Original subtitles

At least Mr. Danvers is getting a fair price for his place.

At his age, it must be hard to lose a home by combination.

It isn't easy at any age.

Will we still be on time for the curtain? I hate to go in a theater late.

No problem.

We'll get the paper signed and be back here in ten minutes.

There's plenty of time to reach the theater.

When you said we'd only be gone...

Drive

tires, wheels and hubcaps, generator, sun visors, cigarette lighter, radio,

speaker, twin horns, battery.

Front and rear floor mats, convertible top, clock, steering wheel, side view

mirror. That's it, Your Honor.

Mr. Mason, since it's your property that's been stolen, I assume you're

charges. Your Honor, in talking with Sergeant Rodden, I told him I would do

that.

But I wasn't aware at the time that a juvenile was involved.

What's that got to do with it, Counselor?

Your Honor, there's more at stake here than one boy and one offense.

There were 35 ,000 car clouts, strippings, in Los Angeles last year.

haven't been able to crack the problem.

This case gives us our first chance.

But the only charge you're making against this young man is that he pawned

stolen article, a camera belonging to Mr. Mason.

I'm aware of that, Your Honor. But the camera was in the car. Mr. Mason can

testify to it.

And that's our break.

It's impossible to identify stolen auto parts most of the time. There are no

serial numbers.

But Mr. Mason had the lens serial number of the camera.

This boy attempted to pawn it.

What does the district attorney's office have to say?

Well, obviously, Your Honor, we want Mr. Mason's cooperation.

And we were led to believe we'd get it.

I'm afraid I have to pause before I assist in stamping a felony conviction

18 -year -old boy simply because he tried to pawn a stolen camera.

Welfare, do you have anything?

Yes, Your Honor.

It's right here in my report.

Now, let's see.

Classified as incorrigible at the orphanage.

Placed in four foster homes, one right after the other.

Finished high school last June with honors.

Picked up twice for violation of curfew. No record.

Your Honor, I agree.

You don't treat a kid like an adult with a record.

But they've got to learn you pay for what you do.

Of course they do.

I think every man, every offense has to be judged individually on its own merit.

Yes, I have. a personal loss at stake.

And the police have a case at stake.

But this young man also has his old future at stake.

Lenny, where did you get that camera?

Sir, I was gambling.

Craps.

And this kid, he lost.

Well, he paid off with the camera.

Your Honor, I'm sorry.

Sorry that you were gambling? Sorry that you tried to pawn stolen goods? Or

sorry that you got caught?

All three, I suppose, sir.

I have here a statement from a Mr.

William Sykes offering you employment.

And I have the welfare department's investigation and endorsement. Do you

Mr. Sykes?

Yes, sir.

I'm William Sykes, Your Honor.

And if you'll let Lenny go, and if he's willing to work hard, I'll guarantee you

that he'll be too busy to get into any more trouble.

Let him go?

In a sense, that's up to you, Mr. Mason.

I'm not going to press charges, Your Honor.

Lenny, I'm going to release you from custody.

But don't mistake Mr. Mason's gesture or my judgment as license to tempt fate

again.

Continue hanging out with the kind of friends who shoot craps and steal

and you're going to be back again.

There better not be a next time.

I promise you, sir, there won't be.

My commendations to Team One.

Remarkable. Well within our allotted time.

However, I need not admonish Team Two. You yourselves know what would be

occurring at this very moment if the men in blue, rather than your friend and

mentor, had caught you in the act, as they say.

And so I would suggest to both teams that considerable additional time drill

would not be amiss.

Right?

Now, I believe our refreshments are served.

These are your compañeros?

But they're so young. They're boys only.

Señor Huggins.

Why?

Senorita Realis, obviously you do not understand our form of justice.

You see, if an adult commits even the smallest infraction, he's likely to go

prison. But a boy, a juvenile, especially if he is clean -cut,

well -mannered, and underprivileged...

Well, that's an entirely different story.

Yeah. And now, senorita, can we get down to our business?

How many pair of bucket seats can you use?

How many can you deliver?

Almost any reasonable amount.

Delivery is no problem, and Bill Sykes is most efficient, as you well know.

The price locally is $500 a pair. Oh, but I cannot pay you more for delivery

Mexico.

Have you been asked to?

