All language subtitles for Perry Mason s06e21 Lawful Lazarus.eng

[theme]

[giggling]

Six weeks.

Six weeks, and this is my first night out.

A girl is no computer. Gotta get out.

Gotta talk a little, have a cocktail--

[laughing]

One cocktail, that's all I was gonna have

till you walked through the door
and smiled, Mister...

Lazarus, as in the Bible.

[laughs]
I know.

That's the place where the road is
with all the good inventions!

[laughing]
Oh dear.

Well, I'm sure your Uncle Edgar wouldn't
begrudge you one night off, and...

Not my... uncle. My boss.

- Mr. Edgar Thorne.
- I'll bet he's not business all the time.

The way you describe that big house--

Two of you working alone, mostly...

It's nothing like that!

There's his wife.
And Nora, the housekeeper.

And Mrs. Jill Garson,
and her brother Clarence--

I didn't tell you about that. Did I?

Well, they don't live in the house.

Anyway. Not for years.

But he's not the one with the money.
Your Uncle Edgar, I mean.

You just, uh, manage his things,
for the niece.

Say! I didn't tell you that.

The niece? The one that's an invalid?

Barbara Billings?

I don't remember.

And her two children
away at camp for the summer.

And her missing husband.

Might as well be dead.

Trevor Harris.

Mr. Barbara Billings, that's what
the newspapers used to call him.

[chuckles, drunkenly]

Yeah.

But, uh, this Barbara Billings...

Friend of mine was telling me
what a hard time he's been having

trying to get in touch with her.

Where have you been,
Mr. Lazarus-from-the-Bible?

Don't you know...

How should I know anything, except, uh,

- what you've been telling me?
- Barbara Billings is not just an invalid.

She's in the hospital.
She's dying.

Now this is the only doctor's bag
I have in stock

that still looks pretty good.

I'm afraid that it doesn't even have
half a complete set of instruments.

Well, I'm not interested
what's inside.

Just the bag itself.
I'll take it.

Thank you.

Barbara?

Yes?

It isn't true.

I'm afraid it is, darling.

Your long-lost husband.

Everything you've done...

Everything, Trevor...

I forgive you.

I heard you were ill, Barbara.

That you were an invalid,
but I didn't know that it was...

While there's still time,

perhaps you'd better
forgive me too.

- Will you?
- We haven't needed love,

forgiveness or anything else
from each other for so long.

Barbara Billings.

Billings Enterprises, Limited.

A marriage I couldn't
make work with either?

You fault and mine.

Honey, does the finger
have to point anyplace?

How are they? The children?

Very well, and very happy.

And very wonderful.

Both of them.

Your cousin, Jill Garson, I...

just heard she's not taking care
of them any longer.

Well, you don't have anything
to worry about, Trevor.

It's all arranged.

Teddy and Ellen
will be in the care of...

the one person whose love...

I never had any reason to doubt.

Your uncle? Edgar Thorne?

Yes.

Why him, and not Jill?

Ten years. Nothing.

Barbara, please. Maybe I have
no right to be here to talk to you.

I know, I don't deserve
to be called their father,

but those kids and their welfare
are my concern.

You didn't even write once.

I left strict orders Miss Billings
was not to be disturbed.

I don't know who you are, sir,

- but I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to--
- I'll leave in a moment, Doctor.

Barbara, this concerns the children.

You must listen to me.

- If I have to, I--
- If you have to, what, Trevor?

Kill her?

Please, Uncle Edgar.

It's all right.

I know you're upset, my dear.

The doctor will give you something
to relax you. Make everything fine.

And make sure
you don't talk to me.

Doctor?

It will only agitate the patient
if I have to call for help

- in removing you from this room.
- Oh, look, Doctor--

Trevor, you better go.

Can't stop me from
talking to her, Thorne.

She's my wife.

Teddy and Ellen are my children.

I'm sorry, my boy, but I'm afraid
you're not being quite correct.

You fixed a lot of things, Edgar.

But that's something that
even you couldn't fix.

I can't imagine why you think
I'd concern myself about you,

one way or the other.

