All language subtitles for Perry Mason s04e25 Misguided Missile

Thanks, Sergeant.

We can use them.

Water system ready?

Affirmative. I have a trip complete
light.

Lock tanking secured?

Lock tanking secured.

Relax, Mr. Morgan.

Relax?

That's easy to say, Major.

That scepter out there is my baby. My
own flesh and blood. I've got a

I'll relax, all right, after it flies.
And this time it better fly.

Data check. Command on internal?

Affirmative. Telemetry and launch
condition?

Affirmative. Missile in internal DC?
Affirmative.

Pressurization complete?

Affirmative.

Status check. Range safety arm light on?
Affirmative.

Range ready?

Ready.

Tell me why!

Let's end call, ma 'am. I'd like to talk
to Miss Rand. They're testing a standby

bird on the hydraulic pumping unit.

Tell them to check out the gimbal shafts
on both booster engines.

It's the only thing that fits the
pattern.

Yes, sir.

You look as tired as I feel.

Reporters still riding you hard?

Jerry, isn't there something we can tell
them?

Sure. Tell them we're testing our
reaction to failure.

We all pass with flying colors. I put
that out and the Morgan Missile Company

will be searching for a new public
relations counsel.

Well, the scepter isn't an Air Force
bird. Not yet. It's Morgan's baby till

Air Force accepts or rejects it.

The next test shot's the last one,
Jerry.

Let that bird flies right.

This could be goodbye scepter contract
for Morgan.

You know that.

It'll fly.

On schedule, on course.

You're not canceling next Friday's shot?

No. That bird can fly, and it will.

Telephone, sir.

Oh, thanks, Sergeant.

Major Reynolds.

Mm -hmm.

Well?

Well, I picked up this thing, but I'm
sure it was after they cleared up the

debris off the range yesterday.

No, Major.

I haven't the faintest idea whether the
part was off your missile.

But there's something on it I think you
should see.

Oh, fine. Then you'll run it over
tonight when you finish for the day.

Thank you.

Well, some civilian engineer found
something on the base that could be or

not be part of the destroyed scepter.
And maybe does or doesn't show

marks.

Major Reynolds.

I'll leave now.

Yes, sir.

Jerry?

I might just be relieved of the whole
problem.

A man named Colonel Sloan is arriving in
half an hour at the airfield.

taking over, Major, is you can
concentrate on the technical side.

It goes no deeper than that.

You're not being reprimanded, believe
me.

Then I stay on as project officer.

Of course, Johnny.

Simply want you to be free of the detail
work so you can get that shot off next

Friday. Oh, Major Reynolds.

Captain Caldwell. Mike flew out for me
from Washington.

Been a long time, Mike.

I heard you made, Major.

Congratulations.

Even though they are late.

Sir.

I borrowed Mike from the Air Force
Inspector General's office.

He'll be in charge of investigating the
possibility of something other than your

functional failures on your missile
abort.

Other than functional failures?

The right -handed monkey wrench on a
left -handed nut and bolt.

Never can tell, can you?

So give him everything you've got and
know about her he asked for.

Turn that aspect of the job entirely
over to him.

Anything you say, Colonel Sloan.

Jerry. All I want you to do is to
concentrate on making that next shot a

success.

Air Force could use a bird like the
scepter.

Just leave the rest of the details to
us.

Now, let's see about quarter.

Sergeant, come here.

You don't seem to be taking this very
seriously, Doctor.

Hardly think that's called for.

Well, you haven't learned exactly what
caused that failure.

Well, we're trying to find out for sure,
Captain.

Guess is meaningless in science.

Dr. Bradbury, you've been senior Morgan
Company scientist on the SEPTA project

since the beginning.

Now tell me, were you just as heavy a
drinker then as you are now?

That's none of your concern.

The Air Force and the American people
have spent millions of dollars on the

SEPTA so far.

And that's a pretty expensive bar tab,
Doctor.

You usually supervise the pre -flight
tests.

You didn't before the last shoot.

Who ran those tests?

Major Reynolds.

Major Reynolds?

Along?

Well, regular staff, some of the Air
Force personnel.

I guess some of our people helped him.

