All language subtitles for Perry Mason S04E05 The Case of the Lavender Lipstick.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

Formula 331.

It's about time
we had a little luck.

Hm. You should be an artist,
Peter, instead of a chemist.

My talent lies with
lips. I wonder why?

Here.

Now the saline reagent.

Let me see it.

It still has

a faint lavender feeling.

Faint, my eye. That's
the same loud color

I've been getting all week.

Lavender may go with old lace,

but whoever heard
of a lavender lipstick?

Well, whoever heard
of an estrogenic lipstick?

Silas Vance.

Let him figure out how
to keep the estrogen

from turning
everything lavender.

He's the boss.

Trouble is I told him I'd do it.

Here it is Thursday.

You know it's past 8:30?

You wanna go home?

Mm-mm.

Well, you helped me with the
new dusting powder last month.

You did that all by yourself.

And you helped me with
the tear-proof eye shadow

when I first came
to work, didn't you?

Hm. Could be I have a
weakness for lady chemists.

Miss Lewis.

Hello, Mr. Knudsen.

Mr. Pompey would
like to see you.

Now?

Yes, Miss.

Hiya, Mr. Nichols.

Knudsen.

I wonder what Max is
up to at this time of night?

I don't know.
I'll tell you later.

Mr. Pompey.

Come in, Karen. Come in.

Shut the door, will you, please?

Well, see how you like this.

No thanks, Mr. Pompey.

I thought we agreed
it was to be Max.

All right, Max.

But it's still no thanks.

Oh, come on. Come on.

You know, that
innocent little-girl pose

won't work any longer.

Not after what I found out
about you and Gabriel Rawson.

You've been a rather
naughty girl, haven't you?

The town's number-one
playboy and, just incidentally,

our leading competitor.

I've seen Mr. Rawson
exactly twice.

Really?

Who told you that?

A little bird who's been
watching you, darling,

ever since Rawson
Cosmetics came out first

with that dusting powder
you were working on.

Are you suggesting that
I gave him the formula?

And the estrogenic
cream formula.

You can't be serious.

No?

Some things I
found in your desk.

A carbon of the
estrogenic cream formula.

A carbon of the
dusting powder formula.

Gabriel Rawson's address

and private phone number.

And a bankbook showing a
deposit a week ago of $1,500

and another yesterday of $2,500.

How much was he gonna
pay you for the new lipstick?

This is my deposit book.

You can keep it,

provided you play ball
with me instead of Rawson.

You know I've always
liked you, Karen.

There must be some mistake.

You want the police
to check it out?

No.

Okay.

Then relax.

We'll make out fine.

Let go of me.

Stop it. Let go of me.

Are you all right?

You're fired.

If you're not out of the
city by tomorrow morning,

I'll have you thrown in jail.

If you tell Peter
Nichols about this,

I'll have him fired him too.

Now, get out. Get out!

Where did you come from?

My offices.

Did the nasty girl hurtum
Daddy's poor little head?

I turned it off, Max.

You know, I always suspected
you of eavesdropping.

You don't run this department,
Myra, you got no right...

"I've always liked you, Karen."

"We'll make out fine, Karen."

Oh, I know how you love to
chase girls around this office,

but I didn't think
you'd go as far

as framing some poor thing
just to get a handhold on her.

I found those
things in her desk.

You were listening.

You heard her say she'd
been out with Rawson twice.

Karen Lewis could no
more steal from this company

or sell its formulas than...

Than she could fall
for a goat like you.

That's enough.

If anybody's stealing
around this place, it's you.

You know that, Max.

You're crazy.

Max, you don't
have to lie about it.

I'm not going to tell Mr. Vance.

But Gabriel Rawson pays
you a salary, doesn't he?

No wonder so many secrets
are leaking out of here.

And just when Caresse Cosmetics
is beginning to do so well too.

Stop it, Myra!

Max Pompey, the
one-man fifth column,

the great Judas goat.

Yes, that's what
you are: a Judas.

Stop it, Myra!

I'm no spy, here.

I'm nothing, don't
you understand?

It's your fault
if I chase girls.

If you hadn't closed
the door on me...

I can't get you out
of my mind, Myra.

Myra... Max.