As you know, I am a collector of Tehuantepec art.

The Mayan and the Aztec are rather crude, common.

But your Tehuantepec pieces, marvelous.

And rare.

But obtainable.

as were all the other pieces you sent me through Bill Sykes.

I'm thinking of a figurine I admired at an exhibition in Mexico City.

You cannot mean a catalogado, a museum piece.

If I were to send such a thing out of Mexico and be detected by the

I would be put in prison.

If you were detected.

But there's no reason for you to be.

Ah,

a little stray lamb. One who was lost is returned to us. Thanks to that lawyer

we hit, Perry Mason, he believes in rehabilitation.

Isn't that nice?

But, Laddie Buck, when Billy and I return from our business conference with

Senorita Reales, you and I must have a little man -to -man talk about this

penchant of yours for taking and holding out serial numbered items.

But, sir, it wasn't my fault. I... Later.

Senorita. Jody, you and I have to have a little talk, too.

Later.

You dirty think.

I didn't think. I didn't tell the cops anything.

Oh, no.

But you told Bill how you won that camera from him.

Maybe I should have, but I didn't.

You're a liar.

Get him, Jody. Get the think. No, not now.

Someday, Fink, I'm gonna take care of you.

After 20 years on the force, you'd think I'd learn.

When the do -gooders of the world beat you, you gotta forget it.

But it eats on me, Clay.

So tomorrow's another day.

You know, I forget who said it. Probably a wise Irishman. But it was good

advice.

He said, it is defeat that turns bone to flint and gristle to muscle and makes

men invincible.

You are never so near to victory as when defeated in a good cause.

I'm going to have that framed and put over every detective's desk.

But first, I think I'll have you repeat it to Perry Mason.

Sorry, I smell something burning in the kitchen.

Hello, Sergeant Rodden.

This is Miss Street. Miss Street.

How do you do? Thank you.

You bugged out on me this morning, Counselor.

After you promised me I could count on you.

Sergeant, Lenny Beale told you nothing to link him to a car stripping ring.

You had no other evidence.

Seems to me that you'd learn more by keeping an eye on him if he is involved.

then by settling for a possible conviction on pawning a stolen article.

I see.

Your interest was in doing what was best for the police department.

You know what a felony conviction would do to that boy.

For the rest of his life, he wouldn't be able to vote, to hold a civil service

job, to live outside the country.

Nothing but a pardon could erase that record.

Now, isn't it worthwhile to try to save him from that?

Hi, Della Perry.

Hello, Sergeant. Hi.

If you'll excuse us, I have to speak to Perry in a minute.

Pardon me.

Perry, everything's set in Atlanta, but you're going to have to decide what to

wear. I don't know how well you know my boss, Sergeant, but take my word for it,

what he did this morning wasn't easy for him.

Miss Street, you're smart and you're pretty and you're loyal to defend your

boss. He doesn't need me to defend him. He can speak for himself.

I know. I heard him this morning.

But talk is cheap.

Well. Fixing his car isn't cheap.

It'll cost $1 ,700.

Money he won't get back from the insurance company because they don't pay

he refuses to press charges.

He didn't mention that.

He wouldn't.

He doesn't put a price tag on his conscience.

You know, I was all set to follow you on for being late, and I took one look at

you and... Well, what's the guy going to do?

Did you take care of that favor for me, Tom?

Did you ever ask me for anything you didn't get?

It's all set. Starting tomorrow.

Oh, thanks, Tom.

You're sweet.

Robin, there's a kid waiting for you in the dressing room.

If it's that Jody, you're going to have to throw him. No, no, it's the other

one. The quiet kid.

Hi. Hi, Susan.

Susie, baby, I got an idea. You're not going to be around here much longer.

Why, what did I do wrong, Mr. Lohman?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. You did everything just right. You looked right,

you smiled right, you moved right.

Well, that's why I say you're going to be leaving.

For Broadway.

For pictures.

I've been thinking about it all day, Robin.

Why did this Mason do it? What was there in it for him? What was his angle?

Well, then everybody doesn't have to have an angle.

Just figured he was trying to give you a break.

Hey, light me a cigarette, will you? I think maybe they're in my pocketbook.

The thing is, Robin... The thing is, Robin,

he acted as if he wasn't worried what the cops thought.

