Original subtitles

But what if he comes here?

Look, Sharon, there's nothing to worry about.

Grover was probably drunk or just sounding off when he threatened to kill

Not kill me.

Just mark me up, he said.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

Come on, give me the key.

What are you doing?

I called the police.

There's no need.

I don't think you'll bother you anymore.

Where is he? Over here, behind the couch.

It's Art Grover, all right.

He's dead.

I killed him.

Luke, what do we do? They can't find the dead man here.

Listen, Luke, you've got to help me.

There's nobody else.

I mean, you know what it means right now.

I'm about to get my big chance.

The chance of a lifetime to... There'll never be enough.

Not like this.

Sharon. Look, all you have to do is...

Is just take him out of here.

Uh, uh, somewhere.

Uh, where?

Anywhere.

That would help both of us.

I suppose it, uh... Could you, uh, stall the police for a while?

What's your name?

Stearns, Jake Stearns. Look, I was just trying to help the fellow. You were

trying to help yourself. Come on, let's have it. Everything you got off of him.

I'm a watch.

This guy's dead.

Oh, no, no. I wouldn't, I wouldn't. I didn't hit him at all.

Look, he was just sitting there just like that.

And I smelled the booze. I thought he passed out. Look, I'm sure I heisted his

wallet and his wife.

I swear, Mr. Mason.

I've been following your advice ever since that last fight when you got me

of the contract with that, oh, that crooked bum of a manager. You don't have

convince me of a thing, Duke.

You can ask my boss.

I've been working like a horse. I've been promoted twice.

Mr. Mason, I've never been in any, what you'd call real trouble until

tonight. At which time you went with your girlfriend to her apartment because

she'd been threatened by Art Grover.

I was boiling mad when I walked in there.

As I told you. And you had a fight with Grover.

Now, you didn't get me down here at midnight just to tell me that.

You're my lawyer, right?

And what I tell you, it's not supposed to go any further. Just man to man?

Well, whatever you tell me, Duke won't be divulged without your permission.

In that fight with Grover, I... I killed him.

It was an accident.

I hit him too hard.

He hit me first, so you could... Well, if the cops find out, I mean, you could

tell them it was self -defense, right? You left the body and did not call the

police? Sharon called them.

But before we knew, he was... He was dead.

Then before they came, I...

I took the body out of there.

And just before I called you, I dumped the body in an alley off Hill Street.

But why, Duke? Why?

I was trying to help Sharon and... She's got this big chance to be the white

snow princess on TV and in the magazines and all that.

And something like this happening in her apartment, well, it louser up for sure.

All I could think of was I had to get the body out of there.

The fact that you killed him accidentally, that can be explained.

Possibly by a manslaughter charge, a self -defense plea.

Though a professional boxer's fists are a deadly weapon.

But how do we explain that you carried the body out of there? I don't know.

I don't know either.

What are you going to do?

I'm going to call the police. We'll go down. No.

Listen, you said you wouldn't tell anybody what I told you.

Duke, every minute you wait before reporting it, you're hurting yourself.

Look, Mr. Mason, since I was a kid...

I've got this thing about being closed in.

If they put me in a cell, I'll go nuts.

Now listen, Duke. We'll explain exactly what happened. We'll prove self -defense

and show that your girlfriend was threatened.

And suppose they don't believe any of it.

It'll louse Sharon up for sure. And it won't do me any good either.

They'll put me in a cell.

I'd do time at the least.

Duke, this isn't going to be easy for you or for Sharon.

But a man's dead and you killed him. He was a first -class rat.

sorry for him.

All right, Duke, I'll go along with you this far.

I'll try to find out if the body's been found and the cause of death.

But tomorrow morning when we've had a chance to think it over and we know how

plead, we are going to the police.

I don't have to think it over.

I'm not going to tell the police anything.

And you're not.

You can't.

No matter what I told you, you can't tell them anything.

Yes? It's Duke. Let me in.

Duke.

Oh, Duke.

Oh, Duke, it's three o 'clock in the morning. I've been worried sick over

You didn't come back. You didn't call.

Sharon, we've got to talk.

What did you tell the cops when they got here?

Where were you?

What did you do with the body?

If I don't tell you, you don't know. If you don't know, it's better for you.

Now, answer me.

What did you say to the cops?

Well, they just asked some questions.

What kind of questions?

Well, like, why did I call them and what happened?

And I said someone was robbing my apartment, and I heard them inside,

didn't tell them I was here?

