Original subtitles

Well, Mr. Baylor, what do you think?

Real knockout, that number, isn't it?

I guarantee you, you put the line in your stores coast to coast, and it'll be

the hottest item you've handled in years. A real natural.

Sure.

If Baylor stores had bargain basements... That'll do, Nikolai.

Thank you.

I, uh... I could maybe knock another couple of bucks off the price. What do

say, Mr. Baylor? Well, as my father would say, we're here, an abomination.

An affront to taste and decency. But he isn't here. He's dead, and you're... I'm

sorry. I, uh... I don't mean any disrespect.

Your father just passed him away, but... But now that I'm running the stores,

you hoped possibly I had less taste than he did.

Mr. Baylor, I didn't hope anything.

I'm here because you asked me to come with a sample of my new line. So I did.

Or in Leslie clothes.

Hmm.

Morrowed designs.

The cheapest possible material, the shabbiest manufacturer in the industry.

Oh, Nikolai was right.

Bargain basement rags, nothing more.

The last things in the world for a quality chain of women's stores like

Baylor's.

But you knew all that before you sent for me.

Or, uh, are you saying with your father gone, it might be possible to, uh, get

our business?

My brother's due in Los Angeles in a matter of minutes.

He'll be meeting me in Perry Mason's office for a reading of my father's

In approximately two hours, Mr. Leslie, I shall be sole owner of Baylor's.

So I'd say, yes, more business than you ever dreamed of.

George Baylor was my friend as well as my client.

I have here his completely executed will. I also have a tape recording he

requested I play for you.

Yeah.

Martin.

Todd.

If you're together, then you're together because of my death.

My only sorrow is that we could not have stayed together in life.

Todd, I know now that you're leaving my home, you're leaving my business, which

I thought you loved too.

All those bitter mistakes of the past were even more...

My fault than yours.

I know it's too late to heal the breeze between us.

Just please remember that you've never left my heart.

But now this matter of a will.

I'll leave the legal details in the hands of Perry Mason.

But this is essentially what I want.

Martin, as my loyal firstborn, I leave you ownership and control of all the

Baylor stores.

With one exception, which I'm sure you'll understand and applaud.

As you know, I plan to leave Todd at least $30 ,000, so wherever he is, he

better enjoy life.

But if you're here now, Todd, and if by any chance you'd like to stay here, then

I'll make you a proposition.

Take over the management of the home store as you tried to once before.

In one year, show an increase of 4 % in profits, and then, Todd, I will leave

you a full half ownership of the entire Baylor chain.

And that's it, boys.

My love to both of you. He changed his will just a week before he passed away.

As of this moment, Todd, you have exactly 48 hours in which to make up

mind. The cash without strings or a long -shot gamble for, well,

for half the business.

remember my name? How could I forget? I mean, when a girl receives such

wonderful long letters every week and every month and every year. Well, my

fountain pen was broken.

Telling me all about where you are and what you're doing and how ugly the girls

are in France, in Spain.

Okay, okay, I'll start over.

The bad penny has returned, yes, but he's learned a few things.

I... How much he missed Carlo Ranoli.

You know, in three years, the guy starts remembering every freckle.

Todd, I ought to be getting back.

I work at the store now, you know.

Assistant buyer to Jane.

Ah, yes, one of the happy families, so I've heard.

Part of the team, huh? I'm a bully for you.

I heard about your father's will, Todd.

Is it true you're going to take over and run the store for a year?

Are you kidding?

Bad penny, I said, not the prodigal.

Besides, I don't eat humble pie very well.

But isn't there a lot of money involved? I mean, it is your inheritance.

There's enough money the other way.

Dear Brother Martin's offer to add $25 ,000 to Father's $30 ,000 bad conscience

dollars.

That's all I need.

Oh, but Todd, the store is in your blood. So I should take a gamble of

4 % profit increase in one year? Your father gambled.

Carla.

Goodbye, Todd.

See you in China sometime.

Mr. Baylor. Yeah.

The airline's office called. They said you haven't confirmed your reservation

for tonight yet.

I know you're checking out, but I didn't know whether to have them hold the

space or... Yeah, look, look. Here, you take care of it for me, will you? Here's

the flight number instead.

Of course, be glad to.