Or the judge.

But he was... He was worried about me.

Lenny, what we say, it doesn't go any further, right?

Because, well, Bill's a funny guy.

You don't have to worry about Bill. If he touches you... This guy, Lenny, he

gave you a chance today.

And if you had any sense, you'd take it and break with Bill and Ben Huggins now.

And go where?

Do what?

You could...

Start with this Mr. Mason.

He's smart, a lawyer and all. He could give you some advice, maybe help you

a job.

It's too late.

No, for me it's too late.

But not for you.

You're not much older than I am, you know. It's not like I was a kid or

something.

Not much older.

But I love you for saying so.

Lenny, you know the club manager, Tom Lohman?

He's an awful nice guy.

A gentleman.

He'd do anything for me.

But three years ago, he asked me if I'd marry him.

I should have done it.

But now I can't.

I couldn't let Tom in for the trouble he'd get from Bill.

Hold on there.

I don't like to be manhandled, Lohman.

Then stay out of here.

I told you I don't want you hanging around my place.

What's your problem?

You still making calf eyes at my girl?

Why don't you act your age?

Robin, if I did, you know, get clean, maybe go to this lawyer,

I would be 18 pretty soon, and what's a few years difference when two people

are...

You do like I told you. You get out of this mess and make a life for yourself.

You're beautiful.

Now promise me you're going to do what I told you.

Don't wait.

There'll never be a better time than now.

Bill, I tried to reach you this afternoon, but you were gone. It's all

Tom said the job's open in the parking lot.

I told him it was for my cousin.

Good.

That's good, baby.

Hold it, Lenny.

From now on, I'm not going to let you out of my sight.

We're going to stick together.

Close together.

I was under the impression I had made it clear that I don't want company here.

Not you, not them. All right, all right.

We were in the neighborhood and I had an idea for you. A good idea.

You're thinking too much, Billy.

Lately you've had too many ideas and that's my department.

All you have to do is what you're told.

Okay, Ben.

I'm sorry.

And believe me, from now on you can be a hermit.

But just try to listen to what I've got to say.

I've listened, Billy.

And it makes me uneasy.

A shoemaker should stick to his last.

Cars are simple and safe.

We have a system.

I don't like taking chances, and houses are dangerous.

Look, this can't miss.

The boy at the parking lot picks out the car.

He makes a duplicate of the house key. He gets the address from the

registration. We go there and clean the place.

Then what if the mark should return home unexpectedly?

Well, he can't.

Our boy at the parking lot has to bring in the car.

If he does, he calls us at the location.

Plenty of time to get clear.

It's a piece of cake, Ben.

You say Robin arranged the job as parking attendant for Tick.

You told her why.

Well, I had to.

Look, you can trust Robin. She's all right.

But she's a woman, Billy.

And in an enterprise such as ours, I dislike having to trust a female.

Well, trust me, Ben.

It's all set, and it'll be okay.

Very well, Billy.

On your responsibility, we shall proceed.

Good.

Lester!

Will you remain for a moment, please?

Pardon me, are you Mr. Mason?

Miss Spring?

I believe you said you're a friend of Lenny Beale's.

I shouldn't even be here if anybody found out. But you did call me, and you

here. Now, why?

Because Lenny said you gave him a break.

Only if he takes advantage of it.

He's a good kid, Mr. Mason, and he'd like to do what you want, but he's

I want you to be honest with me, Miss Spring.

The police believe Lenny's involved with a car stripping ring.

The police are right, aren't they?

Aren't they?

Knowing that, you still wanted him let go?

I thought I saw something worth saving.

I was willing to take a chance on reaching him.

You did reach him, Mr. Mason.

Then there's only one way for him to help himself.

That's to tell the police everything he knows.

And go to jail for 10, maybe 15 years?

I've stuck my neck out this far. I'm willing to go a little further, if

go along with me.

How? I'll ask the district attorney to give Lenny immunity if he testifies.

If the district attorney agrees, I'll get back to you.

That's the only way?

That's the only way.

Yes, I heard how well you cooperated, Counselor, with the police when they

wanted you to bring charges against that boy that apparently helped strip your

car. Now you want me to cooperate with you?

