Original subtitles

Your attention, please.

Now arriving flight number 13 from Athens, Rome, Paris, London, and New

Passengers will embark in about five minutes at satellite number two.

Ah, it's quite a piece, I assume, from Athens.

You get a couple of good shots to go along with my follow -up story, we'll be

team, okay?

Got quite a face, hasn't he?

Wait till you see the rest of them.

Half genius, half goat.

Hats are for horses, he says.

Soap is for dishes and the clothes.

Clothes look like he's worn them in a sleeping bag for five nights.

Oh, Mary, you little horsey.

John, why are you going to a costume party? Come off it, man. You're through

customs now.

Dang, there are people around here. What are you doing?

Shut up.

Ooh.

Danny, this is Stephen.

Stephen, my dear, I really shouldn't do this to you, but... Me Daniel Patrick

O'Malley.

Whiskey sponge, card shark, and one of our more prominent literary failures.

How do you do?

How do you do?

Oh, and this is Cleo, Stephen's mother.

Well, you must remember her from Athens, Danny.

Oh, when Mr. O'Malley was writing the story about you in Greece.

Oh, the housekeeper in that house.

Look. It's you on the cover.

Yeah.

They're with you.

They come with you. I brought them, you little cat.

Phoebe's gonna be my model.

A woman?

Well, what's so strange about that? I've used them before.

Once, a peasant woman with muscles pushing a plow.

But this kid... Annie, I'm gonna do her life -size.

Full figure.

Just... The girl.

Standing there.

Simplicity itself.

Pristine. This is your angle for me doing a follow -up story of the great

Kenney. Annie, just wait.

You'll see.

All right, ladies, let's go get our luggage now.

What a beautiful

girl. As the sun sinks slowly in the west, A sad farewell to the great

John Kenyon.

And say hello to Melvin Milksop.

Dabber and dainty doodads and sugar and spice.

Everything he's got no business to dabble with.

This is where the famous American sculptor lives.

He should be the horse. Looks like the barn.

Please. Oh, ladies, I want you to meet my pal, George Spangler. The pal,

handyman, barber.

Ask, you shall be served.

It's nice to meet you.

Well, now, while you two ladies freshen up, as they say in the movies, I'll fix

us a couple of snorts so we can have a toast.

Happy times for you and a new career for me.

How long are they staying, boss?

Why, forever, of course.

Now, Ken, look, I told you, no pictures.

Now, no magazine is printing anything except the finished product on this.

And Dan O'Malley better get that through his thick head.

It's not for O'Malley. The magazine turned him down on that follow -up

Turned him down?

Well, they did a follow -up piece on that, what's his name, that nut, that

-out painter.

You see these I took the other day?

Copies I made up for you.

Oh?

Thanks.

Yeah, now where is she, anyway?

Oh, I'll never get my work done.

Fever! Yes.

My dear, would it be asking too much for you to step up there and put... to

change? You like?

Yeah, it's great.

Oh, Kenny, I love this man.

For this and all the other beautiful things he bought for me.

Okay, now, back into your costume.

Oh, Janice... Mama wants me to do shopping for her.

Is all right if I go?

Yes, sure. It's okay.

Kenny will take me.

I hope you don't mind, Mr. Kenyon.

Mind? Why should I mind?

I mean, I feel like I'm holding up your word, dragging her away.

Oh, go on.

It's good she's got somebody to show her around. New country. You can't keep a

girl cooped up in a studio like this. Besides, I haven't got the time to take

her. Well, so long. Bye.

And don't be all day now.

She say when she be back?

We got some shopping to do.

I suppose I'll stop for lunch. I'd say around 2 .30.

You want to bet?

Oh, if there's a seamy side to anything, that's where you look, right?

Ken Judson's only a boy.

Well, the other ones aren't.

What other ones?

It seems to me the old lady sends around those errands with...

All sorts of people.

What are you talking about?

Nothing, boss, nothing.

But there's words for women like that old lady.

And they ain't just mother.

Giannis, look. You like?

It's pleasing to you, my new hat?

Go in the house, Stephen.

Well, now look here. We were only... Get out of here. Now, do you hear me?

Now, get out of here. Get out!

Hey, Giannis.

It's something I do not understand.

The hat. Where did you get it?

Mr. Correll, buy it for me.

You left here with the kid, what's his name?

