All language subtitles for Perry Mason S04E03 The Case of the Ill-Fated Faker.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

Since we are currently planning

investment in the new field,

you may anticipate
hearing from my partner

or myself at the
earliest possible date.

I can finish the rest of
this myself, Mr. Gorman.

No, no, we've got all
the way to the airport.

Just take me a minute
to pick up my suitcase.

Oh, but I know your wife's home.

And I could take a
taxi back to the office.

Wouldn't she like to drive you

to the airport herself?

If she's going to be gone
by the time you get back.

Don't try to interfere, Betty.

You wait here. I know best.

When will I see you again?

Next weekend?

The next?

You'll at least bring
Harold Ames up to the cabin

to talk about
business, won't you?

Alice, you know very well

how important this
summer period is.

The liquidation, our
whole reinvestment.

Our company 'tis of thee,
sweet corporate entity.

Honey, I'm sorry I
have to run off like this,

our last night together,

but you'll be happier
up in the mountains

for a while, you know that.

Okay?

What about Jim? Who?

You weren't even
listening, were you?

Your nephew Jim is in town.

Didn't your secretary tell you?

No.

You mean he phoned
here, at the house?

What kind of trouble
is he in this time?

Oh, never mind, don't tell me.

And don't tell me how
much money he needs either.

You mean there's no time

for any member of your family?

Alice, I don't want to see him.

No, and I don't want
you talking to him, either.

We've no time for
irresponsible, useless...

You believe me,
dear, I know best.

Carl, what do we have time for?

When this summer period is over,

what's going to happen
then? Alice, for heavens' sake.

Don't ask me to explain
my plans for a new factory

in a time like this.

New factory.

For a guy who knows
best about everything,

wow.

Yes. Wow.

Sorry, Jim. Why?

I've come to Carl
for the last time.

Alice, we're going to teach him

a lesson he'll never forget.

Well? Aren't we?

Jim.

Now, you'd better
get used to that.

Oh, a dozen martinis, please.

I'll just feel easier

when we're away from
Los Angeles, that's all.

Away from California, you mean.

Away from the United States.

Did you get to the
bank before it closed?

There, that's the
savings account.

It's joint, so I could
make a full withdrawal.

That's all my tycoon
uncle keeps around?

A measly 11,000?

Most of Carl's money is
tied up in the company,

you know that.

Yes. Yes, of course.

I still own one-millionth
of it myself, remember?

Ten cents worth.

Darling, this is all the
money we really need.

We can travel for
months, if we like.

That's not the point. I
have obligations right now.

What sort of obligations?

Jim, you haven't been
gambling again, have you?

Now, now, the important thing

is that you deserve
more than this.

If you sued Carl for divorce
you'd get five times as much.

Oh, no, I couldn't.

He'd fight me, I
couldn't stand that.

All right.

Did you look in the
safe deposit box?

He has the audit

of his father's paper company.

I copied the only
figures there were.

They're debts of his father's

he hoped he could
repay sometime.

But now he's going
into a business

his father was dishonest in.

He could be ruined
and he knows it.

Disgraced.

But I don't want
him to be disgraced.

I want a fair share of the money

Carl and I struggled
so hard to get, but...

Don't worry, nobody's
really going to be hurt.

I promise.

Look, do you have
a key to Carl's office?

Jim, there's nothing
in Carl's office

worth our taking.

Now, let me decide these things.

There's a guy I know

who used to work
for the company.

He can look around,

tell me what's available.

But, darling...

What's the matter,
don't you trust me?

Are you getting cold feet?

Jim.

What's the matter, wrong flavor?

I've been thinking.

They've been selling
their assets left and right.

That means they're converting
to cash, doesn't it, Stan?

What I wanna know is
how much and where it is.

Say, I know a guy
that handles explosives.

Are you crazy? It
wouldn't be in there.

Now, just wait a minute.

Here's some correspondence.

Well?

Well, there's at least $80,000

they've just deposited
from one big sale.

Let me take a look at that.

Wait, there's somebody outside.

It's Mr. Ames.

Listen, Jim, I just got
fired from this outfit.

He can't find me here.

Wait a minute, you
want a thousand dollars

for helping me or not?

All right, you stay here.

Don't make any noise.

In the name of... Hey, wake up.

Oh, it's you. What
are you doing here?

Oh, the janitor let me in.

I thought it might be all right

if I slept here
to wait for Carl.

He's out of town
till tomorrow noon.

Didn't you talk to Alice?

