All language subtitles for Perry Mason S07E10 The Case of the Devious Delinquent.DVDRip.HI.en

(theme song playing)

The money, the loot, the cool
green, Timmy, my rich friend.

The loot, Timmy, my rich friend.

Will you guys lay off? I
told you I couldn't get any.

From a grandfather who
owns half of California,

you couldn't get enough
loot for a couple of beers?

Now what is this, huh?

He's sick. I can't go
to him all the time.

So he's dying already. We
must have beer, my friend.

Yeah, we need a
couple beers, my friend.

Look, Chick, what did you
guys do with the 50 bucks

I gave you the other day?

Oh, yeah, yeah, the other
day. You're living in the past.

Pull over.

Come on, Greasy.

Hey, where you going?

Just relax, Timmy, just relax.

Wait'“ that guy comes out

from the liquor store
over there, huh?

But keep it smooth,
nothing rough, Greasy.

- Look, you guys...
- We're only going in

the man's store for a
minute. Relax. You wait here.

Sure, you want a beer, don't ya?

Chick, wait. Let's
go, and I'll see

if I can get some dough
from the housekeeper.

What do you think we are,
a real ape or something?

Come on, Greasy.

Okay, shut up
and get in the back.

Okay, you walk.

Where's he going?

Never mind. Take off.

Make the first right turn.

What happened?

Eh, the clod, I told
him nothing rough.

Stop the car.

You tell that housekeeper,
or whatever she is,

that you been home
all evening, huh?

Did Greasy hurt that guy?

How should I know? I'll see ya.

Chick, What if he did?

Then you're in trouble,
Timmy, my rich friend.

I heard you drive up.

Have you had anything to eat?
You didn't come home for supper.

I ate. Thanks, Edith.

Here, here.

Someone phoned
just a moment ago.

Someone named Chick.
He wants you to call back.

Chick?

I've got news for you, Timmy.

The injured party made
loud noises to the police.

He saw Greasy...
Gave 'em a description.

Oh, no.

Yeah, so Greasy's got
to get out of town real fast.

But, you know, he's broke,
he needs some dough,

like, uh, like two
bills maybe, huh?

Now look here, Chick, I didn't
have anything to do with it.

Without loot, friend,
Greasy's not nice.

Now, you want him to get caught

and tell the cops
you put him up to it?

Well, I'll tell the
police the truth.

Tim, Tim, listen to me, huh?

Now Greasy's got the
kind of friends that'll swear

it was me and you they
saw running out of that place.

I mean it.

Me and you will wind
up with blood all over.

So, uh, be nice, okay, friend,

and you get me the
dough for that jerk.

And call me back
fast, like, in one hour.

I tell you, Father,
Tim's a delinquent,

and not so juvenile at that.

Are you competent
to judge that, Luke?

You don't have to take
my position, you never do.

So judge by Tim's record.

How many traffic citations?
How many for reckless driving?

Tim's done all
his driving in Italy

where the Los Angeles
police don't function... yet.

It's time for your
pill, Mr. Balfour.

All right, take Tim's
record at the plant.

It's a big day when
he shows up for work.

The day hasn't arrived
yet when he does any.

You don't have to
believe me, Father.

Hal Minter will tell
you the same thing.

Hal would have fired
that punk long ago

if his name wasn't
Timothy Balfour III.

You know that that boy was
only orphaned three months ago.

He's in a new
country, a new family.

Then why does he have to
find the worst part of this country

and run with the hoodlums
and burns who live in it?!

Now you listen to me!

That boy is all that
is left of my dead son,

your dead brother.

That boy is my conscience,
Luke, and he should be yours.

He is our guilt.

We can't give him what
we took from his father.

But we, you and I,

are going to give
that boy something.

Give, give, give!

Why can't he work and
earn like the rest of us?!

It's time for
Mr. Balfour's rest.

I warn you, Father,

if that kid isn't brought up
short right now, he's going...

Later, please.

What are you trying
to do, Luke, kill him?

Please, please don't make
a scene like that again.

- Now, look here, Edith.
- Shh.

The doctor said I
could see Father,

and he knows how loud I talk!

Anyway, the old man better
live through a little scene or two

with me before that kids
makes one that will kill him.

All right, all right.

Uncle Luke.

What?

Could I talk to
you for a minute?

I need some money.

Could you loan it
to me, Uncle Luke,

for a little while?

Only a little while?