About 2 .30, the latest I expected you back.

Oh, that I explained.

After the lunch, he had telephone from the office to do something. I not know

what. He give me money to take the taxi cab, but I see Mama.

What did she want?

Oh, she have very nice friend she want to meet with me, Mr. Corral.

This man, you are not very nice to.

When we see hat in window of shop, he say, you like?

I say, yes, I like.

Gianni, I do something bad?

Fieber, girls do not accept presents from men. Don't you know that?

But you give me lots of presents.

That is different, Fieber. Don't you understand the difference?

But Gianni, I ask Mama first.

She say it's all right.

It's not Theba's fault, Barry. She's a sweet kid. She's warm, she's kind, she's

loyal, honest.

And I want her to stay that way.

At least until I... Well, I mean... Have you told her you love her yet?

Huh?

That is what you're upset about, isn't it?

Oh, well, look here.

Theba's from the old country. She grew up practically barefooted. And, uh,

well... You know, you don't rush a girl like this off her feet until she's had a

chance. Never mind. We get the picture.

Ah, no, you don't, see?

Now, in the meantime, her mother tells her what to do, and she does it.

Like, uh, like getting her dates.

Oh, guys that mama thinks are better men than I am.

She doesn't come right out and say so, but she thinks that I'm too old for

Theba.

If Theba really loves you... If I ask her to marry me right now, what kind of

thing can you figure out with that genius legal mind of yours so that I can

ship Mama right back to Athens on the next jet? Well, she's not in the country

fraudulently. She hasn't committed any crime.

Oh, I'm afraid Mama is entitled to stay until her passport expires, but...

That's two more months almost.

You didn't let me finish, John.

I was about to tell you the only legal solution I know of.

It's not one of those complicated all -around -the -barn things where I get

charged a heavy fee?

No fee.

Just marry the girl and then put a lock on the door.

You see, Della, you consult the smartest attorney in town.

Now you expect him to expound on the law from Blackstone's commentary to the

Corpus Juris?

And he wraps up the whole thing with the put a lock on the door.

Why didn't I think of that?

You're not the smartest attorney in town.

Only remember, the girl has to say yes to all this.

Oh, don't worry, Perry, don't worry. I may have been slow up till now, but you

watch me from now on. Oh, you come to the wedding next week, right? So?

There is something special tonight, Yanni.

Deva.

If something special, you bet your sweet life.

I have something to tell you.

Something wonderful.

Come here. You make lots of money to sell of me the statue.

The statue?

Oh, no, no. I never sell that.

No,

look, I... Well, Deva, my idea is... Well...

I mean, I thought... There are only two for the table.

Yes, we'll be alone.

Well, except George will serve, of course.

What about Mama?

And say, maybe we better have that champagne right now, don't you think?

Champagne? I've never had.

Well, I think we both should relax a little.

George, the soup is on. Bring it in.

Oh, now, if it tickles at first.

Don't worry about it.

George, where are you?

Bring me the ice bucket, George, will you? Come on, you slow blasted...

What's the matter?

Did you expect I would be out chasing the wild goose?

What George said... Your stupid George has left.

Quit the job.

It's very, very unfortunate, I know, but...

He just did not like me, that's all.

Well, with the way you have been making life miserable for him around here...

Yanis, please.

Mama, do not fight. No more, please.

Come on, Tiba, we'll go someplace else.

Tiba must stay here.

You are through giving orders around here.

Tiba.

Mr. Corral is coming.

You know that.

Corral?

You dressed up for that guy, not for me?

No, Yanni, she not tell truth.

It's for you, I swear.

Phoebe, I'm asking you to marry me.

And we'll drive to Las Vegas right now.

Well, how about it?

You're not saying anything.

Phoebe, darling.

She needs time to think.

Tomorrow she will tell you.

Well, she doesn't need you to think for her. And tomorrow.

First thing tomorrow morning.

You are getting out of this house forever.

Now, let's go.

Janice, I cannot go with you.

It's not just because of somebody else.

It's... Janice, you do not understand.

I just cannot.

I just cannot.

Somebody else.

I told you all along she's no good for you, John.

All you've done for her.

Ready to make a famous lady a... Mrs.

John Kenny. Now, think of that.

Think of what does she do?

Always going out with somebody else.

I say, let her take her old lady and go home.