Uh-uh.

No, I didn't want to get
anybody else involved.

Oh, I could have
gone to a hotel,

I guess, but, uh...

Well, I was afraid I
might be followed.

Followed?

Yeah, some guys are
tailing me, gamblers.

Claim we owe them some money.

Harold, you don't suppose you...

If you're in some
kind of trouble, Jim,

you better wait and
talk to Carl about it.

Oh, yeah?

You remember some snapshots

I took at that
certain office party?

There's nothing I
can do about it, Jim.

Now, please, wait for Carl.

Oh, I'm sorry, I-I'm just upset.

How much money do you need?

Oh, $80,000.

Eighty what?

Well... Well, it's
not that I really think

they'd kill me if I didn't pay.

Well, at least I can get
you a room at my club.

They won't bother you there.

Come on. Thanks.

Oh, wait.

I'll get the lights,
my coat's in there.

The janitor.

I wanted to leave him 10 bucks.

I haven't any change.

I'll be back in a second.

Just find out how they
got that dough deposited.

See if it's where
old Carl can dig it out

for us in a hurry.

Jim, I don't want
no part of this.

If you've got
gamblers chasing you.

Oh, will you relax?
There are no gamblers.

Nobody's gonna cut in
on this deal but you, buddy,

sure for 5,000.

Just you.

Jim took that $10, sir.

And then down at the club,

he conned my gullible
partner out of a cool hundred

for tips and drinks, he said.

Plus another hundred

for breakfast and emergencies.

It's typical, he's
done it a million times.

This noon he upset my secretary

with the same wild story.

What about your wife?

Did he talk to her?

No, no. She'd have
nothing to do with him.

Anyway, Alice is
up in the mountains.

Left first thing this morning.

This business of Jim's
being in danger from gamblers

would be fairly easy to verify.

I have an investigator who...

Mr. Mason, my nephew has been

a liar and a troublemaker
since he was 5 years old.

Nothing he says is true.

I only want you to understand

I'm doing the right thing

in calling a halt
to Jim, that's all.

You want me to arrange
the dummy purchase

of a small piece of your company

which he still seems to own.

I don't care if you pay
him a thousand dollars,

just him out of here.

I want his name
taken out of my will too.

I want my nephew
crossed out of my life.

If it were possible,
I'd have him

restrained and enjoined
from coming into my house.

Hold on a minute, Mr. Gorman.

Della, read back those
figures, will you, please?

The money Jim
received from Mr. Ames.

"Jim took that $10,

"then down at the
club a cool hundred.

Plus another hundred for
breakfast and emergencies."

Two hundred and ten dollars.

More than petty larceny.

What are you talking about?

In California law,

getting money
under false pretenses

comes under the
definition of theft.

Theft?

You mean we might bring

criminal charges against him?

Mr. Gorman,

I wasn't seriously
suggesting such action.

Why are you so anxious

to get something on your nephew?

Well, I don't understand you.

I was just wondering
why you waited so long

to rid yourself of such
a person, that's all.

Mr. Mason, he is my nephew,

but everything has to
come to an end sometime.

I'm fed up.

Has he ever blackmailed
you, Mr. Gorman?

Blackmail? Over what?

Mason, I'd kill anyone
who ever tried such a thing.

Just that I'm going
into new ventures now.

It's true I thought that
what you suggested

could somehow be used
to get him out of my hair.

But see here, if
you're not interested...

No, no. I'll look into it.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

Thank you. Good
day, Miss Street.

Good day.

I wonder what hold

his nephew has over Mr. Gorman.

Thank you.

Ah, Mr. Gorman.

What is it, Betty?

In here, please.

Mr. Gorman,

those men your nephew
told you about before,

those gamblers or
whatever they are.

Jim? What phone is he on?

I'll fix that useless...
No, no. It's long-distance,

it's your wife.

Those men were at
the cabin waiting for her.

Alice?

Hello, Alice? Are you all right?

Do you want me
to call the police?

They want to make
a business deal, Carl.

To sell you these things.

Oh, I'm perfectly all right.

So far. What?

Well, there's all this
material on your background,

about your father's company.

Well, yes, I... I suppose
they did get it from Jim.

I don't know how, but they did.

I told him, I wouldn't
pay him one red penny.

Carl, listen to me.

These men work for
gamblers, they're criminals.

They... They won't
stop at anything.

Oh, no, uh, they
say don't you come.

Send somebody else.

Yes, send Betty, alone.