Acapulco, this time of year.

Cuernavaca. Boy, do I envy someone like you.

Trouble is a man gets tied down with responsibilities, family.

Well, have fun while you can, that's what I say.

Sure.

Just keep on running.

What?

Look, see if they can give me a space tomorrow, maybe, or the next day, okay?

Sure, Mr. Bidder, fine.

Rinaldi, Rinaldi.

Not as good as the Clifftop restaurant in Laguna, but filling as my niece

out. Super certain advantages over gin.

Let's eat, Tom.

Carla said something about my brother helping you. Are you working for the

now? Thanks to Carla, Martin did help me. No, I don't work for Baylor's.

But Martin got a man named Leslie to buy one of my old dress designs.

Good. I'm glad.

Really glad, Mr. Rinaldi.

The money?

Peanuts.

Less than nothing.

But Carla understood.

Faith?

being needed, being wanted.

He knew the river of gin was only a substitute, a way of drowning itself

Fifty dollars.

That's what Carla got me for that old design.

Fifty dollars and a new lease on life.

Mr. Rinaldi, why were you so anxious to see me?

To twist your arm, boy.

But of course you knew that before you came.

Carla's really serious, isn't she?

About thinking I ought to take another try at running this store.

You don't happen to have a miracle up your sleeve, do you, to increase the

profits of Baylor's Los Angeles 4 % in one year?

You've been thinking about it, huh?

Just thinking.

No more.

No, Todd.

No miracles up my sleeve, but, Todd, my designs.

Would you look at them?

Sure. They're too hot anyway.

You like them?

Well, maybe I'm a little rusty, but... Yes.

Yes, I think they're as good as anything you've ever done.

Of course, I'm just a kid amateur, but... Joe, you're quite a guy.

An alcoholic has been.

I wonder if... anybody will take a chance on you now.

No, these will never do.

Not for Baylor's or for any quality outlet.

You're absolutely right, Carla.

Tell the fieldman to get lost for me, will you? Will do.

Well, morning, Carla. Stick around.

Well, hello, Mr. Baylor.

Jane, you'd better start calling me Todd.

You see, about an hour ago, I talked to Perry Mason, gave him my decision.

Todd, did you?

I told him I wanted to run Baylor's Los Angeles for the next year.

Oh, Todd.

Jane, I take it you know about the will, Martin and myself, the Storrs.

But you've been, well, pretty close to Martin for some time now, and... Todd,

are you asking me if my loyalty is to Baylor Storrs or to a man I've been

out with over a number of years?

No, all I'm asking, well, all I have the right to ask for, is your help, Jane.

I need you and Carla.

Those are Uncle Joe's drawings. That's right. Designs by Rinaldi.

I want to convert these into dresses. An exclusive line of custom clothes.

Aside from accessories, they'd be the only clothes that Baylor's Los Angeles

would carry.

Uncle Joe's designs exclusively?

You'll get better odds from the bookmakers playing Russian roulette with

loaded pistol.

Then I want to put on a fashion show.

The biggest charity fashion show this town's ever seen. To do nothing but

publicize the Rinaldi line.

And the fact that Baylor's Los Angeles for the full season ahead will carry and

sell nothing but the Rinaldi line.

Do you realize what you're doing?

You're putting all your eggs in one basket.

I know.

Win or lose, a one -shot gamble.

Well, I've decided to take the gamble.

Oh, Tom.

Martin, it's true. That's what they're going to do. Fashion show, the works.

That crazy kid brother of yours.

I was over at the store and I heard this model talking to one of... Martin,

there's nothing funny about this. He can't do it. You've got to stop him

he's... What?

Oh.

You mean wait until Todd's really out on the limb.

Forgive me, Martin.

I should have known you'd already be sharpening an axe.

That's it.

That's much better.

Oh, and Debbie, don't you dare gain an ounce.

A little more to the right, Trixie.

There, see, that's a lot I want.

Only Todd was going to check this himself before you... Oh, wait just a

Nikolai!

Didn't you tell Todd and Mr. Baylor that we needed him in here again?

Sorry, no scene.

Then Nikolai, will you please go back and... Well, he wasn't in the office.

Gone out looking for your uncle, I believe.

Looking for my uncle?