That's my advice to you, friend. Her and her old lady both.

Back to Greece.

I don't know, O'Malley.

Maybe I was clumsy.

Maybe when Phoebe thinks it over some more.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

At least I could have told her I loved her first.

Maybe it was the shock.

I mean, you know, a young girl like that.

First time the man says...

First time. Ha!

Now, now you see, you don't understand, Faber.

No, I know that down underneath, she loves me just as much as... Fresh out of

man's best friend.

See if there's ten bucks on the bureau sent out for a refill.

Well, you know, some girls just...

I love everybody. I'll tell you what we'll do.

Talk about bullfighting.

How about the South Seas?

What's the matter?

This is Phoebus.

I bought it for her in Athens before we left.

Well, I'm going to have it.

Phoebus was here.

I found it on the floor after she left one night.

Well, I tried to tell you in a nice way, John.

Hello? Officer Korchek speaking.

Give that to me again, sir, will you? And then I saw a man dragging something

out of the house over to the cliff of the ocean.

It was a woman.

I know it was a woman, a girl.

Unconscious or maybe dead even.

And then he threw her over the cliff.

You hear me?

He threw her over the cliff.

I have a bulletin out for John Kenyon, but nothing yet.

Oh, if you see him, I'd appreciate a ring.

A bulletin for what, Tragg?

Questioning. That phone call we had last night.

Pretty wild story, wasn't it?

Yes, but the fellow who phoned looks like a solid citizen.

The man's name is Welch.

Charles L. Welch in business in L .A.

All right, Tragg.

I'll call you if I see Kenyon.

Anything else, Paul?

Yeah, I got a lead from a neighbor.

Description of a man seen driving in and out of here quite a bit lately. Make a

car license number.

Let's go.

License number checks.

Registered owner, Kenneth L. Judson, Jr.

Ken Judson?

You and that girl, Theba, have been seeing a lot of each other.

What do we say about Theba, Perry?

Well, on the strength of just hearsay, I'm not going to tell anyone she was

thrown over a cliff in... Yes?

Something you want?

You're Theba, aren't you?

I'm very glad to see you.

Why?

What is it you... My name is Mason, Perry Mason. I'm John Kenyon's attorney.

This is Mr. Paul Drake.

Oh, Mr. Mason, of course.

Yari say your name many times.

Come in.

Viva! What's going on?

It's Mr. Johnson, Mr. Maison, and Mr. Drake.

Hello. I think he sends you, no?

You need to bring me back to the house?

No, as a matter of fact, I haven't seen John for a couple of days.

I not see him.

Not since last night.

Where last night? When?

The house.

I leave the house.

That is all.

There is trouble in the house.

Trouble with whom?

Yanis and Cleo.

Cleo? Her mother, from the old country.

Do you know what happened to Cleo? Cleo hasn't seen anybody.

Look, they fought all the time, so she ran away from there.

She phoned me last night, all upset, so I came out and found her a place to stay

for the night.

When I came back this morning, she... Joaquin, please, wait.

Mr. Mason, is there more worse trouble?

I'm not quite sure what happened yet, but until we locate John... But she

seen him, don't you understand? She hasn't seen her mother.

Stop that word.

Mr. Mason, I am such a very bad, bad girl.

You don't have to tell them anything.

But I must tell everyone.

Like I not tell Yanis.

Mr. Mason, that woman, Cleo, she is not my mother.

Then who is she, Theva?

Who are you?

I am bad.

That's who I am.

All my life, I think of America.

No one here understand.

I work on farm.

I never have dress from store to wear.

I never.

Then Cleo come.

She just a woman from the village.

That is all.

But she says... There is a man who must look at me.

I'm afraid.

But man is Yanis.

He's only looking for mother, for statue.

Big, wonderful Yanis.

He say I'm beautiful.

And we go to America, maybe.

I'm very excited.

And then, Cleo.

She says she is my mother.

And she must come too.

And I must never tell Yanis the truth.

Or she, she stop everything.

And throw me back in the wheat field.

She's the one who's bad?

You're trying to tell Theba that. No.

It's I.

Last night, Yanis, he asked me to be his wife.

I not know.

Big happy bear of a father.

I not know he was.

I understand, Theba.

But first, there's something I want to know about Greece.

Now, how on earth did this Cleo woman happen to know a famous person like John

Kenyon? Oh, that's simple, Mr. Mason.