Didn't anyone ever tell you, Perry, about cooperation being a two -way

And why should I believe this girl? Why do you believe her if you really do? Do

you really think that Lenny Beale is going to walk in voluntarily and give

evidence against his friends?

I'm hopeful Robin will persuade him to do just that, if you'll go along.

You know, present enforcement isn't working.

Maybe this way you can at least make a dent in the statistics.

Well, you got a point there.

All right.

If Lenny Beale turns himself in voluntarily and gives evidence against

ring, you can tell him he's got his deal.

Full immunity.

He's cut the line.

Relax. We work in comfort. Now, Tick's in the parking lot, and if the people

leave, he'll ring us. One ring, then he'll hang up, and he'll ring again.

Well, let's go to it, all of you. Come on.

Hey, Bill?

Huh? You want this?

Yeah. Yeah, it's the kind of thing Huggins gets a bang out of.

We'll make him a president.

Lenny?

Where do you think you're going?

To bring the van up. Well, you just stick with me.

Cut the pictures out of the frames.

Now, come on, you guys. Move.

Move.

You got to clear out of there.

The Marks leaving the place?

No, Huggins sent word.

Robin Fink to the cops.

Well, she wouldn't. She knows I'd kill her.

No, no, no, not Robin.

Cut out.

Take off, Lenny! We gotta make it to the van!

Over there!

You're on your own now, so you just lay low until they clear out.

Bill, I can make it. Give me a hand. Look, you'll throw me down.

I'd rather settle with Robin.

Bill.

Will the girl be able to talk Lenny into it?

Let's hope so.

Now, it's a funny thing, Paul.

Since that night at Angel's Flight when my car was stripped, I've had the

feeling I'm... You remember the story of Oliver Twist?

You see Lenny as Oliver?

If you stretched a point or two, there are some parallels.

Well, if Robin comes through, there'll be a new ending for the old story.

Oliver Twist was written more than a hundred years ago.

Let's hope human nature's changed for the better.

What's happened? Let me go.

Mr. Mason, I can't talk to you now. I gotta get to him. I gotta get to Bill.

She's dead.

I found her.

You were the one that screamed?

Has the manager called the police?

Tom Loma's not here. He's...

You stay put and don't let anybody touch anything.

And you call the police.

Get Della on the phone, Paul. She can find Sack's address.

We have to stop Lenny in time.

Time for what?

In time to prevent another murder.

Thanks, the department is on the fifth floor.

Thanks.

He's alive.

We'll need an ambulance.

So you say that Benjamin Huggins was the mastermind of this ring, and that he's

the one that taught you how to steal from cars, huh?

And that he disposed of the parts in Mexico through a señorita... What's her

name? Donna Reales?

That's right.

Why is it, Lenny, that all the other boys told Sergeant Rodden in auto theft

that they worked for Bill Sykes?

And he's dead. That's right.

And we're charging this boy with his murder.

But I didn't kill him.

I'll admit I meant to.

When I saw Robin dead, I took her gun. The one Bill gave her. It was in her

hand. I meant to use it.

But when I got to Bill's place, I was too late. Somebody had already stabbed

him. That's when I passed out.

Oh, come on now, Lenny. That's not what happened.

What happened is you pulled a gun on him. He took it away from you. And then

stabbed him with his own knife because you thought he killed Robin.

Now, isn't that what really happened?

No, no, honest, I didn't kill him. Please, I didn't kill him.

No, I didn't, Mr. Mason. I didn't know Bill Sykes, and I don't know this boy

Lenny Beale.

And that's why I've asked you to come.

My name and reputation are in jeopardy.

Your client has forced me to defend myself against absurd and scurrilous

charges.

For the first time in my life, I have seen the inside of a police station.

Now, why has he done this, Mr. Mason?

Obviously, he didn't pick your name at random, Mr. Huggins. He does know you.

Every waiter I've tipped and every down -and -outer I've given money to and

every tradesman I've honored with my business know me.

Doesn't necessarily mean I know them.

Do you have any idea why Lenny would want to harm you?

No. Then the police asked me that.

Enjoy your wine, Mr. Mason. You'll find it has what Hemingway called great...

authority. I have it imported from Spain.

Very good.

But most Spanish wine has great authority. Now, you were telling me...

man of rare judgment, cultured tastes, Mr. Mason.

