December 19, 2018 • 25 mins
While the case takes Hank further away from his family, a surprise visit from an unexpected couple leaves Hank with more questions than answers.
Starring Joe Manganiello, Alan Tudyk, Constance Zimmer, Camilla Luddington, Misha Collins, Eric Bauza, Steve Blum, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Coco Lamoureux, Cree Summer, and Oliver Vaquer.
“Angel Eyes” performed by Desi Dennis-Dylan. Piano arrangement by James Harper. Composed by Matt Dennis. Lyrics by Earl Brent.
Directed by E. Ryan Martz. Written by Oliver Vaquer. Story by E. Ryan Martz and Oliver Vaquer. Sound Design by Joel Raabe. Produced by Vox Populi.
Social Media:
Oliver Vaquer @Oliver_Vaquer
E. Ryan Martz @eryanmartz
Angel of Vine @angelofvine
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
A new to the listener. The following story contains some
adult content and language. Hey Briggs, Hello, are you gotta
(00:37):
be kidney? Just act bridge? You're gonna speak this time?
Mr Briggs? What? Mr Briggs, It's Samuel Tench, Oh, Mr
Mr Tachum. Sorry? Have I caught you during an inopportune moment? No?
I thought, well, that's not important. What can I do
(00:59):
for you? Mr Tench? I was calling because I would
like to invite you up to my house tomorrow afternoon,
your house for lunch. There are some people I'd like
to introduce you to. I'll, due respect, I don't know
that I have time for a social call. Mr Tention.
I'm aware that it's short notice, and I do apologize
for not contacting you sooner. Will that be a problem
tomorrow now it's it's not a problem. Is it's just
(01:24):
been sometime since we've spoken, Mr Briggs. Eight weeks of
past eight weeks already. I'd like to hear how your
investigation is going, of course, of course, but there's a
lot that I'm in the middle of, a lot to
work through, to organize that is, I should hope. So
that's precisely why I hired you. That's really swallow. You
(01:46):
do invite me, Mr Tench, but it'd probably be best
if I followed up on a few leads first. What
you're saying makes perfect sense. Good, I'm glad. However, I
must insist Mr Mr Briggs. Have you been receiving my
checks each I have? Mr Guy comes same to him
every Thursday. I believe this week marks the completion of
the first ten thousand dollars. Isn't that correct? That's correct? Good.
(02:11):
I just wanted to make sure that I was fulfilling
my end of the deal to your satisfaction. Very much,
so good. I would like you in attendance for lunch
tomorrow at my home. Yes, Mr Tencher, why don't we
say around half past noon? Half past it is? Have
you been needing the address? No? I have it? Wonderful,
(02:34):
I'm very much looking forward to it. Wonderful. Yeah, wonderful.
Just freaking copathetic the last time for lunch? What am
I going to tell him? So Sam and Chess they
call it a stalemate. Damn it. If you dare give
(02:55):
him everything, you're a nittied if you tell him everything
but stops him from getting someone else. Saw, I don't
be an idiot lunch my ass, I'm gonna get sacked.
Screw this, I'm taking the risk of the day off.
It goes for you too. I think Hank had good
(03:17):
reason to worry that he'd be fired the present day
equivalent of almost nine grand for what was now another
dead end, And if Tench wasn't pleased, there's little chance
that he would get a shot at another ten thousand.
If I were Hank, I'd want to update tension, then
pray that he didn't ask me any further questions. The
last thing, I would want to sit opposite him and
(03:40):
spit out a variety of imaginary theories and excuses. But
Hank wouldn't have to make any excuses. In fact, of
the people gathered at Samuel Tench's house the following afternoon,
Hank would end up doing the least amount of talking.
(04:00):
From Vox Popula and the Los Angeles Harold, this is
the Angel of Vine, my old heart, ankain and no
ground because my angel's Hank recorded every turn of the
(04:31):
drive to tents, even though he had the address of
the property on Lomment to drive. He counts every turn,
every street name, almost like a trail of bread crumbs.
Like he doesn't want to forget exactly how he got there.
Maybe it's a detective thing. I don't know. But as
he arrives at Tenches bell Air Mansion the next afternoon,
he's clearly impressed, if not slightly resentful. Ok. You gotta
(05:03):
be kidding me, Holy smoke. So much for the idea
struggling artist. Sure as hell, don't feel bad about taking
his money now. In fact, I'm gonna go get Phillis
one of those paint by numbers sets. Jesus, every man's
a Rembrandt, right, Maybe I should learn how to paint
(05:25):
by numbers. Good afternoon, sir, Mr Briggs, I presume good afternoon.