The truth, Trevor, happens to be
that the mother of your children,

the wife you deserted,
went into court two years ago

and had you declared
legally dead.

Actually, Mr. Harris,
I'd say the first step

would be to reestablish legal identity.

- I don't want that.
- Why not?

Mr. Mason,

the reason I left ten years ago
and never returned

is aside from the point.

This week, I just found myself
in town,

I thought I'd say hello to Barbara,

perhaps see the children.

When I couldn't get in touch with her,
I tried to find out what was happening.

[chuckles]
I found out, all right.

That your wife is dying, and that
you are a walking ghost, so to speak.

You'd, uh, like to take legal action
in regard to the children?

Yes, of course.

But right now, all I want
is to get into that hospital

- to talk to Barbara.
- That could be difficult.

I know it's difficult, but can
you arrange for me to see her?

Della, see if you can reach
Judge Ellison on the phone, please?

Trevor Harris has been declared
legally dead.

And insofar as this family
is concerned,

he must remain so.

- What about Trevor himself?
- Well, what do you mean, Jill?

Exactly how have you planned to...

To get rid of him?

Is that what you're trying to say, Jill?

Oh, uh, thank you, Michaela.
You don't have to stay.

Yes, Mr. Thorne.

Welcome back, Trevor.

For a corpse, you look
disgracefully healthy.

Clara, you look
as lovely as ever.

Jill, how are you?

Nora. Good to see
you're still here.

Thank you, sir.

And Clarence.

You haven't thanked me.

It must have been worth quite
a legal fee, going through the procedures

to declare me dead.

In this case,
it was a pleasure.

[chuckles]

Ah, too bad Uncle John
isn't around.

At least he had the happy faculty of
making these little family to-dos less grim.

A questionable talent, at best.

You never did like your brother,
did you, Edgar?

What were you?

33rd vice president in charge
of emptying wastebaskets,

while he ran the company?

And you were a shining example
of his business acumen, weren't you?

Ah, I was a real beautiful mistake,
wasn't I?

"Richest Girl in the World
Buys Herself an All-American."

"Geologist Halfback Is
Square Peg in Round Hole of Industry."

You did about as well
as husband and father.

I struck out, Clarence.

There are those of us who face it
and get out of the game.

What about you?

Weren't you Uncle John's
favorite proteg�?

When I read that he died,
I expected you, not Uncle Edgar,

to be Grand Vizier
of Barbara's little estate.

Just as I expected the children
still to be in Jill's care.

You consider me unfit
to be their guardian?

Yes. You're no good.

You're a scheming,
unprincipled parasite...

with a mania for money and power.

Completely lacking
in ethics, morality,

or even the slightest regard
for the human dignity

I want my children to have
and respect.

Well, here lies the body
of Edgar Thorne.

Slain by... whatever it is
you are, darling.

Do you think that Uncle Edgar
forced Barbara

to take the children from me,
and name him guardian?

Didn't he?

So he could control
the millions of dollars they'd inherit?

[Jill]
No, Trevor, he didn't.

I asked to be relieved of the responsibility
of raising the children.

And I insisted that Barbara name

Uncle Edgar as guardian.

Jill, I don't understand.

You're the only decent one
in the family.

Well, whatever it is,
I'll straighten it out.

I'll talk to Barbara,
and I'll straighten it out.

The way you straightened out
the company books,

just before you ran away
ten years ago?

What are you talking about?

The facts speak for themselves.

Facts, figures, affidavits--

Incontrovertible proof...

that before you left, you embezzled
over $50,000 from the company.

- It's a lie.
- Of course, with the statute of limitations,

- prosecution is impossible.
- It's a lie. Barbara will never believe it.

There's no reason why
she should ever know it.

That's the past. But you will admit,

you're hardly in a position
to give advice to Barbara,

or the court, on the proper
guardianship for her children.

Nora, call the sanitarium for me.

I've made mistakes, I admit,
more than my share.

- [phone dialing]
- I may not be fit to wipe my kids' shoes.

But you're not going to get away
with calling me a crook.

- [line ringing]
- It's ringing.

Barbara will never hold still for it
either. Don't kid yourselves.