What do you think of this?

My, it's, um, to one effect, isn't it?

Appears to be a man.

No eyes, no ears, no mouth. A man without three senses.

Well, since obviously I can't help you and you can't help me, I'll be on

my way, Mr. Huggins.

Wait a minute, Mr. Mason. I have it.

This figurine gave me the clue.

I remember this man Sykes.

He delivered some packages to me from Mexico. This figurine was among them.

As I remember, he was a bold, insensitive, brash young man.

And there was a boy with him.

Lenny Beale?

I don't know.

I've never seen your client, Mr. Mason.

If it was Lenny, I can only assume that you failed to tip him, and in a fit of

revenge, he made all those accusations.

What are men like you and me to do, Mr. Mason?

Just what?

How can society protect itself against the criminal element, the purse

and muggers and petty thieves?

I can think of only one way, Mr. Huggins.

Men like you and me can learn to recognize them when we see them.

Good night.

I've had practically the whole office looking for a lead on Ben Huggins, and

far we haven't been able to turn up anything that might help us.

What about the other boys? With Lenny's help, Sergeant Rodden picked up all of

them except one.

The one in the parking lot?

Dick Gleason. And each of the innocent darlings claims he never heard of anyone

named Ben Huggins.

And apparently they've convinced the police that Lenny did kill Bill Sykes.

And Sykes killed Robin?

I don't buy it.

Lenny claims Huggins was dealing with a Mexican woman.

Senorita Donna Reales.

Paul, could you leave for Mexico tonight?

Fine, Senorita Reales.

She's the only hope we have of proving that Lenny told the truth, that Huggins

is indeed our 20th century Fagin.

Your Honor, the defendant, Lenny Beale, is in this court today on trial for his

life by his own choice.

It was a simple choice that was offered him not once but several times. A simple

choice between right and wrong.

When he was released from custody on a charge of pawning a stolen article, he

was first offered that simple choice. He chose instead to return to the criminal

ring that spawned him. He was given a second chance by my office when I

him immunity to testify. He rejected that chance.

Again, he made another choice, this time to engage in a felony burglary. And he

carried a policeman's bullet away from that encounter.

Then came his third chance.

Faced with the murder of a girl he loved, he had to make that simple choice

again, and he chose not due process of law, but the remorseless, inexorable

of the underworld.

And that's why he's here today, Your Honor, quite properly being tried as an

adult, not as a juvenile.

He has demonstrated that he's not a delinquent child, but a hardened

A hardened criminal who, seeking revenge for the murder of that girl,

deliberately and with premeditation went to the apartment of William Sykes and

killed him with his own knife.

Well, like I was telling you when you took me to lunch, Mr. Burberry... Let's

get right to the point, Miss Sawyer.

Just tell the court, please, what the defendant said to you when you saw him

night of the murder.

Well, he was like running out of the place. He nearly knocked me down.

And I said, what's your hurry, Lenny boy?

And he said, Bill did it. He killed Robin, and I'll kill him.

Yes, Mr. Burger, this was the knife we found in the body of the decedent

Sykes. Were there fingerprints on it, Lieutenant?

There were several, but most of them belonged to him. You see, we found this

his knife.

But there were other prints.

There were at least three identifiable ones.

His right thumb, right index finger, and the third finger.

Who made those prints, Lieutenant?

The defendant, Mr. Berger.

Leonard Beale.

The kid didn't mean any harm.

He just had a big crush on her and Robin went along with it.

Of course, Bill Sykes didn't see anything funny in her.

The night before... before he was killed, I saw him drag Lenny out of her

dressing room.

Was there ever in your presence any violence connected with Lenny Beal's

attachment for Miss Spring?

Well, one night this Jody character was hanging around.

He had a thing for Robin, too.

Well, she bawled him out and...

Jody cussed at her and Lenny went for him with a stage brace.

Really? I had to hold him until Jody could beat it.

Take the witness, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Lawman, you've told the district attorney that the defendant was in love

with Miss Spring.

That's right. And that Bill Sykes was in love with her. Yes, sir.

And that Jody Laird was in love with her.

Well, in a way.

How about you, Mr. Lawman? Were you in love with her also?

Yes. Yes, I was, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

And if she had been insulted in your presence, would you have defended her?