Maybe a couple of hundred?

I never lend people money.

If they have to beg
for it, I give it to them.

Uncle Luke!

My father and my
mother were cold,

they were hungry.

They had no place to sleep

because of you and him.

Now you wait a minute.

Your father walked
out of this house

because he didn't
want to work for a living.

He was an artist,
an intellectual.

My father and my mother
would be alive today

if it weren't for you and him.

I'm responsible for
a car wreck in Italy?

(chuckles) You're
out of your mind.

(door closes)

They'd be alive!

Timmy, they-they didn't
drive your father out.

This just wasn't the
place for him, that's all.

I wish I had the courage he had.

I'd walk out, too.

Don't feel that way.

Let us help you.

Don't-don't fight
us all the time.

Okay, you tell Grandpappy
I've got to have some money.

BALFOUR SR.: Edith? Edith!

It's your new car, isn't it?

Timmy, you didn't
have an accident?

Edith!

Don't say anything to him.

Please don't upset him. Not now.

I'll help you.

Chick, it's me, Tim.

I think I can get it
from the housekeeper,

but I've got have an excuse.

Yeah, she said the same
thing... Thought it was my car.

Yeah, sure. I guess we can
fake some sort of accident.

She'd go along with it maybe,

just to keep my
grandfather out of a panic.

That road up in the orchard?

Well, sure, where it
meets Skyline Drive.

That same cabin
where we had the party.

Okay, I'll meet you there,
then we'll figure it out.

Chick, where are you?

Chick!

(glass breaks)

(tires squeal)

(tires squeal)

(clattering)

(tires spin)

Edith.

Timmy, where were you?

I've been so worried.

I wanted to help you,
but you didn't wait for me.

I had to run down to the
drugstore for your grandfather.

Edith, I've got myself
into a lot of trouble.

Timmy, what happened?
Where's your car?

I'm afraid I...

I hit some guy's fancy gatepost.

You what?

Timmy, you're not hurt.

Of course not, but I
guess I panicked a little

because instead of
stopping, I drove away.

Only the guy spotted
my license, I guess.

'Cause now he
says if I don't pay him

for a whole lot of damages,

he's going to report
me to the police.

Well, who is it?

We have insurance
for such things.

Edith, I'm not
supposed to be driving.

Don't you understand?

With a suspended license,

if the police or the insurance
company ever found out...

Timmy, why didn't
you tell me this?

Your grandfather will
be absolutely furious!

Now wait. I drove the car back
up and parked it on the road.

I mean, suppose I say

that someone else took
it and smacked it up?

And then if we paid
this guy, just expenses

so he wouldn't make
any more trouble...

How much does he want?

Good evening.

Does someone by the
name of Tim Balfour live here?

Yes, sir.

Temporary license...

Officer, we were
just going to call you.

Someone has stolen Timmy's car.

Temporary license 0163704?

That's right, sir.

Have you found it already?

Just a few minutes ago.

How long has it been missing?

Well, we just got back
from the Hollywood Bowl,

didn't we, Timmy?

So, we really don't know,

but, well, I suppose for
several hours, anyway.

I made you a sandwich.

No, thanks.

Please, Timmy, eat something.

You think I've done something
terribly wrong, don't you?

I don't know, I just
said that to the police.

It was the only
thing I could think of.

Maybe I ought to call them
and tell them I made a mistake,

but that would only make
things worse, wouldn't it?

If your grandfather ever
hears what I've done...

You didn't do
anything wrong; I did.

It-It's not your fault if I got
things so mixed up that...

All right, Timmy, all right.

At-at least now it's over.

At least now we have time.

We can calm down and
plan what you should do.

(phone ringing)

Mr. Balfour's residence.

Yeah, I want to speak to Timmy.

Tim isn't here.

He's in Palm Springs,

but I'm sure if you tell me
what it is, I can take care of it.

(chuckling) Well,
uh, you just tell Tim

when he gets back
from Palm Springs

that the little damages
that we spoke about

have gone up to $2,000.

$2,000?

For a gatepost?

Chick?

Look here, what are you doing?

This is a Shakedown
and you know it.

Take it easy, take it easy.

Hey, don't you remember seeing

an old man in the road
tonight, buddy boy?

Well, uh,

somebody hit that old man with
an automobile and then ran away.

Yeah, somebody who knocked
the guy clear into the ditch.

$2,000 says it wasn't
you, buddy boy.