For years, Cleo was housekeeper for a guy Kenyon used to visit over there.

A big millionaire wool man named Stamatis.

He died of a stroke.

I see.

But now, Theba, these are the men you've been seeing since you've been here.

Oh, Mr. Corelli, you mean.

Roger Correll.

But Yanis not understand.

He Cleo friend.

With her, I only see him sometimes when shopping.

That is all.

Once I foolish overhead.

Oh, poor Yanis.

Say, he's in the wool business too, if that means anything.

I got a little jealous myself once and dug that much up.

Wool business, huh?

Mr. Roger Corral.

I don't mind giving you my time, Mr. Mason.

I've always respected you as an attorney.

In fact, I'm flattered by your visit.

But why come to me?

I don't know where your client is, and I don't know anything about his problems.

But you've been trying to date his model, a girl by the name of Theba.

What's wrong with that? Or is it Cleo Grammis you're interested in?

Scarcely. No, Cleo's just a woman I met in Athens once, the home of a man I did

business with for my firm.

She was housekeeper, nurse, factotum around the place.

Interesting that Cleo met you and John Kenyon in Europe at the same time, about

the same place.

Now, the three of you are tied together back here.

We're not tied together.

And back in Athens, I certainly didn't have time to plan any reunions. When you

work for a heckler like Welsh, it's...

Well, never mind.

No, it was just a coincidence bumping into Cleo, that's all.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I am rather jammed up today. Wait a minute. You work

for someone named Welch?

Well, I'm just the manager here. He's the president, Charles L. Welch.

Why, do you know him?

Yes, I think I've heard his name mentioned.

But just today.

Yes, yes, of course I was the one who made that phone call to the police.

I've already told them everything I know.

So I just don't have time to answer all your questions, too, Mr. Mason.

Frankly, I've got quite enough problems of my own to attend to.

You do?

I was under the impression that you had quite a successful company going here.

Well, I was referring to something that was personal.

And if you don't mind... Mr. Corral's business trip to Athens was quite

successful then.

I only asked because my broker was touting your woolen mill stock just the

day. It so happens that Mr. Corral's trip was highly successful.

He brought us a contract giving us exclusive rights to a new Greek patented

process for carding wool.

Faster, cheaper, better.

A man by the name of Stamatis figuring that deal somehow?

He signed the contract with Corral. It was Stamatis' patent.

Now, isn't that being nosy enough, Mr. Mason?

I find it very often pays off.

Mr. Mason.

You didn't come here to ask the only eyewitness to a crime your client may

committed how he happened to obtain the patent rights for a wool carting

process. No.

No, I'd just like you to tell me what you were doing in front of John Kenyon's

house that night.

Well, I just happened to be there.

I often take drives along the ocean after a hard day's work. It

relaxes me.

Yes?

It's for you.

Thank you.

Yes?

Oh, yes, Paul.

You found... Yes, of course.

I'll be right there.

Found what? Found who?

Good day, Mr. Welch.

It's nothing but a statue.

It ain't nothing but a statue.

You like the gall of this, Blackfoot.

That piece of work is so good that if the book says five years for throwing

statues, I ought to get life for throwing at you.

You might get the gas, Jim.

How do you do, Mr. Kenyon?

I'm Lieutenant Brad.

Ah, man of taste and discrimination of lad.

You, uh, just as proud of the other job you did?

What other job was that?

The one you did on Cleo Gramis.

What are you talking about, Tragg? We found her body under the wooden platform

in his studio.

Stabbed her there.

Well, when I got back from O'Malley's, Theba was gone.

But Cleo was there, and that witch started screaming at me.

And she picked up one of my trowels.

Now, they're sharp, so I...

Grabbed it away from her and accidentally slashed her hand pretty

Then, uh... I turned to toss the trial aside.

She cracked me on the head with one of my mallets. I was out cold, I don't know

how long.

And when you came to?

I was all alone, looking at Theba.

Oh, and the statue I made of her.

Ah, well, Perry, you, uh... You know, all the rest.

I tossed the statue off the cliff.

I went to the nearest bar and that's all.

John, I have Paul Drake checking every possible lead here and in Greece. We'll

do all we can.

But it doesn't look good.

Well, that isn't what I was going to say.

I have a duty to explain something to you.