Isn't one whack on the
head enough for one night?

Okay. Skip it.

I'm sorry, Max.

It's still my favorite pin.

Oh, you haven't
forgotten how, have you?

I haven't forgotten
a lot of things.

We used to tell each
other the truth, remember?

Same old Myra.

Why don't you bring your car
around to the side entrance?

Drive me home?

Mr. Rawson, please.

Oh, Gabriel, I'm going
to be a little late tonight.

Max Pompey.

Yes, I... I talked to him.

He found the evidence.

Yes, darling. Things are
moving along just fine.

Now, suppose you go
over it all again, Mr. Nichols,

from the beginning,
for Mr. Drake's benefit.

How long was it before you
began to worry about Miss Lewis?

I guess it was
around a half-hour.

And when you went to look
for her in Mr. Pompey's office,

you found what you thought
were signs of struggle?

Cosmetic samples
strewn all over the floor.

In the wastebasket I
found a bloodstained towel.

Was there much blood?

No. Just a smear.

That worried me even more.

I called Karen's
apartment and Pompey's.

No answer at either place.

How come you haven't
notified the police, Mr. Nichols?

Well...

Unless Karen's in real trouble,
I don't think she'd want that.

That's why I came to you,
Mr. Mason. For advice first.

Why wouldn't Miss Lewis
want the police involved?

Well, I... I don't know exactly.

But I've always had the
feeling that there was something

that she wanted to
but couldn't quite tell me

about her childhood in New York.

I'd asked her questions
about it but she ignores them.

Changes the subject.

Well not that that means
there's anything wrong...

Yes, Della.

Mr. Pompey's expected
any minute now.

All right, thank you.

Paul, you better
get right on this.

Try to trace where Miss
Lewis went last night.

Okay, great.

Now, you say that Max Pompey
was the superintendent of the plant.

Now, who is the, um,
president of Caresse Cosmetics?

A gentle old soul by
the name of Silas Vance.

Where the devil is everybody?

Where's Pete Nichols?

Doesn't he realize that
lipstick has to be ready today?

And where's Karen Lewis?

You know, a little louder

and they could hear you
in the San Francisco plant.

Not even Max Pompey is here.

I want to talk to
you about that, Silas.

Well, talk.

Here, or in your office?

Here, since it looks like
I'm gonna have to carry on

for young Nichols.

You don't suppose that Nichols
and Karen eloped, do you?

I hardly think so.

Pete probably overslept.

He was working late last night.

Karen was with him.

Not after Max Pompey
got through with her.

Max?

He fired her last night.

On what grounds?

Selling our formulas
to Gabriel Rawson.

That's absurd. Karen
would never do that.

Max has some pretty
convincing evidence.

A report from one
of the security men

that the girl has seen
Rawson at least twice,

had copies of the formulas

and had Rawson's private
telephone number in her desk.

I don't believe it.

I don't really believe
it either, Silas.

But there's no
other explanation.

Unless somebody
wanted to frame her.

Max Pompey's trying
anything like that,

I'll kill him, so help me.

I didn't know you felt so
violently about Karen Lewis.

There's a lot of things
you don't know, Myra.

Where have you been?

I'm sorry, sir.

Mr. Vance, this is Mr. Perry
Mason, an attorney.

What are you doing
with a lawyer, Pete?

You're not that late.

I'm making some inquiries
about Karen Lewis, Mr. Vance.

It seems she
disappeared last night,

left no forwarding address.

This happened shortly
after an interview

with one of your
company officials.

Who was the official?

Max Pompey.

Why do you come
to me about this?

We can't locate Mr. Pompey.

I thought possibly you might
know what they had discussed.

Max operates rather
independently at times,

Mr. Mason.

Why don't we have him
call you when he comes in?

All right.

But I'd still like to ask
Mr. Vance what he knows

concerning the
events of last night.

I see no reason
why I should answer.

Very well, Mr. Vance.

But if you don't know
what happened last night,

I suggest you begin
some inquiries yourself.

Especially in regard
to a bloodstained towel,

found in Mr. Pompey's office.

Mr. Rawson?

This is a strange
sort of place to meet.

I don't have much time.
Besides, I prefer a little privacy.