You presume correct. Welcome Please do come in. Watch your
step over the threshold. I do apologize for its appearance,
so there was no one available to fix it until monday.
No apology necessary. Really, May I hang your coat? Sir?
(05:47):
Now it's okay, thanks. It may be a little warm
in the God Marrier. I'm used to it. I'll manage,
but thanks as you wish. Mr Briggs, please follow me. Wow,
what is that? Go? It's brass, sir, nice place, Mr Briggs.
(06:12):
I'm so pleased that you could come good afternoon, Mr
turch Geoffrey, Will you please tell the Lila to begin
a tea service? Not traditional by any means, but scrumptuous nevertheless,
right away, sir, Thank you Geoffrey. I hope I haven't
brought you too far out of your way, not at all.
Always nice to see where my clients live. Gives me
(06:34):
a better idea of who they are. And what does
my home tell you about me? Tells me you're one
hell of an artist. I enjoy your candor. Mr Briggs, Yeah,
I'm all candor. How many commode you get in this place? What?
(06:56):
There's a lovely breeze today? So I've asked the Lila
to serve everything at the garden table tea. Yuh, I
can't say I've ever had tea for lunch before. Oh no,
sour dough toast burn on one side. Most days it's light, fair,
but certainly not as light as that. No assorted scones,
plotted cream and preserves. They thought I was joking when
(07:17):
I mentioned cucumber sandwiches. Who is this day? Mr Tench
We're just out here? Who's that? I sent for them?
Hoping they could be of some help to you, Mr Briggs.
I would like to introduce you to Roy and Alice Knudsen.
These are Marline's parents. Pleasure to meet you, sir, Yes,
(07:41):
and thank you, I mean, thank you so much for
your help, sir. Nice to meet you. When Mr Tench
called Samuel, please, oh well, when Samuel told us that
you would reopened the case, said, I had reopened the case.
We always knew that there was someone. You knew that
the cops gave up too easy. We knew it too,
(08:04):
And here you are. We haven't given up hope of
finding justice for our Marline. Why don't we sit team,
Mr Briggs? Sure, Samuel, it would be lovely. Thank you, Delilah.
(08:31):
Mr and Mrs Newtson arrived to town yesterday. I'm sorry,
I'm a little lost. How do you know each other? Well?
We spoke with Mr Tinch over the phone, but we
didn't meet until just today. Still lost, Mr Tinch, I
didn't expect you to travel to Idahos, who had seemed
that the only logical sense was to accommodate them. I see,
I thought that they might be able to offer you
(08:53):
insight into their daughter, perhaps some information that you wouldn't
otherwise be able to find. Could have just asked him
over the phone. How would I know what questions to
ask or what answers to look for. Is there a problem? No, no,
not at all. When Mr Tinch told us what you
were doing, Mr Briggs, will we wanted to meet you
(09:14):
face to face. I understand, and it's good to meet
you too. It's just such a long way to travel,
and it was. It really is much shorter to fly.
That's why I offered. Now, Mr Tinch, I don't mean
to offend here, but I already told you I'm not
going up in one of those things. Let alone too.
(09:35):
Trains just fine. It's only an eighty mile drive to Pocatello,
and two days later here we are safe and sound
and on the ground in the most beautiful pink hotel. Pink.
I've never seen anything like it. It just took my
bath away. I'm standing there looking at a two toned rocket.
The pair of us must have looked ridiculous in that
(09:55):
parking lot. This poor man is trying to take a photograph.
He didn't pay us any mind, went right back to
his business soon as we walked away. Well it really
is too much, Mrs Newtson. It's the very least I
can do for the both of you. I'm very sorry
for your loss. Okay, thank you Mr Briggs. It hasn't
(10:22):
been an easy time. I can't even imagine. So what
can we tell you about our Marlene? Well, well, surely
there there must be something. Of of course there is.
If it's all right for me to ask you about her, well,
whatever you need, Roy, like Alice said, what was she like?
(10:53):
She was a performer from the very start. She was
talking before she could even walk. Yeah, of to sing.
We had her taking piano lessons from a very young age.
She did not like to practice, do you remember, Roy,
how she would stomp around all the time, but eventually,
(11:13):
eventually you would hear the scales up and down and
up and down. She played so well, so beautifully. My
friend Annette she said she had this incredible ear for music, Daddy,
and that says, I have perfect pitch. Yeah, that's what
she called her. There was a man in Twin Falls
(11:35):
who she read about in the paper, a Charlie or
Carrie I know, something like that, who had collected the
autographs of people like you know, Bob Hope and being
Crosby said. Crosby wrote to him twice a year after that,
she said, Mama, my autograph is going to make somebody
very happy. One day senior year of icycle and she
(11:59):
was smarter than all those other girls by a mile. Well,
that's the only reason Roy let her go to Hollywood
in the first place. I wasn't so fond of those
pageants at the time. Why is that no reason she
needed to be parading around in a bathing suit like that? Roy,
You know very well she wasn't comfortable with that. Part
of it was I she was incredibly modest. She one
(12:22):
second runner up trophy still on the mantel. And what
about when she got to California? She wrote home twice
a week, I've found an apartment that has a television
in it. She got a job real quick, and she
called home when she got that coffee advertisement. Remember that,
I'm a real actress, Daddy. She she was a act
(12:44):
It didn't seem she knew a whole lot of people. Here.
