aroma 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 medium sherry 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? And more besides, your aroma basket includes Grand Estate burgundy and sautern. That adds dining pleasure and distinction to any meal. Yes, Susan, every Grand Estate wine is a distinguished, limited bottling by Roma, America's greatest vintner. Every Grand Estate wine is born of choicest grapes, then guided to metal-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. Well, that's good enough for me, Ken. I hear that Joe Cotton is to be your star next Thursday on Suspense. That's right, and the play will be something rather special, we think. Next Thursday, you will hear the premiere of 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 tonight. I've certainly enjoyed being with you all this evening. Well, thank you, Susan Peters, and thanks to Metro-Goldman Mayor, producers of the yearling, for arranging for you to be with us this evening. Next Thursday, 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. Stay tuned for the thrilling adventures of the FBI in peace and war following immediately over most of these stations. In the coming weeks, Suspense will present such stars as Olivia de Havilland, Lily Palmer, Mark Stevens, and many others. Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense, Radio's outstanding theatre of thrills. Suspense is broadcast from coast to coast, and to our men and women overseas by short wave, and through the worldwide facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.