$2,000 by tomorrow night, huh?

At the time of
Mr. Balfour's heart attack,

he was negotiating some
rather complex foreign matters,

these being
incomplete, it makes it

rather difficult for me to, uh,

prepare a financial statement
of assets and liabilities

satisfactory to both you
and to me, Mr. Mason.

But I have to have such
a statement, Miss Adler,

in order to properly
complete Mr. Balfour's will.

I've told you before I
will expedite this matter

for you as rapidly as possible.

Please do, Miss Adler.

Three weeks of waiting is...

I'm doing the best I can.

That's all I can do, Mr. Mason.

Good day.

Good day, Mr. Balfour.

I just heard about this, Mason.

Isn't there something in the law

about an old man
being incompetent?

Your father is far from that.

He's out of his mind,

giving that juvenile
delinquent a share of his estate.

Do you realize what
the effect will be?

On you, Mr. Balfour?

On Balfour Enterprises.

That-that kid, that
punk, he'll have a vote.

The old fool may give
him enough shares

to put him in control.

Instead of you.

I don't run the company.

Hal Minter does.

But of course, if you
had more shares...

Mason, the important thing
is are you going to stop this?

No.

Then I will.

$2,000?

Well, really.

Well, I know one
thing you'll find out

in going through
Mr. Balfour's affairs

is that I have never,

in the 25 years
I've worked for him,

I have never asked for a loan

or a bonus or-or even a raise.

And you will also find out

that Mr. Balfour's leaving
me a $25,000 trust fund.

So, I feel I am entitled
to an advance of $2,000.

I was not hired by Mr. Balfour

to judge the ethics
of his employees,

but solely to
determine, if I can,

the assets and liabilities

of his enterprises.

But he gave you
authority to pay out money.

Couldn't you, please?

And he also gave
me the authority

to use my own judgment;
good day, Miss Summers.

$2,000? Now, Edith,

maybe I run the Balfour
company, but you know very well

how far I stay away
from the family.

Of course, on the other hand,
if this is something private...

Now, Hal, it... it isn't polite

to ask a sweet, old, maiden lady

what she wants with $2,000.

Of course I'll loan
it to you, Edith.

Oh, Hal.

Thank you.

$2,000 even?

You think that's enough?

Yes, yes.

Hal, you don't know
what it means for me

to have someone
like you appreciate...

(phone rings)

Oh, excuse me a minute.

Hal Minter.

Oh?

Yeah.

Well, as a matter
of fact... All right.

That was my bank.

Th-There's something
wrong with my account.

That was Luke.

You better talk to him, Edith.

I mean, uh, I'd be
glad to help you,

but... Thank you very much, Hal.

What do you mean,

interfering in my
personal affairs?

Edith, this is one time
you're not going to run things.

In the old man's house, okay.

But you just want that money
to cover up some crime of Tim's.

Well, the only way
you're going to get it

is over my dead body.

Haven't you any regard
for your father's life?

It's him I'm thinking
of, not the boy.

Ah, don't get righteous on me.

The sooner Father finds
out the mistake he's making,

the better it will be for him.

Shirley, call Perry Mason.

Tell him to hire a
private detective.

I want someone to
watch Tim Balfour.

Watch that boy 24 hours a day.

(clock chiming)

♪♪

(door closes)

Did you have any
luck at your sister's?

No, too many
bills, I guess, lately.

Oh, Edith, what
are we going to do?

You just never mind.

I know what has to be done.

You wait for me in the den.

(door opens)

♪♪

Here it is, Timmy.

You took that out of
Grandfather's room?

I won't let you do this, Edith.

I mean, I should go up there.

I mean, I should
explain it all to him.

You will do no such
thing, young man.

I know what's best.

If your grandfather is upset
by one more family problem...

Here, take it. Take the money.

Edith, how can I
ever thank you for all...

Nonsense. I-I'll figure
out some explanation.

Now, the important
thing is for us to see

that man who telephoned you.

I'm going to go
see him by myself.

Chick said I had to.

He's going to be hiding,

and if anyone comes
with me or follows me,

he won't go through with the
deal to keep that old man quiet.

Y-Y-You can't go alone.

He's dangerous.

- He might...
- I have to, Edith.

But he might hurt you.

Timmy.

- Timmy, no, please.
- No, no, Edith,

- It's loaded.
- It's all right.

- Please. Please, Timmy.
- I won't have to use it, Edith.