Mr. Rawson, I, uh, had to
fire Karen Lewis last night.

Karen Lewis?

The girl who's been selling
you our cosmetic formulas.

I don't buy formulas
from other companies.

You ought to know that, Max.

Sure, Mr. Rawson. Sure.

Max, forget the girl.
Something else has come up.

My board of directors
is meeting next Tuesday.

Oh?

There's been a movement
on to undermine me.

Silas Vance has outsold
me in 11 states this month.

My outfit's supposed
to be paying a dividend.

Now, as I see it,

there are only one or two things

that can save my neck next week.

One is for Silas Vance
to kick the bucket.

Two...

You wouldn't like to
arrange that, would you?

Well, and the other is for me
to into that meeting Tuesday

with Caresse Cosmetics
in the palm of my hand.

All of it.

Tuesday? But... That's
only, um, three days off.

And it's over 30 days
since you came to me

with those debts of yours.

I paid them because you said

you could make Silas
Vance sell out to me,

lock, stock and barrel,

how you know
something about his past,

how you could twist his
arm, apply the pressure.

Now, look, it's only a matter
of time, that's all, Mr. Rawson.

You don't want me to do
anything that's real blackmail.

I can still put on the pressure.

I don't want to
know how you do it

or why or where.

Only when.

By next Tuesday, you understand?

Who?

Vance?

Mr. Silas Vance?

Hello, Mr. Vance.

Yes, but how did
know I was here?

Oh, never mind that, you just
get right down here to the lab.

Please, Mr. Vance, I
don't want to come back.

I don't even want to see Peter,

not until I have a
chance to think things out.

You see, something happened,

well, that I don't
want to talk about.

Well, I would.

Pompey told me all about it,

and it's just so much poppycock.

You come on down
here. I'm in your office.

Between us we'll string a
real crook up by the heels.

Oh, if we only could, Mr. Vance.

Well, I'll be down
as quickly as I can.

Hurry.

Mr. Knudsen.

Mr. Knudsen.

Mr. Vance.

Mr. Vance.

Well, I told the officer
that got here first

everything I know, lieutenant.

So now tell me.

Well, I was making my
11:00 round, like I always do.

That's the executive
offices and then here.

And I... I came
through that door

and started across
to the glassed-in area.

Mr. Vance was still there?

Yes, he was in the lab office.

I... I took three or
four steps and...

wham! The lights went out.

What time was this?

Well, I don't know exactly.

I made my last
station check at 11:15.

Stopped at 11:22.

Well, you must
have used a jet plane

to get here this
fast, counselor.

I got the call just as I
was leaving the office.

Where is he?

Uh, just let me finish here.

Sergeant.

Tag that.

And, uh, sweep up the
glass into an envelope.

Now, you were slugged at 11:22

and our records show
you called us at 11:27.

Were you unconscious
the entire five minutes?

Well, I was out longer
than five minutes.

You called us while
you were unconscious?

I didn't call you at all.

I... I was just coming to
when the officers got here.

That was after 11:30.

Well, then who did call?

I don't know.

All right, Knudsen. That's
all for now. Go ahead.

He's the most obliging killer
I've run across for a long time.

He knocked out watchman,

shot Mr. Vance
and called the police,

all within the space
of five minutes.

Then Silas Vance was shot?

Yes, twice. But the
prisoner be undoubtedly able

to tell you more
about that than I can.

It wasn't until I checked the
registration slate in her car

that I was sure it
was Karen Lewis,

and by that time she'd
gone into the building.

What time was that, Paul?
Uh, 11:20 on the nose.

Anyway, I waited around a few
minutes, then I began to wonder

if I shouldn't have gone
in the building after her.

So I walked down to a corner
to see what lights were on

and that's when she ran out.

I called, but she jumped
in her car and took off.

I started to follow when a
squad car came blasting up

and shunted me over the curb.

I just about had them convinced
I was an innocent bystander

when Tragg shows up.

You didn't tell him
anything about Karen Lewis?

No, I wanted to talk to you.

After all, if she's
guilty it's one thing.

But if she isn't, I sure
don't wanna be the one

to get her in a jam.

This is a murder, Paul.