It seems your uncle was called into Martin Bailey's office.

Then he steamed out of there in a bright blue funk. Or was it a three -quart

tizzy? Or whatever you drive to the bottle shop.

Carla, no.

Your uncle isn't drinking again.

Well, of course I've been drinking. What about it?

Come on, Rinaldi. Just lie down for a moment or two. You'll feel better.

I don't want to feel better, boy.

I don't want to.

Yeah!

It's all her fault.

Little old niecey Carla, that's who.

Look here, Martin.

I've got a fashion show, and something happened between you and a novice

Oh, drop it, Todd. Don't play the innocent with me.

In the same store, under my nose. Are you going to pretend that you didn't

about it? That Carla didn't tell you? About what?

Oh, a beautiful performance, my dear brother.

Beautiful. Go ahead now. Protest your innocence.

I remember how well you do that.

You didn't know that I had a personal, cast iron, exclusive contract with

Rinaldi for all his designs.

I just had to remind him of it this afternoon, that's all. No, that's not

Now, Carla, you know better than that. You were the one who got him to sign the

contract. But there wasn't anything about him. I don't believe it.

Well, then maybe you'll believe this.

A court order stopping immediately this stupid fashion show of yours.

Martin, you can't do this.

Your parents.

Carla,

are you all right? Call a doctor, fast.

Tell him Carla's spending the night with me.

Yes, in Jane Alder's apartment.

Across the street from the store.

Thank you.

Rinaldi's landlady.

The place is in shambles and Rinaldi's gone.

But I'm all right now, Doctor. Honest, I am.

Young lady, it's raining outside.

I want you to stay right in bed.

Only a lump on the head and a case of nerves, that's all.

Yeah, give her one of these sleeping pills if she needs it. And don't work

so hard.

As a matter of fact, you two might try for a little less exhaustion yourselves.

May I give you an umbrella, Doctor? No, that's all right.

I'll manage.

Good night.

Good night.

All right. We got the final.

Well, it is possible that he may be dining at the club this evening, sir.

He didn't really say.

Well, why didn't you say so? What girl?

No, Miss Nicolai isn't here. She went out for a ride.

Martin Vellum?

No, Mr. Vader called.

He has something to do with the story.

He was pretty mad. She went for a drive all by herself.

Now, Mr. Baylor, is Martin Baylor in his office? Yes, sir.

Who called us? I did, Lieutenant.

I'm Lewis, security officer.

Martin Baylor's upstairs in his office, dead.

And you think it's homicide?

Yes, sir.

His brother, Todd Baylor, stabbed him in the back.

Now, wait a minute. That's not... Never mind.

What were you saying, Mr. Baylor?

Nothing. I have absolutely...

Nothing to say.

All right, boys, we're all finished here. Let's wrap it up.

What happened, Andy?

Todd Bailey stabbed his brother in the back with a pair of scissors.

The security guard heard them fighting.

When he got here, Martin was lying there and Todd was beside him, practically

hanging on to the scissors.

Mr. Basile, the sergeant here told me. I can't believe it. Who's this?

Name's Joseph Rinaldi, Lieutenant.

I came to the building. I expected to see Martin Baylor.

What about?

Business. I designed clothing for the store.

Check's out.

Tom, where's Carla?

Didn't you get Jane's message?

Message?

Is something wrong with Carla?

She's asleep in Jane's apartment.

Lieutenant, you don't need me.

Is it all right for me to leave?

Can I go see my niece?

Sure, Mr. Rinaldi.

I'd better stop by my office in the morning, though.

Yes.

Yes.

I'd like to talk to Todd alone now, Andy.

Fine. Downtown.

As soon as we book him for murder.

Todd, I want you to say nothing without advice of counsel.

You'll need more than advice.

I asked him if he did it. He refused to deny it.

Did he admit to it?

Didn't need to.

With what we've got.

Oh, he couldn't.

Is Carla all right?

I don't know. I haven't been in there.

Would you please look in on her?

She's been asleep for some time, I suppose.

Search me.

The doctor left some sleeping pills, so I took one right after he left.

It's on file in court.

The original grant was to an Orrin Leslie.

Yes. He paid me the generous sum of $50.

Leslie, in turn, assigned the contract to Martin Baylor. So Martin informed me.