Now, the district attorney will try to prove that Cleo's death was homicide

malice aforethought.

You're trying to tell me that I can beat the murder rap maybe if I plead guilty

to manslaughter?

Voluntary manslaughter.

Willful homicide without justification or excuse, but under circumstances of

recognized provocation.

Ah, come off it, Perry.

I didn't kill that dame.

All right.

But unless we can learn more about Cleo, more about Theba... Look, leave Theba

out of this, can't you?

No, I can't.

Somehow, Theba was being... All right, just don't talk to me about her anymore.

Okay?

You see, Mr. Carell is engaged to marry my wife's cousin, Dorothy Rivers.

Dorothy had heard that Roger, uh, Mr. Carell, had been seeing this young model

from Greece a good deal, and she was upset, naturally.

The night of the murder, I happened to be out that way.

So I drove by there out of curiosity, that's all.

Mr. Wells, you heard the young woman from Greece testify.

And that she left the defendant's house while the defendant and the woman soon

to be slain were engaged in a violent quarrel.

You heard Mr. O'Malley testify that the defendant, just before the time of the

murder, left his apartment making threatening remarks.

I gather that you arrived at the house just after the defendant returned.

Yes, I guess I must have.

Would you tell the court, please, what you saw there?

I saw Roger's car pulling up, so I stayed and watched.

Roger walked up to the front door, but there was something going on inside. I

began to hear it myself, a man and a woman screaming at each other.

Roger hesitated, looked in, and finally went back to his car and drove off. Did

you see anything else after that, Mr. Welch?

I saw a man dragging a woman's body out of the house and throwing it over the

cliff. What I thought was a woman's body at the time.

Who was that man, Mr. Welch?

Well, I didn't know who he was at the time, but I recognize him now as Mr.

Kenyon. Now, one other question.

During all that time, did you see anyone else enter that house or anyone else

leave the house other than the accused? No one.

Only the accused.

Yes, I got out of my car and went up to the front door.

I heard loud voices coming from inside and argument.

So I looked in a window and there I saw Mr. Kenyon in a fight with Mrs. Gramis.

Well, they were struggling over something, something sharp, a knife

Anyway, there was blood and she screamed, so... Did you see anyone else

house beside the defendant and the deceased?

The defendant and the deceased.

No one else.

Thank you, sir. Cross -exam.

Miss Corral, I understand you phoned Mrs. Gramis, not Theba, for this date.

Now, would you explain why you called the deceased?

Well, I called the girl's mother, or at least I thought she was her mother,

because... Well, they're old world people. It's customary to ask the

consent. A considerate, courteous gentleman.

I try.

But when you saw a man struggling with a woman, you didn't try to stop him.

Well, I said I was a gentleman, Mr. Mason, not a fool.

Why didn't you call the police then?

I didn't want it known that I was there. Why not?

Well, you heard Mr. Welsh.

I'm engaged to marry Dorothy, his wife's cousin. How long have you been engaged

to Dorothy Rivers?

Since shortly after my return from Europe the last time.

Your return from Greece, you mean?

After you visited a Mr. Stamatis there and obtained a rather important wool

contract from him?

Yes, that's right.

Wasn't it also shortly after that same trip to Greece that Mr. Welch promoted

you from salesman to general manager of his entire business?

There's nothing unusual in any of this.

But mightn't there have been something unusual about the Stamatis contract

itself?

I don't know what you're talking about.

Oh, I think you do.

I've had that contract and the circumstances surrounding it rather

investigated. I find, for instance, that at least one other firm claimed they

were promised that contract on the same day Stamatis signed it over to your

company. Well, look here, Mr. Mason, in business... And of course, that was the

same day Mr. Stamatis had a stroke, wasn't it?

A stroke from which he died only a few days later.

Well, yes, but... Your Honor, I scarcely see the relevancy of... Just a moment,

Mr. Berger.

I'm rather interested in this.

Mr. Corral, did Stamatis sign that contract before his stroke or

after it? Or did you perhaps sign his name in some way?

You can't say a thing like that.

Now, Stamatis is dead. No one could possibly substantiate a slanderous... I

know, I know.

In the wool business, it's just been nasty gossip, hasn't it?

But, Mr. Corral, wasn't there someone who could have known the truth about how

you got that contract?

A devoted housekeeper, perhaps?

