Rex Resolution 69: Baby in Gefahr

I'm sure a super-intelligent dog like Rex could be trained to type up these summaries. I've nearly finished watching Series 6 but am woefully behind in the write-ups. Sadly, I only have a Golden Retriever and, while he's a lovely dog, the poor thing seems to have been out of the room when the brains were given out. At least, he doesn't even have a sense of the meaning of the word 'retrieve'..... So, I'll have to keep plugging away.

Opera star Nina Martin is due to return to the stage after a long absence following the death of her husband in a car accident. Going through final rehearsals, she leaves her baby with the nanny in her room at the Hotel Imperial. In the meantime, Paul Pranz and his girlfriend have checked in with their baby. Onlythe baby turns out to be a doll and, when they check out, a short time later, they leave with Nina's baby, having shot dead the nanny.

When the body is discovered, at first no one is aware that the baby is missing, thinking the baby is with Nina at the theatre. However, when Nina is called back to the hotel and doesn't have the baby with her, it becomes clear that the baby is kidnapped, confirmed by a find of the baby clothes and photos. An anxious wait for demands ensues.

Brandtner soon ascertains that a couple checked out with a baby around the time of the murder but finds the registration details of the couple to be false.

Demands soon arrive via the Viennese police website and Brandtner heads off to drop the ransom in a railway yard at night. Brandtner tells Rex to watch the bag containing the ransom and Rex takes him at his word. When Pranz tries to retrieve the bag from an overhead bridge with a crossbow, Rex grabs hold of the bag and is hauled into the air. With Pranz hauling in much more than he bargained for, he loses control and the bag is dropped, with Rex and the bag narrowly missing Brandtner. Brandtner killed by falling dog - what a storyline!

The blackmailers are becoming ever more impatient and the poor baby is kept doped up. A second drop of the ransom is arranged - this time in the woods and Nina carries out the drop herself. Although Brandtner and Boeck are close by, they are unable to intervene and Pranz gets away with the money.

All good except Pranz hasn't realised that on one of his conversations taped by the police, a chiming clock is heard in the background. Soon, the team recognise it as the Ankeruhr and they realise a neighbouring hotel is the likely location of the kidnappers. When reception confirms the presence of a couple with a baby, the team is on its way, just in time to foil the kidnappers' escape and reunite the baby with its mother.






Other players in this episode include Alexander Radszun above as Paul Pranz, Frederike Haas, above, as the girlffriend, not listed with IMDB for this episode, Nicole Ansari above as Nicole Martin, Joe Harriet, not credited for this episode with IMDB, and Peter Lodynski, also not credited with IMDB.




A single Recycled Rexer in Alexandra Hilverth, uncredited with IMDB here but also appearing as Sissy Kovarik in 'Ein feines Haus' (1994).