I'll get to the bottom
of this business with Jill.

Hello? I would like to speak
with Barbara Billings' doctor, please.

I want to arrange to see Barbara
just as soon as...

Trevor? What is it?

They were trying to reach us.

Barbara just... died.

[knocking on door]

Nora. What do you want?

Please, Mr. Harris.
I have to speak to you.

If Edgar sent you,
you're wasting your time.

I have to get back
to my job overseas.

But I'm having my lawyer, Perry Mason,
look into those embezzlement charges.

Please listen to me.

I heard Mr. Thorne talking.

That evidence he has--
that's why I'm here.

The evidence is in an envelope
in his safe.

That envelope.
A final bequest to my children.

Their mother dies
and makes them millionaires--

I return from the dead
and make them children of a crook.

Nora, I swear I never stole
a cent in my life.

Then don't let anybody
ever see that envelope.

I spoke with Clarence
this afternoon.

He all but convinced me.
There's no question.

It's bad, all right. I may have
goofed up the company books.

I could be blamed
for that $50,000 shortage.

I told you, destroy that evidence!

Tonight. I'll help you.

Nora, you're wonderful.

You did all you could to keep
Barbara from marrying me,

and now you do this-- why?

You were selfish.
You were even... unkind.

But you were never evil.

And that envelope Edgar has
in the safe,

I heard him talk to Clarence about it.

That envelope must never
be opened in a court of law!

Because of what it contains
about me?

Because of what it could do
to those two children.

To the rear gate.
To the library door.

The combination to the safe
is on a piece of paper

pasted inside the lower
right hand desk drawer...

in the library.

- Yes?
- Mr. Thorne?

Remember, you said
something about dictation?

- I'm waiting.
- I told you not to use the intercom!

[softer]
Tomorrow.

We'll get to that...
dictation tomorrow.

And just how
do you define "dictation"?

I wondered how long it would be
before you started looking

- for greener pastures.
- [clicks intercom]

Nora? Mrs. Thorne's in my room,
and uh, she's not well.

I think you'd better
look after her.

That's right, Nora.
Lock her up and throw away the key!

- [replaces handset]
- You're sick.

Yes. Sick.

Sick for years.
Living with you.

Dreading the day that we couldn't
stand the sight of one another.

The day that your greedy eyes
would find some stupid young thing!

Get her out of my sight.

[sobbing]

[sighs]

[phone rings]

Hello?

- Yes, Mrs. Garson?
- Mr. Mason. You represent Trevor Harris?

- Yes, I do.
- I'm at Edgar Thorne's house.

I think you'd better
get out here right away.

Edgar Thorne
has just been murdered.

Shot to death,
and not too long ago.

Wonder where the police are?

- I haven't called them yet.
- Why not?

Well, I thought for Trevor's sake,
I should talk to you first.

You saw a man running from
the library before you came in here

and found the body.

Yes.

Was it Trevor Harris you saw?

Yes. That's why I called you.

He had mentioned your name.

Mrs. Garson, why
did you come here tonight?

Nora, the housekeeper, called me.

She said she'd been over
to talk to Trevor.

About an envelope
in the safe here,

that contained some evidence
against him.

When Nora thought it over,
she realized she'd done

probably what-- what Edgar
wanted her to do:

Lead Trevor into Edgar's trap.

She tried to reach Trevor,
but he was gone.

So she called you?

Yes. I couldn't locate him.

So I came here to--
to try to warn him.

Mr. Mason, it was Trevor Harris...

I saw running away from here.

My brother Clarence ran after him
to try to catch him.

Mrs. Garson, call the police.

Then get all the occupants
of this house together

in another room,
and wait there for the police.

Can you do that?

- Yes, I think so.
- Good.

- Find something, Paul?
- A contact switch behind the safe door.

The moment the door was open,
the switch activated something.

Probably an alarm
to warn Edgar Thorne.

Well, if not that, then...

Then what?

Perry, this is an infrared lamp.

Infrared?

Wonder if it could be connected
to that switch.

It wouldn't have to be.
Paul:

Suppose the switch on the safe
activated a camera.