She'd be all right.

With $80,000.

That's blackmail and extortion.

And how do you know
they'll give you anything?

Carl, they say
they're only doing this

to collect the money
Jim owes them.

Please, they haven't
done anything to me yet,

but I'm afraid of these men.

All right. Tell them all right.

I'll send it.

And, Alice, be brave. I know...

Yes, of course.

I was about to
say, "I know best."

Great performance.

Here.

Honey, he's selfish,
stubborn and egotistical.

He nearly wrecked your life,

he never did.

I was just wondering,
what you are, that's all.

What you'll do to my life.

Honey, we've got at
least four hours to wait.

Why don't I walk down the road

and see if I can get
the electricity turned on?

No. We can use the lanterns.

Jim, please don't leave alone.

Shh.

A car.

Mrs. Gorman?

Alice? Can you hear me?

Alice, are you in there?

Honey, get hold of yourself.

Go on.

Alice? It's Betty.

I'm all right.

Just do as you were told.

Just throw out the
money. Just leave it.

But...? But what about
you? Shouldn't I wait?

Do what she says,
lady. Make it fast.

Honey, look.

Just look at this.

Tomorrow we'll be in Cuernavaca,

laughing through our martinis.

Eighty thousand dollars.

I'll do the counting.

Ah. Hey.

Wait a minute, who are
you? Never mind, buddy.

You're Jim Ferris, you got some
dough, you're coming with me.

What do you mean
I'm...? Now, hurry it up!

Get the money! Get the money!

Stand still.

Jim, grab him.

Where'd you get that thing?

Alice. Get away from me!

Jim.

Lady, you killed him.

Hey, Jim. Jim. Jim.

Alice!

Alice, where are you?

Betty's been my secretary
for nearly six years.

She could no more
think of hurting anyone

than telling a lie
about anything.

It only says she was
questioned, Mr. Gorman.

She hasn't been
charged with anything yet.

I should hope not.

She was only up there
to deliver the money.

I had to explain that
to the police, of course.

Your nephew Jim was
murdered, however.

"Discovery that Mr. Ferris'
death was not caused

"by the fire came
when doctors reported

finding a bullet
lodged in his spine."

All right, but
Betty didn't do it.

Who do you think did
kill him, Mr. Gorman?

Mason, all I know
is I need your help.

Go see why they've
kept Betty downtown.

If she isn't charged
with anything,

why she can't leave?

Oh, I'm sure she can.

But what about your wife?

After she got home last night,

couldn't she remember
what had happened?

Alice still isn't very
coherent, I'm afraid.

She's under sedation, in fact.

She's told the
police all she could.

The doctor doesn't
want her disturbed.

Did she mention
seeing your nephew

up there at the cabin?

Oh, no, she had no idea

that Jim was within
miles of the place.

You see, a masked
man was waiting for her,

when she drove
up that afternoon.

He and another masked
man were all that she saw.

If they were holding
Jim prisoner there,

she'd no inkling of it.

And after the
money was delivered,

the men gave your wife
some personal papers

and released her?

Alice said she drove
away as fast as she could.

What was so important about
those papers, Mr. Gorman?

My father was once
unfortunately prominent

in this business that
I'm expanding into,

paper packaging.

He, uh... Well, he went to
prison for certain things he did.

I changed my name.

But see here, I'd never
have paid $80,000

just to hide Jim's little
collection of facts about it,

if they hadn't
been holding Alice.

If those men hadn't been
professional criminals,

gamblers' men... Excuse
me, just a moment.

Paul, tell Mr. Gorman
what you found out

from Tahoe and Las Vegas.

Well, your nephew's name

is well-known to
gamblers, all right.

Both his own and
an alias he uses.

Gossip travels pretty
fast in those circles.

I shouldn't wonder.

Any man who's in debt
for $80,000... Go on.

Jim Ferris was known
to be on a blacklist.

No credit.

Everyplace we checked,
they'd laugh at the idea

of anybody rolling
dice with him,

let alone ever
expecting to collect

more than 5 bucks.

In other words, Mr. Gorman,

the police investigation
will probably prove

that gamblers had nothing to do

with either shaking you down
or murdering your nephew.

Of course, we know
that the blackmail facts

had to come from Jim himself.

But who else was involved?

The responsibility for
all this, Mr. Gorman,

may lie a good deal closer
to home than you think.

No matter how it happened,

I'll need your help.

Of course.

Thanks for bringing
me home, Mr. Mason.

