Original subtitles

Red riding boots.

Aren't they beautiful? All that hand tooling.

It seemed like such a nice gift for Ann.

Or it did when I ordered them last month.

Girls and horses.

How long has your ex -husband had the ranch out there, Jill?

He bought it when we separated a year ago.

Bert had visions of himself being the country bachelor, I guess.

And for a while it was marvelous for Ann when she'd visit him.

Only then along came this Rita Conover.

She and Bert are getting married soon.

Ours is supposed to be one of those sensible divorces, you know. The kind

everybody stays good friends.

Only I can't seem to get that point across to my daughter.

I've looked over this report from Ann's school.

I'm not sure what kind of advice I can offer.

When they told me they were having a psychologist give her some special

thought it was nonsense.

But then I met the psychologist, and he's a very bright young man.

Deep -seated emotional disturbance, rebellion, flat refusal to adjust to her

father's remarriage.

What does the doctor recommend?

Well, it would be funny if it weren't so tragic.

He asked about Bert and me and wanted to know if there was any chance of putting

Humpty Dumpty together again.

Jill, from a legal standpoint... Harry, it isn't legal advice I want.

I need a friend.

And I thought you went to Bert and told him about this.

Told him what about it?

Well, if there's any danger of Anne's really being seriously ill, well, the

least they can do is postpone their marriage for a little while, don't you

think?

This report, the only reason you believe postponing their marriage would be a

good idea?

Of course it is.

You don't think I still love that man, do you?

Harry, just talk to him.

Bert respects you.

Where can I reach him?

What is it you're trying to say, Joe?

Mr. Farwell, we've only known each other a short time.

Long enough to speak up?

Here, would you like a drink?

No, thanks.

Mr. Farwell, it's about your daughter, Ann.

Yes, Rita said that she had a pretty bad spill the other afternoon.

That's not it, sir.

It's the way Ann feels about things.

Miss Conner was an awful good rider.

Well, the kid, I guess she must seem kind of sophisticated.

Kind of pretty in a fancy way. She's... What do you mean by that?

Well, sir...

I guess you remember the first day that Rita came here at the ranch. The day you

met her.

I certainly do.

She was driving around looking for real estate.

Now she's found it, Joe.

But what are you getting at?

Sir, I'm only thinking about Ann.

I figured it's a kind of a shock for the father to get married to somebody who's

not your mother.

Joe, Ann's an overly imaginative child.

She'll get used to the way things are. She'll have to.

Excuse me.

Yes. Oh, Mr. Mason, how are you?

What can I do for you?

Is that so?

No, no, I hadn't heard.

Here,

wait a minute, Mr. Mason.

Joe, take that outside, will you? We're through talking, nothing else to

discuss.

Yes, sir.

What kind of test you say they gave her?

You better walk him for a while, Rennie.

Oh, and fix that stirrup. You didn't fix it yesterday.

Here, take him.

Okay, Your Highness.

What?

Okay.

Here, tie them around your neck.

You know, when you walk like that, you remind me of a tapping machine.

What's all this I hear about a wedding next week?

Is that any of your business? Sure it is.

Let go of me or I'll call Joe.

Maybe I'll call him.

Maybe I'll call Mr. Farwell. Hey, boss!

Granny, please!

Maybe it won't come off anyway.

How much you want to bet you don't get married next week?

You just keep your dirty mouth shut.

You too.

Oh, Rita.

No matter what happens, we can always work out something nice between you and

me.

Rita, can I see you a minute?

No. Now, hold on. Let the old man speak his piece.

Who are you talking to, huh? Who, me?

The foreman told me not to. Never disobey the foreman.

The world's champion loves.

If any of that little girl Ann gets to moping and jumps off a bridge, I tell

I'll...

They don't live in the rainforest.

They don't see 600.

Well, I've been waiting for you.

Never mind the drink, darling.

I want to get away from here.

I want to go into town. I want to go any place where you and I can have a long

talk. Wait a minute, Lou Reed. I just had a long talk with an attorney, Perry

Mason.

Well? It's about Ann.

Oh, what about Ann? Well, apparently she's been put through a hatful of

psychological tests at her boarding school.

Now it isn't just Jill who's worried about her. It's everybody, even a

Bert, I've done everything I can to try to make friends with your daughter.

I know you have. She just won't have it, that's all.

She's made up her mind not to accept it.

Oh, anyway, I thought if I talked to her again this evening... Why not talk to

me?

Rita, I know how you feel. Come out with it.

Admit it.

You can't go through with it.

Your wife's still got you shackled hand and foot.

When Jill goes to work on you with that girl, you're licked. That girl is my

daughter.

Bert, I'm sorry.

Oh, I just can't take any more of it, that's all.

I just can't.

Everyone's trying to stop us.

Don't cry.

It's just... One way for things to be straightened out is for us to go to Las

Vegas right now.

