MUSIC:
Organ Sting
Announcer:
Another Five Minute Mystery!
MUSIC:
Organ Theme
FX:
Party background sounds
Announcer:
An anniversary party is going on at the Brown household around the corner. One of the guests , George Taylor, pauses while eating his desert, saying ...
George:
Mmm, best lemon pie I've ever tasted Mary!
Mary:
Oh Really!
George:
I wish my wife could do as well. Hey, it doesn't look as if Sam is appreciating it much, though.
Mary:
Goodness dear, is my cooking that bad? Sam, your head is practically in your plate. I guess he's fallen asleep, everyone. I'm so sorry --
George:
(chuckles) That's all right!
Mary:
Sam, Sam, Sit up! Sam, it's dreadful... I'd better shake him. Sam, SAM!
George:
Great Guns! He's dead!
MUSIC:
Organ Sting
FX:
Muttering of guests and cops
Sgt. Barker:
How you do? I'm Sergeant Barker, the homicide division and this is one of my boys, Mike Grady. Where's the body?
George:
In the dinning room at the table. We didn't move him.
Sgt. Barker:
(UP) Hmm, You might as well be comfortable everybody, this will take just a little while. (DOWN) Hmm... dead alright, peaceful, too. Who's Mrs. Sam Brown?
Mary:
I am.
Sgt. Barker:
You mind telling me what happened?
Mary:
I guess not -- I'm so shocked -- I don't know where to begin or what to tell you.
Sgt. Barker:
Well, you might as well begin by telling me what you served for dinner.
Mary:
Well ah, we had soup first ...
Sgt. Barker:
Soup, what kind?
Mary:
Mushroom... and then roast chicken, green peas, mashed potatoes and I served him coffee, but I don't see how this could mean anything.
Sgt. Barker:
Just routine, Mrs. Brown. Did Mr. Brown eat everything?
Mary:
Yes he did. He seemed to fall asleep over his coffee.
Sgt. Barker:
ummmhmmm?
Mary:
And when I tried to wake him, I found he's had a heart attack.
Sgt. Barker:
yeah...That will be all for a few minutes Mrs. Brown, we want to take a look around. Ah, notice anything about this table, Mike?
Mike:
No, Chief, can't say as I do.
Sgt. Barker:
Neither do I. Let's look in this kitchen.
FX:
Dishes being moved about, under dialogue
Sgt. Barker:
An orderly person, isn't she? Stacked dishes after each course.
Mike:
Yes and here's the silverware over here. Ah look -- look Chief, one of these soup spoons has turned black.
Sgt. Barker:
Black? Let me see it. The only spoon that's tarnished, too. Well, I was beginning to think it was a heart attack or a perfect murder! But this silver soup spoon is evidence enough. Err.. Mrs. Brown!
Mary:
Yes, Sergeant Barker.
Sgt. Barker:
I'm sorry to interrupt your little party, Mrs. Brown, but I'm sure your guests won't mind.
Mary:
Ah ... I don't understand?
Sgt. Barker:
You will, Mrs. Brown, you will. You see you're under arrest for the murder of your husband!
MUSIC:
Sting
Narrator:
Do you know why Sergeant Barker accused Mrs. Brown of murder? In moment, we'll hear the solution. But first, a word from our sponsor!
MUSIC:
Theme
Narrator:
And now, back to our story
George:
Sgt. Barker, how do you know it was homicide?
Sgt. Barker:
Well, Mrs Brown took careful pains to wash the soup pans and soup dishes before she served the rest of the meal.
George:
Ah yes, I can see that.
Sgt. Barker:
But she forgot one thing -- to wash the silver soup spoons. What she didn't realize was that an hour later, by the end of dinner, the spoon her husband had used to eat his toadstool soup would give her away. She didn't know that toadstools make silver turn black! Mrs. Brown almost committed the perfect murder, but she forgot to wash one spoon!
MUSIC:
FINAL STING and THEME