A woman who had been Stamatis' nurse until the time of his death? A woman

Cleo Gramis?

Yes, she was there.

Well, I testify that's where I met Cleo. But didn't she know enough of what you

did there to find her way to this country and then blackmail you, Mr.

I won't answer that.

The court should know that the Athens police and certain other wool companies

have been investigating this matter for some time, Your Honor, the possibility

of forgery on that contract.

I think you'd better answer that question, Mr. Carell.

Well, I did pay Cleo some money, yes.

I'll admit that much.

And now you claim you phoned a woman who had extorted money from you to ask

permission to take out her daughter?

Well, I used the girl as a cover -up for my dealing with Mrs. Gramis, that's

all. But what dealing was the girl supposed to cover up the night of the

You'd already made the blackmail payment.

Cleo wanted more.

$5 ,000 more than we'd agreed on.

So you made the date with Fieber, using her as a cover -up but intending to go

out and kill Mrs. Gramis. No.

I went out there because I had gotten the letter demanding the extra money.

I wanted to take that letter and...

But I didn't go in.

I didn't kill her. I didn't. I didn't.

After I checked Theber to the motor hotel, I told her I was going to drive

there and pick up her things.

And on the way over there, did you see anything?

From the cliff above, I saw Mr. Kenyon down at the... down on the beach.

He was rubbing the sleeve of his jacket with water.

I show you now this jacket marked People's Exhibit 12 and stained on the

with a spot.

analyzed as human blood.

Have you ever seen this jacket before, sir?

It's the one I saw Mr. Kenyon trying to wash down at the water's edge.

He was just sitting there, holding on to that little locket, real tight in his

hand.

Tears running down his face.

Crazy old man, old enough to be a father.

I warned him.

I told him she was no good for him.

Any ambitious kid like this... Thiebaud, who goes around dating every guy...

Shut up, you idiot!

You don't know what you're talking about!

Shut up or I'll shut you up! Order, please!

Mr.

Spangler, in spite of Mr.

Mason's diverting attempts to pull the wool and fancy Greek wool over our eyes,

and despite his client's revealing outburst, let's go back to the moment

you found the defendant after the murder.

Yes, sir.

You put him to bed that night?

Yes, sir. And did he say anything at that time?

Let me remind you, sir, that you're under oath.

And you must answer.

Did he say anything?

Yes.

Over and over. He kept mumbling the same thing over and over.

And what was it he kept mumbling?

Dead.

She's dead.

She's dead.

Well, I saw Dorothy Rivers.

The girl Corral's engaged to?

Mm -hmm. And she's really torn up.

Keeps crying all the time. Roger, how could you? Our lives together, our home,

our business.

Seems young Corral with a roving eye really gave her the business.

In what respect?

What home she kept babbling about. Something struck me as strange, so...

investigated? Uh -huh.

And I found that the nice Mr. Welsh had given her and Corral a house, an

engagement gift, which our boy Corral went out and borrowed money against.

Paul.

This loan, when was it made?

A couple of weeks ago.

Probably the money used to pay off Cleo Gramas.

And the Athens police investigation of the Stamatis contract?

You told me that started before you contacted them. That's right, about a

ago. You think it adds up to something?

It could add up to perjury.

Your Honor, at the conclusion of Mr. Berger's direct examination of many of

witnesses, I reserve the right to recall at a later time.

I should now like to recall Mr. Welch to the stand.

Very well, Mr. Welch, will you take the stand, please?

Now, the witness is reminded he is still under oath.

Proceed, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Welch,

do you know what perjury is?

Yes, of course I do. Yet earlier you testified that on the night of the

murder... You went to John Kenyon's studio merely to look into the supposed

romantic involvement of Roger Carell and Theba Grammett.

That's the truth.

I said, at one moment, I know about Mr. Carell's house and the loan he took on

it. Now, you were asked why you went out to Kenyon's studio that night and

remembering the penalty for perjury.

Well, perhaps I should have said that that was one of my reasons for going

there. And the reply you received after you wired the Athens police was another

of your reasons?

Yes. I sank every cent I had, every cent I could borrow into tooling up for the

new war process.

When I was told by someone on the telephone the contract might be

didn't believe it.

But after I found out about Roger and the money, I thought I'd better

investigate further.

Before extorting money from Roger Carell, the blackmailer had first

you by telephone?