I'm sorry I can't tell you more,

but I just didn't see anymore.

Did you recognize
the man's voice

from the cabin?

The one who told you
to throw the money out?

No. Of course not.

That's the same sort
of ridiculous question

the police kept
asking me all night.

You remember how things
were arranged in here?

Or, um, is there a
maid that tidies up?

No, I'm the maid.

That's why everything
is such a mess...

Mmm. Things look
pretty neat now.

I'd guess that's why
the police kept you

downtown for a while.

But they have no
right to just break in

and search a person's room.

This is your
landlady's building.

They probably looked
through your car also.

But why, Mr. Mason?

What could anybody
possibly think I might have?

Eighty thousand dollars.

Mr. Mason, I don't have
anything to do with this.

I was just doing an errand.

Betty.

Did you know Jim Ferris?

Yes. Well, I mean, that is,

not very well.

He... He was once rather
a pest around the office.

Eh, it was last year,
that one little time

when he worked there.

And then he went
off to Mexico, I think.

Where in Mexico?

Some place in Cuernavaca.

He was always talking about it.

To the girls, I mean.

Oh, Mr. Gorman
must have told you

what Jim was like.

When was the next
time you saw him?

Uh, didn't he called the
office early yesterday,

trying to reach Mr. Gorman? Yes,

and he phoned here
the night before. Here?

Yes, he wanted to know
how to reach someone.

A man who used to work
as an accountant in the office.

What was the man's name?

Piper. Stanley Piper.

Stanley J. Piper.

Age 35, single, been fired
from any number of jobs.

Well, I find he checked
out of his rooming house

early yesterday morning.

Several hours before
any of this happened.

Checked out for good?

Yep. Packed a bag

and kissed the cleaning
woman goodbye.

Real happy for some reason.

Maybe 80,000 reasons.

Better get somebody on his
trail as quickly as possible.

Well, he shouldn't
be too hard to trace.

He's got a small
scar on his forehead

and walks with kind of a slouch.

Hold on a second, Paul.

Seven minutes. There
are so many curves.

It took me almost eight
minutes going the other way

from here to the cabin.

Police still up there? Mm-hm.
They were just leaving.

Driving out the other road.

And, Paul, when
you get out here,

check that description of Piper

with the people
in the cabin area.

Oh, and bring some
wire screening with you.

I want you to sift
through anything

that might be
left from the fire.

Yes, I can reach you there.

Thanks.

You know, the cabin's
just right up there,

but the road winds all
along the ridge and back.

So if Betty left the money,

took seven minutes
to drive down here,

started to phone Gorman in town,

then saw the fire,
took eight minutes

to drive up there again...

That's 15 minutes
at least, Perry.

There could have been
a fight over the money,

the murder, the fire starting.

All sorts of things could have
happened during that time.

Exactly.

With all sorts of people.

I'm afraid I was quite unaware

of what was going on.

My husband was
right here in the house,

all last evening, Mr. Mason.

Never mind, Dora.

Mr. Mason isn't here

to check into my activities.

No, of course not.

Can you tell me
anything about a man

named Stanley Piper, Mr. Ames?

I believe you once fired him.

I discharged him, yes.

There was nothing
violent about his leaving.

He's the one who stole things,

isn't he? Last year?

You can see my wife

is a stickler for the
truth, Mr. Mason.

Well, I'm glad she is.

An accountant who would steal

might also be capable
of masterminding

some plan for extortion,
don't you think?

Masterminding?
Hardly, Mr. Mason.

Piper stole stamps.

Took a few dollars out
of petty cash every week.

If he's involved in
something criminal,

I'm sure it's in quite
a minor capacity.

Perhaps as a hired hand.

Mr. Ames,

didn't Mr. Gorman
consult with you

before taking that $80,000

out of the company accounts?

He certainly did not.

Well, how could he?

I was out of the office
when it happened.

In his position I would have
done exactly the same thing.

Why, good heavens,

Alice Gorman's life
might have been in danger

as I understand it.

Alice? In danger from two men?

Oh. Please, Dora.

Eh, tell me,

if that $80,000 should
never be recovered,

how would it affect
you, Mr. Ames?

How would it affect
your company?

We'd both be rather
shattered, I presume.

Alice.

Is he here?

I could ask him to
wait a little longer.

No, of course not.
Why should you?

I'm perfectly willing
to see anyone...

Hello, Mrs. Gorman.

My name is Mason.
Yes, of course.

I thought if our
own lawyer heard

everything you can
remember, Alice...