I'm afraid when I left his office that afternoon, well, I... I took my little

header off the wagon, Mr. Mason. Mr. Rinaldi, there's something else you can

help me with.

There were only two people who had their own private keys to the employee's

entrance. Martin and Todd.

Lieutenant Anderson made quite a point of that.

I understand from Todd, however, that he had a third key made.

A key for you.

Well, yes, I did have a key, but only until my designs were committed to

I had no need for a key after that, naturally.

He didn't mention your returning it.

I may have mislaid it. I can't seem to remember exactly what happened to the...

Or did you give it to Carla, perhaps?

And she forgot to return it.

Nikolai Wright?

Yes. Can I help you?

I'm Paul Drake, a private detective.

Is there some place we could talk privately?

Why? It's about Martin.

That's right. You were a good friend of Martin's.

Very.

Very good.

I understand that occasionally he dated Carla Rinaldi. Oh, she pestered Martin

to get that drunken uncle of hers a job.

She wasn't Martin's type.

Really.

Well, I guess she had better luck with her uncle with Martin's brother.

Oh, Mr.

Rinaldi looked like he'd been on the receiving end of a shot of instant

didn't he?

Did Martin resent Carla's interest in Todd in getting her uncle a job, I mean?

Martin didn't say.

We, uh, never discussed business.

That's quite a set of threads.

Oh? I imagine it'd be pretty much of a letdown to have to model Oren Leslie's

line of junk.

Do what?

Wasn't Martin dealing with this man, Leslie?

Look, Mr. Drake, I told you. You told me that you were very close to Martin. You

must have seen whom he met and who he was dealing with.

All I know about Mr. Leslie is that we had drinks with him several times and...

Well, I did see Martin out him a check once.

To pay for dinner, I suppose.

Now, Mr. Drake, did you have that important information?

All right, Nikolai.

I'll go.

Oh, uh... Did Martin give you a key to the store?

Why would he do that?

I'm just curious.

If you were my girl, I'd give you a key to the store any day.

I checked Todd's file for you, Mr. Mason. I couldn't find any

not from three years ago.

You were here at that time, Miss Alder. Perhaps you might remember something.

Why did Todd Baylor leave his job as manager of the store?

Why did he leave home?

Todd ever do anything for which his father might have sent him to jail?

Well, Todd was very young, Mr. Mason.

And his father was much too ambitious for the boy.

He just mismanaged the store, that's all.

We both know that mismanagement is not a criminal offense.

Well, there is one thing I do know for sure.

That is... Well, there was something wrong with the books.

Todd was terribly, stupidly careless, or... Did his father accuse him of

stealing?

Yes.

Yes, I'm afraid he did.

Excuse me. What is it, Paul?

Well, I followed up on something Nikolai told me. And Martin Baylor gave Oren

Leslie a check, all right, for $10 ,000.

That would be Oren Leslie, the clothing manufacturer?

Is he one of your suppliers?

No, he hasn't been.

As a matter of fact, we always considered his merchandise rather

afraid. In that case, hello, Oren Leslie, and what on earth did Martin

write you a check for $10 ,000 for?

Obviously, he gave me an order for some merchandise.

Simple as that, huh?

Just as simple as that.

Come off it, Leslie. You manufacture a cheap line of trash nobody in his right

mind would dream of putting into a store as fine as Bailey's. I don't have to

take that from you. But you are going to have to tell about the check, either

here or in court.

Now, what was the $10 ,000 for?

You know so much, huh?

Well, for your information, Martin was buying Leslie clothes to put in all the

stores, including the L .A. store.

With a healthy kickback from you, I imagine.

That gums you is something you'll never prove.

How could Martin be in a relationship with the decedent, Martin Baylor? What I

meant was, did he confide in you? Oh, yes.

More than with anyone else, I'd say.

Now, Miss Wright, so that we may know something of the state of mind of the

decedent, would you please tell this court what Martin Baylor told you about

brother?

He told me he was going to get rid of Todd, force him out of the store.

Well, first of all, Joseph Rinaldi signed a contract allowing me to use his

on my line of clothes.

And a little over a month later, what did you do?

I sold Rinaldi's contract to Martin.

Not to the Baylor stores, but to Martin Baylor personally.