What?

Not next week, not next month, but first thing tomorrow morning.

Oh, Bert, please.

If it were done, if we were married, Anne would just have to understand.

Oh, darling, please.

I'm trying a new approach.

You have to think French.

See?

What'd your father say?

Not much.

We went for a little ride.

He said he's going to marry her tomorrow.

Just like that? That's all he said?

Oh, yes.

He loves her.

He wants us all to be friends.

What's so bad about that?

You don't understand.

No? I'm on my third father right now, and I never had it so good.

I just don't dig you, Ann.

Why'd you wait till now to make all the fuss?

They've already got the divorce.

I know.

I thought I got all over it.

Only then my father met that Rita Conover.

And nobody would believe me when I told them what she's like.

But I know.

Kathy, every time I see him with her, I get cold inside.

And I start thinking terrible things.

I don't know what's the matter with me.

If he marries her, I think I'll die.

If you do...

Will me these new red riding boots, will you?

Kathy.

How would you like it if I gave them to you?

What's the catch?

Just do me a favor.

Tonight.

Blue attire, huh?

No wonder.

Lucky you didn't turn over ten times.

What? We had a report on you when you sideswiped that farmer.

What farm?

What are you talking about? I didn't sideswipe anyone. Let's just see your

license.

I haven't done anything.

This car belongs to Mr.

Farwell. He's my boss.

You going on a vacation, Mr. Dickinson?

No, it's for his honeymoon.

He wanted this car up at Pine Lake when he gets back.

I mean...

You better look at this.

Yeah.

Guess I'd better.

All right, what's her name?

Rita.

Connell.

Cigar.

Bronson.

I am damned.

Call now, 1 -800 -654 -6400.

You, uh, got here at 10 o 'clock this morning?

Yes.

Rita stayed here last night. I stayed in town.

I had some last -minute business things to attend to.

Well, Mr. Farrow, if you were going to, uh, Las Vegas to be married today, why

was your car on its way to Pine Lake with, uh, someone else driving it?

That was the plan.

I have a cabin up there.

We loaded my car with all the heavy things last evening.

Canned goods, fishing equipment.

I told one of my men to drive it up there and leave it.

Time to catch a ride back in the bus.

In the meantime, I used Rita's car.

We were going to take it to Vegas, go straight from there to the lake.

Now, uh, now do you understand?

Oh, yes, I understand. You, uh, packed the car yourself.

Reed and I packed that car together between 6 and 8 last evening.

After that, I went back to town to my office, then to my club.

I didn't see Reed after 8 o 'clock.

Well, of course, that can be substantiated.

Mr. Farrow, you told someone to take that other car up to Pine Lake.

Who was that?

A swamper, a stableman we have here.

His name is Rennie Foster.

Look, I can explain why I drove the car.

Never mind, Mr. Dixon.

Is that his statement, Sergeant?

Let me have it.

Rennie Foster went into a receder to the movies at 7 o 'clock last night.

You haven't seen him since?

Rennie likes to see the movie twice.

Then he picks up a couple of drinks.

Lots of times Rennie don't show up till noon the next day.

You see, with a kid like that... Never mind, I get the picture.

There was no one here on the ranch last night except you and Miss Conover.

She was murdered during the night, you know.

Right in this room.

Yes, sir.

Only my room.

It's clear back by the stable.

Did you stay back there all night?

No, as a matter of fact, I left the ranch a couple of times.

Left it once around 10 or 11 o 'clock to pick up some fruit crates. I wasn't

gone long.

Fruit crates in the night?

Sure, we're expecting pickers any day now.

You yourself told me we needed more fruit crates just yesterday, remember,

I'm afraid I don't remember that, Joe.

No, I don't remember that. Sorry.

But isn't there anything you can do, Bert?

You've always said what a nice man this Joe Dixon is, and you know how much Ann

likes him. Jill, what can I do?

Joe is being questioned about a murder. That's all. I've got nothing to do with

it. Bert, you can't mean it.

Oh, Jill, why did you come out here?

There's been nothing but police reporters all afternoon.

I only thought I might be able to help that man. I... Oh, never mind.

Look, I'm not going to interfere.

It's not right to interfere, Jill. Not even when an innocent man is in trouble?

How do you know he's so innocent?

Answer me, how?

Well, I don't really know. Of course not. Not really. Well, then keep out of

Well, at least he needs a good lawyer, and I'm sure he can't afford one. Why

you so anxious? Tell me, why?

Why are you so afraid?

Bert, what is it?

What's wrong?

Or have you changed so very much from the person I used to... Jill.

Jill, I'm upset, that's all.

Please, you must believe that, that there's no reason for us to be involved.

Jill. Bert, I have to. What if the man is innocent?

Hello?

May I speak to Mr. Mason, please?

I didn't touch that knife till the day after the murder.

