Original subtitles

Now let's plug it. Plug it.

Come on.

Let's try again.

No. I'll never learn.

Never.

Timmy, you remember my telling you I played on the foundation's 10 and under

-stars when I was a kid?

Yes.

Look. The same series of operations you had.

You mean you played all -stars with braces?

No, but even before they took them off, I was just about the best hitter around

here. Gee, give me that bat.

That's the boy. Come on. Timmy, come on.

Let's go. Okay, kids.

Come on, let's get going now. Miss Proctor.

Oh, hello, Mr. Gage. My uncle would like to see you.

See me? Well, as soon as possible, so I was informed.

Thank you.

Would you like to join us?

Me? George Gage?

Playing games with children?

Don't be ridiculous.

He's waiting for me. What does he want? Why does he want to see me? I don't

know, Joan. You'd better go right in.

Claudia, is he worse?

Mr.

Gage?

Joan, how do you feel about Ernest Deming?

Well, since he's Claudia's husband and my brother -in -law, I suppose I

shouldn't say, but I don't like him. Then I can trust you to do what I want.

Joan, my lawyer, Perry Mason.

Call him.

Tell him to have a new will for my signature tonight.

Cutting off Ernest.

Devin, completely.

You mean it's all to go to your nephew, George Gage?

No. To Claudia.

My life work.

The foundation.

Claudia's. And mine.

He must never be able to destroy it.

As he and my nephew, George, are plotting to do.

Plotting? I have the proof here.

Copy of an agreement between my nephew and Deming to

split everything, no matter who

inherits. Call my lawyer, Gary Mason.

Ernest Deming, please.

I'll get it.

Hello?

A change in what?

That's very interesting.

Yes, you're right.

I had better come out.

It's time for your medicine, Mr. Gage.

Mr. Gage?

Mr. Gage?

Heart's slightly weaker, but otherwise no change.

As for his regaining consciousness, Mr. Mason, I'd say the prognosis was

unfavorable. But there is a chance, Dr. Holmeson?

Yes. There isn't much time.

A few hours at the most.

Well, thank you.

Coming, Claudia?

No, I think I'll stay for a while.

Mr. Mason, how is he?

Not good, Joan.

Dr. Olmsted doesn't think he'll ever regain consciousness.

Oh, no.

Mr. Mason, I'm Ernest Deming's assistant, Nicholas Blake.

What can be done about this new will Joan's been telling me about?

Nothing without Mr. Gage.

You mean Ernest Deming can inherit everything even though Mr. Gage doesn't

him to? I'm afraid so.

And wreck the foundation?

Yes, by simply refusing to support it once he gains control of the estate.

What is this with Ernest?

I thought he'd been a faithful worker for the foundation for years.

I don't know.

He's changed a lot since his first heart attack.

He just doesn't have any interest in the foundation or the children or Claudia

or... Well, he's found other interests.

When?

Look, Mr. Mason, why can't you tear up the old will? Wouldn't that fix him?

Even if I could do that, which I can't, it would only divert everything to

George Gage as next of kin.

Well, it would go for more high living on the Riviera and another five wives.

I guess the only solution is for some philanthropic soul to up and plug

Even that wouldn't help.

Because if Ernest predeceases Mr. Gage, it again would all go to George.

Do you mean that Claudia's Ernest's wife wouldn't inherit?

The time Mr. Gage's present will was drawn up, he had complete faith in

Claudia's name wasn't even mentioned.

The only way she could inherit would be if Ernest would inherit and then die.

You have the new will, Joan?

Oh, yes.

You understand that Mr. Gage's signature must be witnessed by at least two

people not mentioned in the will.

All right, then. I'll be going.

Thank you, Mr. Gage. Good night.

Good night.

There must be something we can do, Johnny. There must be. Well, my

would be to go to bed, since anything else would be quite futile.

Oh, by the way, Mr. Blake, the high living wasn't confined just to the

Oh, no. No, there was Paris, Rome, London, and quite a number of other

That and Deming versus 3 ,000 kids.

I know how you feel, Nick. No, you don't, Joanie. Not by a long shot.

Not how it feels to be taken in off the street.

Off an ash heap you were using as a playground.

Given milk, clean clothes, braces, operations.

Hope.

Above all, Joanie, hope.