There are limits as
to how far we can go

on protecting a client.

Well, then you
think I should tell

Lieutenant Tragg everything?

Let me make a phone call first.

I believe you.

I know, but Peter, I
can't go to the police.

Hello.

Mr. Mason, I've been
trying to reach you.

Yes, yes, I've heard
about Mr. Vance.

Well, Karen told me.

Yes, she is right
here. Just a moment.

He wants to speak to you.

Yes, Mr. Mason?

Miss Lewis, I know
you must be frightened.

But if you're innocent...

I am innocent, Mr. Mason.

Then don't worry. Stay
right where you are.

Yes, I'll... I'll do
what you say.

Hello, Myra.

Have you been following me?

I've got to talk to you.

What time did you
leave the plant tonight?

When we finished talking.

A few minutes after 11. Why?

Because a few minutes past 11,

somebody shot and
killed Silas Vance.

You already knew?

Not about the time.

How could you know at all?
It's not even on the radio yet.

How did you know, Max?

The police. They telephoned.

They want to see
me in the morning.

Well, so you're here too.

Well, I guess you two
have met each other.

Waiter, another glass.

Does he know too,
Myra? Know what?

Max feels suspicious about
my knowing Silas Vance is dead.

She learned it from me.

I learned it from a
newspaper friend.

Nothing like champagne
for a festive occasion.

To the future.

You're wondering how the
future will affect our deal, eh, Max?

No, Gabriel.

He's wondering which
one of us killed Silas Vance.

Well, I hope neither of you did.

At least not on my account.

To the future.

Yes, I offered to stay.

Mr. Vance said he
had bigger fish to fry

than finishing the new lipstick.

Only I guess the fish fried him.

What time did you
leave the lab office?

Well, I finished work around 7.

Then I went by Karen's apartment

on the off chance that
she might have been there.

Only no one was there,
so I went on home.

There you are,
sweet. Here, relax.

If you're asking me
for an alibi, Mr. Mason,

I'm afraid I'm fresh out.

Why would he need an alibi?

He'd have no possible
reason to kill Mr. Vance.

Well, the same
holds true for you.

I'm afraid it doesn't, Peter.

I was with Lieutenant
Tragg a few minutes ago,

obtaining official permission
to visit the laboratory again.

Tragg's been rather busy.

He learned from Max
Pompey about the formulas

and the bank deposit book
he found in Karen's desk.

But that's a motive for
killing Pompey, not Mr. Vance.

I haven't finished.

Tragg also learned
from Myra Heston

that Silas Vance confiscated
this so-called evidence

and took it down to the lab.

But when the police found the
body, the evidence was gone.

Then they could think
that Karen killed Mr. Vance

in order to suppress
or destroy the evidence.

That's right.

I think that's our call.

Hello?

Yes, Paul.

Are you sure it's the
same Karen Lewis?

Hm. All right, Paul.

We'll meet you down at
the lab in about 20 minutes.

Karen,

how long has Silas Vance

been personally
interested in you?

I don't know what you mean.

Paul Drake just talked
to Mr. Vance's attorney.

Let me quote from
Mr. Vance's will:

"To Karen Lewis, whom I have
watched over for many years

"and who is at present
employed in my laboratory,

I bequeath all my
worldly possessions."

And included in those
possessions, Karen,

is Caresse Cosmetic
Products, Incorporated.

All right, go over to him

just as you did last night.

I... I think I said his
name. Mr. Knudsen.

That exactly where you knelt?

You weren't cut by the
broken glass from the clock?

No.

That skirt.

Is that the same one
you wore last night?

Yes.

All right, Pete.
Here's your coat.

Now, let's see. Exactly
what did you do next?

Well, I... I called
for Mr.Vance,

and then I... I went
across to the lab office.

I didn't see him at first.

Then I saw his arm.

Then his body.

He was down there,
half under the desk.

What did you do?

Then I...

I backed away. To the telephone.

I dialed O and told the
operator to send the police.

And then...

Then I ran away.

Did you give the telephone
operator your name?

No.

How about the night watchman?

Was he conscious by that time?

He was still lying there
just as he'd been before.

All right now, Karen,

I want you to try to
visualize this room

exactly as it was last night.