Now, how would that have affected the defendant's plan to stage a fashion show

using Rinaldi's design?

Eliminated it, period.

When Martin told Todd he had Rinaldi all tied up, told him the same day he was

murdered, well, that was sure the end of Todd Baylor.

And Todd must realize that. Thank you, Mr. Leslie.

Your witness.

This contract with Rinaldi, who actually got him to sign it? You, Martin Baylor?

No.

No, his niece.

Are you aware Carla Rinaldi and her uncle both believe the contract she had

uncle sign was for one and only one design?

I don't care what they thought. I know it was signed.

I own Rinaldi's name and his designs past, present, and future. That's what

contract said.

How much did you pay for that contract?

Why? Well, it was a royalty arrangement, you see.

A dollar a garment.

Plus an advance.

And $50.

All right, so I got a bargain. You make it sound like I committed a crime.

Didn't you, Mr. Leslie?

What? No further questions.

And now, when Martin Baylor held out the court order stopping the fashion show,

what did the defendant do?

Well, of course he wasn't pleased.

I didn't ask you to characterize his attitude, Miss Alder.

I asked you to describe what he did.

He grabbed hold of Martin.

As if he meant to strike him?

Objection, Your Honor. The question asks for an opinion from the witness.

Unless the prosecutor not only wants the witness to characterize the defendant's

attitude, but also his intent.

Objection suspended.

Well, Miss Alder, did something happen perhaps?

To prevent the defendant from striking his brother right then and there.

Objection. The question assumes a fact not in evidence, Your Honor.

I appreciate Mr. Berger's desire to have the record indicate Todd Baylor struck

his brother.

But the defendant did no such thing.

Objection sustained.

Rephrase the question, Mr. Berger. Very well, Your Honor.

All right, Miss Alder.

What happened just when the defendant grabbed his brother?

Carla Rinaldi accidentally fell off the ladder.

I understand that you and the defendant took her across the street to your

apartment where she was examined by a doctor.

That's right.

Now, we have introduced evidence here that the defendant left your apartment

after that and went looking for his brother.

First at the residence of Miss Nikolai Wright and then at the store where he

finally found him.

Did you say anything to him at that point?

I told him about Martin's plan to get rid of him and then sell the stores.

And what was his answer?

I won't let him get away with it.

I swear to it.

No matter what I have to do.

Thank you, Miss Alder.

Your witness.

What did you do, Miss Alder, when Todd Baylor left you?

Well, I was upset.

Exhausted. I took some sleeping pills and fell right to sleep.

Was that before or after Carla Rinaldi went to sleep in your bedroom?

Bungalow, didn't he?

Sure he did.

The lady wasn't home.

And I had to fix the TV set.

But add to my breaking and entering a little matter of felonious taking and

carrying away.

Felonious taking?

Paul, I just wanted you to run down that hunch of mine.

And a beautiful hunch it was, too. I've got a man out right now digging for a

marriage certificate. But here, look what else I found.

These were stuck way down in the closet.

And only two out of many. And these were stolen straight from Baylor's Los

Angeles store.

I am fully aware, Your Honor, that the request is highly irregular.

However, in view of the fact that this is a preliminary hearing, I feel

confident the court is more interested in achieving justice than in upholding

rules of procedure.

Exactly what is it you want the court to do, Mr. Mason?

Before action is taken to permit defendant's change of plea, I beg the

indulgence to allow me to re -examine some of the witnesses.

Mr. Berger?

By all means, Your Honor.

Permit Mr. Mason his re -examinations.

Who knows, we may even get a third confession.

That, Mr. Berger, is exactly what I planned.

What?

I should like to recall Edward Lewis to the stand.

After the defendant let himself in at the employee's entrance, did you see him

lock the door again from the inside?

Yes, I did.

When you told him Martin was in his office on the second floor, why did he

up the steps? Why didn't he take the elevator?

Well, he, uh... Well, the elevator was on the second floor.

Then you followed Todd up the stairs.

And did you stay up there with him until you heard the police pounding on the

door at the employee's entrance?

That's correct.

And when you came down with Todd to let them in, did you take the elevator down?

No. Why not?

Well, we start... The elevator was on the first floor.

Yes, we went up to the second floor in the elevator.