All I want is for Chick
to know I've got it.

Please, no.

Okay, Edith.

Look, you go check to see
if the cook has gone home.

I don't want anyone to
see me leave the house.

All right.

He doesn't look so hurt to me.

Besides, I don't
think I even hit him.

That's not ketchup
on his head, my friend.

Well then, where
did he disappear to

when I ran back up the road?

So, you knocked him
into a ditch, maybe.

Who knows?

Anyway, I found him
wandering around.

- Chick, this whole thing...
- Now, you hit that guy, Timmy,

unless you got two
grand that says you didn't.

All right.

But I've also written something
that you're going to sign

that says you're not going
to blackmail me anymore.

It says what?

(chuckles)

You must think I'm crazy;
now, why would I ever sign...

You'll do what I
tell you, don't worry.

Only what really
happened out there, Chick?

Did you throw this guy's
coat out into the road?

Threw out a dummy, maybe?

Anything to make me
think that I'd hit him?

Now, now, listen, Timmy.

You know what I think?

He's just a plain drunk
that you dug up some place.

Well, anyway,
he's going with me.

I'm gonna take
him to be checked.

No, no, you don't,
my stupid friend.

Oh, no, you don't, Tim.

(gunshot)

(engine starting)

The driver is 18-year-old
Timothy Balfour III.

The car is a late
model convertible.

Temporary license 0163704.

Let me know if
you spot him, Pete.

The job is just to watch him.

(vehicle approaching)

(indistinct radio transmission)

All right, Paul, let's
have that funny remark

about you just
happened to be driving up

from that private road.

I just happened, Andy.

- What's up?
- Come on.

A young punk named
Charles "Chick" Montana.

Do you know him?

Never heard of him.
What happened?

Somebody shot him.

Perhaps with, uh, with this.

Well, for once in
my life, Lieutenant,

we've got latent
fingerprints on a gun.

All right, Paul, how does
it happen that you turn up

in this lonely place
only a little while

after somebody gets murdered?

Just happened, Andy.

MINTER: Excuse me.

Don't you work for that
lawyer, Perry Mason?

Yeah, sometimes.

Yeah, I've seen you
over at the Balfour house.

I'm Harold Minter.

Sure, I'm Paul Drake.

Uh, friend of yours?

I never saw him before tonight.

I was just driving
up from Balfour's.

I live on down the
road a couple of miles.

Only this kid was just lying
here in the road, murdered.

(steam hissing)

Now, don't worry, kid.

I can sober him up
if you can pay for it.

You don't think he's really
been hurt or anything?

- There wasn't even a scratch under this.
- This old man hurt?

There's nothing wrong with
him that AA couldn't cure.

No broken bones or anything?

He hasn't got any bones.

When a man is
recovering from a coronary,

anyone who deliberately
creates for that man

grave emotional
crisis must be suspect.

Suspect of what?

If your father should die

before he divides his
estate with young Tim,

you would inherit
it all, wouldn't you?

Mason, you're about as
subtle as a poke in the eye.

But you would, wouldn't you?

That's not the point, Mason.

I'm not trying
to kill my father.

I'm trying to stop him
from making a mistake

which could kill him,

or at least ruin
the rest of his life.

Since his heart attack,

Father's turned into
a sentimental old fool

who thinks he can bring
back my dead brother

by giving a fortune to
a hoodlum grandson.

If you're so sure
Tim is a hoodlum,

why did you ask me to retain
a detective to watch him?

Mason, if I ask you
to hire a detective,

that is my business, not yours.

Has he made any report yet?

No, not yet.

But what do you think
you're gonna prove?

Since Tim came to the States,

the sum total of
his police record

is two speeding tickets and
one charge of reckless driving.

Are you a hoodlum, Mr. Balfour?

One more drunk
driving conviction for you,

and you'll lose your
license for all time.

I'll tell you one thing, Mason,

when I get to be president
of Balfour Enterprises,

you aren't going to be
the company's attorney.

Be that as it may,
at the moment,

I'm interested in why
you're so intent on...

(phone rings)

Hello?

I'd appreciate it if you
didn't use my phone

for your personal calls.

Yes?

Perry, I've been trying
to reach you for an hour.

One of young Tim's
friends got shot

near a cabin on
the Balfour estate.

There was a gun at the scene,

which I'm sure belongs
to old man Balfour,

and there are prints on it.

There's also $2,000
in cash on the body.