Let's start with the
desk. What was on it?

There were some
cosmetic samples,

some of the new designs.

And one or two lab reports.

How about your bank
deposit book and the formulas?

I don't remember seeing them.

I can hardly remember seeing
anything except Mr. Vance.

Wait a minute.

I remember something.

When Tragg was
examining the body,

there was something
clutched in Vance's hand.

Something that, uh,
smeared it all purple.

Lavender.

It must be one of the lipsticks
we've beem working on.

Our lavender lipstick.

Why would he
have it in his hand?

Excuse me, Paul. Sure.

See, his arm was right here...

Karen.

Karen, may I see your compact?

Of course.

Here, help me clear off
this desk, will you, please?

That's all it says.

I'd say that's quite enough.

That's very clever
of you, Perry.

I never thought of
looking under a drawer.

"Shot by KA."

KA.

That's the start of a name.

K-A...

Karen. Karen Lewis.

You Karen Lewis?

Yes.

I must ask you to come
down to headquarters with me.

You have a warrant for
her arrest, lieutenant?

For the moment she's
merely a material witness.

This way, please, Miss Lewis.

It's all right, Karen.

But, um,

with that drawer added
to our evidence, counselor,

I intend to ask for a warrant

charging her with
first-degree murder.

I'm going into court
accused of murder.

And you still haven't found out

everything you think you
ought to know about me,

have you?

Karen, I'd hate to have the
prosecution pull any surprises,

and I just have the feeling that
you've been hiding something.

Does it concern Pete Nichols?

No.

It's something I

haven't been
able to tell anyone.

My father died in prison.

Now you certainly don't
believe the sins of the father

are visited upon the child?

My mother must have.

She never told me about him.

Go on.

He died when I was a baby.

I didn't find out about
him until I was 17.

I found some newspaper clippings

among her things.

And that was when your
mother passed away?

What did the clippings say?

Kenneth Lewis,

president of a small
New York cosmetic firm,

sentenced to prison.

What for, Karen?

He put out a cheap facial cream

which was actually poisonous.

Was there anyone
convicted with him?

The clippings didn't
mention anyone.

Why?

I was thinking of Mr. Vance.

In the same business,
watching over you for years.

Always knowing
exactly where you were.

Where to find you.

Do you think Mr. Vance
knew my father?

I certainly think there's
some connection.

Karen,

in a very few minutes
we'll be in court.

A lot of this will probably
have to be brought out.

I know that.

All right, let's go.

Perry, I can't leave now.
Court's about to convene

and you know I've been
subpoenaed to testify.

I know it, Paul, but I need
everything you can dig up

on this fellow, a New
York cosmetic manufacturer

named Kenneth Lewis.

He's in New York now?

Oh, no.

No, he's been dead
for some 23 years.

Please rise.

The Superior Court of
the State of California...

Twenty-three years?

Department 12,

is now in session.

The Honorable John
Davis, judge, presiding.

And in a corner of her desk,

hidden under
some facial tissues,

I found...

Well, what I really
hadn't wanted to find.

And, uh, what was
this, Mr. Pompey?

Carbons of two of
our secret formulas,

which she had no
business having,

and a bank deposit book
showing two recent deposits.

I don't remember the exact
sums, but they were substantial.

And following this discovery?

I sent Knudsen to the lab

where she was
working with Nichols

to ask her to come to my office.

Then I showed
her what I'd found.

And what was her reaction?

Naturally, she denied
having taken the formulas.

Said it was all a mistake.

And how did Mr. Vance
react when you told him

what Mr. Pompey had
found in the defendant's desk?

He didn't believe it at first.

Not until I showed
him the formula carbons

and the deposit book
in Max Pompey'soffice.

What did he say then?

Well, I think he...

He said he was going
to confront Karen,

Miss Lewis, with the things
as soon as he could find her.

And if she didn't give a
satisfactory explanation,

he was going to
have her arrested.

I see.

Did Mr. Vance take the
carbons and deposit book

from Mr. Pompey's office?

Yes. He took them with him
when he went to the laboratory.

Oh, yes. We searched the
laboratory office thoroughly.

And found the carbons
and the deposit book?