Yes, Dr. Harrison gave him a hand, I
think.

Dr. Harrison.

I told you my activities here for the
Morgan Company are restricted to one

thing.

Working on a radically new all -inertial
guidance system.

Well, the man that comes up with this
radically new inertial guidance, it

be worth a lot of money to him, couldn't
it?

If the man you mean is me, and I did
develop the system, it would belong to

Morgan Company, not to me.

It might be to your advantage not to
complete it, as long as Morgan was still

business.

By the way, you took Dr.

Bradbury's place before those last pre
-flight tests, didn't you?

Yeah. Dan Morgan and I helped with his
checkout.

Now that you've all but intimated that I
sabotaged a scepter, why don't you ask

Mr. Morgan if he didn't destroy his own
missile?

I may do that, Doctor.

I may very well ask him.

Mr. Morgan?

I thought you'd finished here.

All the troubles you've been having.
Your company's in pretty bad shape.

I know that better than you do.

That's the reason the shot Friday better
can't fail.

Well, what if it does?

The Huxley Company is just waiting for
something like that to happen.

The Huxley Company?

Is that a competitive bidder?

That scepter shot washes out Friday.
They pick up the contracts.

But it won't.

I hope not.

Mr. Morgan, I... Oh, it's you.

My job is not to hurt anybody, Miss
Rand.

But it is to find the truth, regardless
of whether anybody does get hurt.

Exactly what do you mean?

Aside from the question of patriotism or
the survival of the free world... Hear,

hear. Well, however you characterize it,
Miss Rand, there also happens to be the

question of the billions of dollars
spent on the missile programs.

So I'm sure you won't mind my thoroughly
checking you and your company.

as well as the Huxley Corporation.

Oh, Perry, I'm taking a job at the
Huxley Corporation.

They have a fine reputation.

Good choice of companies, Jerry.

Well, about a year ago, they opened a
missile division.

That's a good spot for me with the
company.

What's happened with you and the Air
Force? I always thought that you and the

service were made for each other. Even
back on Ulythia, I would have bet on it.

Hey, how about that?

Joint operations.

Navy and the Air Force. The frontal
assault on the officer's bar on Mug Mug.

enchanted isle of the Pacific.

Remember that, Perry?

When was it?

44 or 45?

44.

You should be able to retire in four or
five years.

You, uh, disenchanted, Jerry?

No, no, I love the Air Force.

It's part of my life, I guess.

Always will be.

Now, it's my dad.

For years, I've sent him every cent I
could scrape together to keep his

going. Now he's in the hospital.

Pretty expensively sick, I'm afraid.

That business of his has left us both
broke.

I'm very sorry.

That's a good deal at Huxley's.

Too much money to turn down.

Like it or not, I'm going to have to
resign my commission.

Have you signed with Huxley?

That's why I asked you to come up,
Perry.

Now, these are the contracts.

I'd appreciate you looking them over
before I sign.

Something wrong with them?

Huxley's a strong competitor of Morgan.

Now, am I running a danger of conflict
of interest by signing with Huxley?

You work for the Air Force, not Morgan.

Yes, but Huxley's project is essentially
the same as the one I'm supervising for

Morgan. Now, I don't want to put myself
or the Air Force on the spot.

I'll check out the contracts.

Get in touch with you in a couple of
days.

Thanks for coming up, Perry. It was
impossible for me to get away.

I had to fly to San Francisco. No
problem stopping over.

Say, would you care to stick around for
the shoot? I can arrange it. Oh, sorry,

Jerry, no time.

I don't want to miss that plane out of
Santa Maria.

Oh, Perry.

I can get you to San Francisco real
quick.

Thank you, no.

I think jets are fast enough for me.

Now, now, Miss Arrange at all, exactly
why did you fix it for me to see the

at Vandenberg tomorrow morning?

Why, Mr. Huxley, to see the scepter
shot, of course.

As a new prime contractor in missiles,
you should be here.

Now, why should it be a problem?

And why else would I want you here?

Yes, why indeed.

Oh, would you like a drink?

No.

George, that shot tomorrow morning will
never get off the ground.