That's rather
interesting, Mr. Jones.

Oh, you can't talk.

Well, if Tim Balfour
is connected with this,

it won't take the
police long to...

You're right, Mr. Jones.

I think I should have a
little talk with the parents.

Then I'll meet you
at old man Balfour's.

I'd say as quickly as possible.

Did you come home by the
freeway or through the estate

when you left your
father's house tonight?

By the freeway...

I haven't been near my
father's house tonight.

Nowhere near it.

Timmy, is anything wrong?

Did anything go wrong?

Edith, you're the only
person that's been good to me.

Timmy, listen to me,
Perry Mason is in the house,

talking to your grandfather,
and I'm worried that...

All the rest of them treated me

as though I were going
to steal something.

You don't suppose Perry
Mason knows anything

about your little
accident, do you?

The old man?

Is the old man hurt?

The old man... hit, run.

None of it's important anymore.

Timmy.

Edith, I don't even
know what's happened,

but just stay out of it, please.

Timmy, will you
please listen to me?

No, just leave me alone.

Timmy, please, listen to me.

Edith, I've been
waiting for you.

I understand that after
you came to me yesterday,

you asked Mr. Balfour
and Mr. Minter

and various other
people for $2,000.

I'll explain all that to you
later, Miss what's-your-name.

Nothing has to be
explained to me, young man.

This woman, this
so-called trusted employee

has just stolen $2,000 out
of your grandfather's room,

and I'm going
to call the police.

MASON: That won't be
necessary, Miss Adler.

Tim, I'd like to talk
with you a moment.

And with me, too, Mr. Mason.

Miss Adler's right.

Furthermore, I advised Timmy...

She did it for me, Mr. Mason,

and I'd like to tell you why.

Alone, if you don't mind.

I think maybe I'm in
a mess, Mr. Mason,

and I wonder if there's any way
that I can keep my grandfather

from hearing about it.

Do you think if he finds
out, he will like you less?

Likes me?

Who cares?

Tell me about it.

There's a cabin
about a mile from here.

Will you go up there with me?

I think maybe I shot a man.

With one of those?

We got into a fight,
and then I shot him.

And then H guess
I dropped the gun.

I was kind of panicky.

Will you go with me?

It isn't necessary, Tim.

But it is.

He might be hurt.

He's dead.

It might look like murder
to you, Mr. Mason,

but I didn't mean to kill him.

I didn't even mean to hurt him.

You didn't mean to?

You took a loaded
gun to a deserted cabin

where a man you
hated was going to be,

yet you didn't mean to hurt him?

I didn't hate him.

I thought he was my friend.

A man is dead.

You're in jail under
a murder charge,

all because you were afraid
you were going to be accused

of hitting a man
in a liquor store.

But you seemingly made no effort

to find out if anyone had
been hit in the first place.

Now, did you ask
anyone for help?

For advice?

Who was there to ask?

(knocks "Shave and a Haircut")

Sorry, Perry, but last night,
Tim brought an old Wino

to a place called
Rancho de Health.

It's out beyond nowhere.

The winds still there,
and he's still drunk.

Wait for me, Paul.

I might as well tell you.

The liquor store
thing was just the start.

I faked an accident so Edith
would give me the money,

and while I was
doing it, Chick claimed

that I'd hit an old man
with the car, a hit-and-run.

I didn't think I'd hit
him, but I wasn't sure.

So after I paid Chick the money,

I tried to take the
old man along.

That's what we got
into the fight about.

Then after you shot Chick,

you took the old man to
this Rancho de Health?

How did you happen
to take him there?

Edith told me about it.

So, Edith knew all
about your troubles?

I just told her that I had
a friend who was drunk,

and I asked her where
to take him, that's all.

How much more are you
going to conceal from me, Tim?

I told you all there is.

I got into a fight with a guy,

and the gun went
off and killed him.

You were at least ten
feet away from Chick

when you shot him in the back.

In the back?

What kind of person
do you think I am?

Perry, are you committed
to defending this kid?

All right.

Well, the boy Tim
supposedly killed,

Chick Montana,

was a fast talker
but a slow thinker.

He wasn't smart.

And all of a sudden,
just after he meets Tim,

he's loaded with money.

You sure?

Sure.

Bought some new clothes,
even paid off a few debts.

Maybe there was
someone behind Chick

paying him for what he did.

All right, Paul,
that's your job.

Find out who was
really running the store.

Uh, Paul?