Oh, no. No, sir.

Someone had taken them then?

Objection, Your Honor.

The question calls for
an unwarranted conclusion

on the part of the witness.

Defense will concede that
the decedent may have had

the objects in question
earlier that day,

but it has not been shown

that the decedent had
those object that night.

I'll be happy to withdraw
the question, Mr. Mason,

since it seems to
disturb you so much.

Now, Lieutenant Tragg, was
there anything unusual at all

about the desk in
the laboratory office?

Yes, sir.

But I, uh, didn't discover it.

Who did?

Perry Mason.

I now show you this
drawer, lieutenant.

Can you identify it?

Yes, sir. It's a
drawer of the desk

under which the body was found.

Mr. Mason called
my attention to it.

Uh, now will you
describe to the court

the relation of the
drawer to the desk

and to Mr. Vance's body?

Yes, the drawer was pulled
out a few inches from the desk,

and the decedent's right hand

was under the
pulled-out portion.

And Mr. Mason called
your attention to that?

No, no, no.

He, uh, called my attention to
what was written on the bottom.

The writing's a little
shaky, but still legible.

Uh, "Shot by KA."

And what did you do
in regard to this writing?

Well, I checked the two letters

against the names of all
the decedent's employees.

Did you find any whose
name began with K-A?

Yes. One.

The defendant.

Karen Lewis.

Mr. Nichols, do you
or do you not recognize

this piece of lipstick taken
from the deceased's hand?

Yes, it's one of the lavender
lipsticks I was working on.

Who was helping
you on that research?

Karen.

Karen Lewis.

So it is possible
that the deceased

could have obtained this piece
of lipstick from Miss Lewis?

We had several pieces, I
could have left it on the lab table.

He could have picked it up.

I don't want your
guess, Mr. Nichols.

Now, you also worked on
a certain estrogenic cream,

the formula for which was stolen

and given to a competitive
company, is that correct?

Yes.

And who was your assistant
on that project, Mr. Nichols?

Karen Lewis.

And before that, who was working

on the dusting powder
which was also taken?

Karen Lewis.

No, sir. I... I don't
know who hit me.

Everything just went black.

Did you see the
defendant at any time

before or after you
were struck that night?

Oh, no, sir.

When, approximately, were
you knocked unconscious?

Elevent twenty-two.

I know because my
clock broke when I fell.

Glass and blood
were all mixed up.

Is, uh, this clock,
tagged Exhibit C,

the one to which
you are referring?

Yes, sir.

And the hands are
exactly as you found them

when you regained consciousness?

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Your witness.

Mr. Knudsen, how long have you
worked for Caresse Cosmetics?

Well, almost 11 years now.

A great deal longer
than the defendant.

Oh, my, yes.

Mr. Knudsen, in the course of
your work as a night watchman,

have you ever done any cleaning?

Oh, I don't mean janitor work,

uh, I mean, perhaps, uh, well,
straightening up the offices?

Oh, no. No, I just check
to see things are locked up

where they
should be, that's all.

Well, Mr. Knudsen,

have you ever found
Miss Lewis' desk

or her place of work to
be remiss in any way?

Well, now, she's a
good little housekeeper.

She keeps her table and
her cabinet locked proper,

if that's what you mean.

Then doesn't it strike you
as peculiar, Mr. Knudsen,

that on one certain night
she'd suddenly be careless?

She'd suddenly
leave her desk open

with such incriminating
things as a bankbook

and cosmetic formulas
inside that desk?

Your Honor, I object.

He's leading the witness
and calling for conclusions.

I'll withdraw the
question, Your Honor.

That'll be all.

I now call Paul
Drake to the stand.

The witness is excused. You
may step down, Mr. Knudsen.

Gentlemen, since
it's almost 12:00,

I would prefer to
recess for lunch.

Court adjourned until 1:30.

Have a nice lunch, Mr. Helming.

More coffee?

No, thank you.

Hi, beautiful.

From your actions
I take it you realize

you are a fugitive from justice.

Yeah, well, uh,
don't make jokes.

But I figure you will get me off

in return for what
I've dug up for you.

Dug up something
about Kenneth Lewis?

Uh-huh. Silas Vance was
once known as Frank Jefferson.