Got an awful lot of stock in wishful
thinking, Helen.

This, uh, this isn't a fairy tale world.

Well, here's to the scepter.

To Morgan's bird.

And to the egg it will lay.

Risky. Risky. T -minus ten seconds and
holding.

Repeat, repeat, risky, risky.

T -minus ten seconds and holding.

Why doesn't Major Reynolds get back?
What's holding him up?

Safety officer spotted something in the
rain.

Reynolds went out to check it.

Whatever it was, it's been removed.

Reynolds is on the way back.

No need to get upset. Everything's under
control.

As soon as the Major comes back inside,
pick up and start your final countdown.

Now just take it easy, Mr. Morgan.

T minus 10 seconds and counting. T minus
9, 8, 7,

6, 5, 4, 3,

2,

1.

Captain McVeigh, Colonel Air Police.

That, uh, delay.

Yes, Captain McVeigh. The safety officer
thought it was some sort of

unidentified object on the firing range.

It was no object, sir. It was a man's
body.

Captain Caldwell of the Inspector
General's office.

Caldwell?

He's been murdered.

I'm Mason. How are you? I spoke to you
earlier on the phone, Mr. Mason. My

name's McVeigh.

Yes, Captain. Is Major Reynolds waiting
for us?

Yes, sir, he is.

Uh, Mr. Mason, uh, Major Reynolds has
been relieved of his duties and

to the base.

The restriction is in lieu of arrest
pending completion of investigation.

Uh, he been charged with murder yet?

Technically, yes, but whether or not a
general court -martial is actually

convened depends to a great extent on
the investigating officer's report.

That's my report, Mr. Major. Now, it's
not my job to try and work up a case

against him, but just to see if there is
a case.

That seems fair enough.

Major Reynolds is not only entitled to
counsel of his own choice during a

in case there is one, but also during my
investigation.

Defense is entitled to the same
privileges as the prosecution, so

physical evidence, it's all yours for
study and questioning.

Now, you've both been cleared by
security, so in addition to the plane

brought you up here, there's a car and a
driver for each of you, and

identification badges to get you around
the state.

So you're all set.

Your driver will take you to Major
Reynolds.

Thank you very much, Captain. See you
later.

Well, my men should be in Santa Maria by
now.

We'll get located, and I'll put a tail
on everyone Reynolds mentioned on the

phone. Some of them may still be here on
the base.

Oh, Paul, that civilian engineer who
made the phone call to Reynolds after

missile failure?

Yeah, let me see.

Thin voice, Midwestern accent, tendency
to stammer. And you told me that

Reynolds couldn't remember his name.

Doesn't matter. Find him.

Thanks a lot.

Where do I find you?

When I finish with Jerry, I plan to see
a man by the name of George Huxley. I

understand he's in a hotel in Santa
Maria.

You'll be able to find me all right.

when Caldwell was grounded for having
failed to carry out an order, he blamed

for his being reprimanded and
reassigned.

Claimed I'd never given him the order.

I never told you about it, Perry. I was
in Korea quite a few years back.

Captain McVeigh tells me that Caldwell
was killed at approximately 3 a .m.

Now, where were you at that time,
Friday?

The worst place you can think of.

Caldwell?

Well, I wasn't exactly with him.

I just happened to run into him at the
officer's club here.

But it was an accident, Perry, honest.

We had an hour or so before final
checkoff. I dropped in to look for

That's Helen Rand.

I wanted to ask her about a press
release she did on the shoot.

She wasn't there.

Who was there?

Well, Dr. Harrison and Caldwell.

All right, then what happened?

Caldwell saw me. He came over, grabbed
my arm, all excited.

Began yakking away about finally
catching up with me.

Being able to prove I wasn't the bright
genius I was supposed to be.

Oh, a lot of stuff.

Didn't make much sense to me.

Harrison's the one who heard this?

I guess so.

I walked away from Caldwell and went
outside to my jeep.

Did he follow you?

Yeah. Still dishing out the insults.
Same kind of accusations he made inside.

I, uh... I guess I finally lost my
temper and took a swing at him.

I knocked him down.

What happened after you knocked him
down?