Is there anyone I'm missed? Maybe? M M, well, I
know there was Gladys. She lived with Gladys. She mentioned
a dancer named Sylvia who having a rough time. Oh,
she had a friend from work named Virginia. Who's Virginia.
(13:07):
You're going to find him right, whoever did this to her?
Mr Knutson, I am doing everything here. Please don't give
me that package nonsense. The police did everything we can speech.
I'm a firefighter, Mr Briggs, I know how to deliver
news nobody wants to hear. So you can just spare
me the horseshit. We don't want that, we don't need it.
(13:29):
You don't have to protect us. Mr Tent showed me
what that monster did to my little girl. Can you
find the man who took the spine out of my
daughter's please? I will? Mr Tench, may I speak to
you a moment? Of course? Why don't we all take
(13:51):
a moment, Delilah? Would you bring another pot? I'm sure
this is all lukewarm by now y. I'm sorry, it's okay.
(14:12):
What do you have screws or something? You show them
photos of her body? It was at his request. Mr
Briggs calmed down. She hasn't seen them. She didn't want
That is not the point. Why would you do that
for what reason? Why? What? What? What right do you have?
What right? That's awfully sanctimonious of you, Mr Briggs? Every right,
and you're confusing the bearers of this awful burden. It's
(14:34):
not my right, it's his right. It was his right
and his choice to see what was done to his
only daughter. Wouldn't you want that choice? Why the did
you tell him I reopened the case? Don't you think
that everyone deserves hope? I get it bringing them here.
I get what you're trying to do. Will you please
leave the police work to me? My apologies. I thought
(14:56):
I was being helpful, and what if I can't deliver,
I still faith in you. You didn't answer my question.
You shouldn't be thinking about camp. The last thing I
need is you frustrated at the bottom of a bottle
with my money in your bank account. That's awfully harsh,
even for you. But honest, I'll leave the police work
to you if you leave the pep talking to me?
(15:18):
How long are this thing in time? A few days?
All right? Well? If I think of anything else, I'll
give you a call. I should say goodbye. I guess
don't look so concerned. You don't have to. I told
him you had very limited time today. I should say goodbye.
(15:38):
Whatever you think is best. Hanks has goodbye to them
with the explanation that he wants to get back to work,
which they are eager for him to do. Jeoffrey the
butler walks him back down the long hallway and he
(15:59):
goes back to his He doesn't say a word after that.
It's clearly blindsided, to the point where I think it
took him off his game. Or maybe it didn't. You
tell me, Mrs Knittson mentioned a friend of Marlene's name Virginia, right,
and Hank never asked any follow up questions. So who
is this Virginia? And how do you find a person
of interest in a city of two million first names?
(16:21):
I don't know. I attention thought that surprising Hank with
Marlene's parents was a good idea. I understand his reasoning,
but maybe maybe I'm wrong. After all, all I have
to offer here is my opinion. But I cannot imagine
a world where I am sitting across the table from
parents who have lost their child in such a brutal way,
and that somehow I'm responsible for their only chance at
(16:41):
lasting piece. I don't understand how that can be helpful.
I had a hard enough time accepting the responsibility caring
for these tapes. After what I just played you, there
was only one tape left from my first haul. I
made a few road trips back and forth to Seattle
during all this, fifteen hours from Melaid and Multnomah Falls
in Oregon, great place to stop and stretch your legs,
by the way, and then another three hours to Seattle.
(17:02):
There was no way I was going to ship them,
and I didn't want to take more than a few
boxes at a time. For one, I feared being completely
overwhelmed by the amount of information I was facing potentially
and worst that I wouldn't know what to do with it. Too,
Even though I had been given permission, a part of
me felt guilty for taking all that remained of Hank.
They've just found him, and I was taking pieces of
him away. So my second trip up to see Bethan
(17:26):
Phillis was right after Hank had met Marlene's parents, which
turned out to be very appropriate timing. Maybe when Tench
told Hank to get some rest, he went straight home.