That's why I came back to the foundation after I grew up. To try to help give

other kids hope, too.

Know what I'm going to do, Joanie?

I'm going to have it out with Ernest Deming. He isn't here, Nick.

Now, Claudia told me that he's still at that hotel in Beverly Hills where he

stays and he's in town. Well, he must have changed his plans then. His car is

outside and I saw a light in the library.

Now, Nick, wait.

Mr. Deming, you may think that... Mr. Deming?

He's dead.

Dr. Armstead.

Nick, it was Hartman.

Well, apparently it didn't work.

Do you realize what this means?

Yes.

George Gage is first in line to inherit now.

Poor Claudia.

Poor Mr. Gage. All the work they've done.

Their dreams for the foundation.

Mr. Blake?

Is that you in there, Mr. Blake? What is it, Timmy? The bus back to the city.

They're holding it for you.

Timmy, I can't leave just now. Tell the driver to go ahead.

But you said you'd ride with us. Tell us a story.

I know. Next time. And that's a promise to me. Go ahead. Come on. Be there. Good

night, Mr. Blake. Good night.

Joanie.

Will you do something for Timmy and me and the foundation?

Of course.

Go to bed and don't say a word about this to anybody.

But, Dick.

I don't understand.

You're not supposed to. Just go.

Please, Joanie. Please.

Excuse me.

Yes, miss?

I'd like to see Mr. Ernest Denton, please. Joan Proctor.

Bungalow 5, please.

Mr. Deming?

Miss Proctor to see you.

Fine.

I'll have a boy show you the way.

That was Mr. Deming?

Yes.

It's quite all right. I know where the bungalows are.

Thank you.

I didn't mean to startle you.

Oh, hello, Mrs. Armstrong.

Oh, that's quite all right. I've been dropping things all morning.

What in the world are you doing in Beverly Hills?

I brought some papers in for my brother -in -law.

Ernest is here in the hotel.

I'd have thought he'd be at Mr. Gage's bedside.

How is Mr. Gage, by the way?

Well, your husband says there hasn't been much change.

As a doctor's wife, I should know if that's good or bad, but I don't.

Are you free for lunch, Joan?

Well, I don't know.

If you have a chance, join me in the camellia room.

All right.

Goodbye, Tom.

Mr.

Deming!

Door's unlocked.

Come in.

Who is it?

It's me, Joan.

Oh, am I glad to see you.

That's Ernest's robe.

Nick, why did you have me ask for Ernest at the desk?

What's this all about? Why didn't they find the body this morning?

Nick, wasn't he really dead?

He's dead, all right.

Well, his body's in the lake by the estate gates.

In the lake?

You put it there?

But why? Why did you do that?

I didn't know what else to do, Joanie. I thought Mr. Gage would die during the

night, and when he didn't, I... Wait a minute, Joanie.

Let's take it from the top, and then maybe it'll make sense, okay?

All right, look, when I got you out of the library, all I had in mind was to

hide Ernest until after Mr. Gage died, which I thought would happen any minute.

Well, don't you see?

If I could have convinced people that Ernest died later than Mr. Gage, the

estate would go to him and then to Claudia.

Only Mr. Gates didn't die.

I know. That was the rub, Joanie.

I took Ernest's body outside so nobody would see it. I wrapped it in some

and then put it in the back of his car.

And then I waited and waited until about four o 'clock in the morning when I

realized the plan wasn't going to work.

Well, then... Then I got another not -so -pretty idea.

I tied some sash weights on the canvas.

And I dropped the body in the lake.

Then I drove back here in his car.

Who is it?

Room service for your breakfast thing, Mr. Demons.

Just a minute.

Let him in.

Nick, you signed her his name.

Over there.

Oh, check.

Thank you, ma 'am.

Nick, why Ernest's name?

Well, that's my four o 'clock idea.

If Mr. Gates dies today and I can keep Ernest alive until after that, Claudio

will still inherit.

Alive? How could you keep him alive?

Oh, you know, Joanie, fake telephone calls, room service orders, signatures

food and drink checks.

You asking for him at the desk a dozen ways.

But the people that he told Claudia that he was staying in town to meet, what

about them?

Here are the people.

I thought so.

