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 Miss Ava Gardner in Lady in Distress, 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 Ava Gardner
in a remarkable tale of Suspense.
The rain was coming down in torrents, washing huge streaks of gravel from the hillsides
onto the road.
It was getting dark and I was beginning to worry.
I'd been waiting nearly an hour, and then I saw it.
He was edging along the side of the road, his coat collar turned up against the rain,
coming toward me.
I eased the car into gear and drove up toward him.
He had no raincoat on and he must have been walking for quite a ways because he was soaked
through, dripping with the rain.
He stuck out his hand when he saw me and I stopped.
You're going to town?
By the lower road, is that all right?
That's even better.
Nice lady.
Out of the corner of my eye I looked him over.
He was fairly young, a little pale and nervous.
There was no real fear there and there was a lot of strength, of a kind, the kind I liked.
It's a miserable looking world and I bet it's great to be out in it.
Maybe you're right.
I know I'm right.
That'll somebody takes the privilege away from you of going where you want to go and
doing what you want to do.
And you know how good it is to be out.
You used the word out twice.
Did you just get out of some place?
Yeah.
Where?
That's my business.
Oh, sorry.
Yeah, so am I.
I shouldn't be so touchy with you.
You were nice to me, giving me a ride.
Only if I told you where I came from it might frighten me.
I don't think it would.
Look at me.
There's only one place a guy like me would get out of.
Jail?
They call it the State Penitentiary.
Oh, yes.
I passed it a half hour ago.
Did you just get out?
Just got out this morning.
This morning?
This is Sunday.
So what?
The State Penitentiary doesn't release men on Sunday.
Only on weekdays.
Well, they released me.
You think I broke out?
Maybe you're wrong and maybe you're right.
What are you jumping for?
I'm just reaching for a cigarette.
Mind if I smoke?
No, you can smoke.
Cigarette?
No, thanks.
What are you getting nervous about?
I'm not nervous.
See?
I told you if you knew where I came from you'd be frightened.
It's natural.
Why did you tell me?
I just felt like talking.
I haven't talked to a dame, a lady, for a long time.
Like it?
Yeah.
Yeah, I do.
I don't think I ever talked to one quite like you before.
What do you mean, quite like me?
You know what I mean.
You know what you got on a ball, every bit of it.
You like that?
I could try.
Don't get me wrong.
I don't usually pick people up.
Okay, relax.
Am I going to do anything to you?
Just drive me into the city and let me off.
Of course it would be nice if you didn't say anything to anybody about picking me up.
I won't say anything.
What are you turning in here for?
I'm hungry.
I haven't eaten anything all day.
You can wait a little while longer.
We have 90 more miles to drive and I'm going to get a sandwich now.
Okay.
Wait a minute.
Let's just understand.
You know what this is, don't you?
It's a gun.
And it shoots.
Don't forget that.
I won't.
Okay, on your way.
After you.
Hell, nice weather for ducking.
Yeah, you all alone in here, Mark?
Yep, glad you dropped in.
Suppose you're in a hurry to get home though.
Back to the kitties and the mother-in-law, huh?
Yeah.
Now, what do you have?
Coffee and a hamburger, please.
I get two.
All right, everything on those burgers?
Sure.
Well, what's a little onion among friends, huh?
Excuse me a minute.
Hey, where are you going?
If you're going over to use that telephone, lady, you might just as well not bother.
It's out of order.
I'm trying to get it fixed.
I wasn't going to use the phone.
I was going to get some cigarettes.
You don't say.
I know he didn't believe me.
He didn't say anything, but the way he looked at me, I could tell.
We finished our hamburgers and I paid for them and then we went back to the car.
What did you want to make a telephone call for?
I wasn't going to.
It wasn't because of me, was it?
I told you I wasn't going to make a call.
I just wanted some coffee.
You turned down my cigarette a little while ago.
They were the wrong brand.