A camera loaded
with infrared film.

Sure. And aimed
directly at the safe.

That must be the trap
that Thorne set for this man Trevor.

Camera.

Yep. Eight millimeter,
magazine load.

You can see where
the film compartment is open,

and... empty.

As far as I can tell,
it's all here, Lieutenant.

- Was there any cash in the safe?
- Yes, sir.

$10,600. It's still here.

Fine. Thank you.

Mrs. Garson, Mr. Henry,

if you'll remain here in the library,
I'd like to talk to both of you.

Mrs. Thorne, Miss Kasner,
Miss Martin--

If you'll go to your rooms,
we'll call you when we're ready for you.

Mr. Mason and Mr. Drake,

I don't think it's necessary
to detain you any longer, do you?

- Of course not, Lieutenant.
- Mrs. Thorne!

What are you doing?

Well, I felt that these were
rather inappropriate at this time.

Well, I understand, ma'am,
but they'll have to stay here

until we've gone over
the entire room.

Would you put them back, please?

Certainly, Lieutenant.

Let's go, Paul.

Yeah, she sure was clumsy trying
to get rid of that camera, wasn't she?

I wonder where the not-too-grieving
widow hid the film?

Paul, stick around
till Andy's through with her,

then bring her
straight to the office.

- Mrs. Thorne.
- No, no. Jill Garson.

Why, Mrs. Garson?
Why did you call Perry Mason?

Well, under the circumstances,
I felt an attorney should be present.

Your brother, Mr. Henry,
isn't an attorney?

- He was present.
- No, not at that particular moment.

I was, so to speak,
beating the bushes outside,

- driving all over the neighborhood--
- And I'm investigating a murder,

in which both of you are involved.

Now, does Mason represent
Billings Enterprises?

No.

Was he associated
with Edgar Thorne?

No.

Does he represent you,
Mrs. Garson?

No.

Lieutenant, I'm upset,
and it's late.

Would you mind very much
if I went home?

After you tell me why
you called Perry Mason.

The man we saw running away,
the one I was looking for--

Trevor Harris?

Mason is his attorney.

I'm quite sure my brother can tell you
anything you wish to know.

May I go now, please?

We can get your complete statement
in the morning.

All right, Mrs. Garson.
You can go.

Thank you. Good night.

"There is some soul of goodness..."

[chuckles] A remarkably loyal
and generous woman, my sister.

I like that line you quoted.

"There is some soul of goodness..."

I particularly like the way it ends:
"...in things evil."

You're very perceptive, Lieutenant.

And you're very evasive.

Why was Trevor Harris here tonight?

- Why?
- Save the poetry. Just one good reason.

Will you settle for
150 million good reasons?

- How good?
- Legal tender, Lieutenant.

$150 million.

The approximate sum
Trevor Harris' children

are about to inherit.

And which Trevor Harris
will control?

Possibly now.

Since the rather sudden elimination
of the children's legal guardian,

Mr. Edgar Thorne.

Mr. Harris came in
about five minutes ago.

Mr. Mason,
I know what happened.

Do you?

I was there.
Someone came, and I ran.

- Why did you run?
- Standing in a room,

trying to open a safe
that somebody had already opened?

Turning and seeing a dead body
lying on the floor, I...

It seemed like
the smartest thing to do.

- Why did you come here?
- I thought it over,

and decided to talk to you,

and give myself up
to the police.

- And confess that you killed Thorne?
- No, Mr. Mason.

Edgar Thorne was dead,
and that safe was open,

before I went into that room.

Sit down, Mr. Harris.

You can give yourself up
after we've talked.

Now, that envelope you went there
to get. What was in it?

Evidence, supposedly proving
that I embezzled $50,000...

from Billings Enterprises
before I left ten years ago.

- Supposedly?
- Mr. Mason, I never embezzled a cent.

But I might have made
some bad mistakes,

or messed up the company books--

I-I can't say.

What about this so-called
"embezzlement" evidence?

You know, it might appear in court,
and mitigate your rights

insofar as the custody
of your children is concerned.

I told you before,
I... neither expect nor deserve

the custody of my children.