I say that because at the end of the tape
was the first time I heard Hank with a then
seven year old Phillis. It's just really necessary, yes, absolutely necessary.
(17:48):
I will not be denied hearing baby you. I am
never going to do the end of this never so
he scraped and scratched and scrabbled and scrooged, and then
he scrooged again. He scrabbled and scratched and scraped. Oh
my god, if that's you, and scrabbled and scratched and scraped,
(18:11):
working busily with his little paws and muttering to himself,
we go, we got pop. His snout came out into
the sunlight. He found himself rolling in the warm grass
of a great meadow. This is fine, he said to himself.
This is better than whitewashing. O somebody sleepy. Mh, you
(18:40):
are too. We'll read more tomorrow. Sweeting glass your heart there,
you want to press it? Yeah, okay, go ahead. That
was so sweet. You were so cute. I don't remember
that a book was that The Wind and the Willows.
(19:03):
Ye have zero recollection of it? Are we done? Sorry?
I'm not a licensed family therapist, so I don't know
if playing that for them was the right thing to
do or not. But I do know is that it
wasn't my choice to make. Much like Tench, I merely
presented the information. And that's not me being manipulative. By
the way I knew that I wouldn't be sharing updates
(19:25):
as far as the case was concerned, But they remained
this second mystery, and the one that was the most
relevant to them, who was Hank Briggs. I returned to
l A with three more boxes to go through and
eventually worked out the timeline. Thanks to hanks continued reading
on what I call the philist tapes, they managed to
read A Wind in the Willows all the way to
(19:45):
chapter five. Mr Toad. As wonderful as this time must
have been for him, Hank couldn't ignore his duty. In fact,
sharing these moments with his own daughter possibly made it worse.
He returned to his irrational office discipline with renewed into tensity,
more obsessive, more discouraged than before. It was jarring, which
(20:06):
reminded me of what Beth had said about Hank the
first time she heard him, And there he was my grandfather,
and there was a immediate sense of urgency in his voice.
And so I stopped it. Will got it who told
(20:29):
somebody that, sum bitch, it's nothing nothing. This behavior continued
for a while. He wasn't always breaking things, but his
emotion is ferocity. Now remember that I said that Hank
would receive two phone calls that would change everything right.
(20:49):
The phone call from Tench, which led to Marline's parents,
was the first. This one was the second. No no, no, no, no,
now coming in thank Briggs, Hank Adler Harrison, good afternoon, doctor.
(21:13):
Sure it took your sweet time. It was out of
my control. I didn't think I was going to hear
from you. That makes the both of us. Don't sound
so disappointed. I'm not that bad. So your boss come
around yet. Leonard Shaw would like to meet you at
the studio at his house. That's some boss. Yeah, you'll
(21:34):
probably want to keep that to yourself. I advise that
you find a way to behave yourself in general while
you're there. Is that a threat? I hope not. Thursday afternoon,
four o'clock. No need to ring the bell. All open
(21:55):
the front door. We wait. Why are you going to
be there because he wants me there? Are you really
gonna argue? This one's Friday at four address Phil send
his driver to your office at half past three yea.
(22:16):
Over the next few nights, Hank and Phillis were able
to plow through to chapter eight Toads Adventures. It wasn't
as intense as the moments of him alone in his office,
but there was a definite sense of purpose, as if
he wanted desperately to finish the story with Phyllis. He
was reading for Phyllis and for himself, almost as if
(22:39):
he knew that he would never see her again. He
looked and understood the silence, with a smile of much
happiness on his face and something of a listening look
still lingering there. The weary rat was fast asleep. Mhm,
(22:59):
look that goodnight, little rat. The Angel of Vine is
a podcast produced by Vox popular on behalf of the
(23:21):
Los Angeles Herald. Thank you for listening to the Angel
of Vine. If you'd like to support us, please leave
us a review and tell your friends to subscribe. The
Angel of Vine is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher,
and all major podcast apps. If you can't wait for
the next episode of The Angel of Vine, episode seven
(23:41):
through ten are available right now exclusively on Stitcher Premium,
as well as Angel of Vine bonus episodes, extended episodes,
and add free episodes. Go to Stitcher Premium dot com,
slash angel and use promo code Angel to get your
first month of Stitcher Premium Free. The Angel of Vine
is direct did by E. Ryan Martz, written by Oliver Vacare.
(24:03):
Story about E. Ryan Marts, Jason Salmwalt and Oliver Vakare.
Sound designed by Joel Robbie and Kevin du Sablon. Produced
by Vox Popular in association with Forever Dog Podcast Network.