You bought the same brand I offered you.
Who are you trying to kid, beautiful?
Oh, let's not talk about it.
It's not important.
What are you going to do now that you're out?
I got a job to do.
I got to take care of somebody.
You mean your family?
No, beautiful.
Somebody I got to buy a coffin for.
As a matter of fact, I'm not even going to buy the coffin.
I'm just going to make it easier for somebody to get one.
Sounds an awful lot like you mean you're going to kill somebody.
It's as easy as that.
I am.
Why?
I told you I just got out of prison, didn't I?
Well, you don't want to get back in.
It doesn't happen to make much difference.
You see, there isn't much useful left in my life.
I'm through.
Revenge, huh?
Yeah.
With all his debts settled, a guy could die happy.
That's a strange philosophy.
Is it?
What are you driving so fast for?
I'm in a hurry.
I have to get home.
It's OK with me.
The sooner I get this thing over, the better.
Get what over?
Hey, that's a cop.
That's what you get for driving so fast.
I didn't realize it.
Pull over.
If they ask any questions, tell them I'm your brother.
See, your brother.
I will.
Don't say anything.
You'll be sorry for it, beautiful.
You're going pretty fast for these wet roads, lady.
I'm sorry.
I really didn't realize it.
If it skidded into a telephone pole, you would have.
Let me see your license.
It must be here somewhere.
That's your husband?
No.
Now, that's my brother.
Oh, here's the license.
Thanks.
Oh, why have I seen this name before?
I don't know.
Oh, sure.
Your husband's in the department, isn't he?
Well, yes, he is.
Are you nervous about something?
No, no, I'm just tired.
OK.
But just take it easy from now on.
Here's your license.
I will.
Thanks a lot.
So your husband's in the police department?
Yes.
Maybe he'll get a promotion.
For catching you?
Don't be foolish.
Nobody's going to catch me unless I want them to.
Not even you, beautiful.
What did you mean about my husband?
About his getting a promotion.
Well, just between you and me, you know what I mean.
There's somebody I got to take care of who's also in the department.
What department?
Oh, that dumb, the police department.
Oh.
Keep your eyes on the road.
I am.
You weren't.
You were looking at me.
Well, what do you expect me to do?
You don't exactly make me comfortable sitting there.
You recognized me, didn't you?
Didn't you?
I'm not sure.
Yes, you are.
And that could be a mistake.
Believe me, I don't know who you are or anything about you.
That's a lie.
Stop looking at me.
All right.
I'm going to kill Ralph Harris.
I don't want to know anything about it.
Yes, you do.
You know Ralph pretty well.
No, no, I don't.
I never heard of him.
Stop dumbing up.
I saw the license when you handed it to the cop.
I'm going to kill your husband, Mrs. Harris.
You know, it's back a few miles on the road.
I could see it the way you looked at me.
You know, somehow I get the idea.
You're not going to mind that like you should.
Why don't you say something?
I can't think of anything.
Now that you know, I think you and me are going to have to have a little understanding.
What are you doing?
Nothing.
Just racing through your pocketbook.
I only have $10 in it.
I don't need money that bad.
Then what?
I'm going to get you a dress.
Women carry more things.
Here it is.
627 Mill Street, huh?
Here, you can have your pocketbook back.
I'm going to take the license.
I want to make sure I don't forget.
What are you going to do with me?
I haven't quite decided yet, beautiful.
I haven't quite decided.
I glanced over at him again.
I knew he meant it exactly.
He hadn't quite decided.
Things had gone far enough.
From here on out, I had to make it convincing or else.
Look, Sullivan.
Oh, so you don't know my name.
Yes, I know your name.
I remember you.
I was at trial.
They framed you.
Did he tell you that?
They didn't have to.
The whole department knew it.
They needed a conviction and you were it.
That's what I thought.
You know a lot, don't you?
Listen, suppose I told you that you were right in what you said a minute ago.