Well, I, uh... I don't know for sure.

I was just a boiling man. I started
walking around the base.

I wasn't going anywhere in particular.

I was just trying to cool off, I
suppose.

Jerry, exactly what did Caldwell say to
you that made you angry enough to hit

him? That I really knew how to take care
of myself.

That he found out about the cushy job
I'd set up for myself with the Huxley

Corporation after I, uh... after I made
sure the Morgan Company would fold.

And inasmuch as I'm a late starter in
the missile field, I'm willing to

to get top men for my company.

Major Reynolds has a good reputation.

So it's as simple as that, Mr. Mason.

If the Morgan Company went out of
business, Mr. Huxley, wouldn't you be in

for additional Air Force missile
contracts?

Yes, it's possible. Very likely, as a
matter of fact.

But they haven't failed, not yet.

You were on the base at the time of the
firing as an observer.

Did you by any chance talk with Captain
Caldwell?

The officer that was killed?

Yes. No, I've never even met him.

Why should I have talked to him?

Well, I understand he was making a
thorough investigation of last week's

failure.

You know, Mr. Mason, I'm getting very
tired of these efforts to involve me in

whatever goes on over at the Morgan
Company.

All these efforts?

That's exactly what I said.

You now, and earlier today, a phone
call.

Who was it that called you?

I don't know.

Some man. He sounded quite drunk.

Insisted he meet me here and tell me
something about the Morgan Company.

As if I cared whatever he had to say or
anybody else.

Including you, Mr. Mason.

So now, if you don't mind, I am a little
busy.

Just one more question, Mr. Huxley, and
I'll leave.

When was the last time you saw Helen
Rand?

Miss Rand?

I haven't seen her since the Western
Region Ballistic Missile Conference

month ago.

Why do you ask me that?

Interesting shade of lipstick on these
filters.

Sorry to have troubled you, Mr. Huxley.

Hi, Perry. I hoped I'd catch you here.

News call?

Uh -huh. I found out that Helen Rand
took off from the base just as we

there. One of my men spotted her in town
and trailed her.

You'll never guess where.

My guess is that he followed her right
here to this hotel.

Why pay me to find out something you
already know?

I didn't know.

It was just a guess. Go on.

Well, she was inside for a while. Then
she came out and waited in her car.

A couple of minutes later, a cab pulls
up and a drunk got out.

A drunk?

A drunk.

He staggered toward the lobby, and Helen
Rand spotted him. She ran out of her

car, grabbed him, started yakking at him
like a house of fire, put him in her

car, and drove off. That was, oh, about
half an hour ago.

Where'd they go?

She dropped him off at the downtown
hotel.

He managed to make it into the lobby,
and she took off for the base.

The drunk's name is Bradbury, Dr.
Bradbury.

Good work, Paul.

And there's more.

The engineer who called Major Reynolds
last week and said he'd found something

that might relate to the last missile
failure?

You've seen the engineer?

No, but we know who he is.

His name's Bert Springer, and we're
trying to locate him now. You want to

along? No.

No, I think I'll try my luck with Dr.
Bradbury.

Keep in touch. Will do.

Dr. Bradbury.

Dr.

Bradbury.

Who are you?

Perry Mason, Major Reynolds' attorney.

Oh, yeah, yeah, sure.

Major Reynolds.

He's a good man.

He's a fine scientific mind.

I'm sorry.

I'm really sorry he's got in so much
trouble.

It's not good.

I thought you might be able to tell me
about it.

How did I help him?

He's a good friend, Jerry.

He's a good friend.

That why you called George Huxley, then
tried to see him?

Huxley?

Who said I called Huxley?

Why, you did, Dr. Bradbury.

You said you called him.

Oh.

Well, maybe I did.

What about it?

What are you going to do?

I just wondered what it was you wanted
to tell him that Helen Rand was against

your telling him.

Trapper, eh?

Brad, I brought your key. You'd better
go upstairs and get some sleep.

Come on.

Yes, you see, I'm talking to Perry
Mason.

I had some very important conversation,
Dr. Harrison.

You're Dr. Harrison?

He's in no condition to talk.

It wouldn't make any sense.

