All language subtitles for Perry Mason S04E04 The Case of the Singular Double.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

Operator?

I want to place a collect
call to New York City, please.

Person-to-person
to Mr. Hugo Burnette.

Hello? Yes, this
is Lucy Stevens.

I'll hold on.

Mr. Burnette?

Yes, Lucy. Five thirty-five.

Right on time.

I put the briefcase
on the front seat

and locked the car.

Wonderful.

You know, Lucy,
this $60,000 delivery

earns you a vacation.

I can't stand this
anymore, Mr. Burnette.

I just can't.

We went over this before, Lucy.

You can't quit.

Please, Mr. Burnette, please.

There is no way you can quit.

Not now.

There's a way you
haven't thought of.

I can't go on living like this.

Come in, Miss Ralston.

Mr. Locke is expecting you.

Thank you, Mrs. Locke.

Ah, Marjorie.

You're a bit late, but
you have the briefcase.

Yes, sir.

Is this the briefcase
that was left in your car?

Yes, sir. Is something wrong?

Were there any calls at
the office this afternoon?

Just routine, Mr. Locke.

Councilman Runyon
wanted to talk to you,

and there was a call
from the civic engineer.

What about Hugo Burnette?

No, sir.

All right, Marjorie.

I'll see you tomorrow. Yes, sir.

Who is Hugo Burnette, Whitney?

Someone I know, Catherine.

Business? Yes.

And private?

This is very important and
very delicate, Catherine.

I don't tell you all my business
because it would take hours

and you're a worrier.

There may come a time
when you might regret

not taking me into your
confidence, Whitney.

Not only on business
matters, but other things too.

What do you mean by that?

I mean that the cool
and efficient Miss Ralston

doesn't fool me for a second.

She's in love with you.

That's to absurd
to even to discuss.

Will you excuse me, Catherine?

Don't treat me like a child.
Then don't act like one.

Hello, sir.

I'm dialing
Mr. Burnette for you.

Ringing now, sir.
Hold on, please.

That must be Locke.

Hello.

Yes, yes, Burnette speaking.

Yes, put him on.

Go ahead, sir.

Hello, Whitney.

Expecting your call.
Everything satisfactory?

Nothing is
satisfactory, Burnette.

There's nothing in the
briefcase but newspapers.

Newspapers?

What kind of trick
are you up to?

Whitney, if the 60 grand
isn't in the briefcase,

somebody's double-crossing
me and I'll fix it.

You just carry out
your end of the bargain.

Not until you carry out yours.

Something wrong, Burnette?

Temporarily.

What?

The 60,000 wasn't delivered.

Where is it?

I know where it is
and I'll get it back.

What if you don't? What
about our agreement?

It will be carried out.

Whitney Locke will see to
it that your land is rezoned.

You can go ahead and draft
your building plans accordingly.

I'll take care of that
double-crossing redhead.

I got the letter day before
yesterday in San Francisco.

I called immediately.

Go on, Miss Morgan. I
didn't get any answer.

I tried several times.

I-I even called the
apartment house manager.

You called from
San Francisco? Yes.

What did the manager do?

He went into her room.

He said that all
her clothes and...

And suitcases were still there,

but her bed hadn't been
slept in in a couple of days.

And her car wasn't
in at the garage.

What else did you attempt to
check on from San Francisco?

Well, I-I called the
Los Angeles police.

Mr. Mason, I'm afraid.
What can I think?

The way that letter
sounds and the check.

What did the police say?

Nothing. Just that
they'd look into it.

You came into town this morning.

Did you go to her apartment?

Yes.

Anything there that
led you to believe

that she might have
had suicide on her mind?

Just these letters,
papers and family pictures,

were in a bundle like
this in her bureau drawer.

Were there any
previous indications

that your cousin
was, uh, depressed,

in bad health, or in
trouble of some kind?

I had the impression that

she was in some
dreadful situation,

but she wouldn't
give me the details.

She was very, very upset.

Almost... emotionally
unbalanced.

When was this?
At Christmas time.

She came to visit
me in San Francisco.

What make of car does she own?

I don't know. Few years old.

Grey. A coupe, I think.

Those papers should
have some information,

maybe her license
number or something.