That I hated my husband.
That I hated him as much as you do.
And that I'd hated him for years.
What do you think?
Well?
I'd say it was a stall to save your own neck.
That's what I thought.
That's why I wanted to get acquainted with him first.
First? Before what?
Well, doesn't it seem a little funny to you, am I just happening to run into you this way?
The wife of the man you've sworn to kill on the very day you break out of prison?
Who says I broke out?
I know someone who knows Red Folly.
Red Folly?
He was your contact on the outside that helped you plan it, wasn't he?
Listen, beautiful, I don't know how you got this.
Why do you think Red Folly got the money?
You tell me.
I'll tell you.
I want you to kill my husband.
I'll even help you.
For suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you Eva Gardner in Lady in Distress, Roma Wines' presentation tonight in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
Between the acts of suspense, this is Truman Bradley for Roma Wines.
There's a reason more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine.
It's because Roma gives you more enjoyment for your money.
Yes, in all Roma wines you enjoy an important difference, an extra dividend in fuller bouquet, richer body and better taste.
To bring you better tasting wine, Roma selects from California's choicest grapes.
Then, with ancient skill and winemaking resources unmatched in America, Roma master vintners guide this grape treasure unhurriedly to tempting taste perfection.
These choice wines are placed with Melo Roma wines of years before, and from these reserves, the world's greatest reserves of fine wines, Roma later selects.
So to enjoy more pleasure for your money, insist on Roma.
That's R-O-M-A, Roma California Wine.
And whether your favorite is Sherry, Port or Muscatel, you'll find Roma, your best buy, in good taste.
And now, Roma Wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage Eva Gardner as Evelyn Harris with Howard Duffa Sullivan in Lady in Distress,
a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
He was beginning to believe me now when I told him that I knew who'd helped him make the prison break, when I told him that I'd put up the money for it,
when I told him that the man he wanted to kill was the man I wanted to kill, when I told him that man was my own husband.
We drove along for quite a while without saying anything, then I pulled him to a gas station.
It's the idea of coming in here. You don't need gas.
You still don't trust me, do you?
I don't know.
Look, Sullivan, I have to make a phone call to my husband.
Oh, no. I'm not that dumb, beautiful.
But I have to call him. I told him I would.
Why don't you think something's wrong? You can listen.
All right. I'll listen.
Where's your phone?
Oh, it's just inside the door.
Thanks.
It's right in here, lady. Right on the wall. Right on the wall there, lady. Got your nickel?
Look, I know how to use the phone. You don't have to act like you're Orson Welles.
Hello?
Ralph?
Yes?
This is Evelyn. I'm 25 miles from the city. The rain slowed me up.
You should have started earlier.
I know, but I didn't.
Everything all right?
Yes, everything's all right.
Well, I'm glad to see you're getting some sense in your head. Hurry up and get here.
Well, it won't take long.
You're not going to give me any more trouble, are you?
No, Ralph. From now on, I don't think you have a thing to worry about.
We drove on into town then. I didn't say anything more and nodded at Sullivan.
But I know I had it. He was still playing cautious, but I know I had it.
Well, here's where I let you off. Oh, the rain's almost stopped.
Okay, but listen, beautiful, don't try to double-cross me.
I won't double-cross you.
You'd make a mistake if you did.
Sullivan?
Yeah?
My husband always keeps his car in the garage. Every night, just as it gets dark, he walks into the garage to get the car, alone.
You know, you're quite a dish, beautiful.
And there's no light in the garage.
Come here.
Good night, beautiful.
There's only a few more blocks to the house.
Ralph was waiting up for me, and he seemed genuinely happy to see me.
A month ago, Ralph and I had one of our usual fights, and I went north to stay with my mother.
But I realized that I couldn't stay with her forever, and the only thing left for me to do was to come back.
And I hated it, crawling back to a man who had no heart, who ran his home like the lock-up pen down at police headquarters.