The inheritance has
nothing to do with it.

All I want is the legal right
to petition the court

to make Jill Garson
the guardian of my children.

And you're not concerned over
your own possible opportunity...

of controlling millions of dollars?

No.

Some people might find that
hard to believe.

Believe what you please.

I said, "some people," Mr. Harris.

I have only one concern
in any of this: my children.

I want them left
in the care of Jill Garson.

- Why Jill Garson?
- If my children have any hope

for a normal upbringing,
for love or understanding--

those hopes lie with Jill Garson.

- And not with you?
- No, not with me.

Mr. Mason, try to understand.

I'm not sorry
for having left my wife.

That marriage was
a mistake from the beginning.

I was just a-a possession to her.

Another trinket
on a charm bracelet.

An expensive trinket?

Yes. They were generous.

Her Uncle John even made me
an officer of the company,

to bolster my self-respect.

No, I just couldn't take it.

I know, it was immature
and childish perhaps, but...

I went away as far as I could.

I'm not ashamed of what I am,
or what I do now.

But you are ashamed of what you were
and what you did ten years ago.

I left my kids, Mr. Mason.

Whatever happened between Barbara
and me, it doesn't change that.

I deserted them, too.

But they'll need you now, Mr. Harris.

With $150 million left them
by their mother,

they need a father
they haven't seen,

don't know--
don't even remember.

A father they've been taught
to believe is a no-good bum.

I'm sorry.

- Mr. Mason, I--
- [knocking on door]

Excuse me. Come in, Paul!

Trevor.

Trevor, why?
Why did you do it?

Didn't the children
have enough to bear?

Jill, I want them with you--
the children.

Please, don't say no.

I know you love them.

You'll see to it, please?
Won't you, Mr. Mason?

In due time, Mr. Harris.

Della, call the Thorne house.
Get Andy on the phone.

He's still there, isn't he, Paul?

Mrs. Garson, did your brother go with you
to the Thorne house tonight?

Why, no. He was leaving
just as I came up to the front gate.

- He went back to the house with me.
- [phone dialing]

Why, Mr. Mason?
You don't think--

Lieutenant Anderson, please.

Excuse me.

Andy?

Trevor Harris is here in my office.

If you'll come down, he's prepared
to surrender himself to you.

Assuming, of course,
that you're looking for him.

I'm looking for him, all right.

And for a roll of infrared film.

Now, you wouldn't happen to know
where that is, would you, Perry?

Yes, Andy. The film will
also be in my office

when you arrive.

[hangs up]

Won't it, Mrs. Garson?

I don't know what you're talking about.

The camera would have been
difficult to hide.

But you did manage to get
the magazine of film, did you not?

I thought you were
trying to help Trevor.

Mrs. Garson,

I'm his attorney.
You're his good friend.

We can't help him
by subjecting ourselves

to a felony indictment
on a charge of concealing evidence.

May I have the film, please?

All right, Andy.

There's one thing you should understand
about this infrared-sensitive film.

It doesn't give a regular picture.

About all you'll be able
to distinguish from this

is the action that was photographed.

[whirring]

[sighs]
Well, that's all there was.

Not much to go on, is it?

All right, Hamilton. Where are they?

Where are what?

Well, unless I'm very wrong,

prints developed
from the individual frames

of that film would show
a great deal of detail.

Knowing you, I'm sure
you had them made already.

Now, do I need a court order
compelling pre-trial discovery?

[laughs]
Of course, not. Andy, show them to him.

Clarence Henry.
Jill Garson's brother.

[Burger]
That's him, all right.

Did you, uh, know that before
you had these films developed?

Yes, we knew it.

And if you think that's gonna
help your client, Perry,

you're in for quite a shock--
in court.

Lieutenant, you testified
that in addition to the fingerprints

of the decedent
and those of his attorney,

that you found and identified
a third set of fingerprints.

Yes, sir.

To whom did this third set
of fingerprints belong?

- To the defendant, Trevor Harris.
- I see.

Yes, I did go to Trevor Harris
and tell him about the envelope.

But why, Miss Kasner?