Let's be very clear on this point, Lieutenant Anderson.

When Todd arrived, the elevator was on the second floor. When you got there, it

was on the ground floor.

When Todd and Lewis ran up the stairs, someone must have come down in the

elevator. You found the door locked when you arrived at the store.

Now, when you were admitted, did you post a guard?

Yes. Did you search the premises?

That's right.

Was anyone found in the store or seen leaving it?

No, no one.

Then we're faced with a physical impossibility, Lieutenant.

How did the person who rode the elevator down get out of the store?

Oh, he must have had a key. Or she must have had a key.

Now, you found one key on the dead man upstairs.

The second key on the defendant who had remained upstairs.

Now, who had the third key?

Why, Carlo Rinaldi.

Take a close look at this picture.

Do you recognize it?

Yes, it's one of the pictures the police photographers took at the scene of the

murder. Those items on the desk aren't relevant, though. They're just

merchandise which was scattered about in the struggle.

What about this particular pin here?

Suppose I could show it was private property.

You mean something somebody had dropped or lost?

Well, we checked that pretty thoroughly, Mr. Mason. Lieutenant, here's a

photograph taken at a rehearsal of the fashion show earlier in the day.

Now, do you see anyone wearing a similar pin to this one?

Yes. Yes, maybe I do.

You don't need to strain your eyes, Lieutenant.

Here's an enlargement.

Yes, I'd say that was Carlo Rinaldi's pen, all right.

Two completely innocent people have already confessed to this crime.

Shall we now point a finger to a third?

I'll tell you what you want to know.

Carla was still asleep.

I put on her coat and scarf so that if anyone saw me, they would just think it

was Carla doing some night work in connection with the fashion show.

I used the key that Carla still had to let myself in, took the elevator up, and

I searched Martin's office.

What were you looking for, Jane?

I love Martin Baylor.

Betraying Todd for him again was just too much.

When was the first time you betrayed Todd for Martin? Was it three years ago,

Jane?

It was Martin.

Not Todd, who had taken money from store accounts.

I altered the records to... The records you altered three years ago.

That's what you were looking for the other night?

I thought if Todd had them, had the truth, he would be able to put an end to

Martin's plans.

Did you get those records?

No.

Martin came in and found me there. He shook me, almost struck me.

It must have been then that I lost Carla's pin.

The pin that Joseph Rinaldi must have seen and recognized.

Joseph thought his niece had killed Martin.

He confessed to save her.

What about the defendant, Jane?

I think he must have seen me get into the elevator to go down.

Of course, he must have thought I was Carla.

While you were fighting with Martin Baylor in his office, can you

What, if anything, he said to you?

He screamed that he was going to fire me along with the rest of the thieves he'd

been uncovering.

Had wanted to fire me for the past year.

Why the past year?

That's when Martin started flaunting another woman in my face. That model,

Nikolai Wright.

I wouldn't call it flaunting. After all, she was older than Martin.

There was nothing wrong with his being interested in a younger woman.

As you stated to my investigator, he was very, very interested.

That's what I said, yes.

Miss Wright, do you have any additional income besides your salary from

Baylor's? No.

Yet you live quite expensively. You keep a maid.

Well, as I said, very, very interested.

Baylor sells an original dress for $300.

Simultaneously, some cheap outlet sells an inferior but remarkably accurate copy

for less than $30.

Someone got an advance look at the design or the work model of the dress?

The day he was killed, Martin Baylor was concerned about a continuing loss

through breakage.

And that breakage included the disappearance of a great many of what

work models of new clothing.

Among them, these items stolen from Baylor's workroom.

You recognize them?

I'm not sure.

You should be sure. They were taken from your apartment.

The other man who visited you occasionally, he's your husband, isn't

My husband?

No longer altogether husband and wife, but still very much business partners,

weren't you?

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

Martin Baylor's relationship to you was really just a casual one, a matter of

occasional dates.

No, no, I... I told you.

He was concerned only with protecting his job and his ex -wife, with whom I

guess he was still in love.

Speaking of love, look, Perry.

The dad I love.

Me too.

All right, Dylan.

Consider the outfit yours.

Part of... Todd Baylisby.

And for you, Paul, don't tell me.

It's against the law. I don't want to know.