All right, Nick. Now, if Mr. Gates should... Well, if he should die today,

are you going to make it seem that Ernest died afterwards? That's the crux

idea. It's foolproof.

Well, Junie, that depends on whether you're with me or not. So far, you're in

the clear. The blame's all mine.

One word and I'm done for. But remember, so are Claudia and Timmy and the

Foundation.

Hello?

I just got here, Claudia.

Ernest.

Why, uh... He went out with some people.

He didn't say when he'd be back.

Do you want me to take a message?

When did you first discover he was missing, Mr. Gage?

Early this morning. I suppose I should have called you then, but I thought

someone in the house might have an explanation.

How much would you say the missing... What did you say it was?

A samurai warrior.

Samurai being the Japanese term for a certain class of nobles.

And if you were going to ask me what the departed warrior is worth, Mrs. Deming

can tell you better than I.

Claudia, this is Detective Boykins.

How do you do?

As for the samurai's worth, all I can tell you is that Mr. Carlton Gage has

offered $8 ,000 for the pair.

Have you any idea as to the how or why of this, Mrs. Deming?

No. It seems both mysterious and senseless to me.

But senseless or not, I'd better try to earn my pay.

Mr. Gage, you say the servants are quartered in the back?

Thank you. I'll find my way out.

And what's the latest bulletin on my esteemed uncle?

There's still no change.

And still no new will in your favor.

Odds are that there won't be, but if it does happen, I'm sure that you and I can

work things out all right.

Through an agreement like the one Ernest made with you?

To divide the estate no matter who inherits? No, thank you.

Where did you hear about Ernest and me?

I just put some things together.

Yes, Claudia.

When did this happen?

You see... Yes, we'll be out there as soon as we can.

Mr.

Gage just died.

Without ever regaining consciousness.

Very sorry, miss, but Prince is grossed. I need some help. It's my brother -in

-law. He just slumped over a minute ago. I think it's his heart.

You wish a doctor?

Could you get me some water first? I'm going to try and get his medicine down.

Hurry, please.

Do you have a phone here?

No, no telephone.

Look, miss, look.

Yes, Gertie.

Joan Proctor.

Is she here?

Have her come in, please.

Miss Proctor?

Mr. Mason, I need your help.

Help? Why, Joan?

It's the police.

The way they've been questioning me is as if they thought that I was

for Ernest's death.

Now, sit down. Sit down.

Relax. I'm sorry.

It's just that I'm so tired.

All right, suppose you tell us what you told the police.

Oh, this is Mr. Paul Drake. He's associated with us. Miss Proctor?

Well, to start at the beginning, Nick and I were in Ernest's bungalow when

Claudia called and told us about Mr. Gage.

Was Ernest there?

No. But he arrived later, about 6 .30.

We told him about Mr. Gage, and then we all started out for Palos Verdes.

The paper said you and Ernest were alone in the car.

Well, we were.

Ernest didn't feel well.

He was dizzy and short of breath, so I said I'd drive for him.

Where was Nicholas Blake?

He had a very important stop to make at the...

Gage Foundation home in Santa Monica, so I let him have my convertible.

I see.

And then?

It happened just after we turned off 101 onto the ocean road to

the Gage estate.

Suddenly, Ernest moaned and said, Joni, my heart toppled over.

I swung off the road to a vegetable stand.

There was a man there.

He was closing up for the night, and I asked him for some water so I could give

Ernest one of his heart pills.

Then I followed the man to the stand, thinking if he had a telephone, one of

could call a doctor.

He saw at first the car.

It was rolling down the hill.

Toward the ocean.

And it went over the cliff.

Had you set the brake?

Yes, I did put it on before I followed the man to the stand.

Did this man see you do that?

I'm not sure.

That's what the police kept going over and over.

Well, even if in your excitement you didn't set the brake properly, his death

was still an accident.

I don't have anything to worry about, do I?

Well, not as long as you're telling the truth.

I am.

Joan, if the police become too bothersome, just call me.

I will.

And thank you.

Thank you.

Goodbye. Goodbye.

Paul, would you like to go surf fishing?

Surf fishing?

In back of a vegetable stand.

Run by Ito Komagi.

You don't think she was telling the truth?

Well, let's just say I'd like to know what the police are doing and Mr.

Komagi's answer to one question.