I guess I must have started to pull it out. It's a natural thing to do.

You mean when you opened the trunk of the car and found her body?

I'm telling the truth, Mr. Mason.

I know those two men from the sheriff's office. They wouldn't believe anything I

said, but... The laboratory reports say that... Yours were the only fingerprints

on that knife. They don't say your prints covered other prints, Joe. They

yours were the only one.

Well, don't ask me to explain it.

I guess you do have a temper, don't you?

Memphis, Tennessee, ten years ago.

Spent a little time in jail once or twice.

Just overnight, that's all.

What for?

I got in a few fights.

That's what the lieutenant meant, I guess. They got hold of my record.

Fights?

Yeah, when I get to drinking, that's all.

But I quit drinking, Mr. Mason.

I quit all that kind of stuff years ago.

Except for last night.

Now, you listen to me.

I took that bottle from Renny and took a couple of belts because I was sore at

Rita. I was fed up with the things she was doing to Ann.

But that's all, you hear?

That's all there was to it.

Joe, how did it happen you were taking that car up to the lake? Wasn't that

Renny's job?

I figured somebody had to do it.

Rennie told me what the boss's instructions had been after the car was

And when he didn't show up the next morning... How could Rennie have told

what Mr. Farwell's instructions were after the car was loaded? That was after

o 'clock. You said Rennie went to the movies at 7.

Oh, for the lover.

So he told me before the car was loaded.

Maybe he told me at supper. I don't know.

You're sure you haven't seen Rennie since then, Joe?

Of course I'm sure.

Rennie had nothing to do with this. You hear me?

That's all there is to it.

It looks to me like Joe took more than a couple of belts.

Oh, I don't know.

Somebody else could have left these here.

Otherwise, his room is pretty neat.

This Rene's room?

Uh -huh.

Quite a difference.

Paul, I wonder why Joe Dixon wants to cover up for this man, Rennie.

Well, maybe he's covering for himself.

Maybe he asked Rennie to get lost so Rennie couldn't testify against him.

I suppose the police have an all -out search, Coy.

All points.

Rennie's the kind of a guy who'd try to leave town whether he knew anything or

not. Much easier to hide by staying in one place.

Sure likes the movies, doesn't he?

This man Rene certainly has a favor here, doesn't he?

Uh -huh. Connie Cole.

Oh, but incidentally, that's from a picture that's playing now on Reseda.

You know, Paul, I once handled a case for Connie Cole's agent.

There's a crazy idea that this might work.

You see, I'm going to need Rene.

Fine. But how do you find the guy? I don't. You do.

You're going to build a trap for Rene, Paul. I'm going after someone I hope a

little easier to find.

Let's go.

Now, were there any people in particular who came often to the ranch with Rita,

people your father wouldn't know about?

I don't know.

Think back, Ann.

You were at the ranch nearly every afternoon this last week.

I told you.

I don't know.

I can't help, Joe.

I want to, but I can't.

I'd bring her a transfusion.

She's real shook.

Here you go, Ann.

I'm not hungry.

Real shook.

I'll bring us back some new records from town.

Kathy, if you're going to town, you'd better hurry. You still have three hours

to make up in the kitchen, remember?

Yes, Miss Pinnacle.

K .P.

How do you feel, Ann?

Please leave me alone.

I expect we'd better let her rest, Mr. Mason.

You can't sympathize with her too much. She just goes to pieces.

I wish there was something I could do for her.

Is there a roommate on KP?

She was posted for sneaking out night before last.

Missing at bed check.

You catch her when she came in?

No.

It's especially serious with Kathy.

She's 16 and one of the few girls with a car.

She still won't tell us where she went.

Thank you, Miss Pinnock.

I'm just going to run into town and get some new records. I'll be right back.

So long, kids. I'll be seeing you.

Kathy.

Kathy, may I ask you a question?

Of course.

Where did you get those boots?

I guess you can buy them several places.

They are yours, though.

Oh, sure.

See, I've got this dewy -eyed grandmother who's a pushover. Kathy,

showed me those boots. Now, why did Ann give them to you?

Are the boots payment for a favor?

Are you covering up for Ann, perhaps?

Mr. Mason.

I know Ann ought to be telling you everything she can think of. Kathy,

Ann the one who sneaked off the other night?

I promised.

Please don't ask me.

Please.

Of course I taught her how to drive.

Out at the ranch is the ideal place to get her used to the wheel.

But that doesn't necessarily mean that she'd climb out of a dormitory window

go joyriding in her roommate's car.

You're protesting too loudly, Mr. Farwell. Look, I'm not protesting loudly

enough.

Ann's a sick girl. You've got no right to cross -examine her. I wasn't aware

that I had.

Why do you call it then?

Mr. Farwell, your daughter's been chewing herself to pieces over this, and

just because I've been questioning her. Mr. Mason, I want you... Yes, Dillon.