Why did you feel you must
betray your employer

and go to Trevor Harris?

Edgar Thorne was not my employer.

I worked for Barbara Billings
for twenty years.

I loved her,
and I love her children,

and it was them
I was concerned about.

[Burger] What time was it when you
gave this information to Trevor Harris?

About, uh, 8:30.

Why, that was less than
two hours before the murder.

- Yes, but I'm sure that--
- Thank you, Miss Kasner.

Your witness.

Miss Kasner, you say you went
to the defendant to warn him

because of the information contained
in this mysterious envelope.

- Information concerning the defendant?
- Yes.

And you had no concern
for what that envelope might contain...

about other members of the household,
including perhaps yourself?

- No.
- Miss Kasner,

did you tell anyone other than Mr. Harris
about the envelope?

Yes. Jill Garson.

My husband was killed
in an automobile accident,

many years ago, and when
Barbara Billings became an invalid,

I went to work for her,
taking care of her children.

Then you did know Trevor Harris?

Yes.

After Trevor Harris left
his wife and children ten years ago,

when did you next
see the defendant?

When Michaela Martin
brought him to the house,

to, uh, see the family.

And on this occasion, did the defendant
make any statement to explain

his convenient return, just as
his wealthy wife was about to die?

Your Honor, I object to the question
on the ground that it's incompetent,

irrelevant and immaterial.

Your Honor, the testimony to be adduced
by that question is admissible.

And it's also competent, since it tends
to show the state of mind of the defendant.

Without stipulating
as to relevancy or materiality,

the question's incompetence
is implicit in lack of proper foundation.

It presupposes knowledge
on the part of the defendant

not yet in evidence
at this hearing.

Mr. Mason, Trevor Harris certainly
knew that his wife was dying.

He certainly knew that she was
one of the wealthiest women in the world.

And you knew the question
was so framed as to be

unduly prejudicial, making impossible
any objective appraisal of fact.

- Your Honor--
- That is enough, gentlemen.

The objection is sustained.

Did Trevor Harris,
in your presence,

say anything to Edgar Thorne
to explain...

the reason for his return?

Well, yes. He did say
he did not want...

Uncle Edgar to be
the guardian of his children.

And what did Edgar Thorne say
to this statement of the defendant's?

He warned Trevor that he had
documented evidence

that would discredit any attempt
on Trevor's part

to make any changes.

What was this documented evidence?

Your Honor, I object on the ground that
the evidence asked for is not best evidence.

Oh, Mr. Mason, for--

When the contents
of a written document are at issue,

the rule of best evidence requires that
the original document be produced.

But we don't have
the original document!

Then account for its unavailability
as foundation

before you introduce
secondary evidence.

Objection sustained.

All right, I'm finished
with the witness.

- No questions.
- Very well, Mr. Mason.

I call Michaela Martin
to the stand.

When I told the police there was
nothing missing from the safe,

I'd forgotten about the envelope.

You mean, Edgar Thorne's envelope?

Allegedly containing documentary evidence
about Trevor Harris?

That's right.

All right then,
just for the record,

and to lay the foundation
for Mr. Mason,

that envelope and its contents
had been removed from the safe,

and were not available
to the authorities.

Yes.

Mr. Henry, were you aware that Edgar Thorne
was trying to trap Trevor Harris?

Edgar wanted to prove
that Trevor Harris today

is as basically dishonest
as he was ten years ago.

That he would do anything
to gain his own ends.

Yes, I knew he was planning
some sort of trap.

Can you tell us
the nature of the trap?

Well, I didn't know then,
though of course I know now.

It was a special camera device,
using an infrared film.

Mr. Henry, can you tell us
who was caught in that trap?

- Was it the defendant?
- No, I activated that camera...

when I went there that night,
to get some papers

I needed from the safe.

Routine business papers.

Now, Mr. Henry,
when you opened that safe,

was that envelope, that you've heard
discussed here at such length, in it?

Oh, I'm sure it was.

Perhaps you could tell us,
Mr. Henry,

why your... visit that evening
was so secretive?

Well, it was late. I saw no point
in disturbing the whole household.

I see.