About the handbrake? Oh, about some armor.

Samurai armor.

Nick. I was beginning to wonder if we could have signals called to you. Honey,

sit down.

You want a drink?

No, thank you.

Nick, your hand.

Oh, it's just a couple of blue snuggles, that's all.

Getting out of the car? Yeah, what a scramble that was. You know, I had to

until there wasn't those bushes, and by then it was really rolling, and only

about 50 feet from the cliff.

Oh, Nick.

I thought you'd gone over with it, too.

I died a thousand deaths until you called.

Everybody thought it was because of Ernest. So much the better.

How'd it go with Perry Mason?

All right, I guess.

He bought your story?

And didn't find any holes in it?

Oh, that's a relief.

Johnny, I know it hasn't been easy for you bearing the brunt of all this, but

it's over.

The happy ending Mr. Gage wanted.

The foundation safe.

Claudia inheriting.

I hope you're right. I am, darling. You'll see.

Nick, what do we do now?

Do?

Well, nothing. That's the beauty of this.

There's nothing more to be done.

It's done.

Samurai warrior?

You must be joking.

They no longer exist, even in Japan.

I was referring to a dummy samurai, Mr. Kamagi.

Dummy? You know, the kind they have in museums.

Now, could the bent -over passenger in the car have possibly been such a

Samurai, little person like me.

This man, very large person, like you.

Well, so much for the great samurai theory.

Oh, one more thing.

Did you notice whether or not the girl set the emergency brake in the car?

Police asked that too.

Yes.

I saw her reach in too long before she come away from the car.

Maybe not too quite hard enough.

Yeah, maybe.

Well, thanks very much.

Top brass of the police department on an outing. Lieutenant Craig, Lieutenant

Anderson. Well, Cole, hello.

Business or a seaside stroll?

Business, I guess.

Perry Mason business?

Who can?

Just because I do an occasional job for Perry doesn't mean he's my only client.

About 50 to 100 years out there when there's a possibility of murder

Murder? Here?

Any luck, Jenkins?

No. I increased the search pattern to at least 100 feet out. Nothing.

You haven't found Deming yet?

No, not likely to. How come?

One of the car doors was open and we figured the body had been washed out to

sea. Hey, Lieutenant.

Last time down, I found this. What?

In the seat on the passenger side.

Thanks.

Gerber's Pharmacy, Alice Verde.

Dr. Guy Armstead. One or two when indicated.

For E. Deming.

Most likely the heart pills that Proctor told us about.

Better put it with the other things.

That's all it is.

What the divers have brought up so far.

A hat with Deming's name in it.

A briefcase with his initials on it.

And what's probably one of his shoes.

Andy, I don't see anything here that smells much of murder.

Well, it's not what's here.

It's something the diver discovered when he first swam into the car.

Well, what was that?

The emergency brake wasn't on, as Miss Proctor said it was.

And the car was in gear, as Miss Proctor said it wasn't.

Makes us wonder a little, Paul, about her story.

Well, quite frankly, I can't tell you anything about this bottle.

It was supplied by the druggist, as were the tablets. But this is your

prescription, Dr. Olmsted.

It would appear so from the label.

One or two when indicated.

What does indicated mean, Doctor?

Well, you'd know, Lieutenant, if you had angina pectoris.

Excuse me. I'm sorry, Guy. I didn't know you were with a patient.

Well, hardly a patient, Oliver.

This is Lieutenant Anderson from Homicide.

My wife.

The Lieutenant's been asking some questions about Ernest.

Ernest?

Then his death wasn't accidental.

Well, let's just say there are some things we're curious about.

One, Doctor, is would Ernest Deming's collapse in the car be more or less the

natural result of a heart attack?

Of a very severe one, yes.

I see.

Now, Doctor, these tablets, nitroglycerin?

No, in Mr. Deming's case, nitroglycerin proved ineffective, so I prescribed

Demerol. By the way, have you checked those with the druggist?

Why do you ask that?

They don't look quite like the ones Ernest was taking.

They aren't.

In what way are they different, Lieutenant?

Our crime lab is trying to answer that right now, Ms. Olmsted.

One final thing, Doctor.

Who did you give this prescription to?

To Ernest Deming, of course. Why?

It was presented at the drugstore by a woman.

