'That's How Murder Snowballs' by Ray Austin

Jeff and Jean are enjoying an evening out at a music hall, watching a 'Russian roulette' act by mindreader Fernandez and his assistant Abel. But after a member of the audience loads the gun with one live cartridge and one blank - a routine that has been repeated over and over without incident - Fernandez is shot dead by Abel in front of the entire audience. Jeff rushes to Fernandez’s side in time to hear his final words: "He said he would kill me…” The police arrest Abel for the murder, but Jeff is not convinced he is the killer, especially as the woman from the audience cannot be traced. Marty suggests that in order to get close to the suspects, Jeff should take part in the auditions to replace the mindreaders; Jeff successfully auditions thanks to Marty relaying the information to him. Jeff’s ‘solo’ act is a hit with the audiences, and between shows he talks to the various cast members and searches through the theatre, but while looking in a storeroom beneath the stage floor he is attacked, and the only clue he can give the authorities is that he thinks he saw a woman’s legs. Jeff finds some newspaper clippings in Fernandez's room which show that the mindreader was exonerated from blame after killing a man in a car accident. Questioning the show’s singing star, Gloria Marsh, Jeff learns that her marriage to Fernandez was in name only, and that he was blackmailing her - it was actually her that was driving the car the night of the accident. Gloria also appears to be more than friendly with choreographer Kim, but before Jeff can make further enquiries, the lights go out and Gloria is then found battered to death. Inspector Nelson arrives to investigate, as the bodies pile up: a stagehand is brutally stabbed after discovering a strange figure rummaging through the props, and then a dancer is attacked and critically injured. Inspector Nelson decides to re-enact the last performance of Fernandez on stage, with Abel assisting. Jeff takes the place of Fernandez, and realises that one person is missing from the cast. They are interrupted by gunfire from the upper circle, and a chase ensues. The ‘murderess' is captured and unmasked to reveal the face of Kim, the choreographer.

Jeff Randall (Mike Pratt), Marty Hopkirk (Kenneth Cope), Jean Hopkirk (Annette Andre), Michael Griffiths (Inspector Nelson), Grazina Frame (Gloria Marsh), Arthur Brough (Snowy), Patrick Holt (Barry Jones), Tony Thawnton (Fernandez), David Jason (Abel), Stuart Hoyle (Kim)

Directed by Paul Dickson

TX:
UK: 19th October, 1969 @ 7.25pm

Notes:
*Featuring Jeff Randall, the late Marty Hopkirk, and Jean Hopkirk