And now the Mole Mystery Theatre, presented by M-O-L-L-E. Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream for heavy beards. 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 L.G. Blockman's Red Wine. It's an extraordinary story and one that certainly does not deserve to be forgotten. 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 Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream. Yes sir, man. 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. 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, Red Wine. 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 wierily on the set faces. The dealer's eyes move slowly watching each man. Joe Best, hard, heavy lipped, sensual. I open for two bucks. Dick Halep, easy, full muscled, sometimes smiling. I'll bump that three. William Carr, quiet, quick, handy with a knife. I'll ride along. The dealer's eyes move 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. Cards gentlemen. The dealer spoke. Boyd Trasker the dealer. I'll take two. Joe Best takes two cards. And now the fifth man in the room, Don Hernando Valka, gets up from his chair in the far corner and comes close to the table. Is permitted to watch, senor. Thank you. Cards Halep, three cards. Carr, one card. Dealer stands pat. Well Best, you open. Opener checks the bet. Halep, check. Check. I'll bet 50 bucks. I've got all I can stand on this cat and mouse stuff. What do you mean? I mean, Trasker, you're an out and out phony. You're not watching the game at all. You're watching us. You heard what I said, Trasker. I heard you, Best. What are you here for, Trasker? Yeah, Trasker, you said you were a stockholder in Boha Rubber. Boha's privately owned. There are no stockholders. Somebody was snooping around my bunk this morning. What are you here for, Trasker? Somebody went through my foot locker two days ago. I'm warning you, Trasker, you better go back where you came from. We don't like you. Ah, gentlemen, gentlemen. We don't like you either, Vekker. Easy, Halep. Easy for what, a native flight cop? So he's Don Hernando Vekker. So he's police chief of Maraca. So what? So we're American citizens, all three of us. What are you here for, Trasker? Maybe we can help you find what you're looking for, Trasker. Maybe you can, Carr. I'm looking for a murderer named Jerome Steek. Jerome Steek. So? Yeah. Jerome Steek wanted in San Francisco for the murder of his wife, known to have escaped to Brazil. Brazil's a big place, Trasker. Also known to have paddled down the Amazon Valley to Boha Rubber plantation. Appearance, of course, will be altered. Dark hair probably bleached blonde now. I'm blonde, Trasker. See, all three of you are. That is what I told the senor Trasker when he first came to my office in Maracas. I said all three men are blonde, senor. I said... Go on, Trasker. Jerome Steek is an American. Quite cultured, very well read, connoisseur of wine. Fond of horse racing, women, good clothes. Also a heavy gambler. So that's why you arranged this poker game to see how we bet. 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... I'm a ship's engineer. You want to see my papers? I don't want anything, Halep, except... Except what? Except... To admit I've made a mistake. Okay. Yeah, that's better. Don Hernando, I apologize. I should have listened to you. I told you it was a well-gust chain. I had to see for myself. Well, have you? 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. The launch won't be here for a week. That's unfortunate, best. You'll have to put up with me until then. A week is a long time, Trasker. Four guys could get on each other's nerves in a week. We'll have to take a chance on that car. My nerves are pretty good. This is Joe Best's trunk of the right. Must be something here. For the love... Oh, Don Hernando, I didn't hear your wife... You have nerves, Senor Trasker. 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 Best saw you going through his trunk... Senor Trasker, please, come away from here. I've heard the men talk. I am responsible for your safety. You're a good guy, Hernando. Relax. Please, I have heard the talk. These are dangerous men. 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. Ah, Don Hernando Vaca. San Francisco Police. Ha ha, that is nice. An honorary member for helping us catch Jerome Steek. 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 could be... 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? Senor, I do not understand. Maybe I do. Senor Best. What's the matter with reading Swinburne, Trasker? Nothing at all, Best. It's just a little unusual. Jerome Steek is the sort of a man who might read love poems. Joe Best wouldn't? He might. And he might not. Now put that book back in my trunk, Trasker. Close the trunk and get out of here before I... Jerome Steek was known to have a severe temper. Why, you... No, 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 for... Okay, okay, okay. Put the gun down. But I'm telling you, Trasker... You're poking your nose into trouble. I don't know. Carr seems to have enough bottles hanging around here. Looking for something, Mr. Trasker? What? Oh, hello, Carr. I cut myself. I was told there was some peroxide in this first aid cabinet. 