No, of course not.

I said I'd seen a man, a stranger in the hall, and I'd asked him for help, and

he came inside, and he chased the robbers out, and then disappeared before

could get his name.

And they believed that?

It's an awful lie, but they believed it.

Sharon, I'm in a bind.

I don't know what to do.

Nothing.

Duke, do nothing.

My lawyer, I just talked to him.

He says I got to turn myself in. Turn yourself in?

But why?

Duke, Art Grover was rotten.

Besides, it was an accident.

Lock me up, Sharon.

In a cell.

I'll go out of my mind.

Oh, Duke.

Duke, you're in this because of me.

I should have called the police when Art Grover threatened me, but I should

never have involved you in this.

Oh, Sharon.

Honey.

It's my fault.

Really.

I lost my temper. I bungled it.

And now if I go to the cops, I'll have to tell them about the body.

And that'll make a liar out of you.

It'll kill your chances for that big job.

Oh, don't worry about me.

So I lose the job.

I'm just concerned about you.

Oh, Duke.

They put you in a jail.

Tiny cell, maybe without even a window.

You won't tell anybody what happened to you tonight, will you?

I mean, if the cop asks you questions, you'll stick to your story.

I hate to put you on the spot like this, Sharon, but I gotta know you'll stay by

me.

Oh, Duke, of course I will.

Of course I will.

Somebody must be in real trouble to get both of you down here.

Just wanted to see what your record section has on a man we're interested

Art Grover, do you know him?

Art Grover?

No. Doesn't ring a bell. Client?

Just taking him out.

Well, I'm in an expansive mood.

Come on in, I'll give you a hand.

Honey, you got anything on a fellow named Art Grover?

My name is Millicent, Lieutenant, not Honey.

And I just this minute sent a file on Arthur Grover to homicide.

Well, you're way ahead of me, Terry. I didn't know you'd been booked.

Where are we holding him?

In the morgue at home.

The time of death was estimated at 8 .20 last night.

Oh, I get it, Perry.

We picked up your client for the murder of Art Grover.

Make sheet says, Arthur Grover, age 36, vital statistics, three arrests by

Bunko, served two terms, Washington State Prison.

Who are we holding?

You picked yourself a prize package this time, Perry.

Drunk and disorderly, assault, petty theft, shoplifting, carrying a concealed

weapon, one, two, three convictions for mugging, petty theft.

That Jake Stearns is really something, Perry.

Report says when they picked him up, he was working over the body.

You want me to dig out a file on Art Grover?

No, I'll drop by your office and look at it, Steve.

Well, I suppose you want to see Jake Stearns, right?

No, thank you, Steve.

Well, then why the inquiry?

What's all this about? Thanks very much, Steve. Thanks a lot.

Perry, they've got the wrong man.

You're going to have to get Duke to... Do you have a dime?

Duke Perry Mason.

You no longer have a choice, Duke. Another man's being held for the murder

Art Grover.

I can't turn myself in.

That guy that they picked up didn't do it, so he'll get off.

I got myself to worry about.

It's a sense you're not worrying about me.

Well, I am worried about you.

I'm worried because the longer you put off talking to the police... I should

have kept my mouth shut. I never should have told you.

Now you just forget it.

Which puts you in one heck of a spot.

There must be more behind this than Duke's admitting.

His refusal just isn't rational.

He can't be such a darn fool that he... Look, I'm going to Duke's apartment.

I want you to start with Homicide's report on Art Grover.

Learn everything you can about him.

What about Sharon Carmody?

I'll see her.

How much time do we have?

No time.

There are only three things I can do.

Try to talk Duke into surrendering so far a lost cause. Press Sharon Carmody

or... Or you can turn your client into yourself.

I'd be breaking my word to him and I can't do that.

And I can't stand by silently while an innocent man goes on trial for murder.

All set, baby. You're next.

Rudy, please.

How can I feel inside like the next white snow princess when my agent calls

baby?

I'm sorry, princess.

If you knew how I feel.

You can make it, can't you, Rudy?

Because your part in this is just as important as mine.

While I'm on camera, you have to be in that booth holding Madam Rosen's hand.

You have to convince her that I'm the greatest thing since... Well, since...

Since white snow.

I'll do my best.

Thank you, sir.

Oh, remember, Rudy.

Remember way back when we... When we first heard about the white snow

You told me what the odds were and I said I still wanted to try.

I know.

And now here we are.

Just one more step.