This episode's performances by Joe Manganello, Alan Tutick, Constant Zimmer,
Camilla Luddington, Misha Collins, Eric Bouza, Steve Bloom, Mary Elizabeth McGlenn,
(24:25):
Coco Lamoreau Cree Summer, and Oliver Vacare. Angelis is performed
by Desy Dennis Dylan piano and arrangement by James Harper.
Composed by Matt Dennis, Lyrics by Earl Brent from downtown
Los Angeles. This has been the Angel le Vine. You'll
hear more from us soon. Oh is my Joe? H mm?
(25:01):
Excuse me while I did supppear
A new to the listener. The following story contains some
adult content and language. Hey Briggs, Hello, are you gotta
(00:37):
be kidney? Just act bridge? You're gonna speak this time?
Mr Briggs? What? Mr Briggs, It's Samuel Tench, Oh, Mr
Mr Tachum. Sorry? Have I caught you during an inopportune moment? No?
I thought, well, that's not important. What can I do
(00:59):
for you? Mr Tench? I was calling because I would
like to invite you up to my house tomorrow afternoon,
your house for lunch. There are some people I'd like
to introduce you to. I'll, due respect, I don't know
that I have time for a social call. Mr Tention.
I'm aware that it's short notice, and I do apologize
for not contacting you sooner. Will that be a problem
tomorrow now it's it's not a problem. Is it's just
(01:24):
been sometime since we've spoken, Mr Briggs. Eight weeks of
past eight weeks already. I'd like to hear how your
investigation is going, of course, of course, but there's a
lot that I'm in the middle of, a lot to
work through, to organize that is, I should hope. So
that's precisely why I hired you. That's really swallow. You
(01:46):
do invite me, Mr Tench, but it'd probably be best
if I followed up on a few leads first. What
you're saying makes perfect sense. Good, I'm glad. However, I
must insist Mr Mr Briggs. Have you been receiving my
checks each I have? Mr Guy comes same to him
every Thursday. I believe this week marks the completion of
the first ten thousand dollars. Isn't that correct? That's correct? Good.
(02:11):
I just wanted to make sure that I was fulfilling
my end of the deal to your satisfaction. Very much,
so good. I would like you in attendance for lunch
tomorrow at my home. Yes, Mr Tencher, why don't we
say around half past noon? Half past it is? Have
you been needing the address? No? I have it? Wonderful,
(02:34):
I'm very much looking forward to it. Wonderful. Yeah, wonderful.
Just freaking copathetic the last time for lunch? What am
I going to tell him? So Sam and Chess they
call it a stalemate. Damn it. If you dare give
(02:55):
him everything, you're a nittied if you tell him everything
but stops him from getting someone else. Saw, I don't
be an idiot lunch my ass, I'm gonna get sacked.
Screw this, I'm taking the risk of the day off.
It goes for you too. I think Hank had good
(03:17):
reason to worry that he'd be fired the present day
equivalent of almost nine grand for what was now another
dead end, And if Tench wasn't pleased, there's little chance
that he would get a shot at another ten thousand.
If I were Hank, I'd want to update tension, then
pray that he didn't ask me any further questions. The
last thing, I would want to sit opposite him and
(03:40):
spit out a variety of imaginary theories and excuses. But
Hank wouldn't have to make any excuses. In fact, of
the people gathered at Samuel Tench's house the following afternoon,
Hank would end up doing the least amount of talking.
(04:00):
From Vox Popula and the Los Angeles Harold, this is
the Angel of Vine, my old heart, ankain and no
ground because my angel's Hank recorded every turn of the
(04:31):
drive to tents, even though he had the address of
the property on Lomment to drive. He counts every turn,
every street name, almost like a trail of bread crumbs.
Like he doesn't want to forget exactly how he got there.
Maybe it's a detective thing. I don't know. But as
he arrives at Tenches bell Air Mansion the next afternoon,
he's clearly impressed, if not slightly resentful. Ok. You gotta
(05:03):
be kidding me, Holy smoke. So much for the idea
struggling artist. Sure as hell, don't feel bad about taking
his money now. In fact, I'm gonna go get Phillis
one of those paint by numbers sets. Jesus, every man's
a Rembrandt, right, Maybe I should learn how to paint
(05:25):
by numbers. Good afternoon, sir, Mr Briggs, I presume good afternoon.
You presume correct. Welcome Please do come in. Watch your
step over the threshold. I do apologize for its appearance,
so there was no one available to fix it until monday.
No apology necessary. Really, May I hang your coat? Sir?
(05:47):
Now it's okay, thanks. It may be a little warm
in the God Marrier. I'm used to it. I'll manage,
but thanks as you wish. Mr Briggs, please follow me. Wow,
what is that? Go? It's brass, sir, nice place, Mr Briggs.