Let me know everything

Anderson finds
out about that gun.

All right.

In what position was the body

when you first
found it, Mr. Minter?

Lying facedown.

You didn't disturb
it in any way?

I was pretty sure he was dead,

but I felt for his pulse.

Then I went in the cabin
and called the police.

I think that'll be all,
Mr. Minter; thank you, sir.

Mr. Mason.

Mr. Minter, how did you know

there was a phone
in that deserted cabin?

I'd been in the cabin before.

I see.

Now, since the cabin is near
the Balfour estate, may I assume

that you were on your way
home from a visit with Mr. Balfour?

You may not.

I don't visit with Mr. Balfour.

But you were driving
through his estate at night,

and you did happen to find a
dead man lying beside the road.

All right, yes.

I drove past Balfour's house,

thinking I might
stop, but I didn't.

I was on my way
home late, that's all.

When Mr. Balfour
had his heart attack,

did you, as a neighbor
and friend, go to see him?

I turned Mr. Balfour's
ideas into real things...

Bridges, dams, freeways...

But I don't hold his
hand when he's sick.

MASON: I take it, then, that you

and Mr. Balfour
are not very close?

He needs a man to run
his business; I'm that man.

Whether we like
each other personally

has nothing to do with it.

Oh, by the way,

had you ever seen Chick Montana

prior to the night
you found him dead?

No.

Death was caused by
a bullet from this gun

entering the
deceased from the back

and penetrating the heart.

Then whoever shot
him stood behind him

and cold-bloodedly
shot him in the back.

I'm not aware of
the killer's emotions,

but that is mechanically
how death occurred.

Thank you, Doctor,

for your usual
excellent testimony.

Your witness.

Doctor, were there
traces of gunpowder

on the front of the
decedent's coat?

I have testified there were

and explained these
traces of powder

could have been acquired
at some other time.

After all, the deceased
was a known criminal

of unsavory repute.

MASON: Granted.

And could you also explain

why there was no
bullet hole in the coat

where the gunpowder was?

At least, not with facts,

but if you're interested
in a private theory,

I think the coat could
have been unbuttoned,

twisted around during the fight

so that the front of it
received powder, too.

With this type of gun, I
understand the powder tattoo

spreads over a wide area.

Now, this is the $2,000
which was found on the body,

along with a note
suggesting that Chick Montana

had somehow or other been
blackmailing the defendant.

Miss Adler, can
you identify this

as the same $2,000
that was stolen

from Mr. Balfour's bedroom
the night of the crime?

No, of course not.

All I can say is
that Edith Summers

took $2,000 without
asking permission,

gave it to Timmy
Balfour, so that he...

Thank you, Miss Adler,
that'll be all. Your witness.

Miss Adler, did you
see Chick Montana

in the offices of
Balfour Enterprises

on the afternoon
before he was killed?

No, of course not.

You did not see him?

You didn't talk to
him about getting a job

with Balfour Enterprises?

Perhaps this photograph
of the deceased

will refresh your memory.

Well, yes, I may have seen him.

There was a young
man in the office that day.

That young man, Miss Adler?

He was a very polite young man.

He-he even knew my name.

Yes, he was in the office
that day looking for someone.

For whom was he looking?

Mr. Luke Balfour.

BURGER: Now, Mr. Balfour,
you heard testimony

that this gun, with the
defendant's fingerprints on it,

was found at the
scene of the crime.

You also heard that the
bullet that killed Chick Montana

was fired from this gun.

Would it have been readily
possible for the defendant

to get this gun out of
your father's house?

All Tim had to do was go to
the gun case and take it out.

He even had a choice,
because there are two of them,

exactly alike.

Well, did your father usually
keep these guns loaded?

Always.

He says a pistol is nothing
but a useless piece of pipe

without a cartridge in it.

Thank you, that will be all.

Mr. Mason.

In your testimony, Mr. Balfour,

you said that the $2,000 taken
from your father's bedroom

belonged to you, that
it was part of $5,000

you were keeping there.

5,000 in cash which
you'd asked Miss Adler

to get for you that morning.

The morning, in fact, of the
day Mr. Montana was killed.

Now isn't $5,000 a rather
large amount of cash?

Not to me it isn't.

What would you need
that much cash for?

Wouldn't a check or a charge
account ordinarily be used

in transactions requiring
that much money?

Do you know what a
nuisance it is to rely on checks

at the tables in Las
Vegas, Mr. Mason?