But I had no choice. Ralph was smug about my coming back, as I knew he would be.
I kept wondering if Sullivan was actually going through with it. Two days later, I knew.
Good morning, Mrs. Harris.
Get inside. Someone might see you.
How did you know I was alone?
I got friends. Your husband's working right now. He won't be home for five hours.
What do you want, Sullivan?
Let's not act like children. I said I was going to kill your husband, and I meant it.
What are you coming here for at this time of day?
See this?
That little box?
Yeah. When you do the wrong thing with it, it blows up.
Oh.
All I do is put this under the hood of somebody's car, hook it up to the starter, and when somebody gets in his car to drive off somewhere, all he does is step on the starter.
And he doesn't have to worry about driving a car ever again.
Oh.
Let's go out to the garage, beautiful.
We went out to the garage. Sullivan hooked the explosive up under the hood of Ralph's car. Then after a while, he went away.
All the rest of the day, I was nervous and worried. The last minute, I even wanted to go out and disconnect it, but I didn't.
It was foolish to be nervous, and it had all gone along fine so far.
The time Ralph came home, I was composed and tried not to show that anything was any different than it always was.
After dinner, Ralph was doing some paperwork on a housebreaking case.
Oh, these reports are a nuisance.
Anything I can do to help you?
No. You know less about these reports than I do.
Well, I just thought maybe there might be something else.
Well, there isn't, so stop bothering.
All right, Ralph.
Wait a minute. There is something you can do.
What?
Go out and get the car and bring it around to the front.
No.
What? What are you looking so surprised about? As soon as I finish the report, I want to run down to the station. It'd save time if you got the car out.
I'd rather not.
What's the matter with you?
I have trouble getting out of the driveway. It's too narrow.
Ah, you've taken the car out a hundred times. What are you talking about?
Well, Ralph, I've got a cold coming on. I'd rather stay inside.
Put a coat on. It isn't cold out anyway.
I don't want to drive your car.
Look, the least you could do is help me out once in a while when I asked you to. Heaven knows you'd never do anything for me anyway.
Well, it won't save that much time.
Get the car out before I get mad.
All right, Ralph. If you want me to, I'll get the car.
What could I do? I went out and opened the garage doors and put it around for a few minutes and slammed the door a couple of times, and I went back in the house.
Ralph?
Well, what, Ralph?
Is the car out in front?
It wouldn't start.
What do you mean it wouldn't start?
I don't know. It just wouldn't start. The motor wouldn't turn over.
Oh, you give me nothing but trouble.
It isn't my fault. It's your car.
All right, all right. Forget it.
Why don't you go out and try it yourself?
Because I won't, that's all. I've been having trouble with my battery. It's probably run down again. If it wouldn't start for you, it won't start for me. I'll look at it tomorrow sometime.
I'll do what you want.
Wait a minute.
Excuse me. I have some reading to do.
Well, wait a minute.
What do you want?
Call up headquarters and have them send a cruiser around for me.
I could hardly sleep that night. Why, of all times, did Ralph have to ask me to get his car?
This almost as if he suspected. I knew he'd have to get the car sometime, but I was afraid he might check over the car and find out what was wrong with it and discover the mechanism.
Or he might send a mechanic out from a garage to look at it, and an innocent person would be killed.
But I was afraid of Sullivan by this time, terribly afraid.
I was exhausted from nervousness and lack of sleep when I got out of bed the next day.
Ralph had breakfast and went off to work in the police cruiser. I didn't dare go near the garage. I didn't dare do anything, except just wait.
Mrs. Harris?
Yes?
Sullivan speaking.
Why, Lo?
I've been reading all the papers and I haven't seen anything about your husband yet.
Yes, I know.
What happened?
Well, last night he didn't take the car out.
Why not?
I don't know why not. He just didn't, that's all.
Mrs. Harris, you wouldn't try to stall me, would you?