And as soon as you had gotten
the routine business papers

from the safe,
you left the house.

Yes. And as I drove out the front, I saw
someone else coming in the back gate.

- It was Trevor Harris.
- Well, what happened?

At the end of the driveway, I met my sister,
Mrs. Jill Garson, driving in.

She insisted we go back together.

As we approached the house,
we saw this man running out.

It was Trevor Harris.

I went after him, but lost him.

Mr. Henry, you testified
that when you opened the safe,

the envelope was in it.

Now at that time, was Edgar Thorne
in that library?

Alive or dead.

No.

And ten, or at the most, 15 minutes
after you saw Trevor Harris

running from that house,

Edgar Thorne was found shot dead
on the library floor,

and the envelope was missing!

Mr. Henry, do you know,
of your own personal knowledge,

the contents of that envelope?

Yes. It was indisputable,
documentary evidence

proving Trevor Harris
an embezzler.

And unquestionably unfit in any way
to control his children,

or the fortune
they would inherit.

It's ridiculous.
My husband was a fine man.

A good man.
A man of high moral character.

He loved Barbara,
and he loved those children.

And his exceptional competence
to provide for those children,

to guide in their bringing up,
should be questioned

by a criminally irresponsible man like--

Please, Mrs. Thorne.

Don't excite yourself.
You're not well.

The children's mother
knew what was best for them.

Barbara Billings designated
my husband as their guardian.

And now, you may become
guardian of those children.

And their money.

Tell me, aside from Trevor,
did anyone inside or outside of the family

ever question Edgar Thorne's fitness
to serve as guardian to the children?

No, never.

This paragon of virtue
to whom you were married,

he had no faults at all?

Edgar was a good man.

I'm not sure whether you're trying
to convince me or yourself.

Mr. Mason, I hardly think that it's--

Did Edgar Thorne
ever drink excessively?

- No.
- Gamble?

- No.
- Play around with other women?

- No.
- No?

- I said no.
- Why do you drink to excess?

- Why, I--
- Don't you drink to excess?

Well-- I--

That is, I--

I'm talking to you here, now,

because I don't want to produce
a dozen witnesses in court,

who are waiting to prove that you do,
and that you have done so for years.

I'm an alcoholic. Yes.

And Edgar Thorne
was no longer in love with you.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I'm talking about your husband's
interest in a younger woman.

- No.
- The woman he planned to marry...

after Barbara Billings died,
and after he'd gotten rid of you.

[sobbing]
No! No. No--

Now, who was that woman?

Miss Martin. Michaela Martin.

[whimpering]

The defense calls, as its first witness,
Mrs. Jill Garson.

The witness is reminded
that she is still under oath.

Proceed, Mr. Mason.

Mrs. Garson,
you took care of the children

belonging to the defendant
and the late Barbara Billings

for about seven years,
I believe.

Now, are you fond
of those children?

I love them, Mr. Mason.

No less than
if they were my own.

Then would you tell the court,
Mrs. Garson,

feeling as you do about them,
why they are no longer in your care.

Barbara Billings, my cousin,

decided, at my request,

to put them under
Edgar Thorne's care.

You were busy planning
many activities,

that would make continuity
of supervision impossible.

Yes. Mm-hmm.

So, you told your cousin you'd changed
your mind about Edgar Thorne,

and bowed out of the picture.

That's right. I--

Now, tell the court, if you will,
Mrs. Garson,

why you changed your mind
about Edgar Thorne's fitness

to serve as guardian to the children?

Well, it wasn't that I ever thought
he wasn't fit.

It's just that...

Well, after Uncle John died,
I felt it was time

I had a life of my own,
that's all.

This change of status came about

when the long-time president
of Billings Enterprises died,

and Edgar Thorne, instead of
your brother Clarence, replaced him.

Yes.

Now would you tell the court,
please,

how the roll of infrared film

came into the possession
of the police.

I removed it from the library,

and I gave it to you,
at your insistence, in your office.

And you turned it over
to the police.

When the police questioned you,
before you brought that film to my office,

what did you tell them
about Trevor Harris?

I told him I had seen Trevor
running away

before I found Edgar's body.