You were going to Las Vegas?

And you didn't draw this money
from your personal account,

but arranged for
Miss Adler to draw it

from your account at the firm.

And you kept the cash
in your father's house

instead of your own house.

So my wife wouldn't
find out about it.

Okay?

And this was not the
first $5,000 in cash

you'd left at your
father's house.

Nor the first time
I'd been to Vegas.

All right, Mr. Balfour.

Now let's go back to
Miss Adler's testimony.

Just how well did you
know Chick Montana?

I didn't know him
at all. Why should I?

Before I refresh your
memory with that photograph...

All right, all right.

I saw the kid, yes,

but only once in my life.

He came to my
office that afternoon

saying he was a friend
of Tim's and wanting a job.

So I threw him out.

You're sure he didn't
come to your office

to demand more money in cash?

Do what?

Why should I give him any money?

I wouldn't even give
a creature like that

a job rawhiding lumber.

I only talked to him
because Hal asked me to.

MASON: Hal?

Hal Minter.

It was his office
Chick went to first.

Even before Miss Adler.

Now, Mr. Balfour, I would...

May I have a moment, Your Honor?

You may.

I'm through with this witness
for the time being, Your Honor.

May I recall
Lieutenant Anderson?

JUDGE: It's about time to
adjourn for the day, Mr. Mason.

MASON: I have only one or two

- short questions, Your Honor.
- JUDGE: Mr. Burger?

I have no objection, Your Honor.

JUDGE: Very well,
but make it short.

May I remind you you're
still under oath, Lieutenant.

Yes, Your Honor.

This gun is one of a
matching set, Lieutenant.

Did your department,
by any chance,

run a fingerprint
test on the other gun?

The one left in the house?

Why, no, no, we didn't.

Since the defendant will
testify that he handled both guns

just prior to
Mr. Montana's death,

would your department dust
the other gun for fingerprints

if I brought it in tomorrow?

BURGER: Mr. Mason,
what's the sense?

The State has established
that that gun in your hand

is the one that killed Montana,

and that it had clear
prints of the defendant on it.

Now what would it
prove if his fingerprints

were on every other gun
in Los Angeles County?

But wouldn't it be
interesting, Mr. Burger,

if no prints at all were
found on the other gun?

My argument is that anyone
who's ever read the funny papers

knows that fingerprints on
a gun are easy to smudge

and hard to identify.

It's a good argument, but I
hope, in this case, academic.

It may be that
what doesn't happen

will be more condemning
than what does.

How's our
non-anonymous alcoholic?

Well, I may have to
prop the old goat up,

but at least he's breathing.

Identification positive?

Maybe not good enough
for Burger, but pretty good.

Care to take a look, Mr. Mason?

This what you wanted?

Now this might be a
very fast movement.

Don't worry, Mr. Mason,

anything moves towards
that gun gets its picture taken.

Thank you, Edith.

How's the boy, Perry?

Too overwhelmed to
relate to the situation.

The point is, how much
more can you take?

I've talked with your doctor...

I don't care about the doctors.

I hate it 'cause I can't
do anything for Tim

lying here flat on my back.

Perhaps that's a very good
place for you to be at the moment.

But if you could spare
Edith for an hour or so...

Well, of course, of course.

You go on now. You let me
know what happens, all right?

This is a photoelectric cell,

shooting an invisible
beam across the room.

Once it's turned on, anyone
moving through that beam

starts a movie
camera out in the yard.

That's very clever. How
long has it been in here?

Just long enough
to get the trap set up.

And now to make it work,
everything must be casual,

ordinary.

No matter who comes
to the house, let him in.

Accept whatever
excuse he has for coming,

and then say that you
must hurry up to Mr. Balfour.

That will give the visitor
an opportunity to get in here

to the gun.

Well, forgive me, but I
don't think anyone will come.

I mean, it's so
obvious, isn't it,

whether there are
prints on the gun or not?

I don't think
Luke, for instance,

would fall into such
an obvious trap.

Why did you pick Luke
as your, uh, "for instance"?

I don't know. He
stands to gain the most,

I suppose.

You know, Timmy
suddenly becoming an heir

had spoiled every
plan Luke ever had.

The whole thing is a tragedy.

Tim's parents dying,
and then this involvement.

You knew his
parents, didn't you?

Only his father.

He's so like Tim only...

really he was a bad boy.