Come on, Brandon.

Come to your seat. Come on. Well, but I
was... Come on.

But you... I wanted to... Perry,

I found that man Springer for you, but
there's just one trouble.

Yeah, I'm afraid I found him first.

I'm afraid you found him first. Why?

Well, this is what Springer discovered
last week. It's what's left of the

retainer bolt from a Yaw gimbal shaft of
booster engine number one of the

Scepter missile that was aborted last
week. Here, have a look.

It's been sheared off in one hand. Yeah,
it was cut halfway through with a

hacksaw, and the rest of it just snapped
under 300 ,000 pounds pressure.

This two -bit piece of hardware,
deliberately tampered with, was very

responsible for the destruction of a
million -dollar missile.

That's what Springer called Reynolds
about?

Instead of giving it to Reynolds, he
turned it over to Captain Caldwell

he was murdered.

We hadn't known that, although we had
found the bolt.

You found that bolt before Springer told
you about it?

Where? It's carefully tucked inside a
hard hat.

Whose? The personal protective headgear
that Major Reynolds kept at the launch

control center.

I'm really sorry, Mr. Mason.

Sorry, Captain?

I'm going to recommend that the general
court -martial be convened and that

Major Reynolds be tried for murder.

Prosecution is ready to proceed with a
trial in the case of the United States

versus... Gerald Reynolds, Major of the
United States Air Force.

Sergeant Diamond has been appointed
reporter for this court and will now be

sworn.

Will counsel representing the accused
state whether the legal qualifications

the appointed member of the defense are
other than as stated in the appointing

orders? And will individual counsel
state whether he's been certified as

by the appropriate judge advocate
general?

The legal qualifications of the
appointed member of the defense is

stated in the appointing orders as
certified by the Office of the Judge

General. I will proceed on the charges.

The accused, Gerald Reynolds, Major,
United States Air Force, pleads to all

specifications and charges not guilty.

The prosecution has no opening
statement.

Very well. Proceed with the first
witness.

The prosecution calls this witness Dr.

Richard Stanton.

Dr. Stanton, please.

And there were numerous abrasions and
lacerations on Captain Caldwell's

forehead, cheekbone, and chin. And did
you determine the cause of death,

A heavy blow in the cranial area
directly over the occipital lobe. The

of his skull was literally caved in.

Death was instantaneous.

And the time of death?

Between 3 and 3 .20 in the morning.

I show you this rock.

Prosecution exhibit number one for
identification.

As I shall establish subsequently, it
was discovered near the body of the

decedent. Have you examined the rock,
Doctor?

Yes. There was cortical tissue adhering
to it.

Its size and weight conformed to the
extent of the blow, and specimens of

and hair I found on it are similar in
type to those of the decedent.

In my opinion, that rock was used to
kill the decedent.

And who was there in the officers' club
when you arrived in the very early

morning? Dr.

Bradbury and Captain Caldwell. They were
having coffee together.

Did you join them?

No, I had some reports to look over. I
sat at another table.

Then Dr. Bradbury left the club, and
Captain Caldwell came over to me. We

chatted for a while, and then Major
Reynolds came in.

What time was that?

About ten minutes later. I'd say a
little before 3 a .m.

May I ask what happened then, Doctor?

Well, Major Reynolds went over to the
coffee urn, and Captain Caldwell

him. They got into rather a heated
discussion, and Major Reynolds pushed

away and left.

Then Captain Caldwell followed him out
of the club.

Now, let me understand this clearly,
Sergeant.

At 12 minutes after 3 in the morning,
you picked up Major Reynolds walking

on the range, and you brought him
directly to the launch control center,

Major stayed inside the control center
where you could see him until

considerably later that morning when you
both left the control center. Yes, sir.

The final countdown was stopped when
something was spotted on the range.

The air police, Captain McVeigh, had
discovered the body of Captain Caldwell.

At 312, you picked up Major Reynolds on
the range.

Tell me, Sergeant, where was the body of
the murdered man in relation to where

you picked up Major Reynolds?

About 300 yards further down range, sir.

Thank you, Sergeant.

The prosecution has no further
questions.