(06:12):
I'm so pleased that you could come good afternoon, Mr
turch Geoffrey, Will you please tell the Lila to begin
a tea service? Not traditional by any means, but scrumptuous nevertheless,
right away, sir, Thank you Geoffrey. I hope I haven't
brought you too far out of your way, not at all.
Always nice to see where my clients live. Gives me
(06:34):
a better idea of who they are. And what does
my home tell you about me? Tells me you're one
hell of an artist. I enjoy your candor. Mr Briggs, Yeah,
I'm all candor. How many commode you get in this place? What?
(06:56):
There's a lovely breeze today? So I've asked the Lila
to serve everything at the garden table tea. Yuh, I
can't say I've ever had tea for lunch before. Oh no,
sour dough toast burn on one side. Most days it's light, fair,
but certainly not as light as that. No assorted scones,
plotted cream and preserves. They thought I was joking when
(07:17):
I mentioned cucumber sandwiches. Who is this day? Mr Tench
We're just out here? Who's that? I sent for them?
Hoping they could be of some help to you, Mr Briggs.
I would like to introduce you to Roy and Alice Knudsen.
These are Marline's parents. Pleasure to meet you, sir, Yes,
(07:41):
and thank you, I mean, thank you so much for
your help, sir. Nice to meet you. When Mr Tench
called Samuel, please, oh well, when Samuel told us that
you would reopened the case, said, I had reopened the case.
We always knew that there was someone. You knew that
the cops gave up too easy. We knew it too,
(08:04):
And here you are. We haven't given up hope of
finding justice for our Marline. Why don't we sit team,
Mr Briggs? Sure, Samuel, it would be lovely. Thank you, Delilah.
(08:31):
Mr and Mrs Newtson arrived to town yesterday. I'm sorry,
I'm a little lost. How do you know each other? Well?
We spoke with Mr Tinch over the phone, but we
didn't meet until just today. Still lost, Mr Tinch, I
didn't expect you to travel to Idahos, who had seemed
that the only logical sense was to accommodate them. I see,
I thought that they might be able to offer you
(08:53):
insight into their daughter, perhaps some information that you wouldn't
otherwise be able to find. Could have just asked him
over the phone. How would I know what questions to
ask or what answers to look for. Is there a problem? No, no,
not at all. When Mr Tinch told us what you
were doing, Mr Briggs, will we wanted to meet you
(09:14):
face to face. I understand, and it's good to meet
you too. It's just such a long way to travel,
and it was. It really is much shorter to fly.
That's why I offered. Now, Mr Tinch, I don't mean
to offend here, but I already told you I'm not
going up in one of those things. Let alone too.
(09:35):
Trains just fine. It's only an eighty mile drive to Pocatello,
and two days later here we are safe and sound
and on the ground in the most beautiful pink hotel. Pink.
I've never seen anything like it. It just took my
bath away. I'm standing there looking at a two toned rocket.
The pair of us must have looked ridiculous in that
(09:55):
parking lot. This poor man is trying to take a photograph.
He didn't pay us any mind, went right back to
his business soon as we walked away. Well it really
is too much, Mrs Newtson. It's the very least I
can do for the both of you. I'm very sorry
for your loss. Okay, thank you Mr Briggs. It hasn't
(10:22):
been an easy time. I can't even imagine. So what
can we tell you about our Marlene? Well, well, surely
there there must be something. Of of course there is.
If it's all right for me to ask you about her, well,
whatever you need, Roy, like Alice said, what was she like?
(10:53):
She was a performer from the very start. She was
talking before she could even walk. Yeah, of to sing.
We had her taking piano lessons from a very young age.
She did not like to practice, do you remember, Roy,
how she would stomp around all the time, but eventually,
(11:13):
eventually you would hear the scales up and down and
up and down. She played so well, so beautifully. My
friend Annette she said she had this incredible ear for music, Daddy,
and that says, I have perfect pitch. Yeah, that's what
she called her. There was a man in Twin Falls
(11:35):
who she read about in the paper, a Charlie or
Carrie I know, something like that, who had collected the
autographs of people like you know, Bob Hope and being
Crosby said. Crosby wrote to him twice a year after that,
she said, Mama, my autograph is going to make somebody
very happy. One day senior year of icycle and she
(11:59):
was smarter than all those other girls by a mile. Well,
that's the only reason Roy let her go to Hollywood
in the first place. I wasn't so fond of those
pageants at the time. Why is that no reason she
needed to be parading around in a bathing suit like that? Roy,
You know very well she wasn't comfortable with that. Part
of it was I she was incredibly modest. She one
(12:22):
second runner up trophy still on the mantel. And what
about when she got to California? She wrote home twice
a week, I've found an apartment that has a television
in it. She got a job real quick, and she
called home when she got that coffee advertisement. Remember that,
I'm a real actress, Daddy. She she was a act
(12:44):
It didn't seem she knew a whole lot of people. Here.