And I'll have the biggest assignment in the business.

I'll be the white snow princess.

I'll say one thing.

Nobody could have worked harder.

Done more to get the job.

Good luck, baby.

The tryouts for the White Snow Princess have been taping all day.

Three finalists.

Sharon Comedy goes on next.

But you can see her when she finishes, Mr. Mason.

Thank you.

The purity of fresh, wind -driven white snow in each and every white snow

product. Cleanliness is next to godliness. And at white snow, purity is

watchword. The fresh, clean, distilled essence of all that is good and

and clear clean.

Whatever white snow product you select to protect the health, the clean

sweetness of your precious, precious family, you can be sure.

that the white snow label is your guarantee of absolute, unsullied,

unadulterated purity.

You have the word of your white snow princess.

How well educated is this girl?

I don't... I'll find out.

No marriage?

No divorce?

No, Madam Rosa, absolutely not.

She's a perfect symbol for your products.

Are you an agent? Our next finalist is Sharon Carmody. Sharon is ready, Madame

Rosa.

I

am

your white snow princess, and I bring you greetings and good wishes from the

sincere and able people at White Snow Castle.

who are dedicated to the purity and goodness of the products we prepare for

sacred castle, your homes.

You who have already tried them have sensed immediately the purity... This

tell me about her.

She's a sweetheart, a real sweetheart.

What I mean is she... She's not faking that princess, but she is a princess.

can sense it just by talking to her.

What about her personal life?

You know what I mean.

Perfect.

She's not like the other girls in this business.

She's like clean.

She's got respect for herself.

Of absolute, unsolid, unadulterated purity.

You can take the word if you're white, no princess.

Bloody hell!

Duke, what are you... Oh.

Miss Sharon Carmody, my name is Perry Mason.

I'm attorney for a friend of yours, Duke Maronick.

Duke?

Is he in some kind of trouble? I think you know what kind of trouble he's in,

don't you, Miss Carmody?

Why should I know?

I haven't seen Duke for, well... Well, let's see, it's been... It's been days.

I understand you knew a man from Seattle named Art Grover.

Yes, I know him.

He was found dead in an alley last night.

The police have arrested a man for his murder.

A man with a felony record.

Should that mean something to me?

Look, I won't pretend that I'm sorry about Art because... Well,

if you'd known him, what he was like...

The police are convinced that this man Stearns killed Grover.

They're charging him with murder.

I see.

That's all you have to say?

What more should I say?

Miss Carmody, I appreciate why you're doing this.

What the white snow assignment means to you.

I can even appreciate that you think that you're helping Duke.

But you're mistaken.

Lies can't help him.

Lies?

What lies? I haven't told you anything.

Often the thing we should say and don't can be more of a falsehood than an out

-and -out lie.

Mr. Mason, you never have really told me what you want me to say.

At the present, I'm not free to spell it out.

But you can't allow a miscarriage of justice simply because you want to

your friend or yourself.

Eventually, you'll both suffer for it.

Sharon, are you decent?

I've just been to Duke's apartment, but he's moved out.

Now, if you know where he is and you are his friend, I'd suggest that you try to

convince him to get in touch with me right away.

I've got a feeling we're in, Sharon, in her own way. The old girl practically

flipped.

And I'm dying.

Would you have a drink?

Water.

I need a doctor.

Well, keep trying.

It's obvious by now that he's hiding somewhere or that he's left town. If

calls in from Seattle, please tell him to check with me.

Yes, thank you.

With all the men Paul has looking for Duke, you'd think they'd find him.

If by some miracle Duke should call, get in touch with me right away. I'll be in

court.

The evidence is overwhelming.

The defendant, Jake Stearns, is a chronic felon.

He has operated in this same manner for the past ten years.

He has multiple felony convictions on his record.

He was apprehended by the... I'm going to do my best for you, Jake, but I'm a

lawyer, not a magician.

It's a bum rap. It's always a bum rap. You were going over the body.

The dead man's wallet and watch were found on the defendant's... Jake, your

bet is to take your chances with the jury.

The dead man's blood was found on the defendant's clothing.

I can't refute a word the deputy DA is saying.

...had patrolled the alley minutes before and found it empty.

There's no way out for you, Jake. There's no reasonable doubt that Art

was murdered or that Jake Stearns... Jake, you don't have a witness, an

shred of proof.

They ain't gonna railroad me.

I didn't kill that guy. I swear before all that's holy, I didn't. Jake Stearns,

therefore, be bound over to Superior Court for trial for the murder of Art

Grover.