Oh, there's more
of those reporters.

I swear every
newspaper in town...

It's all right, we'll
get along all right

for a minute or two. Go ahead.

I'm not going to pester you

with any of the
details, Mrs. Gorman.

They gave me all those pills.

I know.

I'm only going to ask you

about the two men at the cabin.

Were you able to see either

one of them clearly? No.

No, they wore masks.

Perhaps one of them
had a receding hairline?

Shaped something
like a widow's peak?

Widow's peak?

Oh, yes, I did see the one man.

He had a... A little scar
up there on his forehead.

Does the name Stanley
Piper mean anything to you?

No.

What about the second man?

I-I didn't see him very well.

Could he'd kept out of
your sight intentionally?

Could the second man have
been your husband's nephew?

Could have been Jim Ferris?

I'd like to hear the answer
to that too, Mrs. Gorman.

Alice, dear, Lieutenant
Tragg has come back to...

Please, please.

Don't let me interrupt
you, Mr. Mason.

Go right ahead.

Well, uh, Mrs. Gorman,

did the second man
speak to you at all?

So that you might have been
able to recognize his voice?

That's right, he
didn't speak to me.

No, I never once
heard his voice.

He never even came close,

I-I didn't even get
a good look at him.

Is that what you mean?

Good enough for me.

What do you mean by that?

Well, it was Jim
Ferris, all right.

That's why he was so bashful.

We, uh, located a forest ranger,

and he got a good look at
a man who stepped briefly

out of the cabin
yesterday afternoon.

The, uh, description
fits perfectly.

Yes, I-I guess it
could have been Jim.

You mean Jim did everything?

Is that what you're
trying to say?

Well, perhaps he
and a hired accomplice

named Stanley Piper.

There's a woman mixed
up in it too, I'm afraid.

Perhaps more importantly.

A woman?

Yes, a woman was seen
with Ferris the night before.

Your secretary, Mr. Gorman.

I think you should know

that we're now
prepared to charge

Betty Wilkins with
murder in the first degree.

But she doesn't...

She once applied for a marriage
license with your nephew.

Perhaps you didn't
know about that.

She also wrote him letters,

keeping him privately posted
on your financial situation.

Not to mention that
Ferris and a woman bought

airplane tickets to Mexico,

and it was her gun
which killed Ferris.

Oh, there's plenty of evidence

against Betty
Wilkins, all right.

Well, now if your wife
feels up to helping me

with a few little details?

Goodbye, Mr. Mason.

Mason, I had no idea.

I didn't think Betty
even knew Jim.

To think that all this time...

Well, I'm sorry,
that's all I can say.

Sorry?

For asking you to help.

Why, if I'd once thought

that Betty had actually
committed murder...

Mason, where are you going?

I'd say she needed a
lawyer now more than ever,

wouldn't you?

This is everything I got
from sifting the ashes.

Here, that's what you
were asking about.

It might be a lead.

What about Mr. Piper?

The police have an
all-points out for him.

Did you follow up
on the plane ticket

Jim Ferris bought?

Two, from Tijuana south.

It could be that, uh,
Piper grabbed them

for a fast getaway.

Cuernavaca's not far these days.

You better do some traveling.

All right, see,

why is Burger's office moving

into this hearing
in such a hurry?

And he put one of his best boys,

Jack Alvin, on the case.

Think maybe that he's
got a direct line to Piper?

O possibly some of the money?

With the purpose
of this hearing,

they don't need either one.

It's our side that
needs a witness.

Any witness.

The three lowest
cervical vertebrae

were completely shattered.

After passing through the lung,

the bullet, in effect,

simply ricocheted
along the spine.

And he definitely
died of that gunshot,

not from any
effects of the fire.

Mm-hm. Thank you, doctor.

Mr. Mason?

Now, doctor,

you cannot state exactly
when Mr. Ferris died?

Well, shortly before the fire,

as I've explained.

There was no breathing

after the flames reached him.

Can you be more accurate

concerning the number of
times Mr. Ferris was shot?

There was only the one bullet.

Yet I am told the
police recovered

quite a number of
empty shell casings

from the ashes of the fire.

Doctor, you described

considerable tissue
damage to the body.

Is it possible that such damage

could have kept
you from detecting

another bullet wound?

Well, if any other bullet
passed through his body

in a place we couldn't detect,

it could only have been

in one or two
superficial locations.

Thank you,
doctor, that'll be all.