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. Is that so? Yeah. Iodine's much better for cuts, particularly little scratches like that. Thanks, Carr. I'll remember that. I would if I were you, Trasker. You can't be too careful. That's right. Especially when your bottle labeled machine oil contains peroxide. Might fool people. Really? Nothing important. I was just thinking, peroxide is bad for the hair. Tends to bleach it. Does it really? That's what they say. Trasker, you lied to us the other day. That apology of yours was a stall. You still think one of us is just Jerome's steak. Could be Carr. I've got five days to find out. Yeah, Trasker, you've got five days. If you live that long. 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. 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 Two of the Mole Mystery, Red Wine. Music. 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 Halep, 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. Senor, Senor Trasker. Senor Trasker, you are all right. Where did you come from, Hernando? You, you are all right. I told you not to worry about me. I could not help it. I had to come when I heard you had agreed to go pig hunting with those men. I can take care of myself. What such unnecessary risks? In this jungle, anything could happen. What would you want me to do? They came to me this morning, all three of them. They said they always hunt pig on a day off and would I like to come along? But it would be so easy. A hunting accident. Everybody is so sorry and you are dead. Yes, I am expecting it any minute. What? The hunting accident. One of those men out there on the branches, Steeck, I feel certain of it. He already has one murderer to his credit. I am going to find out if he has nerve enough to try a second. Senor Trasker. You see that little rise of ground ahead? Si. They gave me that as my post when a pig is sighted. A car is somewhere to the left. Best is over there to the right by that clump of trees. And Halop is behind us. Now when... Here he comes. Stand ready, Trasker. Please, do not go to your post, Senor Trasker. I don't intend to. Huh? But my sun helmet is going. My sun helmet will show just above the bushes in the spot where I am supposed to be. Wait, wait. I am coming with you. Here he comes. Please, Senor Trasker, please. Get down, Fernando, and stay down. This is your post right here? Yes. Trasker, pig coming your way. Here goes. Senor. Boy, Trasker's helmet showing just above the bushes. No one would... Trasker's helmet, gentlemen. There's Jerome Steak watching. This will prove nothing. You'll see. Now watch. Santa Maria. Didn't take them long, did it? Clean through the helmet. Mother of heaven. Clean through the helmet, and the direction indicated clear as a weather vane. It came from behind us. Behind? Senor Halep is behind? Halep was behind us, but Karn 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? What do I say now? I say you are right, Senor. One of these three men is the murderer, Jerome Steak. That was the first attempt on Boyd Trasker's life. The second attempt involves a melee mancatcher, that horrible machine that is set off by a concealed wire and plunges spiked bamboo stakes into its victim. Senor. Senor. Senor. Senor. Senor Trasker. I'm all right, Hernando. Luckily for me, I've traveled in Java. I know the set up of a melee mancatcher when I see one. My houseboy wasn't so fortunate. Oh, poor Manuel. Those bamboo stakes pierced right through. But how could... How could a melee mancatcher suddenly appear outside my shack? Jerome Steak lived many years in Java. He could answer that. That was attempt number two on Trasker's life. And then that night, attempt number three. Don Hernando, this way, quick! Senor, see what has happened. Mother of heaven, a bushmaster. Yeah, it was curled up between my bedsheets. I got it just in time. If I hadn't been on the lookout for something... The deadliest snake in all the world. Yes. Another quaint device of our friend Jerome Steak. The hunter has become the hunted. And both are working against time. One day left. Senor, I cannot stand much more of this. You won't have to, Hernando. It has been Steak's life or mine. Now it's going to be Steak's. You are sure? The river launch arrives tomorrow. I know. But I still haven't played my trump card. Your trunk? Yes, Hernando. In North America, we call it our ace in the hole. I had a little drink about an hour ago. Goodbye, gentlemen. And this is gone. What are you doing here, Tresker? This is a private party. I don't expect to stay, best. Good. Amen. I came to extend an invitation. How far you'll get with any of your invitations, Tresker. Will you listen or not? If it'll help get you out of here any faster, go ahead, spill it. Tomorrow I am leaving Bohar for good. But I'd like to leave with no hard feelings, if you'll 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 aboard. Specializes in Chateau Malheur. He also has a fine Chinese cook. Now, what do you say? Ah, the devil with you and your party. Now, wait a minute, fellas. Wait a minute. We don't like Tresker, and we've 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 chow, Tresker. Thanks, Alec. And you, Carm. Well, if it's okay with Alec, it's okay with me. That leaves you, best. Well, I wouldn't like any better, Tresker, but count me in. Thank you, gentlemen. You'll come on a launch with me? No, we'll paddle down the river ourselves. 