What?

Grubby little creatures.

Didn't you ever go on a picnic when you were a little boy, Mr. Gage? Yes,

usually in the power room at the Waldorf Astoria. Could I have a word with you?

Certainly.

I could have gone to Claudia about all this, but except that she in turn might

have gone to the police.

The police?

Yes, because I'm embarking, you might say, on a kind of secondhand blackmail.

You see, I saw you and young Mr. Blake.

Leaving a hotel yesterday evening.

And without Ernest. Not with him, as you told the police.

But he... Well, he was with us.

Your car was in front.

Deming's car was parked in the rear of Ernest's bungalow.

Simple matter to whisk his body out, place it on the floorboards without

seeing.

Gator, are you intimating me? I haven't quite finished yet.

And you drove off in Ernest's car, and young Blake in your car.

And at some secluded place named Mr. Komagi's Vegetable Stand, you met, you

moved the body into the front seat, and you staged your accident.

Now, whether you did or did not kill Ernest is of little interest to me.

But what is of interest is that either he died or was killed before Carlton

died, and so could not inherit.

Now my terms, to be relayed to Claudia.

A life annuity, $100 ,000 a year to be paid in Switzerland, or...

Her sister goes to prison.

No.

Nice to see you, Mr. Mason.

Gage. Joan.

Were you looking for me?

Miss Proctor.

Oh, well, then I'll go up to the house if I can get through all the bedlam out

here.

Will I see you later?

Joan,

some things have come up that make it essential I get completely truthful

answers from you.

First of all, did you or did you not put on that emergency brake?

I did put it on, Mr. Mason.

At the same time leaving the car in gear?

No, I didn't leave it in gear.

Then how did it get in gear?

I don't know.

Joan, did you kill Ernest Deming?

Exactly the question I was going to ask the young lady, Mr. Mason.

Well, Miss Proctor, did you?

Don't answer that, Joan, until we talk further.

But I must.

I've got to answer it right now. I didn't kill Ernest.

I didn't.

Well, that's odd, Miss Proctor, because I have a first -degree murder warrant

charging that you did kill him.

Joan, this is far enough.

I'm going to confess everything and have them take the body out of the lake. No,

Nick.

We can confess later if we have to.

Maybe we won't.

Mr. Mason says that he doubts if they have enough to find me over for the

without the body.

Wait, Nick.

Joan, the state has peonied some of the hotel employees as witnesses.

Now, did something happen there that might have a bearing on all this?

At the hotel?

What could have happened there? I'm asking you.

Well, nothing happened, nothing.

Superficially, Your Honor, this might seem like a spur -of -the -moment crime.

Like a woman's sudden impulse to get rid of her stricken and unconscious brother

-in -law in order to save her sister from the pain of being deserted for

woman. And to ensure her sister's monetary well -being. But the state

go deeper than that.

The state intends to prove that the crime of murder had already been

before that car was allowed deliberately to plunge into the Pacific.

And that this crime was the culmination of a cold -blooded, shrewdly calculated

murder plot on the part of the defendant, Joan Proctor.

You say your late husband never threatened to leave you, Mrs. Deming?

No, he didn't.

Didn't he say to you, and I quote, if it weren't for what old man Gage might do

to that will of his, I'd leave you like a shot?

He said that, but he didn't mean it. If he didn't mean it, why did you tell your

sister about it?

I didn't.

I didn't tell her.

They were talking at the foot of the stairs by those spooky Japanese figures.

And you heard?

Mrs. Deming tell her sister that Ernest, I mean Mr.

Deming, was in love with another woman.

Did she say who this other woman was?

She said she didn't know.

But all that kept Mr. Deming from leaving her was Mr. Gage being alive.

Well, did she say anything about what might happen after Mr. Gage died?

Well, she said she felt certain Mr.

Deming, having inherited, would leave her then.

And did the defendant make any comment in regard to this?

She said that if Mr. Deming left her sister after all their years together,

deserved to be electrocuted.

You may cross -examine, Mr. Mason.

Do you hear this, Miss King?

No, I don't. Why?

Why, you have the most remarkable pair of ears I've encountered in a long time.

With the ability to hear a private conversation between Mrs. Deming and her

husband and then one between Mrs. Deming and her sister.