Sergeant, when you were searching for
the Major, didn't it occur to you to try

the officer's club?

Oh, but I did look in at the officer's
club. You did? At what time?

About 3 .05.

Well, didn't Dr.

Harrison advise you that Major Reynolds
had just left?

No, he couldn't have, sir.

There wasn't anybody there at that time.

The officer's club was empty at 3 .05?

You're positive?

Yes, I am, sir.

So you saw no one in the club or no one
entering or leaving the club at 3 .05?

Yes, sir, that's correct.

But just as I got to the club, a jeep
was pulling away.

I called Major Reynolds over my speaker.

The jeep didn't stop.

You called Major Reynolds over your
speaker.

But did you have any idea who was in
that jeep? No, sir. Just someone in a

hurry.

Thank you, Sergeant.

Defense has no further questions.

Please continue, Major.

Now, Dr. Bradbury, the court has
examined the bolt to see how it was

deliberately tampered with.

Now, could you tell us whether a bolt so
tampered with could have been a prime

factor in the failure of the septum
missile?

By shearing and affecting the gimbal
control of one of the booster motors, it

could have been, yes.

Now, on the day of the successful
shoot...

Who was in charge of all pre -flight
testing?

I was.

Going back a week to the shoot that
failed, who was in charge of all pre

testing then?

Were you, Dr. Bradbury?

Well, no, I was ill that day.

Major Reynolds had assumed my duties.

So before the missile failed, the
missile carrying this tampered with

Major Reynolds took over your duties.

Well, he...

Yes. Previous to my placing this bolt in
your hands, Doctor, when did you last

see it?

At the officer's club, the morning
before the successful launch.

Captain Caldwell showed it to me.

Within minutes of the murder, the
decedent had this damaging evidence in

possession.

Yes.

Thank you, Dr. Bradbury.

Prosecution has no further questions.

Major Cook, may I see that bolt, please?

Thank you.

This, uh... This illness which came over
you on the day of the missile failure,

was it sudden?

Well, no, not sudden. It just happened.

Of course you checked with the medical
officer.

Well, it wasn't that serious.

No?

It prevented you from carrying out your
pre -flight check -off duties, did it

not?

Well, I'd had a couple of drinks.

I'd been under great pressure. Great
pressure, doctor?

Could that pressure have been the result
of Captain Caldwell's investigation?

No. No, he wasn't accusing me.

He didn't even understand the
significance of that boulder. I had to

to him.

Now, Dr.

Harrison testified that you left the
club a little before three. Is that

correct? Yes. Well, do you know Helen
Rand?

Well...

We're, uh, we're good friends.

Defense has no further questions.

And this protective headgear belonging
to Major Reynolds is always kept on top

of the clothes rack just inside of
Launch Control Center 576B, where the

works during test shoots.

What else can you tell us about this
particular hard hat, Captain?

Well, the bolts that have been tampered
with, the one DeSeden had in his

possession prior to his death... We
found that bolt tucked inside the

right here underneath the webbing.

Thank you, Captain.

One moment, Major Cook.

Is it the contention of the prosecution
that this bolt was placed inside the

protective headgear by the defendant
when he was brought to the launch

center by his sergeant sometime after
312?

Yes, sir.

All this, of course, hinges on the fact
that the decedent must have had the bolt

in his possession when he was murdered.

May I remind the court that Dr. Bradbury
testified that... The decedent had the

bolt and showed it to Dr. Bradbury prior
to leaving the officer's club.

Subject to objection from the law
officer or either counsel, the court

like to recall two previous witnesses to
clear up this point before going on

with Captain McVeigh's testimony.

Well, Captain Caldwell showed me the
bolt and then returned it to his pocket.

To the best of my knowledge, he still
had it when I left the club.

Bradbury and Caldwell were examining the
bolt and discussing it.

Then Captain Caldwell put the bolt back
in his pocket.

When Dr.

Bradbury left and Captain Caldwell
joined you, did he show you the bolt?

No. When Captain Caldwell went to join
Major Reynolds, did he show him the

Not inside the club, no.