Mr. Mason, what shall
I do with the check?

Well, I suggest
holding it for a while.

Perhaps Miss Stevens might
have an explanation for all of this.

You mean... You
mean if she's alive.

Well, let's hope she is.

I might add that

under the law this check would
be no good if she were dead.

You will let me
know just as soon

as you find out
anything, Mr. Mason?

Of course.

Della, see if Paul is in.

I'm going to put a private
investigator to work on this.

You're, uh, sure
you've told us everything

that might be helpful?

Yes, yes, I'm sure.

Thank you.

We'll keep in
touch, Miss Morgan.

It must be something of a shock

to receive a letter
from a cousin

who says she's going
to commit suicide.

Not much of a shock.

She waited 48 hours before
coming to town to investigate.

There are many of us who
want to expect the worst.

Besides, she did call
the apartment manager

and she did call the police.

Did you get Miss Morgan's
San Francisco address?

Yes.

Give it to Paul,
will you, Della?

Hi. Glad you called.

I was coming down
to see you anyway.

I've got a vacation
itinerary all...

Give me what?

We have a client who believes
her cousin committed suicide.

Della will give you the details.

Work?

A job?

I want a complete check
made on this cousin,

Lucy Stevens, you know the u...

Aye, what she's been doing,

what kind of woman she is,
who her friends have been,

her background.

I also want you to check
on our client's background.

Carol Morgan, San Francisco.

But with special emphasis
on this Lucy Stevens.

Well, I'd better start
with the police morgue.

And the hospitals.

Paul, what was all
this about a vacation?

Did I say that? You did.

I must have been dreaming.

Hm.

Well, some guy was skin diving

and found this wreck
on the ocean bottom.

It's about, oh, 19 feet deep.

Did he identify the car?

Yeah, it's a coupe,
license number CVX-266.

That's the one, Paul.

Anybody in it?

Well, he couldn't say.

Or if he could, it
wasn't for publication.

Anyway, they're setting up
a crane and some winches,

and we'll know soon enough.

All right. I'll meet you there.

Della.

Right here.

Get Miss Morgan on the phone.

Tell her I'll pick her up
at her hotel in 10 minutes.

Miss Morgan, Mr. Drake.

How do you do, Miss
Morgan? How do you do?

In time? Just about.

Hello, Perry.

It's interesting, isn't it?

Much more interesting
than Homicide

should be here, lieutenant.

All right, now, take it up.

With the door open,
if Lucy was in there...

The tides would...

Keep everybody away.

Bring it out.

You said, "Lucy."

Do you know Lucy Stevens?

She's my cousin.

That's her car, I think.

When you find her... She
will be found, won't she?

I mean, even if
the ocean tides...

Yeah, she'll be found all right.

Well, can you identify
her, Mr. Burnette?

I'm not positive.

Anybody else identify
her as Lucy Stevens?

A cousin by the
name of Carol Morgan.

A cousin? From San Francisco.

And then we have the handbag,

the driving license,
her bankbook.

Personal things.

Well, it looks like her.

You know, since you
told me who it was, it...

It looks like her.

Well, thank you, Mr. Burnette,

for volunteering to help.

I just happened to catch the
item in the New York paper.

Flew right out.

You don't happen to have
the address of this cousin,

do you, lieutenant?

Yes. She's staying
at the Alexander Hotel.

Thank you, lieutenant.

Lieutenant.

Oh, Perry, I thought
I left you in my office.

Did this Burnette
identify Lucy Stevens?

Oh, half and half.

Why did you follow
me here to the morgue?

Oh, I thought I'd take a
look at the man who made

such a long trip across
country to see the body.

Why?

Just curious.

Uh-huh.

Why is Paul following him?

Is Paul following him?

Well, you just
sicked him on him.

You may not believe
this, lieutenant,

but I have no definite reason.

Well, you're right,
I don't believe you.

Since when do you do
something for no definite reason?

Sorry to trouble
you, lieutenant.

Oh, Perry. I'm not
holding your client.

I had her down here to
identify the body, that's all.

What did she say?

Same thing he did,

said it was Lucy Stevens.

Thanks. That's
perfectly all right.

I just don't want you to think
that I'm being uncooperative.