Your Honor, if the court please, I have information vital to this case, and I

request that I be heard in chambers as amicus curiae.

In all my years of practice, this is one of the most difficult things I've ever

had to do. I must either...

violate my responsibility to my client or violate my responsibility to the

court. Well, then you have no real choice, Mr. Mason.

An attorney's first obligation is to the administration of justice.

My client, Duke Maranek, admitted to me that he killed Art Grover and left the

body in an alley.

So, Mr. Stearns was guilty of robbery, but surely not murder.

I told you so.

Grover had to be stripped before I ever touched him.

This guy, too, knocked him out and then lucked into letting me take the rat.

Take the defendant out, bailiff. You gentlemen sit still.

Thanks, pal.

I never figured a guy like you would ever turn stoolie for a guy like me.

Have him rebooked on a charge of robbery.

Your Honor, you must realize that we were acting on the facts we had. And you

had no questions?

You were completely satisfied that the defendant in this action was the

murderer.

And I suppose you, as public defender, were prepared to challenge Mr. Vincent's

case? Well, I... No, sir, I was, uh... Your Honor, for the purpose of a

preliminary hearing, we felt that we had enough.

And by the time we went into trial, well, the police had a few things that,

well, were not quite clear.

Lieutenant? Your Honor, for one thing, according to the medical examiner's

report,

Art Grover's death was caused by a blow to the head apparently inflicted by a

blunt instrument.

Now, when we went to pick up Jake Stearns, he had no such weapon on him.

What about a fist?

Well, it obviously wasn't Jake Stearns. It could have been your clients, Mr.

Mason.

Duke Maranek was a professional boxer, wasn't he?

I apologize, Your Honor.

Make your apologies to Mr.

Stearns, Mr. Vincent.

Mr. Mason, does your client know that you've turned him in?

I've tried every way possible to get in touch with him, to reason with him.

But two things apparently have driven him into hiding.

His loyalty to a friend and psychotic fear of imprisonment.

Frankly, I don't think he would have agreed to come forward. I think he'd

He'd kill himself possibly before he'd turn himself in. He's liable to get that

opportunity. Duke Mariner killed Art Grover by his own admission, but by

accident and in self -defense.

Duke is not a murderer.

Innocent men don't run generally, Mr. Mason, and murderers can't keep running.

We'll find him.

And when we do, I'll try to remember that fine distinction that you have

murderers and killers.

Back about six. Bye, dear.

Good afternoon. I'm Paul Drake. I called Mrs. Bronwyn earlier.

Paul, it's so good to see you.

Please don't get me away.

It's been a long time, Paul. You look wonderful.

And you look wonderful, too, Fern. Thank you.

Oh, Paul, this is my husband, Dave Bronwyn. How do you do?

Paul called earlier. I forgot to mention it.

He's in Seattle just for the day.

We haven't seen each other since we were in school back east.

Well, I was going out, but this is the kind of an occasion when we ought to

a bottle.

Well, that'd be great, but I really only have just a few minutes.

Oh, you run along, darling.

Next time Paul's in town, we'll throw a party.

I'll hold you to that.

It's a pleasure knowing one of Fern's old friends. Thank you.

Bye, darling. Bye.

I apologize for that, Mr. Drake.

Well, you see, Dave doesn't know about the past.

It's all right, Mrs. Bronman.

I didn't call you or come here to make trouble for you.

How did you find out about me?

Well, if there's anything thicker than thieves... Well, private detectives

work together.

And that's how I got a lead on you when I was checking on Art Grover.

I haven't had anything to do with Art Grover since two years before I was

married. And that's three years ago.

But you don't deny you were part of the badger game he ran up here in Seattle.

Has he ever tried to get in touch with you since you're married?

Why should he? It was all over.

I'd been a fool and I realized it.

I'm married to a fine man, Mr. Drake.

And a wealthy one.

Didn't Grover threaten to expose your past to your husband?

What do you mean?

You know what I mean, Mrs. Brumman.

You made out three checks at six -month intervals to Art Grover. One for $1

,000, one for $2 ,000, one for $2 ,500.

I didn't know what to do.

He promised the last time that he wouldn't bother me anymore.

I'll bet he made the same promise the first two times.

Oh, no, the last time was different.

He wanted something that I have.

He told me that if I'd give it to him, he could make a big score and he

bother me again.

Did you give it to him?