Why, sure.

Mr. Lohman, previous testimony established that you weren't present at

Femmes a Go -Go at the time the body was discovered. Now, can you tell us

exactly where you were?

Well, no, I'm sorry. I travel around a lot at night catching acts.

You weren't by any chance on your way to Bill Sacks' apartment?

No. And I'll tell you something, Mr. Mason.

If I'd found Robin, I'd have known it was Sykes.

And I would have done the same thing that youngster did. That Sykes was a

But you're not going to give me all rile up and make me say something I'll

regret. Of course not, Mr. Lohman.

Who was the man you worked for, son, the leader of this ring?

Bill Sykes.

I see.

Now, Jody, I think you told us that the boy who was planted in the parking lot

at Femsegogo...

had instructions to warn you by telephone if necessary.

Yes, sir. And like I said, he did call.

But it wasn't what we expected.

The people weren't leaving the club going home.

What was the occasion for the call, then?

Well, Mr... That is, Tick said that Robin had tipped off the police.

Did Mr. Sykes take this warning seriously?

Well, what else? Right away we heard the sirens.

And Bill said he'd kill her. Who besides yourself heard that?

We all did.

Does all include the defendant, Lenny Beale?

Yes, sir.

He was right there when Bill said it.

You're a bonus, friend. I didn't count on finding you here.

I haven't done anything!

Fine! You can come back and tell that to the police.

I'm not leaving here. I don't have to. You can't touch me in Mexico. You are

going to have accommodations in the local brig till I get you extradited,

it's not as plush as you've been enjoying with Senorita Reales. She's

to me. She's not going to let you.

Let him go, senor.

And you will put both hands on the wall.

Well, you saved me the trouble of finding you, Senorita Reales.

Do you know me?

You're the reason I'm down here.

To bring you back with me, both of you, to testify in court.

You are in my country, and you have no right.

Takes a Native American. I can have him extradited.

And you?

Well, I have a bargain for you.

What bargain?

You come back and testify that you did business with Ben Huggins and that

Huggins ran the operation.

I am guilty of nothing, senor.

I bought and paid in good faith.

And that's where we come to my bargain.

Those little doodads, the Mexican national cultural treasure that you use

in good faith, suppose the Patrimonio Nacional were told about them.

But if you were to come back and testify, who would there be to tell

I have here a series of recent photographs, Senorita Reales. I wonder

identify this one.

It was taken inside where we display and store our automobile parts.

And you obtained these parts where?

How? From...

Will

you go

on, please, senorita? You were about to tell us where you obtained the auto

parts. From Benjamin Huggins.

Could you describe briefly your business arrangement with Mr. Huggins?

Well, I would order the parts I needed from Senor Huggins. He would send Bill

Sykes to deliver them in Mexico, and then I would pay him the money.

Then I suppose you were, well, closer to Mr. Sykes than you were to Mr. Huggins.

Si, Senor.

But you always understood that you were doing business not with Mr. Sykes, but

with Mr. Huggins, that he was the real boss, as we say.

Si, that is true.

So the facade is torn away at last.

Mr. Benjamin Huggins, civic leader, connoisseur of art.

And now we see you for what you really are, a corruptor of youth, inducting

young boys into a life of crime, destroying their lives while you, in

with impunity, enjoy the profits.

Your Honor, reluctantly I must object.

And I sustain the objection.

Didn't you indoctrinate your trained young thieves to believe that anyone,

anyone who betrayed them to the law must be punished by death?

I abhor violence, Mr. Mason.

Just give me an answer.

I did not.

I have sworn to tell the truth, and I have.

You also gave the police a sworn statement that Lenny Beale had lied

The court has made note of that.

Get on with it, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Huggins.

You were convinced, were you not, that the girl Robin, with my help, had

betrayed you to the law?

Objection. I withdraw the question. Mr. Huggins, according to Jody Laird's

testimony, Bill Sykes received a telephone call at the burglary site,

him that Robin had tipped off the law.

Actually, a neighbor who knew the family was away for the evening phoned his

suspicions to the police.

Now, is it not a fact that you were the one who told Tick Gleeson to make that

telephone call? Before you answer, I warn you that we have Tick Gleeson here,

waiting to testify.