A comparison test was made
with this weapon in laboratory.

It definitely checks
out as the murder gun.

Now, lieutenant, you testified

that an automatic of this
make and serial number

was purchased three months ago

at the Colfax Hardware Company

by a Miss Betty Wilkins. Yes.

And a permit was
issued to Miss Wilkins

the preceding day. Mm-hm.

Your Honor...

I bought it for the office.

Mr. Gorman asked me to,

'cause there'd been
several robberies.

I ask that these be marked
as People's Exhibit G.

Mr. Mason.

The defense has no
objection, Your Honor.

Now, lieutenant, would
you tell us a little more

about the search that
you made of the cabin area

the day after the crime?

What were the
results of that search?

Well, my men sifted
through the ashes,

the debris.

They recovered a
belt buckle, key chain,

the glasses prescription
from Ferris' charred wallet.

But what about the
empty shell casings?

The brass casings that are left

after bullets have been fired?

Yes, we found quite
a few of them too.

We found 14 .22 caliber shells,

half a dozen 25-20...

I don't think it's necessary

to read the entire
list, lieutenant.

How do you account
for there being so many?

Surely all that ammunition
wasn't used on Mr. Ferris.

Well, it was a hunting cabin.

That's all.

Lieutenant Tragg,
you neglected to read

one item on that list.

How many .25 caliber
shell casings were found,

of the type used in
the murder weapon?

Two.

An automatic ejects
the shell casing

the moment it
fires, is that correct?

It is.

How do you explain
the second shell casing?

Well, the same way I'd
explain all those shells.

Through the years, a great
many people were up there

with a great many weapons.

Were there any tests
made to determine

whether those shells had
been fired from the same gun?

Yes, on an automatic

there are firing pin
and pressure pin marks,

known as bridge block signature.

Now, what did these
tests show, lieutenant?

Well, as it happens,
the fire destroyed

the bridge block signature.

But, lieutenant, as firing pin
marks are not absolute proofs,

such as the Ballistic
check run on the slug itself,

what were your conclusions?

Well, the best we can say
is there was no difference.

The two casings could have been
ejected from the murder weapon

or half a million other
guns of the same type.

Now, lieutenant, is that, uh,
little .25 caliber purse-weapon

the sort of gun commonly
used for hunting?

No.

Thank you. That'll be all.

Lieutenant, how many slugs

did you find on those ashes?

That is, bullets that
could have been fired

through the murder weapon.

Why, none.

There was only the
one in the body, that's all.

Yes, but couldn't
additional shots

been embedded in the woodwork?

Or in the walls of the cabin?

No, no, we searched every inch.

There was just plain
one shot that was fired,

and that's all
there is to it, sir.

And do you have
reason to believe

those findings were
confirmed in any way?

Yes, after my men
finished their work,

a private investigator,
Mr. Paul Drake,

had permission to move
in with his own men.

And they sifted the
ashes for some time.

With what results, do you know?

Oh, if they'd found anything,

I'm sure they would
have reported it

to the authorities.

Even if they didn't
report it to anyone else.

That's all. No more questions.

Anything on recross, Mr. Mason?

Yes, Your Honor.

Lieutenant Tragg,
did your men find

any traces of money at
the scene of the crime?

Money, sir?

Traces of burned silk thread,

perhaps of bills of
large denomination.

Such as $50 bills?

No, we found no indication
of any burned money.

Thank you,
lieutenant. That'll be all.

Your honor, it's quite
apparent that the defense

is either fishing or stalling.

However, since he has
touched upon a point

which I intended
to hold until later,

I'll like to ask one more
question for this witness.

All right. Proceed.

Lieutenant, did you find, uh...

traces of such
money anywhere else?

Yes, sir. On the
night of the murder,

we found a bundle of $50 bills.

Five thousand dollars.

And were did you
find this money?

We found it in the automobile

belonging to the defendant,
Miss Betty Wilkins.

Now, Mrs. Gorman.

Think very carefully.

Did you actually see the money

thrown from the
defendant's automobile?

Or see the man go pick it up?

Did you ever, in fact,
see any money at all?

No. No, I didn't.

You only heard it spoken
of, perhaps for your benefit.

Now, once more: What
exact words were spoken?

Betty honked the horn

and called my name,
and I called her:

"I'm all right, just
do as you were told.

Just throw out the money."

And then I heard
the car drive away.

That's all I know.

That's all there is.

After Alice's phone call,

I went to the bank
to get the cash

for the transaction I described.