That was in 1937, the year
that Jefferson disappeared.

Why'd he change his name?

Because he was a full
business partner to a criminal,

to Kenneth Lewis.

And there's more. Other names,

full details on the trial and
conviction of Kenneth Lewis.

Everything.

How'd you, uh, find
all this out so soon?

Well,

I called the detective
outfit I use in New York

and they were just putting
this information together.

It seems that three
months ago they were hired

to do a complete check on
Silas Vance and Kenneth Lewis.

Must have been hired
by Gabriel Rawson.

Well, they were,
but how'd you know?

Oh, things are beginning
to go together, Paul.

What we have to do
now is get hold of Rawson.

We can't. Can't?

I called and he's on
his way to the airport.

It seems he suddenly has

some very important
business in New York.

Della. DELLA: Yes, Perry?

Get the airport on the phone
for me, will you, please?

Max?

Uh-uh.

You made me miss
my plane for nothing,

so help me, I'll have your
scalp. Now, what's this matter?

I think you'll find out at 2:00
this afternoon, Mr. Rawson.

That's when this subpoena
calls for you to appear in court.

And you'd, uh, better hurry.
You've just got a few minutes.

Mr. Vance kept me with him
all those years because, uh...

Because I knew the business.

Let me show you this report
on the trial of one Kenneth Lewis

in 1936 for his
cosmetic firm's violation

of the Pure Food and Drug Act.

I note here that one of the
main witnesses against him

was an investigator for the New
York State Department of Health

named Max Pompey.

Did Mr. Vance keep you
with him all those years

because you, uh,
knew the business

or because you were
blackmailing him?

Blackmail's pretty
strong, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Pompey, isn't it true
that Mr. Vance's name

was originally Frank Jefferson?

Yes.

And isn't it also true
that Frank Jefferson

was a business partner
of Kenneth Lewis?

Well, I can explain all that.

I wish you would.

Well, their firm
got into trouble

over a cheap facial cream
that turned out to be poisonous.

Now, Jefferson developed
the formula on Lewis' orders,

so they were both responsible.

But when I put
the finger on them,

they made a sort of
deal with each other

and with me.

Just one of the partners
was to shoulder the blame,

was that the deal?

They tossed a
coin and Jefferson,

that is, Vance, won.

They stuck to it as agreed.

And as agreed, you had a
job for life with Mr. Vance.

It's just a job, that's all,
nothing... Nothing fancy.

You see, half of
everything Jefferson had

was to go to Lewis
after he came out.

Only then Lewis died in prison.

Jefferson blamed himself.

He could hardly talk to anybody.

That's when he changed
his name to Silas Vance.

So you were going to
use all this information

to force Mr. Vance to sell his
company to Gabriel Rawson.

Yes.

Why did you want to ally
yourself with Mr. Rawson

when you had a lifetime
job with Mr. Vance?

I had to.

I... I got mixed up
with a... A woman,

and ended up
with a pile of bills.

Rawson paid them off for me.

Mr. Pompey, this woman
you just referred to,

who was she?

Myra Heston.

Yes, I've know
Mr. Rawson for many years.

Was it his idea that you become

more closely acquainted
with Mr. Pompey?

That perhaps you were to
help increase his expenses?

I suppose you
might put it that way.

Was it Mr. Rawson's idea

that you borrow
Karen Lewis' bankbook

and make two deposits in
her name, one for $1,500

and one for $2,500?

I didn't deposit
anything to her account.

The signatures endorsing
Mr. Rawson's checks were forgeries.

But expert handwriting
analysis will prove that...

All right, I made the deposits.

Is there any law against
giving people money?

That depends.

Now, Miss Heston, did
you put that bankbook

and those cosmetic
formulas in Miss Lewis' desk?

Yes.

Was that also Mr. Rawson's idea?

Yes, it was his idea.

Where did you get the formulas?

Mr. Rawson gave them to me.

Mr. Rawson gave them to
you. Where'd he get them?

I don't know.

Mr. Rawson, did you give
those formulas to Miss Heston?

Yes.

Did you also give her the money

to deposit to Miss
Lewis' account?

Yes.

You know, you're quite
an operator, Mr. Rawson.