He drank too much, played
too much, and the girls...

Seems to run in the family.

Isn't Luke's wife divorcing
him for the same reasons?

How did you find that out?

We've done everything we
could to keep that a secret

from Mr. Balfour.

In a murder case,
we go as far as we can

into the background of
everyone connected with it.

I know, for instance,
that you're going to be

corroborating witness

for Luke's wife
about his infidelity

with a girl named Rosalie.

Well, I've always
admired you, Mr. Mason,

but now even more so.

Well, thank you, Edith.

I know, too, that there was
no infidelity with this Rosalie,

nor anyone else.

(doorbell rings)

Be perfectly casual,

but act as though you've,
uh, been interrupted

and must hurry
back to Mr. Balfour.

(doorbell rings)

(gasps)

MASON: Why didn't you
let the stranger in, Edith?

Or... wasn't he a stranger?

(doorbell rings)

The old man wants
to come in, Edith.

Good evening, Miss Summers.

Perry, can I speak
to you a moment?

Sure.

Bad news, I'm afraid.

The camera won't work?

No, it just worked too soon.

While we were upstairs?

While you were.

The picture will be just her.

But she didn't touch the gun.

She just walked to the
case a couple of times

and looked at it.

Come in here, Edith,

there's something
I have to show you.

Sit down.

These are blanks.

Of course, you don't
think for a moment

I'd let a man as depressed
as Mr. Balfour was

after his heart attack have
loaded pistols in the house?

Very considerate of you.

Any accident to Mr. Balfour

would've upset your
timing I suppose.

If you don't mind, I
have other things to do.

Edith.

I already knew this gun doesn't
have any fingerprints on it.

But why were you worried?

Are you the one who wiped it?

Are you the one who knows

it should still
carry fingerprints?

Are you afraid the
laboratory can somehow prove

this is the gun
he actually fired,

the gun he took and dropped?

A gun only loaded with blanks?

Shall I tell you the rest

or will you tell me?

Can that old man
out there identify you

or will you identify him?

Edith, you're the one who
got Chick to hire that old man,

who put Chick up to
everything, aren't you?

You were at the cabin
that night just after Tim,

because you wanted to be sure

Chick had done
what you told him.

And when you learned
Tim had shot the blank

and dropped the gun,
you saw your opportunity.

A perfect opportunity
to get rid of Chick,

and Tim along with him.

Because you'd brought the
other gun along, hadn't you?

He doesn't know
what he's saying.

He's crazy. Help me.

Yes, with live shells.

With that other gun
bearing Tim's fingerprints,

you shot Chick
Montana in the back.

You shot him as com-Hooded“;

as you ruined the
life of Tim's father.

As com-Hooded“;

as you wrecked Luke's
marriage with lies.

As cold-bloodedly as you
alienated Hal Minter from the

whole family he works for.

Y-You're lying. Look-look
what I did for Timmy.

Oh, yes, and the poor
kid thought he'd used you.

When all the time
you were using him.

Using him? I-I
gave him everything.

I lied to the police for
him, I-I stole money for him.

I was the only one who
loved him and helped him.

You did it with love all right.

You used love like a
weapon, like a mask.

You told a young boy
the worst thing possible,

to keep quiet, to
not tell the truth,

to trust only you.

Why with nothing
but loving sympathy

you were gonna make that boy
into a delinquent faster than...

All right, so what?

He is a delinquent.
He doesn't belong here.

In time his grandfather
would've seen it.

He would've thrown
him out soon enough.

And left only you.

You and the mansion,
and the dying old man.

(chuckles)

You think you know everything.

Well, you don't.

The hardest part,

the hardest part was
turning Mr. Balfour

against Tim's father.

Because he adored his son.

He adored him, and I ruined it.

I ruined it.

I ruined them all.

All of them.

(sobs)

And then Edith
shot him, Mr. Balfour.

She would've sacrificed him
just as she sacrificed his father,

and Luke, and Hal Minter.

All right, Perry, so I'm not
as surprised as you think.

In the years after my
wife's death, Edith, well,

she always managed
to make getting rid of her

harder than keeping her.

So bit by bit I suppose
she possessed me.

I was so blind I...

And now look at the wreckage.

Luke, Tim, even Hal,

and poor little Miss Adler.

How can I make them
understand, Perry?

How can I make them
understand each other?

(knocking)

Well...

here's a pretty
good place to start.

Grandfather.

(theme song playing)