Oh, I don't. Lieutenant.

Mr. Mason, why
did you come here?

Just an idea about
places and people.

What's wrong?

Something about the police?

There was another
identification this morning.

Oh?

Someone by the name of Burnette.

Do you know him? No.

He's from New York. No.

Don't you think it's about
time you told me the truth?

What do you mean? I have.

Why did you come to me in
the first place, Miss Morgan?

I told you. The
letter and the check...

After receiving
that kind of letter,

why did it take you two whole
days to come to Los Angeles?

I couldn't get away,
but I phone the police.

Did you check back with
them? I thought you would.

Did you check with the hospitals

or missing persons? No.

No?

You just sat back and
waited for an attorney

to figure out where
your cousin might be.

What were you waiting for?
The discovery of that car?

I-I was afraid something
had happened, I...

Afraid, Miss Morgan?

You know, my
investigator tells me

there is no Miss Carol Morgan.

Not in San Francisco.

Now if you want me to
continue as your attorney,

you'd better start telling
me the truth. All of it.

Because if you're hiding
something from the police,

they're going to find it out.

All right, Mr. Mason.

I'll tell you the truth.

Everything I know about it.

I'm Lucy Stevens.

Then who was the
woman in the car?

She doesn't know.

Does Lucy know how the
woman got in the car? No.

What about this Burnette I
followed from the morgue?

She worked for him.

It was because of
Burnette that Lucy

decided to make it appear
that she'd taken her own life.

There must have been
something awfully wrong

for her to have taken
such a desperate measure.

She hinted that during
her first visit here, Della.

She handled several large
sums of money for Burnette.

She didn't realize
until it was too late

that the whole
business was illegal.

You mean she had no
idea what was going on?

What other people were involved?

No. Paul, we're gonna
have to work fast.

We know the dead
woman isn't Lucy Stevens.

When Lieutenant
Tragg finds that out,

he'll be after us
hammer and tongs.

Yeah, with questions like,
"Who is the dead woman,

and where is Lucy
Stevens?" That's right.

Where is Lucy Stevens, Perry?

I sent her to some hotel.

I didn't want to know which one.

Now, get after Burnette.

Find out what kind of
business he's involved in

that requires the transportation
of large sums of money.

Find out all you can about him.

You said he has an
apartment here in town?

Yeah, Woodcrest
Arms, apartment 6C.

She wasn't in her
room in the Alexander.

I left word. I'll keep checking.

Who is she?

The police say a
cousin of Lucy's.

If she was, I never
heard Lucy mention her.

You're positive the dead
woman isn't Lucy Stevens?

Of course I'm positive.

And you don't know
who the dead woman is?

No.

No idea?

No. But Lucy's trying
to pull a fast one.

What about Whitney Locke?

He'll honor his obligation.

I've been thinking
about that, Burnette.

Just what is his obligation

if he didn't get his money?

Don't worry.

Mr. Burnette? My name
is Mason. I'm an attorney.

I beg your pardon
if I'm interrupting.

No, no.

Then I'll just leave everything
is in your capable hands.

Yes. I'll... I'll call you.

What can I do for
you, Mr. Mason?

I was curious about the
woman in the morgue.

You were curious?

Why?

Well, I saw you at the morgue

when you identified
her as Lucy Stevens.

What about it? It isn't Lucy.

Who is it, then?

I was hoping you'd
give me a clue.

I understood you
were Lucy's employer.

Well, maybe an errand or two.

What kind of errand? Personal.

Involving large sums of money?

Well, sometimes.
As a favor. Illegal?

What're you talking about?

A businessman
involved in legal practices

doesn't transport
large amounts of cash

across the country
in a briefcase.

Just where do you get
your information, Mason?

From a woman who
called herself Carol Morgan.

The one who says
she's Lucy's cousin?

Well, this cousin
knows more than I know.

Or you know more than
you're admitting, Mr. Burnette.

What do you want?

Cooperation.

Why should I cooperate with you?

I might be more understanding,

more charitable than the police.

About what?

Perhaps about the...

Everything Mr. John
Ruskin just suggested

he would leave in
your capable hands.

How do you know John Ruskin?

He spreads his picture

in the real estate sections
of the newspapers.