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. This is Jeffrey Barnes again. In just a moment, we'll return you to Act Three of Red Wine. Don't let specks of dandruff on your coat or collar embarrass you. Do what thousands are doing for relief from this social and business handicap. Use double dandereen. You'll quickly discover that double dandereen 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 dandereen, you see, actually combats this dandruff by killing on contact the germs that many outstanding authorities contend are cause. I repeat, it actually kills them on contact. Now, the amazing effectiveness of double dandereen is due to a special ingredient called alzheimer. An active antiseptic so remarkably efficient that many hospitals use it. And among hair preparations, double dandereen and double dandereen alone has it. So try double dandereen and see if you don't agree that most ordinary hair preparations can't compare with its dandruff-combatting effectiveness. If you're not satisfied, return the empty bottle and get your money back. Buy double dandereen at your drugsts. How light, Mr. Tasker. Flyed shims, lady. Our shims and toast, lady. Everything, lady. You taste? No, Yang, everything smells perfect. That's proven out for me. You agree, Don Orlando? Si, si, as the Chinese say, oh, Yang is number one cook. My guests have arrived? They are waiting in the ship's salon. Let's go, then. Everything is all ready. And don't forget, you bring in the ice cubes when I call for you. Si, I will bring them. I will remember. He's all planned. Good. Now, Don Orlando, I am ready for my ace in the hole. Yes. I 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. This little bottle, it will? As surely as he meant his melee mancatcher 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 would join me in a farewell drink. You're having a good time, boys? Fine, fine. Good. 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 would join me in a farewell drink. Why not? Pour it out. Might as well go to the limit. This wine is Chateau Malheur, 1911. Pour it out, never mind the build-up. The vineyards produced real nectar that year. Let's drink and not talk. Okay, best. Here she comes. The bouquet. Pass the bottle around, just have a whiff of it. Here, best. Smell it. Smell it, okay? Here, here, take a sniff. Make the man happy. Ah, let's ask her. I prefer drinking some. As you say. Your glasses, gentlemen. Now we're getting somewhere. Pass them down, best. All right. It's precious stuff. You'll taste no other like it. Glass for Joe Best. One for Dick Hallepp. And one for William Carr. Well, let's hope it tastes as good as you've tried to make it sound. It will, Hallepp, I assure you. Don Hernando. Don Hernando, what's he doing here? He was with me in the launch. Don Hernando. Coming, sir, you're asking. Had the ice pail? See, right here. Ice pail? Yes, Hallepp. Look, are we going to drink this wine or not? We're going to drink it, Carr. We just remove the cover from the pail and drop a cube of ice into each glass. It'll add to the refreshment. It's all right, huh? It's all right. It's not so bad. One cube for Joe Best. Can't wait to have it. One cube for Dick Hallepp. Nice party. And one cube for William Carr. Hey, hey, you're not going to put ice on my Chateau Malheur. Hey, what's the matter, Carr? Why not, Carr? Well, any fool knows it. Yes, Carr? Well, I mean, everyone knows that Chateau Malheur is drunk at room temperature. Everyone does? I don't think so, Carr. 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. William Carr was arrested, but Joe Best and Dick Hallepp are freed. The next morning, Best and Hallepp push their canoe into the river and start paddling upstream toward home. Two of you are at liberty to return upriver to Bohar. That pompous fool. Yeah. I just can't get it through my head. Quiet Billy Carr. Who'd have thought it could be our friend? Billy Carr. Yeah. Nice guy, all the same. You know, Best, when you come to think of it, that was pretty darn clever, Traskin. 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 Malheur in 1911. Pretty clever, I'd say. Maybe, and maybe not so clever. What do you mean, not so clever? Any wine merchant could tell you, Hallepp, there was no Chateau Malheur in 1911. It was a bad year. The vineyards didn't bottle. Yes, that's... Hey, Best, wait a minute. Only one man around these parts that know a thing like that. Jerome Steek. That's right. Oh, keep right on paddling, Hallepp, and don't turn around. You might be sorry. You, uh... You're gonna kill me. I suppose so, yes. You're the only man alive who knows I'm Jerome Steek. I can hardly allow you to return to Boa with that knowledge. I'd be embarrassed. Yeah. You'll be even more embarrassed when you try to shoot that revolver. I emptied the chambers this morning. What? You see, Best, 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. I see. Shall we be getting back to the Salvador? Trask will be waiting. I guess so. We can finish the bottle if you like. Finish the...bottle? If you like. Okay, Hallepp. Hmph. I always was a sucker for... red wine. Now, this is Jeffrey Barnes again, inviting you to be with us next week when we present a comedy mystery by Joseph Rusko 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 Mind. The original music for the Mole Mystery Theatre is composed and conducted by Alexander Sennler. Red Wine was written by L.G. Blockman and adapted for radio by Louis Pelletier and Jacques Finck. Kenneth Lynch was featured in tonight's program. The original music for The Case of the Missing Mind was composed and conducted by Alexander Sennler. The original music for The Case of the Missing Mind was composed and conducted by Alexander Sennler. Kenneth Lynch was featured in tonight's program. This is Dan Seymour saying good night until next Friday when the Mystery Theatre... presents The Case of the Missing Mind. Tonight's Mystery Theatre presentation came to you from New York's Radio City. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.