Yes. Whatever Roger had illegally done, whatever the blackmailer had threatened

to reveal could have ruined you.

Now, did you go out to the studio that night determined to save yourself at any

cost, even at the cost of murder?

No, no, nothing like that.

I was pretty sure I knew who the blackmailer was.

Disguised woman's voice, the accent, Roger's loan, who he was running around

with.

I just wanted to see her with my own eyes.

That girl.

FIBA. Could you have also been in the Stamati's house? And could you, like

have decided to use your knowledge for blackmail?

No, Mr. Mason.

I never in my life meet Mr.

Stamati.

I never be in Stamati's house.

This is truth.

I'm sure it is, Stephen.

Now tell me, when Ken found you after you'd run out of the house the night of

the murder,

You said there'd been a quarrel.

Yes. Janice and Cleo, they fought.

About what?

Me. Cleo married Janice because he wanted to talk to me alone.

To ask me to... to marry with him.

And how did you feel about this proposal of marriage?

I not get chance to answer Janice what he ask.

But... but I answer now.

He make me very happy.

I proud to be his wife.

This, uh, medallion fever, you recognize it?

Yes. Yanis gave it to me.

Did you give it back to him?

No. I break.

Not want Yanis to know I not be careful.

So I have fixed.

I not know where.

I give it to Yanis' good friend to be fixed.

Which good friend?

To him.

Mr. O'Malley.

Well, if John told you what happened, then I suppose you not only know, but

why it happened.

I'm afraid I don't, Mr. O'Malley.

I suppose you explain why you deliberately created that inference

medallion.

John's my best friend, Mr. Mason.

But let's face it, when it comes to running his life, he needs a keeper.

You disapproved of his feelings for Theba?

No, not his feelings. No, of course not. Why should I?

He can fall in love with any pretty child if he liked.

But get married? No, no, not him.

Shaggy old reprobate was chosen by the gods of greatness to walk alone.

Ever enjoying beauty himself, only creating it for others to enjoy.

So you decided to give those gods of greatness a helping hand, so to speak.

wanted him to get rid of the girl.

Of course.

But you were even willing to sacrifice your friendship in order to make him get

rid of her.

Had to be done.

And her mother?

Well, they were rather indivisible, weren't they? I suppose the Herodin

to, yes.

Now, this copy of them, Mr. O'Malley, and the cover story you wrote,

would you clear up something for me?

I'd be glad to help.

Then sure.

Cleo Grammis was a fabulous cook and housekeeper.

Despite the fact that she came from poor peasant stock and could neither read

nor write.

Is that true?

Absolutely. She could neither read nor write in her native Greek. How could she

have written in English the extortion note Carell said he received?

I'm afraid I can't get any help there.

Is it possible she didn't, Mr. O'Malley? Is it possible there was a second

witness to Carell's actions with that contract? The second blackmailer? Where

did you write this article, Mr. O'Malley?

Well... Go on.

in Greece.

In Athens, Mr. O'Malley?

Where you were a guest in the Stamatis house, where you saw the same things

Cleo Gramis saw?

When I saw her, Cleo at the airport, I wasn't sure.

But you found out, didn't you?

Found out that she knew about Carell, that she was blackmailing Carell, even

trying to blackmail Mr. Welch. I wasn't right.

They were my pigeons.

They were mine, both of them.

I counted on that doe. I needed it.

She shouldn't have done it.

You can see that.

I was wrong.

I was wrong.

Almost as wrong as murder, Mr. O'Malley.

O'Malley must have walked in the back way just as Mrs. Gramis hit you and

knocked you out.

You mean O'Malley killed her right then, with John on the floor?

Yep. John was on the floor, Carell was marching out to his car, and Welsh was

parked and watching.

He killed her, hid the body, and beat it out the same back way.

Poor Yanis.

We make up for everything bad that happened.

I promise you.

You said you wanted to see me, Mr. Kenyon. Yes, Kenyon.

Do you have your car?

Yes.

Would you do me a favor?

Sure.

Well, take this pretty little Greek dish here out for a ride and park in some

nice quiet spot and propose marriage to her.

No.

What? Oh, come on now, kid.

Come on, get out of here. On your way.

Yanis. And good luck to both of you.

Well, get out of here, will you? Now I have work to do.

You know something, Perry?

That statue I threw in the ocean was a lousy piece of corn to begin with.