Is there anyone I'm missed? Maybe? M M, well, I
know there was Gladys. She lived with Gladys. She mentioned
a dancer named Sylvia who having a rough time. Oh,
she had a friend from work named Virginia. Who's Virginia.
(13:07):
You're going to find him right, whoever did this to her?
Mr Knutson, I am doing everything here. Please don't give
me that package nonsense. The police did everything we can speech.
I'm a firefighter, Mr Briggs, I know how to deliver
news nobody wants to hear. So you can just spare
me the horseshit. We don't want that, we don't need it.
(13:29):
You don't have to protect us. Mr Tent showed me
what that monster did to my little girl. Can you
find the man who took the spine out of my
daughter's please? I will? Mr Tench, may I speak to
you a moment? Of course? Why don't we all take
(13:51):
a moment, Delilah? Would you bring another pot? I'm sure
this is all lukewarm by now y. I'm sorry, it's okay.
(14:12):
What do you have screws or something? You show them
photos of her body? It was at his request. Mr
Briggs calmed down. She hasn't seen them. She didn't want
That is not the point. Why would you do that
for what reason? Why? What? What? What right do you have?
What right? That's awfully sanctimonious of you, Mr Briggs? Every right,
and you're confusing the bearers of this awful burden. It's
(14:34):
not my right, it's his right. It was his right
and his choice to see what was done to his
only daughter. Wouldn't you want that choice? Why the did
you tell him I reopened the case? Don't you think
that everyone deserves hope? I get it bringing them here.
I get what you're trying to do. Will you please
leave the police work to me? My apologies. I thought
(14:56):
I was being helpful, and what if I can't deliver,
I still faith in you. You didn't answer my question.
You shouldn't be thinking about camp. The last thing I
need is you frustrated at the bottom of a bottle
with my money in your bank account. That's awfully harsh,
even for you. But honest, I'll leave the police work
to you if you leave the pep talking to me?
(15:18):
How long are this thing in time? A few days?
All right? Well? If I think of anything else, I'll
give you a call. I should say goodbye. I guess
don't look so concerned. You don't have to. I told
him you had very limited time today. I should say goodbye.
(15:38):
Whatever you think is best. Hanks has goodbye to them
with the explanation that he wants to get back to work,
which they are eager for him to do. Jeoffrey the
butler walks him back down the long hallway and he
(15:59):
goes back to his He doesn't say a word after that.
It's clearly blindsided, to the point where I think it
took him off his game. Or maybe it didn't. You
tell me, Mrs Knittson mentioned a friend of Marlene's name Virginia, right,
and Hank never asked any follow up questions. So who
is this Virginia? And how do you find a person
of interest in a city of two million first names?
(16:21):
I don't know. I attention thought that surprising Hank with
Marlene's parents was a good idea. I understand his reasoning,
but maybe maybe I'm wrong. After all, all I have
to offer here is my opinion. But I cannot imagine
a world where I am sitting across the table from
parents who have lost their child in such a brutal way,
and that somehow I'm responsible for their only chance at
(16:41):
lasting piece. I don't understand how that can be helpful.
I had a hard enough time accepting the responsibility caring
for these tapes. After what I just played you, there
was only one tape left from my first haul. I
made a few road trips back and forth to Seattle
during all this, fifteen hours from Melaid and Multnomah Falls
in Oregon, great place to stop and stretch your legs,
by the way, and then another three hours to Seattle.
(17:02):
There was no way I was going to ship them,
and I didn't want to take more than a few
boxes at a time. For one, I feared being completely
overwhelmed by the amount of information I was facing potentially
and worst that I wouldn't know what to do with it. Too,
Even though I had been given permission, a part of
me felt guilty for taking all that remained of Hank.
They've just found him, and I was taking pieces of
him away. So my second trip up to see Bethan
(17:26):
Phillis was right after Hank had met Marlene's parents, which
turned out to be very appropriate timing. Maybe when Tench
told Hank to get some rest, he went straight home.
I say that because at the end of the tape
was the first time I heard Hank with a then
seven year old Phillis. It's just really necessary, yes, absolutely necessary.
(17:48):
I will not be denied hearing baby you. I am
never going to do the end of this never so
he scraped and scratched and scrabbled and scrooged, and then
he scrooged again. He scrabbled and scratched and scraped. Oh
my god, if that's you, and scrabbled and scratched and scraped,
(18:11):
working busily with his little paws and muttering to himself,
we go, we got pop. His snout came out into
the sunlight. He found himself rolling in the warm grass
of a great meadow. This is fine, he said to himself.