On the night of the murders, I neither saw nor spoke to

Tick Gleeson.

Yes, Mr. Huggins told you the truth, sir.

I didn't see or talk to him.

Then who told you to call Bill Sykes?

Senorita Reales.

She came to the Femmes Agogo and told you to make that call?

Yes, sir.

After you spoke to Bill Sykes, what did you do?

Well, there were about four cars lined up. I had to park them.

And what happened then?

Well, I went over to Senorita Realis' car.

I asked her to take me with her back to Mexico.

I knew the whole thing had blown up. I was scared.

And she agreed?

Yes.

She told me to get my things and meet her at the hotel.

See? I did deliver such a message, senor, only because Ben Huggins told me

One thing bothers me, senorita.

Why were you so easily persuaded when Tick Gleeson asked you to take him to

Mexico with you?

Could it have been because he was the one person who could testify that you'd

been at the Femmes a Go -Go that evening?

But I've already told you, senor.

I was only there because Ben Huggins sent me to deliver the message.

I did so, and I left.

What were you doing during the time Tick Gleeson went to a phone booth, called

Bill Sykes, parked the four cars, and then returned to you?

I waited.

Senor Mason, I have not told you the full truth.

No, you haven't, Senorita. Now, why?

Are you afraid to tell the truth?

Of whom are you afraid?

No matter. I cannot keep this inside any longer.

I went to the club, and I saw this Robin.

Why?

Ben Huggins.

He told me I must.

And for the same reason that I was forced to return to testify, I was

do as he asked.

What did he force you to do?

We were out for the afternoon.

When we returned to his place, this boy Lester is there.

He tells Senor Huggins about the girl, and Huggins is like a madman. He says,

first I must tell Tick to call.

And then I must tell lies to this Robin so that she would come outside so he

could talk to her.

I assume then that you knew Robin Spring quite well.

No, I did not know her.

Then why, Senorita, did you give her this gun?

I swear I did not.

No? Then why does it bear your family crest? The same crest visible in this

photograph which was taken of the sign in front of your shop.

What happened in that dressing room, senorita?

Nothing, senor. She did not know me and did not want to come outside.

She didn't know you, but you knew her.

No, senor. I have already told you I did not.

Senorita, you're straying again.

I think we'd better get back to the truth.

Now, when Robin Springs' body was found by the defendant, before anyone else

discovered it, this pistol was in her hand.

The telephone was off the hook.

Now, can you explain how those things happened?

I don't know, senor.

She seemed to have known that I had come from senor Huggins.

But she did not know me and did not want to leave with me. So, I left.

I'm sure you did, senorita.

But that was later.

First, you saw Bill Sykes' picture on her makeup table.

You realized Robin was not just an informer. She was a rival.

And when she threatened you with this pistol, there was no longer any room for

doubt. I would not have hurt her.

I did not intend.

I turned my back to run out.

And she picked up the telephone to warn Bill.

And then I saw the long scissors.

And then you went to Bill Sacks' apartment.

He didn't know you'd seen the gun.

He didn't know that Robin was dead. He had no suspicion.

He had put his knife on the table.

He turned his back.

And I picked it up.

I was so good to him, senor. I did everything for him.

But he destroyed it.

What could I do?

What's the secret, and why this celebration, and why have you been

around with that I -know -something -you -don't -know expression?

Well, it's been three months since Lenny left here on his trip.

Yeah, and that's another secret operation.

Frankly, Perry, I don't think a vacation is what Lenny needed. I think he needed

to go to work.

Now, Paul, what Lenny needs is more education.

I think the boy needed to get away from it all, to relax out in the fresh air.

That's the very reason that Lenny's trip has been his secret and mine.

All of you were so intent on telling him exactly what to do.

Well, we were only trying to help. Of course.

And realizing that, Lenny took Della's advice and yours, Paul, and yours,

Well, where is he? Tell us already.

Just a moment.

I have a feeling Perry has reached the dramatic moment. And we're going to find

out what this is all about.

Well, boot camp. That's where you've been for three months.

And those chevrons mean you're an honor man.

Lenny, you're an admiral already.

Well, practically, between a Navy admiral and a Marine PFC, there's a

difference in pay.

As I told you, Lenny made his own decision and received job training and

work and plenty of outdoor life, right?

Right.