Ruskin's Rustic Village.

You might be more
dangerous than the police.

I might.

I'll take my chances with them.

They'll want to know how
your business activities

tie in with $60,000,

with a dead woman,
with Mr. John Ruskin,

and with Lucy Stevens.

You know, someone
is being paid off

or threatened.

Where did you get
that $60,000 figure?

Who is this Carol Morgan?

You misunderstand
me, Mr. Burnette.

I said I wanted
your cooperation.

Whoever you're representing,

you're just trying to
keep ahead of the police.

If that isn't Lucy in the
morgue, where is she?

I'm interested in
who is in the morgue.

I think you know or suspect.

Mr. Burnette, hasn't
it occurred to you

that when everything is exposed,

you might find yourself
holding the sack?

All right,

you've made your point.

There are some
things I can tell you.

Thank you.

No, I-I'm sorry I cut you off.

Mr. Locke's on another line.

Would you hold
on a minute please?

You seem very busy.

My husband's secretary
hasn't shown up

and I'm filling in. I...

I haven't done
this for 10 years.

Can I help you?

My name is Mason.
I'd like to see Mr. Locke.

Catherine, was there another
call for me on another...?

Oh. This is Mr. Mason.

And there is
another call for you.

You're an attorney, Mason.

Yes. It's from your broker...

I'll speak to him later.

Come in, Mason.

Thank you.

Pardon the confusion.

My secretary has
taken a few days off.

Unexpectedly.

I know how unsettling
that could be.

More than unsettling.

Won't you sit down?

Now, how can I help you, Mason?

I'm in the middle of a
complex situation, Mr. Locke.

Involving me?

I've just had a
meeting with a man

who said you were involved.

Hugo Burnette.

Burnette? I don't know him.

Burnette intimated that
he is the liaison man

who passed on a certain $60,000.

Sixty thousand dollars?

I haven't the slightest idea
what you're talking about.

Burnette also intimated that

the money changed hands
so that a tract home builder

by the name of John Ruskin

could get a particular
acreage rezoned.

I don't know anything
about $60,000,

or John Ruskin, or
anyone named Burnette.

I don't know why you
should speak to me

about a thing so
completely unethical.

Dishonest.

Perhaps you are trying to
intimidate me in some way.

I don't know why, I don't care.

I've heard about your
reputation for razzle-dazzle

and tightrope walking, Mason.

Don't try it on me.

As a man in the public eye,

I'm jealous of my reputation.

What's your secretary's
name, Mr. Locke?

Marjorie Ralston. Why?

Good day, Mr. Locke.

The way I see it, Della,

the $60,000 is the
link in the murder chain.

Now, get ahold of
Paul immediately.

I want a thorough check
on a Marjorie Ralston.

When Miss Stevens calls in...

Perry,

Lucy Stevens is here
in the office right now.

Tell her to go back to
her motel and stay there.

Tell her I'm going
to call Homicide,

I think this Marjorie Ralston

is the murder victim, if she is,

Lt. Tragg is going
to find a connection

between the two of them.

Perry, Lieutenant
Tragg is in the office too,

and he said the dead woman
is Marjorie Ralston, and Perry,

he's been asking Miss Stevens

an awful lot of questions.

Yes, and I got a lot more
for her too. Downtown.

I'm booking her for murder.

And I've got some
questions for Mason too,

like obstructing justice
and withholding evidence.

Now, Mr. Burnette,

will you tell the
court what happened

on the morning of
Tuesday, March the 5th?

I deal with large sums of cash.

In New York, on that morning,

I withdrew $60,000
in cash with my bank.

Go on, Mr. Burnette.

Lucy was there with me.

She counted the money,

put it into the
briefcase and locked it.

There were two jet planes
with reservations available

leaving for the West Coast.

Lucy took the 3:00 flight.

That was New York time.

She arrived here at
close to 5:30, Pacific time.

That's when I got a long
distance call from her.

Close to 5:30?

Yes. 8:30 New York time.

What did Miss Stevens say?

That she had delivered the money

and that she wanted
to quit working for me.

She had delivered
the money to whom?

Well, the way she always did.

It wasn't to whom,
it was to a car.

What was the
procedure, Mr. Burnette?