Honeycombing your
competitor's company with spies.

But why would you want
to discredit Karen Lewis?

Wasn't it that you had
discovered Mr. Vance's past?

That he regarded Karen
as his responsibility, his heir?

You reasoned that in
order to gain possession

of Caress Cosmetics,

you had to discredit Karen
Lewis in Mr. Vances eyes.

Is that not correct?

Yes.

But you didn't stop at that.

You killed Silas Vance

and you took that
bankbook and the formulas

in an effort to
incriminate Miss Lewis.

But I didn't kill Vance.

What about those formulas?

I didn't take them.

If you didn't take
them, who did?

I don't know.

Your Honor.

I would like to recall
Lieutenant Tragg to the stand.

Mr. Helming?

The State has
been looking forward

to putting Paul Drake
on the stand, Your Honor,

but since I agreed in chambers
to cooperate with Mr. Mason,

I have no objections provided
that the lieutenant's recall

will enable us to get at
the truth in this matter.

The witness may step down.

Lieutenant Tragg?

Now, lieutenant,

you testified that
you were present

while laboratory tests
were made on this wool skirt

worn by the defendant
on the night of the murder?

Yes, I did.

You further testified that
on the skirt were found

blood smears of the
same blood grouping

as that of the night watchman.

Yes.

What else did you
find on the skirt?

Nothing.

As an expert, didn't that
strike you as rather odd?

Yes, sir.

Would you tell the court why?

Well, I expected to
find, uh, bits of glass,

since there were pieces,
uh, from the watchman's clock

all over the bloodstained floor.

Which would indicate that the
murderer set and broke the clock

after Miss Lewis knelt
beside the night watchman.

In fact, after Miss
Lewis had fled

from the laboratory.

Yes, it could indicate that.

But if it does, Mr. Mason,
who is the guilty party?

I think we can show
that, Your Honor.

Now, lieutenant,

you of course have
seen the writing

on the bottom of
this desk drawer.

With the, uh,
court's permission,

I would like to
copy that writing.

Shot...

by...

Now, what is the
next letter, lieutenant?

A capital K.

K...

Now suppose Silas
Vance had started to write...

And then as his strength failed,

he did this.

Now couldn't that second letter

have been one of, uh,
two letters, lieutenant?

Couldn't that second
letter have been an N

instead of an A?

"Shot by K-N."

Shot by Knudsen.

Charles Knudsen,
the night watchman.

I didn't want to give
things to Mr. Rawson.

But I needed the money
so bad for my family.

And then I couldn't stop.

Because he said he'd tell.

And I couldn't have that.

And then Mr. Vance found out

I was stealing his formulas.

He said he was
going to send me to jail

and I couldn't have that either.

I just... I couldn't.

I didn't want to kill him.

Mr. Vance started
to phone the police.

And I... I just grabbed him.

And he started yelling.

And I couldn't have that.

I couldn't have any of it.

I just couldn't.

We'll wait here for Paul, Karen.

I have all your things.
Your money's in your purse,

and, um...

here's your clock.

Clock?

Mm-hm.

Seems to me a clock has
been pretty important in your life.

I don't understand
about the clock.

Why didn't Mr. Knudsen
break it before I got there?

Hi, Paul.

Hi.

He didn't break the clock then

because he didn't know exactly
when you would be get there.

And he wanted to be
sure he had the time right.

That is so you couldn't
possibly have an alibi.

Because that night when
he overheard Vance call you

and ask you to
hurry over to help

put the finger on
the guilty party,

well, then he knew he'd had it.

By the way Paul, what
did he do with the bankbook

and the formulas?
He burned them.

He just told Tragg about them.

And he threw the gun in
a canyon back of Malibu.

The police are there now.

You've explained everything

except how you got Mr. Rawson
to meet Paul at that steam room.

You mean instead of
taking the plane to New York.

I just called him
at the airport.

It was so noisy there
he could hardly hear.

You should have heard him
trying to sound like Max Pompey.

Told Rawson I had to see
him at once and he said,

"Same place as last time"

and I said, "Last time?"

And he said, "The Allerton
steam room, you dummy."

Words he'll regret
the rest of his life.