No doubt you also heard of the woman with whom Ernest Deming was infatuated.

I didn't.

Wasn't that because you were that woman, Miss King?

Before you answer, I should warn you that a number of canceled checks made

to you were found among his effects.

That was for keeping him up on what went on at the house.

Then you informed him of Mr. Gage's decision to change his will.

Yes, but I never got the money for that.

Before he could pay me, she killed him.

Mr. Komagi, I'd like to return to a part of your testimony only sketchily

touched upon by the state.

Now, what were Miss Proctor's exact movements in connection with the

brake? Well, after she get out, she reaching cars through open door

and pull it on like so. You actually saw her do this?

Yes, sir.

Thank you, Mr. Komagi.

What is your official title, sir, at the San Fernando plant where this car in

question was assembled?

Chief Engineer.

And as Chief Engineer, can you tell us if there were any changes made in the

emergency braking system the year the car was made?

Yes. There was one change which we've incorporated in this year's model, too.

I'll show you, if I may. Would you please?

We'll have to imagine that the engine is running because it only happens then.

What only happens then? When the car is in gear, any gear, the emergency brake

automatically comes off.

I see.

Then it would be possible for the defendant, having bent over and pulled

emergency brake, to straighten up and still release it.

Yes, by simply brushing against the gear lever hard enough to put the car in

gear.

Thank you, sir.

You say those tablets are not the ones that you put in this bottle when filling

Dr. Olmsted's prescription for the deceased?

No, they're smaller and gray -white rather than cream -white.

Would you please look around this courtroom, sir, and tell us if you see

person who actually picked up this prescription?

Yes, that's her, the young lady over there, the defendant.

I'd completely forgotten.

He needed his prescription refilled one day, and I took it to the truckist for

him.

What did your chemical analysis of these tablets in the police laboratory

reveal? Each of the five tablets we examined contained... Demerol?

No, Benzedrine.

No, Mr. Berger, I certainly did not prescribe Benzedrine.

It's a very dangerous stimulant.

Taken in conjunction with a severe or even a mild heart attack, it would have

most deleterious effect.

Would it react like cyanide on a normal heart?

Not as drastic as that, but in a way, yes.

Now, let me show you these Demerol tablets, which have just been entered in

evidence and identified as being identical to those made up for Mr.

Deming. Do you recognize those?

Yes, sir. They look like the ones I found stuck down in the couch in Mr.

Deming's bungalow when I cleaned it the morning after his death.

Well, did you see anyone in that bungalow the day before?

Anyone beside Mr. Deming, that is.

Yes, sir.

Her.

I saw her go in that day shortly before noon.

If Carlton Gage did, Deming would obviously have left his $40 -a -day

and returned to Palos Verdes now. Why didn't Deming check out?

I don't understand.

Oh, I think you do, Nicholas.

I think you know that the reason he didn't check out was because he wasn't

really there.

Mr. Mason, what are you talking about?

Well, no one at the hotel actually saw Ernest Deming that day.

There was someone on the phone saying he was Ernest Deming, someone telling

people calling in that Deming had gone out and was expected back soon, and

someone forging Ernest Deming's name to food and drink checks.

Nicholas, what were you and Joan trying to cover up?

Deming's prior death?

In order to protect Claudia and the Foundation?

You know, we can get a handwriting expert to prove that you were the one

forged those room service checks.

There was no forgery, Mr. Mason.

I...

I just wrote his name, never thinking anybody bothered to check.

Joan and I found him here in the library the night before.

It was a heart attack, or so we thought.

And, uh, well... That's when I had my, uh...

My brainstorm.

Wouldn't it be better, Mrs. Deming, if you went up to the house?

No, I want to stay.

All right.

Lieutenant, cut it up.

It's the Samurai Warrior.

I assure you, Your Honor.

The state is in no way responsible for the lurid stories in the newspapers.

Oh, were you, Mr. Mason?

No, Your Honor. I've talked to no reporters.

In any event, Your Honor, the state is now fully prepared to prove that Ernest

Deming did not die when the defendant and her young friend claimed he did.

Ernest Deming, as a matter of fact, was alive and at his hotel all the next day.

And it was that night that he was murdered, just as the state has

along.

Yes, I heard it quite clearly. She...

Joan asked for Ernest Deming.