She'd been given the location,

the description and
the license number

of a certain car.

She was to put the
briefcase inside it,

lock it and leave.

And the long
distance telephone call

was to let you know that
she had done her job?

Yes, that's right.

Now, when she told you
that she was going to quit,

what did you say?

I told her she couldn't,

but she said she
couldn't go on like this

and that she'd figured
out a way to quit.

And at this point,

you only had her word for it

that she had actually delivered
the money as instructed.

Yes, that's right.

Does the license number
TVC-235 mean anything to you?

Yes. That's the car Lucy
delivered the money to.

Or I assumed she had.

Do you know that this is
the license number of the car

which belonged to the
deceased, Marjorie Ralston?

Yes.

You may cross-examine.

What is your
business, Mr. Burnette?

I am a contact man.

I peddle influence to
people who need influence.

What kind of influence
were you peddling

with that $60,000?

I don't really know.

I only know I had a job to do.

Get the cash to that car.

Do you recall a
conversation you had with me

in which you linked the
name of Whitney Locke

to that particular delivery?

Yes.

Mr. Burnette,

who was on the other
end of that $60,000?

Who authorized you to
deliver it to Whitney Locke?

John Ruskin.

Now, Mr. Burnette, of
your own knowledge,

do you know whether the money
did or did not reach Mr. Locke?

Or whether it did reach him

and was simply not acknowledged?

Object, Your Honor.

Counsel is going
into pure speculation.

It seems to me you
opened the door, Mr. Cutter.

It doesn't matter, Your Honor.

I withdraw the question.

I'm through with this witness.

Well, it's fairly
popular knowledge

that my party is suggesting
me for public office.

I've already begun
to get contributions

for campaign expenses.

Like the $60,000 mentioned here?

Yes.

Now, would you please explain

what transpired at your
home when your secretary,

the murder victim in this
case, arrived with the briefcase?

I unlocked it.

There was nothing but
some cut up newspapers in it.

Now, we have followed the
money from the bank in New York

to the briefcase,
fastened and locked,

and given to the
safekeeping of the defendant,

Lucille Stevens.

We have followed
it across the country

to the car of the deceased.

From there it was
brought to you,

still locked, and with
the money missing.

Is that right, Mr. Locke?

That is right.

Thank you.

Your witness.

Who saw you open the
briefcase, Mr. Locke?

My secretary, Marjorie Ralston,

and my wife.

Your wife? Yes.

They both saw you
open the briefcase

and remove the contents?

Well, they saw me unlock it.

But they did not
see the contents?

No, that was my own
personal business

apart from my
secretary and wife.

My wife is a worrier.

I don't tell her
all my business.

And what was to worry about
in this instance, Mr. Locke?

The money was a legitimate
campaign contribution,

was it not?

Of course.

The only reason for
the discreet handling

was to avoid publicity.

Twisted interpretations

are so often put
on these things.

You mean, $60,000 sounds
more like campaign expenses

of a man running
for a national office

rather than those of a man

who just might run for
municipal government.

What gives you the
right to insinuate that I...?

That's enough, Mr. Locke.

No more questions.

The cause of death
was three heavy blows

with a metal rod or instrument,

administered to
the back of the head.

I show you this tire
iron and ask if this could

have been the murder instrument.

Yes. As a matter of fact,

I marked it as the
probable weapon

when the conformation
corresponded

to the marks on the skull.

I would like this tire iron

marked for
identification, please.

It is so. All right.

Now, lieutenant, where was
the defendant's car discovered?

In 19 feet of ocean water,

off an embankment
in San Pedro harbor.

And the body of the deceased?

Inside the car.

Did you identify the
deceased immediately?

No, sir.

An attempt had been
made to confuse the identity.

Explain, please.

Well, papers and identification
had been left in the car

to create the impression that
the body was Lucille Stevens.

The next morning the
defendant came to the morgue

and positively
identified the body

as being that of
Lucille Stevens.

Herself, in other words.

And whose body was it
in actual fact, lieutenant?

Marjorie Ralston.

Secretary to Whitney Locke.

She was the woman who
was to pick up the $60,000.

Now, lieutenant,

since it appears
that Marjorie Ralston

didn't pick up $60,000,

but did pick up the briefcase

from which the defendant had
previously removed the money...