Did you see him give it to anyone or
otherwise dispose of it before he left

club? To the best of my knowledge,
Captain Caldwell still had the bolt in

pocket when he and Major Reynolds left
the club.

I hand you prosecution exhibit number
six for identification, a regulation

flashlight. You recognize it, Captain?

Yes, it has my mark on it.

It was found on a clump of bushes
approximately 40 yards distant from the

at which the decedent's body was found.
Since it was badly smashed and there was

considerable blood on the top portion of
it, we checked it over carefully.

And what did you discover, Captain?

Well, the blood was of the same type as
that of the decedent.

Additionally... The lacerations and
abrasions of the decedent matched in

the top of the flashlight.

In my opinion, sir, this flashlight was
the weapon used to inflict wounds on the

face and forehead of the decedent.

And have you determined to whom this
flashlight belonged?

The flashlight is Major Reynolds.

One moment, Major Cook.

I must object.

No possible foundation has been laid
that would justify the statement that

flashlight has, in fact, been in the
defendant's possession.

May I?

How can it be distinguished from the
thousands and thousands of identical

flashlights issued by the military? No
marks and obviously no fingerprints on

the barrel.

Captain McVeigh, why did you say the
flashlight was Major Reynolds?

Mr. Mason is right. The outside barrel
was smeared as if by a cloth.

And even if it hadn't been, it's
doubtful if we could have lifted any

print. But...

Inside, on this reflector, we did find
two clear fingerprints.

And whose fingerprints were those?

The defendant's, Major Reynolds.

Well, Paul, did you get the lowdown on
the good Dr. Bradbury's finances?

They're lean, but very lean. Except for
a $5 ,000 check he cashed and deposited

the day before the missile failure.

The teller in Bradbury's bank has a
memory like an elephant, especially

comes to $5 ,000 checks.

And especially when they're signed by no
less than George Huxley. Guessing

again? Well, it was signed by Huxley,
all right, but it wasn't made out to

Bradbury. It was made out to Helen Rand,
and she endorsed it to Bradbury.

Now, is that for a triangle?

It's the kind of triangle a clever Air
Force attorney like Cook will turn into

an edifice of damaging proof.

What about a lawyer, that Major Cook?

All the service attorneys I've met are
highly competent.

They're as dedicated to the legal
profession as they are to the uniforms

wear. Well, work through now, Perry.

Paul, I think it's time to get out to
tackle and do a little fishing.

Good luck.

And after that failure, it became
apparent that unless the next launch was

success, I would be finished and so
would the scepter.

Did you know that the defendant was
planning to resign his commission in the

Force? Yes, he told me so himself.

And about his father and about needing
the money.

I offered him a job, but he turned it
down.

For what reason?

He said he would have to do better than
the $15 ,000 a year I offered him.

Prosecution is no further question.

Mr. Morgan, didn't you resent Captain
Caldwell's investigation of your

No, why should I?

You had no idea of what he was reporting
to his superiors?

Not exactly, no. But he kept me posted
on all his activities.

Would you mind telling me when he last
kept you posted?

It was that Friday morning early, before
he was killed.

I was in my office going over some
reports before the final countdown.

Captain Caldwell came to my office about
2 o 'clock, I think it was.

He was very excited, as a matter of
fact.

Excited about what?

He said he had the final proof as to the
cause of the prior failure.

He showed me a partly sawed -through
boat.

said it represented the culmination of
his entire investigation.

And before Captain Caldwell left my
office, he said, after I see Major

you won't have to worry anymore about a
failure, Mr. Morgan.

Major Reynolds was resigning. I offered
him a job, a good job.

Captain Caldwell was completely aware of
the situation.

At no time was there any implication
that I was raiding either the Air Force

the Morgan Company.

Without imputing you personally, the
fact remains that with the Morgan

out of business, you would have picked
up its contract.

And Major Reynolds, who could have
ensured the Morgan Company failure, was

seeking employment with you.

What salary was the Major to receive
from you?

$35 ,000 a year.

Are you aware that that's more than
double what the Morgan Company offered

No, I'm not.

Nor do I care.

Major Reynolds was worth that to the
Huxley Missile Corporation, so that's

I offered him.

Prosecution is no further questions.