This is better than whitewashing. O somebody sleepy. Mh, you
(18:40):
are too. We'll read more tomorrow. Sweeting glass your heart there,
you want to press it? Yeah, okay, go ahead. That
was so sweet. You were so cute. I don't remember
that a book was that The Wind and the Willows.
(19:03):
Ye have zero recollection of it? Are we done? Sorry?
I'm not a licensed family therapist, so I don't know
if playing that for them was the right thing to
do or not. But I do know is that it
wasn't my choice to make. Much like Tench, I merely
presented the information. And that's not me being manipulative. By
the way I knew that I wouldn't be sharing updates
(19:25):
as far as the case was concerned, But they remained
this second mystery, and the one that was the most
relevant to them, who was Hank Briggs. I returned to
l A with three more boxes to go through and
eventually worked out the timeline. Thanks to hanks continued reading
on what I call the philist tapes, they managed to
read A Wind in the Willows all the way to
(19:45):
chapter five. Mr Toad. As wonderful as this time must
have been for him, Hank couldn't ignore his duty. In fact,
sharing these moments with his own daughter possibly made it worse.
He returned to his irrational office discipline with renewed into tensity,
more obsessive, more discouraged than before. It was jarring, which
(20:06):
reminded me of what Beth had said about Hank the
first time she heard him, And there he was my grandfather,
and there was a immediate sense of urgency in his voice.
And so I stopped it. Will got it who told
(20:29):
somebody that, sum bitch, it's nothing nothing. This behavior continued
for a while. He wasn't always breaking things, but his
emotion is ferocity. Now remember that I said that Hank
would receive two phone calls that would change everything right.
(20:49):
The phone call from Tench, which led to Marline's parents,
was the first. This one was the second. No no, no, no, no,
now coming in thank Briggs, Hank Adler Harrison, good afternoon, doctor.
(21:13):
Sure it took your sweet time. It was out of
my control. I didn't think I was going to hear
from you. That makes the both of us. Don't sound
so disappointed. I'm not that bad. So your boss come
around yet. Leonard Shaw would like to meet you at
the studio at his house. That's some boss. Yeah, you'll
(21:34):
probably want to keep that to yourself. I advise that
you find a way to behave yourself in general while
you're there. Is that a threat? I hope not. Thursday afternoon,
four o'clock. No need to ring the bell. All open
(21:55):
the front door. We wait. Why are you going to
be there because he wants me there? Are you really
gonna argue? This one's Friday at four address Phil send
his driver to your office at half past three yea.
(22:16):
Over the next few nights, Hank and Phillis were able
to plow through to chapter eight Toads Adventures. It wasn't
as intense as the moments of him alone in his office,
but there was a definite sense of purpose, as if
he wanted desperately to finish the story with Phyllis. He
was reading for Phyllis and for himself, almost as if
(22:39):
he knew that he would never see her again. He
looked and understood the silence, with a smile of much
happiness on his face and something of a listening look
still lingering there. The weary rat was fast asleep. Mhm,
(22:59):
look that goodnight, little rat. The Angel of Vine is
a podcast produced by Vox popular on behalf of the
(23:21):
Los Angeles Herald. Thank you for listening to the Angel
of Vine. If you'd like to support us, please leave
us a review and tell your friends to subscribe. The
Angel of Vine is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher,
and all major podcast apps. If you can't wait for
the next episode of The Angel of Vine, episode seven
(23:41):
through ten are available right now exclusively on Stitcher Premium,
as well as Angel of Vine bonus episodes, extended episodes,
and add free episodes. Go to Stitcher Premium dot com,
slash angel and use promo code Angel to get your
first month of Stitcher Premium Free. The Angel of Vine
is direct did by E. Ryan Martz, written by Oliver Vacare.
(24:03):
Story about E. Ryan Marts, Jason Salmwalt and Oliver Vakare.
Sound designed by Joel Robbie and Kevin du Sablon. Produced
by Vox Popular in association with Forever Dog Podcast Network.
This episode's performances by Joe Manganello, Alan Tutick, Constant Zimmer,
Camilla Luddington, Misha Collins, Eric Bouza, Steve Bloom, Mary Elizabeth McGlenn,
(24:25):
Coco Lamoreau Cree Summer, and Oliver Vacare. Angelis is performed
by Desy Dennis Dylan piano and arrangement by James Harper.
Composed by Matt Dennis, Lyrics by Earl Brent from downtown
Los Angeles. This has been the Angel le Vine. You'll
hear more from us soon. Oh is my Joe? H mm?
(25:01):
Excuse me while I did supppear
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