We object, Your Honor,

on the ground that the question
is leading and suggestive

and assumes a
fact not in evidence.

We submit, Your Honor,
that the fact is in evidence.

There is certainly no
doubt that the defendant

lied about her identity

and the identity
of the deceased.

The evidence
heretofore introduced

clearly indicates
that the defendant

stole the $60,000 and
killed the decedent.

Of course, we
won't argue the point,

since we have already
established our case,

we dismiss Lt.
Tragg from the stand

and move the court to
bind the defendant over

for jury trial.

If the court please,

the prosecution
cannot rest its case

until I have
cross-examined this witness.

When the prosecution

does rest its case,

I'll decide whether the defense
cares to put on any evidence

and only then can the question
be presented to the court

as to whether the defendant
is to be bound over.

That certainly summarizes
the law in this case, Mr. Mason,

and you have a right to
cross-examine the witness.

However, not at 12:00.

I will call a customary
adjournment

until 1:30 this afternoon.

I wanted Mr. Burnette
to think I'd killed myself.

I didn't know any other way out.

He wouldn't let me go.

I was so ashamed of myself.

I'd been so stupid.

Perry, I got some
confirmation for you.

One is that Burnette has always
maintained two apartments,

one here and one in New York.

Go on.

Your client's plane arrived

at International
Airport at 5:20.

Her call to Burnette
was placed at 5:35,

that is 8:35 New York time.

How did you find that?

Well, his answering service
not only records the calls,

but also the time
they were placed.

Now, another long distance call

was placed for him
by Whitney Locke

at 9:22 New York time.

Six twenty-two here.

Uh-huh.

According to Lucy,

the Ralston woman
left the parking lot

at about 5:30.

According to Whitney Locke,

Miss Ralston left
his home at 6:20.

Then at 7:00,

Lucy left her own apartment,

got in her car and
drove to the harbor.

Which just about eliminates
Mr. Burnette as a suspect,

his being in New
York at that time.

Mm.

Della, I want you to try
to reach Mr. Burnette.

He just left the courtroom.
He's probably at lunch.

Why so much money?

Try to reach him through
his New York exchange.

Paul has the number.

Thanks, Paul.

I got something on
this Whitney Locke.

I ran into a friend of mine,
he's a private detective,

who's been watching
Locke's house.

What? Mm-hm.

Now, an investigator
isn't supposed to violate

this kind of a confidence,

but I've got a pretty good
idea of who hired him.

Who? Ruskin.

No, but I would like
to leave a message

if you can't get
in touch with him.

Oh, excuse me, what's
the noise on the line?

Do we have a bad connection?

There, is that any better?

And were you just trying
to reach Mr. Burnette

here in Los Angeles?

Yes, Miss Street.

What was the message?

Nothing, thank you,
I'll reach him here.

All right, so I
finally figured it out.

They held your call and
tried to reach Burnette

here in Los Angeles?

The call goes from here
to New York and back.

So Burnette could have
been right here in town

at the time of the murder.

Lieutenant, did you examine
the decedent's apartment

for fingerprints? Yes.

Did you find the defendant's
fingerprints there?

No, no.

Her employer's prints?

That is, those of
Mr. Whitney Locke's?

No.

In what condition was
Miss Ralston's apartment?

Well, it looked like
she was planning a trip.

She had some travelling
bags packed and ready to go.

Did you examine
those bags, lieutenant?

Yes.

We didn't find any money.

And you did not find
any sum of money

in the defendant's possession?

No, no.

All right, lieutenant.
Thank you, that will be all.

Your Honor, before passing
on the prosecution's motion

to bind the defendant over,

I would like to
recall two witnesses.

Counsel may put on his
own defense if he wishes,

and call a hundred witnesses.

I take it you object
counsel's request, Mr. Cutter?

I was only thinking of
the taxpayers of the state.

I will withdraw the objection

if counsel doesn't abuse
the patience of the court.

You may recall your witness,

Mr. Mason.

Mr. Hugo Burnette.

Hugo Burnette to the stand.

You may step down, lieutenant.

Now, you stated there
were two planes, two jets,

from New York on the
afternoon of the murder.