Of course not. It was the only protection I had.

I suppose now with Art dead, I have to deal with you.

I want to see what you wouldn't show Art Grover. That's all I want.

What choice do I have?

None.

All right.

Well, I don't have it here, but I'll bring it to you at your hotel later, all

right? Thank you, Mrs. Brumman.

I'm going to trust you, Mr. Drake.

I'm going to trust you.

Sharon's the bystander who ends up getting hurt. She's no bystander, Mr.

Art Grover was killed right here in this apartment.

Duke Maranek admitted this to his attorney, Perry Mason.

You implicate her in this murder.

Have her name plastered over the papers, on the radio. She can kiss the

assignment with white snow goodbye.

I don't seem to be getting through to you, Mr. Blair.

It's not a question of my implicating her. She is already implicated. Now, do

you have anything to say, ma 'am, or does he do all your talking for you?

Lieutenant, I want to help.

In a way, I'm responsible because... Well, because Duke came up here to

me from Mark Grover.

And if I hadn't asked Duke to help me, he wouldn't be in all this trouble.

And you admit that you saw two men in this apartment and that you were a

to the murder?

She wasn't a witness. I wasn't talking to you.

You know, you seem to know everything.

Were you present? Were you here when it happened? We don't have to answer

questions, Lieutenant. You think not?

How would you two like to be held on suspicion of being accessories?

Lieutenant, please, can't you understand?

I feel indebted to Duke.

What kind of girl do you think I am?

Then listen to me, Miss Carmody, and listen to me carefully. I want two

from you.

Corroborate Duke's story to his attorney, and then help me find the guy.

return, you won't be involved, the newspapers won't have a story, and you

on being Miss Snowplow or whatever you want to be.

Now, that's my deal.

I want an answer.

Now, you wait.

You answer it.

All right, Lieutenant, it's true what his lawyer said.

But I'm sure Duke didn't mean to do it. He just got so scared, that's why he

carried the body out.

Hello?

Hold a minute.

Truthfully, I don't think I could bring myself to turn him in even if I knew

where he was.

I hate to put Sharon on the spot like this, Rudy, but I got to get out of town

fast.

My lawyer put the finger on me.

I need a couple of hundred.

Say 300.

Duke, the cops are here now, and I know they've got the airport, the train

station, the buses all covered.

You better play dead for a while until this quiets down.

Look, Rudy, can you let me have the money?

When? How soon?

As soon as the thing cools down, a few days.

Duke, I've got a place up in the canyon. I'll tell you how to get there. It's

just a shack, but there's groceries and a couple of bottles.

You can stay there a few days until I can sneak up there with the money for

Lieutenant, Duke's a big, tough -looking fellow.

But in some ways, he's like a little boy.

Like this thing he has about being closed in.

He won't even get in an elevator.

Doesn't like the doors closed in a room.

Miss Carmody, are you going to tell me where he is?

I don't know.

I don't believe you.

Until you decide to help me, don't count on being Miss Snowplow or whatever.

I think you're in this, and I'm not going to keep it a secret.

The cop. Drum, how did you get rid of him?

He's going to...

We can forget about white snow, Rudy.

We're not forgetting what we've been working for all this time. Not after all

we've been through. All that I've been through.

But he wanted me to tell him where Duke is and won't believe that I don't know.

Well, I do.

That was Duke on the phone. And as far as I'm concerned, Drum can have him.

He's in this because of me. You can't turn him in.

You think not?

Just watch me.

All right, Mr. Blair, you've got your deal.

As far as I'm concerned, you and the girl are well out of it.

Look, you won't tell him how you found out.

No, Mr. Blair, I won't tell him.

This is Lieutenant Drum.

I want you to send all cars to Canyon Extension Road.

Set up roadblocks on Randolph Avenue, Slade Drive, and Cabiness Road.

The shack is located on Hill 1184.

Exercise extreme caution.

The suspect is heavily armed.

Try to take him alive, but if he offers any resistance, protect yourselves.

I just got in from Seattle and I have something for you.

You know, this is a funny business.

You look under a plain old rock. Meaning Art Grover?

Meaning Art Grover. And you never know what you're going to turn up.

In this case, a lady from Seattle who used to be Grover's partner in a slick

little badger game they ran there.

Fern Bronwyn, now a respectable matron. And that's the gist of what you told me

about their little shakedown operation.

A beautiful girl is a lower important man in compromising situations.

This took a little doing, but I finally talked Fern into giving me this. On

condition we keep her out of it.