The hotel desk clerk called him, then told him Mr. Deming wanted to see her in

his bungalow.

What's more, when I spoke to her, she said that she'd come to town at Ernest's

request, but to bring some papers to him.

I'm absolutely sure.

I saw Ernest Deming coming into the hotel. I talked to him for a while, and

he went on to his bungalow.

And this was on the evening prior to the one in which his car went over the

cliff? Yes.

And then a little later that evening, I saw him drive off in a car with Miss

Proctor. That's not true!

It's all right, Joan.

It's all right. You may cross -examine, Counselor.

Mr. Gage, I don't understand this.

Do you realize that by testifying that you saw Ernest Deming alive after the

death of Carlton Gage, you are destroying any chance of inheriting the

estate?

You wouldn't have me lie, would you, Mr. Mason?

No, but I'm quite certain you are doing so.

Excuse me, counselor, for interrupting, but something has come up that I think

you'll want to know.

Your Honor, the police have just reported that the body of Ernest Deming

been recovered.

Not from any lake, but from the Pacific Ocean.

At a spot not far from where his car made its supposedly fatal plunge.

I'm sure at this time that the defense will be more than willing to agree to a

temporary adjournment while an autopsy is performed on the body.

Yes, of course, Mr. Mason.

Your Honor, I'm in the midst of a cross -examination.

And now that the body has been found, these questions are more important than

ever.

Very well. You may proceed.

Mr. Gage, you had an agreement with Ernest Deming to divide the estate with

if and when he inherited.

I beg your pardon?

Failing to make a similar agreement with his wife, Claudia, did you not then

attempt to force an agreement through her sister?

Did you not then threaten to tell the police that Ernest Deming was not in the

car with Joan when she left the hotel, but that he was, in fact, already dead?

She told you about that?

Yes, she did.

And regretting the agreement and wanting to inherit the entire estate yourself,

you then killed Ernest Deming. But I didn't want to inherit.

You didn't want to inherit.

But would you, Mr. Mason, if you had promised four ex -wives slightly over

of the estate in the event that you got it?

What you were working for then was an under -the -table deal with either

or Claudia Deming.

Yes. Then why did you kill Ernest Deming when you had such a deal?

But I didn't kill him.

I submit you did.

I further submit that when you saw Nicholas Blake moving the body, you took

samurai armor from it. Hold it, Mr. Mason.

I don't know anything about that samurai.

But I do know somebody who does. At least she jumps a foot every time it's

mentioned. Little Miss Snoop over there. Ask her. Ask Miss King.

But I didn't know there was any connection. I mean...

Well, he took it. Dr. Olmsted.

I'm sorry, doctor. I just have to tell.

Yes, yes, I saw him take it.

You watched Nicholas Blake carry the body from the library, wrap it in

and place it in the back of the car?

Yes. Why didn't you inform the police instead of substituting the samurai

and later disposing of Deming's body in the ocean?

Well, I... I didn't know what Blake intended to do with the body.

I wanted to make sure, if I could, that it vanished for good.

Why did you want that, doctor?

So there'd be no autopsy.

Because an autopsy would have shown that you had switched Deming's heart tablets

and had thus caused his death.

Yes.

Why did you want him dead?

Would this woman's glove found in Ernest Deming's hotel bungalow have something

to do with the doctor?

Recognize it?

No, no, I don't.

It's no use, Guy.

You can't protect me any longer. I'm not worth it.

They know the glove belongs to me.

He didn't switch the tablets. I did.

Ernest said he was going back to Claudia to make sure he got the money.

All he ever thought of was the money.

He said he never wanted to see me again.

He told me we were through.

Don't you see, Guy? He just never cared about what happened to me.

He didn't care.

Jimmy, hit it! Come on!

Come on, hit it! He just bothers me. How did Dr.

Olmsted know it was his wife who switched the tablet?

She broke down and told him what she'd done when he came home that night from

seeing Mr. Gage.

Well, why didn't he warn Deming? Well, he tried to. He hurried back to the

house, but by then Deming was dead and already being moved by Nicholas.

And his first thought then was to try and protect his wife.

By the way, what do you suppose will happen to Nicholas and Joan?

Probation, most likely.

Since their motives were good, even though their actions were more than

illegal.