Yes.

One at 3:00 New York time,

upon which Miss
Stevens traveled, Yes.

The other, an earlier plane,

at, um, 2:15, I believe.

I believe so.

Which plane did you
take, Mr. Burnette?

Isn't it true that you
took the 2:15 plane.

That you were here
in your apartment

by half past 5 that afternoon.

Well, Mr. Burnette?

Well, yes.

Then at the morgue when
you told Lieutenant Tragg

that you had flown out from
New York after the murder,

just to identify the body,
you were lying, were you not?

Yes.

What did you do
after you received

the telephone call
from Miss Stevens?

Nothing.

I waited for confirmation
of delivery of the money

to Whitney Locke.

You were alone at that time?

John Ruskin was in my apartment.

He was interested
in the delivery also.

And then, uh, you received
another telephone call?

From Locke.

Yes, telling me that the
money was not in the briefcase.

What did you do?

I called Lucy's apartment.

What time was that?

About 20 or 25 minutes after 6.

I suppose Mr. Ruskin

can corroborate that statement.

Well, as a matter of
fact, he had already gone.

He left just after
Locke's first call.

First call?

He called again later.

What time was that?

About 6:30.

He told me to come
over to his home.

I arrived there at
approximately 7:00.

Now, there's about 30
minutes unaccounted for.

Mr. Burnette, you cannot
prove where you were

during that time, can you?

Any more than
Mr. Ruskin or Mr. Locke

can prove where they were?

I...

I guess not.

Mr. Burnette,

how far is your apartment
from Lucy Stevens' apartment?

Five or 10 minutes by car.

Thank you.

Redirect, Mr. Cutter?

Nothing on redirect, Your Honor.

You requested the
recall of two witnesses.

Do you still want
them, Mr. Mason?

Oh, yes, Your Honor.

I would like to recall
Mr. Whitney Locke.

You may stand down.

Whitney Locke to the stand.

You are already
under oath, Mr. Locke.

Mr. Locke, do you know
John Ruskin personally?

Have I ever met him? No.

Can you explain why
he would be so interested

in your plans for
a political career?

Well, perhaps I've
held certain opinions

on zoning and building
which Ruskin has admired.

Then you considered his
campaign contribution routine,

Mr. Locke? Yes, sir, I do.

All $60,000? Uh... Well, the...

It was a large
contribution, wasn't it?

Yes.

But perhaps not too large

coming from someone who
had such great admiration for you.

Tell us, Mr. Locke,

did Mr. Ruskin
admire your opinions

in April last year

when a rezoning request he made

bore the recommendation
of "no" by your office?

I'm not sure that I... Or
again in September last year,

when your office
advised against another

rezoning request
made by Mr. Ruskin?

There were a couple
of Mr. Ruskin's requests

that my office thought were not

in the best
interest of the city.

Or in your own either.

He hadn't made a
contribution yet, had he?

I beg your pardon?

Mr. Locke,

did you know in advance
about the $60,000 contribution?

I wasn't certain of it.

Then why did you have
your secretary park her car

in a certain place and
wait there for the briefcase

to be placed in that car?

Well, I admit that I knew

a campaign contribution
was to be made to me,

only I didn't know how much.

You insist then that the
$60,000 campaign contribution

was legitimate and not a bribe?

Certainly.

Then why all the elaborate
precautions to insure secrecy?

Why all the surreptitious?
All the furtiveness?

Or do you customarily receive
your campaign contributions

in that manner, Mr. Locke?

Objection, Your honor.

The questions are both
leading and argumentative.

Sustained.

But the court finds
them very interesting.

I withdraw the
questions, your honor.

Now, Mr. Locke, I have a report

which establishes
the fact that your home

was being watched on
the evening of the murder,

March 5th.

My home watched?

Why would anyone spy on me?

Perhaps your wife
had reason, Mr. Locke.

That's nonsense.

Very well, we'll leave that
set aside for the moment.

Now, I ask you, Mr. Locke,

where you were
between 6:20 and 7:00

on that evening March 5th? Home.

You didn't leave the house?

No.

When you discovered
that the $60,000 was gone,

didn't you realize your
secretary must have taken it?

Didn't you figure that
she had access to your key

and must have had
a duplicate made?