I understand.

Then what you got was $80,000,

all in $50 bills,
is that correct?

Yes.

Were these bills
marked in any way,

the serial numbers recorded?

No, I didn't want to
attract any attention.

Then what happened?

I put the money
into Betty Wilkins' car

and she drove off.

That's the last I knew,

until my wife came
home that evening.

Now, tell me, Mrs.
Ames, did you ever...

Last year, that is.

See Mr. Ferris and
Miss Wilkins together?

Yes. Yes, it was after a
company party, one night.

I went out to get my car,

and there was Betty
and this, um, Jim Ferris

standing in the parking lot.

Oh, and what were they doing?

Kissing each other.

Mm, now, on the
night before the murder,

did you again see
Mr. Ferris and Miss Wilkins?

Yes, I... I happened to
drive by the company office,

and, uh, I was on my way
to see a friend who was ill,

and Betty's car was
parked out in front.

Mr. Ferris was sitting inside.

Mm-hm. And that's
all he was doing?

Just sitting there? Well,
I drove around the block.

By then he was getting out of
the car and going to meet her,

and Betty was coming
out of the building.

I suppose that he'd
been waiting for her.

And that's all you saw?

I couldn't very well
drive around again.

The next night I came
by, just out of curiosity,

and they were gone by then.

Thank you, Mrs. Ames.

Counselor?

Uh, Mr. Mason,
perhaps you'll agree

to postponing your
cross-examination.

It's nearly 5:00. I have
no objection, Your Honor.

Court is adjourned until
9:30 tomorrow morning.

I guess I was in love
with him, Mr. Mason.

But I really didn't want to be.

That was last year.
What about his meeting

you outside the
office, the other night?

We only talked
for a few minutes.

He wanted to ask me some
questions about the company.

He was always asking
questions like that in his letters.

But, well, I just didn't think
I should answer anymore.

And I didn't want
to see him again.

So you told him goodbye?

Yes, and... And then I drove
him over to the Pink Lady.

That's a cocktail bar.

He said he was meeting someone.

A woman, I assumed.

Betty, why haven't you
tell me all this before?

How can I pry the whole
truth out of other people,

when my own client...?

I know, Mr. Mason.
I'm terribly sorry.

But... But when you're
really just a bystander,

isn't it natural
to try t-to avoid

telling things?

Isn't it?

I just hope another bystander

doesn't manage to
avoid it for too long.

I'm sorry, Perry,

but I'm afraid
we're out of luck.

Stan Piper just is
not in Cuernavaca.

I've another idea, Paul.

You'll receive
some notes from me.

I want you to you to put them

in the mailbox
at the hotel there.

We'll use them as bait.

Perry, two police detectives

from Los Angeles beat
me down here by a full day.

They've combed the
place with Piper's picture.

They're just as
anxious as we are

to find out how much
of that $80,000 he's got.

But the guy just plain
went someplace else.

I'll stick around down
here if you want me to,

but you're just going
to have to ride out

that hearing
without any witness.

We were, uh, in other words,

converting certain
company assets into cash.

Mm-hm.

Would Betty Wilkins
have known that?

Would she have
known the exact dates

when there would be
large amounts of money

in the company's bank accounts?

Yes, she had access
to that information.

Thank you, Mr. Ames.
Cross-examine?

Mr. Ames, your wife testified

about visiting a
friend evenings.

You heard that
testimony, did you not?

Yes, sir.

I didn't cross-examine
her on that subject

as I knew you would
be called to the stand.

Mr. Ames, do you remember
a certain conversation

in which your
wife clearly stated

that on the night of the murder,

you were at home
all evening? I do.

I object, Your Honor,

on the grounds that
no proper foundation

has been established for
an impeaching question.

That Counsel must show the time,

the place and the
persons present.

The object of
specifying the time,

place and persons present

is to give the
witness an opportunity

to recall the specific
conversation.

Now, the witness has stated

that he does recall
the conversation.

Therefore, I'll allow
Counsel to proceed.

Continue, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Ames, if your
wife went out visiting,

drove past your office,

not only the night
before the murder

but in her own words,
"the next night too."

How could she be certain
of your exact whereabouts

on either evening?
She couldn't, of course.

Harold.

Never mind, Dora.

She was trying to
protect me, I presume.

Oh, to give you
an alibi, you mean?

But what about her?

Hasn't it ever occurred
to you, Mr. Ames,

that some woman
other than Betty Wilkins

could have been
involved with Jim Ferris?

