Originally Aired: February 28, 1950
Philo Vance #86, "The Big Nick Murder Case partial,"
District Attorney Markham recaps the case: Big Nick Bramley has been found shot to death, but not by police as initially believed. His gang member, Ears Snyder, is also dead. The suspects include Nick's widow Mrs. Bramley, his girlfriend Mitzi Courtney, and his brother Tommy. Tommy has inherited everything from his brother and has taken up with Mitzi, but their romantic reunion turns tense when Mitzi accuses Tommy of having Ears kill Nick for him. She reveals that Nick's widow has been relentlessly hounding her with accusations, pushing her to the breaking point. Tommy promises to deal with Mrs. Bramley.
When Mrs. Bramley visits Markham's office, she insists that either Mitzi or Tommy killed her husband. Philo Vance devises a plan using Mrs. Bramley as bait, instructing her to tell the suspects that Ears Snyder left evidence implicating them before his death. When Vance and Markham arrive at Mitzi's apartment earlier than planned, they find all three suspects present and in chaos, with Mrs. Bramley claiming both Mitzi and Tommy pulled guns on her when she delivered Vance's fabricated story.