May it please the court, I request that
each and every witness connected with

this trial be physically present in the
courtroom during my cross -examination

of Mr. Huxley.

Prosecution objects.

We see no valid reason to waive the
rules of procedure.

Before ruling on the objection, the
court would like to hear from the law

officer, Colonel Fremont.

May I ask you for what purpose the
defense counsel makes this request?

To establish voice identification in
regard to a telephone conversation.

Both the request of the defense counsel
and prosecution's objections are within

the discretion of this court. The Air
Force is interested in justice, not

Subject to objections from any member of
the court, the prosecution's objection

is overruled.

Mr. Huxley.

The day following the murder, you
received a telephone call from a man

purporting to have important information
for you regarding the Morgan Company.

Isn't that so?

Yes, I received such a call. But that's
as far as it went.

Wasn't the man who called actually your
contact inside the Morgan Company?

Of course not.

Then why did you write a $5 ,000 check
which ended up in Dr.

Bradbury's bank account?

I did no such thing. That's absolutely
untrue.

You denied the check? Let me refresh
your memory. It was made out to Helen

Endorsed by her to Dr. Bradbury. No. No,
I don't deny that check.

I gave it to Helen. For what, Mr.
Huxley?

Well, it was a gift.

I wanted her to buy something for
herself.

We're very old friends.

So the check was merely a token of
friendship.

Or to put it another way, a token of
love?

Yes.

Yes, of love.

You cheat.

You no -good cheat.

All right, shut up. You've got it all
wrong.

I thought you were supposed to be in
love with me. There'll be order in this

court. That was just an advance.

I was supposed to wreck that missile and
put Morgan out of business, and then

the whole world was gonna be ours, yours
and mine.

Shut up, you. Order! Just shut up!

Yeah, sure, I'm a weakling and I'm a
drunk, but who made that scepter go?

I did. Me.

I couldn't fail again, not even for you.

There'll be order in this court.

Order.

The defense has no further questions,
but with the court's permission, I would

like to recall a witness.

Mr. Dan Morgan.

And as I stated before, Captain Caldwell
showed me the boat to assure me that he

had finished the investigation.

According to your testimony, that was at
approximately 2 a .m.

Yes, about that time.

That's most interesting, Mr. Morgan.

considering the fact the decedent had no
idea at all of the significance of that

bolt until Dr. Bradbury explained it to
him 45 minutes later.

Well, I... Now, the only time you saw
Caldwell that morning was when you

him. Isn't that so, Mr. Morgan?

The scepter was the most important thing
in my life. I would have done anything

to see it fly.

Anything. I would have, and I did.

Many of the things I did over the past
few years were wrong.

Against the law.

But it was either that or stop.

And nothing was going to stop me.

Captain Caldwell found out. Enough to
put me out of business. Enough to keep

scepter from flying. Don't you
understand?

He wouldn't let my bird fly.

I didn't want to kill him.

I begged with him. I pleaded. I cried.
But he wouldn't listen. The scepter. My

scepter. He wouldn't let it fly.

You don't understand what it means to
build out of nothing but a dream.

My jets hadn't even been invented when I
was talking about missiles.

Morgan, the fool visionary, they called
me. But I fought it through.

Yes, I killed him.

Let it be.

No matter what.

I built the first scepter.

And it flew.

It was Morgan's Jeep that your sergeant
saw pulling out of the officer's club

that morning.

With my flashlight. How did that get
involved?

Well, you must have dropped it by
accident, and Morgan saw it and decided

and frame you for the murder.

Picked it up with a handkerchief and
beat Caldwell with it. And almost

himself by wiping your fingerprints from
the barrel of the flashlight.

But not the inside reflector.

No, Captain McVeigh, not the reflector.

Morgan then took the bolt from
Caldwell's pocket and completed the

hiding it in your helmet.

Well, Perry, what can I say but thanks?

Oh, it might help if I told you that
I've decided not to take this uniform

Somebody still has to nurse the scepter
along.

I'd like it to be me.

Good, Jerry.

We can work things out as far as your
dad's concerned.

I think he'll agree that the uniform
belongs on you, Major.

You think?

Captain?