You know, Paul, I have a terrible feeling.

About what?

I may have put the finger on the wrong man.

All set, pal. The brass ring and all the... Who are you?

I'm a friend of Sharon's.

Sorry, friend. Not today.

No friends, no visitors, no nothing. Out, now.

Who are you? A workkeeper?

The guy who got her a big chance and the guy who's going to see she doesn't blow

it, so... I'm still going to wait.

No, you're not, friend.

Nobody sees Sharon today until it's over and she is in. Oh, just a minute.

You try throwing me out and Sharon will be out permanently.

That sounds like a threat.

Take it any way you want. That's the way it is.

You can wait in here.

And as soon as it's over, I'll tell her you're here.

Now, you just sit there.

You can see it all on the monitor.

What's going on? Well, nobody's come up or down.

That's good. That means she's still up there.

Don't let any traffic through.

Let's go.

Madam Rosa Bruning of White Snow would like you to meet her brand new White

Princess, Miss Sharon Carmody.

You'll see on this rehearsal, Madam Rosa, you made a very wise choice.

And here she is, your White Snow Princess.

Thank you.

And thank you, Madam Rosa.

I am your White Snow Princess, and I bring you greetings from the sincere and

able people at White Snow Castle.

We're dedicated to the purity and goodness.

I thought you wanted to stay out of this.

Well, I did, but after you left, I got worried. I wanted to see how it turned

out. Well, come on. You'll have a chance to find out.

picture might save a man's life.

Sergeant, it's up to you to get it there on time.

And we're all going together.

Done?

Joke!

Give yourself up before someone gets hurt!

I told you!

I don't want to hurt anybody either.

Okay, Sam, let's use that tear gas.

See if you can lob a shell into that window over there.

How's it look nobody's come up or down let's go

Let's try one more. That ought to do it.

Steve, wait.

Perry, what in the devil are you doing here?

If there's anyone this man wants to kill, it's you for blowing the whistle

him.

Maybe you're right, Steve.

But I have to talk him into giving himself up. No chance.

I'm going to try.

are you doing here?

Are you trying to make me kill you?

I'm trying to save your life, Duke.

I don't want to kill you any more than I want to kill Art Grover.

But that doesn't mean I won't.

I'll give you a ten count to get out of here, Mason.

One. Two.

Three.

Listen, Duke.

You didn't kill Art Grover. Are you nuts?

Two days ago, Perry told the judge that Duke killed a man.

Now he's trying to make Duke believe that he didn't. I told you how I slugged

him. Knocked him behind the couch.

And when I got the lights on, he was dead.

But it wasn't Grover you slugged.

It was Rudy Blair.

Art Grover was already dead behind that couch.

He was there when you entered the room.

I don't believe it.

Four.

Five.

Six. Duke, I promise you, it's all true.

You're lying.

Just like you were when you promised to keep quiet.

Art Grover was killed because he threatened to expose Sharon's past and

chance to win the White Snow contract.

Then it was Rudy Blair who knocked off Grover. No, Duke.

Rudy Blair only helped the murderer pin the killing on you.

But who... Who would have done that?

This is Lieutenant Drum.

There's a girl going down the hill in one of our cars.

Stop her at the roadblock.

We've got her, Perry.

And alive.

Yes?

Perry, you have a client out here who's complaining about his bill.

Will you see him?

Have him come in and bring the statement.

Mr. Mason, I came here to pay my bill, and now I... I told him there was no

bill. Look, I appreciate it, Mr. Mason, but I owe you a lot more than money. Sit

down, Duke.

You don't owe me a thing. I owe you, if nothing else, an explanation. I know

what you're going to say. Duke, I broke a promise to you.

I want you to understand why.

You see, some lawyers prefer not to know whether or not their clients are

guilty.

I've never gone along with that. I've always wanted to know the truth.

The thing is, I didn't know the truth to tell you.

I guess I really goofed that first night I came here to talk to you.

I should have done what you told me then and turned myself in.

You should have seen Perry those next few days when another man was being held

for the murder you said you had committed.

If anyone was ever on the horns of a dilemma, right now I've got a dilemma.

Do I wave my fist at you and...

pound the desk and yell and make you take my money?

Or do I ask you two to go to one of the nicest places on the strip and order the

biggest steaks they've got?

Would that also include the biggest bottle of champagne?

Right. And maybe one of those flaming desserts to boot.

Your dilemma I can solve.

Let's go.