Didn't you go to her apartment

and finding her packed

and ready to disappear,

accuse her of
stealing the money?

Then didn't she say
that Lucy Stevens

must have stolen the money,

that she followed Lucy
home, knew where she lived?

How could she follow Lucy home?

How long does it take to get
from the airport to your home,

Mr. Locke? About 20 minutes.

Your secretary drove
away from the parking lot

at approximately 5:30.

She didn't arrive at
your house until 6:15.

That's 40 minutes.

Just about the
length of time needed

to follow the defendant
home and then report to you.

Now, in trying to convince you

that Lucy Stevens
had stolen the money,

didn't she then drive with
you to the defendant's house

and institute a fake search
of the defendant's car?

It was at the defendant's car
where the murder took place,

with the murder weapon
taken from that car.

You can't hang this
on me. I didn't kill her.

Your Honor, I protest
all the fishing lines

thrown from Mr. Mason's
expeditionary boat.

It is clear that counsel,
in lieu of a proper defense,

is trying to make
everybody suspect.

It doesn't change
the facts of the case.

If the house was
under observation,

why doesn't Mr. Mason
bring in the party

who was doing the observing

to testify whether or
not Mr. Whitney Locke

left the house
between 6:20 and 7:00?

Unfortunately, Your Honor,
the man who did the observing

left his post for
about 10 minutes

to make a phone call.

Well, if the Counsel is
through with Mr. Locke,

I will call a witness
who can testify

accurately on this point.

I'm finished with Mr. Locke.

Very well, I call Catherine
Locke to the stand.

No, Whitney didn't leave
the house during that time.

You are positive
of that, Mrs. Locke?

There seemed to
be something wrong,

so I went into the
study, it was about 6:30.

And what transpired there?

He made a phone call.

Go on, Mrs. Locke.

To a man by the
name of Burnette.

He told him he'd better
come to our house.

And your husband
remained at home?

Yes.

When Mr. Burnette arrived,
I left them in the study.

And what time was that?

About 5 of 7.

Fifteen minutes between
the time of the phone call

and Mr. Burnette's arrival.

Yes, that's right.

Your cross-examine.

Mrs. Locke, did you
hire a private detective

to spy on your husband?

No.

Of course not.

Your Honor,

assuming Mrs. Locke's
testimony to be true,

there's someone else I'd like
to see on the witness stand.

Who is that, counselor?

The one person who has
no alibi for those 40 minutes

during which the crime
must have been committed.

Your Honor, there are
a great many questions

I would like to ask to the one
person other than my client...

You don't have to
ask them, Mason.

Did I know Marjorie
Ralston? Yes.

Did I tell her about
the $60,000? Yes.

And did she double-cross
me by stealing the money? Yes.

And did I follow the sequence
of events you set forth? Yes.

And if you want to know
why I hired a private detective,

it was to nail Whitney
Locke with the cash.

I wasn't aiming
to buy his favors,

I just wanted to catch
him taking the bribe

he'd forced me to make.

I just don't like that
kind of pressure.

Marjorie, unfortunately,
not only took the money,

but she tried to keep it by
threatening me with exposure.

Hm.

All that theorizing with Locke.

You were after me all the
time, weren't you, Mason?

I must have been, Mr. Ruskin.

I was after the murderer.

So the money showed up.

Ruskin found it when he
caught Marjorie Ralston

packing to duck out on him.

Perry, you said that she
was killed at Lucy's car.

And she was.

I imagine Miss Ralston
suggested shifting the burden

of the theft onto Lucy.

Ruskin started to go
along with the plan...

Until he got to the
car and killed her.

Throwing not only the theft,
but the murder onto Lucy.

That business with the
answering service in New York

dialing back here
to reach Burnette...

I should have thought of
that answering service bit.

Oh, you did your part
when you came up

with the detective
doing surveillance.

That was only luck.

I happened to
run into a friend...

Paul, don't give away
your trade secrets.

Sure, Paul.

Why, Perry has Assistant
District Attorney Cutter

believing he did
all of Perry's work

when he got Mrs. Locke
to eliminate everybody

from suspicion
except John Ruskin.

That's right.

He does believe he did it all.

Did he, Perry?