You liked Trevor, but you wouldn't
lie to protect him.

- Of course not.
- Then why didn't you, then and there,

tell them about
the film you'd found?

- Well, I--
- Was it because you suspected even then

that the film was not of Trevor,
but of your brother, Clarence?

Please, Mr. Mason--

That the film would show your brother
stealing the proof

that the embezzler of $50,000
ten years ago

was not Trevor Harris,
but was in fact--

- Me!
- No, Clarence, no.

It's all right, Jill.
You've lied enough to protect me.

I can't let you do it any longer.

Yes, I-- I embezzled that 50,000.

I was responsible, and Edgar Thorne
threatened to have me charged

with criminal negligence.

Oh, believe me, Mr. Mason,
Jill knew I was in trouble.

That I'd committed a crime.
But she didn't know what it was.

She had no idea,
until a couple of days ago,

it was the same crime Edgar was
accusing Trevor of having committed.

She did not know
that Edgar cleared me

by framing the embezzlement
on Trevor.

She knew only that,
to save you,

she was forced to separate
herself from the children.

It wasn't much of a choice.
I could have gone to prison.

You saw the trumped-up embezzlement
proof in that envelope.

Now, could Edgar Thorne
have prepared it all himself?

No. Someone had
to have helped him.

Someone closely connected
with the family.

Did you remove that envelope
from the safe?

No. Believe me, no.

Mr. Henry, was Edgar Thorne
planning to divorce his wife?

Yes.

And did you know if he was planning
to marry somebody else?

Yes, he told me he was.

This other woman
he said he would marry.

Did he tell you who she was?

No. I asked,
but he wouldn't tell me.

He ordered me
to take her back to her room.

And who was the woman with whom
Clara Thorne accused her husband

of being in love?

- Michaela Martin.
- You couldn't be mistaken about that?

- Oh, no.
- Just as Clara Thorne was mistaken?

Believing the woman in her husband's life
was Michaela Martin?

Oh, no, she wasn't mistaken.
It was true.

I saw them myself.

Earlier that night, when I got back
from Trevor Harris,

Michaela and Mr. Thorne...
kissing and--

You saw, and you were jealous,
were you not?

Isn't it possible it was you
he had promised to marry,

- after he got rid of his wife?
- No.

[laughs uneasily]
No. No!

Shall I call Clarence Henry
back to the stand,

and ask when Edgar Thorne told him
he planned a divorce and remarriage?

Mr. Mason-- No.

And suppose he testifies
Edgar Thorne told him

seven months ago-- a month before
he met and hired Michaela Martin?

He was mine!
Mine, Mr. Mason!

All those years,
I did his dirty work for him.

Like baiting Trevor Harris
into that trap he set for him,

and helping to frame that
embezzlement charge against him?

It was me! It was me,
working with Edgar together.

Everything! Together.

And when you got back from Trevor's?

There he was, with her.

Kissing her.

So you killed him.

I... killed him.

When Clarence opened the safe,
Edgar came down

expecting to find you, Trevor,
in a criminal act.

The gun was possibly to restrain you
or even accidentally shoot you.

That we'll never know.
But he recognized Clarence,

and let him go
without saying anything.

- He was still waiting for you.
- Nora followed him.

They argued, fought,
and she killed him.

But tell me, Mr. Mason.

- Who took the envelope?
- Nora.

She knew those
trumped-up documents

would incriminate her
if they were examined.

Having killed Edgar, she had to destroy
anything that might point to her.

Uh, Trevor?

Excuse me.

Jill.

I understand you're flying back
to Saudi Arabia today.

Yes, the plane leaves
in about, oh, two hours.

Glad you came over
to say good-bye, Jill.

I have, uh, two young friends
with me outside.

I thought perhaps, before you went away,
you might like to say hello to them.

Oh, I'm sorry you did that, Jill.

Trevor, they've been told lies
about you.

Not everything was a lie.

You're going
to punish yourself forever?

No, only until I earn the right
to extend my hand to them.

And until they're grown enough
to want to take it.

It won't be forever.

Take good care of them, Jill.

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