No, I swear that's what happened. He left the car in a... he left the house in a police cruiser. He didn't take his car.
You know what I think?
No. What?
I think I'm going to take a run out there and check up myself. Your husband isn't home, is he?
No, no, he won't be home for three hours.
Okay, beautiful. You can expect me.
Well, you could at least... oh, Ralph.
Who did you expect, Winston Churchill?
Well, he doesn't have time for you to be home.
Who said there was a certain time for me to be home?
Well, you don't usually get home this early.
Well, there wasn't much doing today. I have a few hours coming to me, but... what's the matter with you?
Nothing, why?
Well, you're nervous about something. Don't tell me you have a boyfriend hiding in the closet.
You may look if you want to.
I wouldn't bother. All right, come on, come on out with it. What's on your mind? What do you keep looking out the window for?
Oh, stop examining me like a criminal. I just didn't sleep well last night. I'm tired.
You don't do anything to get tired. Where are you going?
When you came in, I was just on my way to the market. Do you mind? I have to get my coat. Do you want me to explain any more?
Say, Evelyn.
What's wrong, Ralph?
I just thought I saw somebody go into our garage. Come here. Look, garage door is half open.
Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you. I called the garage and had them send a man to look at the battery. He'll take care of everything.
Yeah? Well, I'm going out and take a look myself.
You don't have to. He knows his job.
Sometimes I don't think you have any brains at all. I'll be right back.
I stood there at the window watching. I knew who was in the garage and it wasn't the mechanic. It was Sullivan.
Ralph walked off the back porch and across the yard and then into the garage. I didn't know what was going to happen.
I kept thinking only one man will come out of there alive. And then I thought maybe I'll be lucky. Maybe neither of them will come out alive.
I pulled the curtain back so I could see more clearly. And then I waited what seemed hours staring through the window.
I couldn't hear a thing and nobody came out. Nobody. I moved closer. My face pressed against the glass.
And then just before it happened, somehow I could hear it coming.
Operator. Get me to police headquarters. Just a moment.
Police headquarters. Sergeant Thompson speaking.
This is Mrs. Ralph Harris. There's been an accident. An explosion.
We'll be right out, Mrs. Harris. Are you all right?
The window broke. A big piece of glass. My throat.
One way I was lucky. Neither of them did come out alive. But another way I wasn't so lucky. I'm going to die.
Suspense.
Presented by Roma Wines. R-O-M-A. Roma. America's favorite wines.
Before we hear again from Ava Gardner, star of tonight's suspense play, this is Truman Bradley reminding you that in all Roma wines you enjoy an extra premium goodness in fuller bouquet, richer body, and better taste.
Yes, Roma wines taste better because Roma, and only Roma, selects better tasting wines from the world's greatest wine reserves. That's why more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine.
So ask for Roma wine. R-O-M-A. Roma. A premium wine in everything but price. Enjoy Roma California Sherry before dinner tomorrow.
This is Ava Gardner. It's been a great pleasure to appear on Suspense, which is such a favorite to all of us here in Hollywood.
Next Thursday's Suspense show will be one that I certainly won't miss. The most coveted honor which a radio program can achieve is the annual award given for excellence in drama by the George Foster Peabody Foundation.
This year the citation was given to Suspense, and one of the three Suspense plays which is particularly mentioned in connection with the award was that which will be rebroadcast next Thursday. It's called Dead Ernest. Good night.
Ava Gardner appeared through the courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, producers of the Technicolor picture The Yearling, starring Gregory Peck, Jane Wyman, and Claude Jarman Jr.
Tonight's Suspense story was written by John Michael Hayes. Next Thursday, same time, you will hear an all-star cast of Hollywood's finest radio players headed by Wally Mayer in 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 Robert Mitchum, Virginia Bruce, Angela Lansbury, and others. Make it a point to listen each Thursday to Suspense, radio's outstanding theater of thrills.