Objection.

This line of questioning
is entirely irrelevant

and immaterial.

I'll agree you're getting

pretty far afield,
Mr. Counselor.

I intend to connect
it up, Your Honor.

I would like to continue

my cross-examination
of this witness.

But, Your Honor...

Uh, there's no jury to be
influenced here, Mr. Prosecutor.

I'll listen for a while.

Mr. Ames, were
you ever blackmailed

by the decedent?

Of course not.

Was your wife ever
blackmailed by Jim Ferris?

Now, look here, sir,

I don't know what
you're trying to prove...

Found in Jim Ferris'
effects were certain...

Jim Ferris took a few pictures
at an office party one time.

They don't mean a
thing and never have.

I was foolish once
or twice, that's all.

My wife knows all about it.

And for you to try...

Were you being
foolish, Mr. Ames,

because your wife was foolish?

Because your wife was
secretly meeting Jim Ferris?

I-I-I'm not the one. She is.

There she sits now, ask her.

Judge, Your Honor.

No. Ask her. Sit down.

Sit down, sit down.

Your Honor, if I
could be recalled,

maybe I could explain...

Order. Order, please.

Your Honor, the
state is interested

in finding the truth, not
in gaining convictions.

I have no objection
to recalling a witness.

However, it seems to
me that Mrs. Gorman

is perhaps the witness
to recall at this moment.

Eh, yes, Your Honor,

I believe it was Mrs.
Gorman who was seen

at the Pink Lady with Jim Ferris

on the night before the murder.

Eh, perhaps if a
certain cocktail waitress

from the Pink Lady
is asked to stand.

Her name is Frances Banks.

Your Honor, I'm
often out of town.

And I don't think
there's... Stop it!

Stop it, stop it!

I did it. I did everything!

Jim and I planned
the whole thing.

The phone call, having
the money sent out, all of it.

And then a man came.

And he tried to take the
money, and a... A fire started...

But don't you
understand? I shot Jim.

The gun just went
off. I killed Jim.

I did it. I did it.

Well, Mr. Mason,

I'll rule favorably on
a motion to dismiss

the charges against your client.

Very well, Your Honor.

Any objection from
the prosecution?

The State has no
objection, Your Honor.

Bailiff, you'll take
that lady into custody.

You may step down, sir.

This case is dismissed.

Court's adjourned.

Mr. Mason, I told you,

no matter how it happened,
I'd need your help.

I still do. I haven't forgotten.

As soon as we find
that missing eyewitness.

What, the man with the money?

He'll never be found.

Don't be too sure.

Paul Drake is still
down in Cuernavaca.

So Perry was right.

You did turn up.

Sure never would
have figured it this way.

But you were the
witness, all right.

Where'd she get you, in the arm?

Shoulder?

You know, was
almost a perfect crime.

She ran away.

There was the money.

All you had to do was
leave a body behind,

Stan Piper's body, right?

I said, is that
right, Mr. Ferris?

Well, you told me

your nephew was full of tricks,

right at the beginning.

Yeah, but for him

to cold-bloodedly
shoot Piper, his friend.

Ah, Piper was just about

to grab the money
and leave him there.

Anyway, after Ferris shot him,

it was a pretty easy
identification switch.

But why didn't you find
another bullet, Mr. Drake?

If there were two shots
fired from that gun?

The, uh, fact that the
second bullet wasn't found

started me thinking.

There was one way for a
bullet to have left that cabin.

And that was in somebody.

It was in his shoulder.

But what I can't understand
is how you trapped him.

Those letters you said
you put in the hotel boxes.

That was his bright idea.

I just planted 'em.

They were all
addressed to your nephew

or that, uh, little private
alias he liked to use.

It was one of those
that trapped him.

Hm. Let's see, in
one note, we wrote:

"Don't worry, I'll
join you soon."

In another, "Flying down

as soon as the trial
is over, much love."

All done in a good imitation
of your wife's handwriting

and signed "Alice."

It really got him worried.

He was sure she'd
figure the whole thing out.

I think Alice had Jim figured.

Well, at least enough

to put a gun in her handbag.

Well, like so many of
the things that happened,

That gun was my fault.

I told her about
the one in the office,

that's how she
knew where to get it.

But I don't think
she intended to fire.

I really don't.

We don't either, Mr. Gorman.

But poor Betty, here,

having to bear all the burden.

Nonsense, Mr. Gorman.

That's what secretaries
are for, isn't it?

Excuse me.