Hello?

All right, hold on a minute.

Will you excuse me, please?

Paul find him?

Yes, Paul.

Perry?

We got Rennie Foster all right. In fact, we got half a recita. That was some

stunt you dreamed up.

And now the theater manager wishes you'd come out here and help him explain to

his customers why Connie Cole never really showed up. As soon as he put out

sign, the joint was jammed.

Rennie Foster fell for it, too. He joined the crowd.

Only, so did a couple of dragsmen.

It looks like Rennie really wasn't out at the ranch after 7 o 'clock.

Well, he didn't sit through just one show. He sat through two complete double

bills. He gave the ushers a bad time. They remember him. And then, after all

drinking he'd done, he apparently fell sound asleep.

You mean they had to throw him out of the theater that night?

Nope. I mean, the manager found him and woke him up at 10 o 'clock the next

morning. Your would -be witness spent the entire night of the murder in a

theater.

All right, Paul.

Thanks.

Best drama on television doesn't have actors.

Put your hands behind your back. 7 .30 on Fox 5.

And you say rigor mortis is usually complete within 10 to 12 hours.

Then, Doctor, what is your opinion on the time of death?

Well, taking in all the other factors, too, temperature, PM, lividity, and so

on, I'd say Miss Conover died sometime between 10 o 'clock and midnight.

Thank you, Doctor.

Your witness?

Doctor, you ascribed Miss Conover's death to a stab wound with this paper

How deep was that wound?

Four and a half inches.

Would it have required a powerful stroke?

Only moderately. It's a very sharp weapon.

Would it have required the strength of a man?

Not necessarily.

Now, you mentioned post -mortem lividity. Was this observable on both

the body?

Yes, in some degree.

But doesn't such general discoloration usually indicate that the body had been

moved a few hours after death and then allowed to settle in a new position?

Yes, but not too many hours later.

Besides, if the rigor mortis were complete, the body could not have been

the car.

Exactly. It's your opinion, then, that the body was not put in the car the next

day, nor was it put there immediately after death.

Now, Doctor, in your opinion, when was that body moved?

I'd say sometime between two and five hours after death.

In other words, between the hours of twelve midnight and five in the morning.

So it would seem that someone returned to the scene of the crime in order to

move the body.

Thank you, Doctor. That'll be all.

Call Mr. Rennie Foster to the stand.

She was giving me some instructions about how to fix a stirrup because I

hadn't done it right the day before.

I suppose that was about five o 'clock.

Was Miss Conover angry or upset at the time?

No, not with me she wasn't, but then I get along with everybody. I never had no

trouble.

Was it then that... Five o 'clock that you saw the defendant, Joe Dixon,

approaching?

Yes, sir. I mean, he looked kind of red in the face and he said, could he see

her for a minute?

What was Miss Conover's answer?

Well, she slapped him in the face and she walked away.

Mr. Foster, do you have any concrete knowledge as to why she slapped his

Well, they've been fighting all week. I know Joe was kind of sore about the way

she'd been treating the kid Ann over there.

When Miss Conover walked away, what was Joe Dixon's attitude?

She blew his stack.

He said how Rita was the world's champion louse, how he could beat her

in.

Then he grabbed the bottle out of my back pocket and drank half of it right

and there.

Joe, I'm sorry.

Thank you.

Your witness?

Mr. Foster, do you always carry a bottle with you?

No, I don't. For a man who drinks so much, you have a remarkable memory.

Now... How many drinks had you on that afternoon and evening?

None. I don't drink when I'm working.

Just carry the bottle with you for company, is that it?

And what was Joe Dixon wearing?

Jeans, I guess. Was he standing in the sun or in the shade? I don't remember.

Was he smoking?

I don't know. Did Miss Conover slap him with her right hand or her left hand?

I object, Your Honor, to this kind of cross -examination.

May it please the court.

Prosecution has elicited some surprisingly detailed testimony from

Not only regarding a face slapping, but also regarding Mr. Farwell's

instructions concerning his car and other matters.

I agree you have every right to try to impeach this witness, Mr. Mason.

Yes, Your Honor.

Mr. Foster, were you ever in trouble with the law?

Well, you implied you were not drinking that evening.

But haven't you ever been apprehended for drinking?

Perhaps vagrancy for causing trouble in some theater?

I must remind you, you're under oath.

Sir, I'm one of her manslaughter in Tennessee.

Order, order.

Your Honor, that's all right, because I told them everything. I didn't lie about

anything.

When I called the police headquarters and asked to see every available record,

why... Your Honor, may it please the court, but the records that counsel is

referring to are no part of this case, and he had no right to see them.

The witness has never been convicted of a felony. And furthermore, this last

testimony would not have been proper here if the witness hadn't inadvertently

stated that he'd never had any trouble with anyone.

The matter, therefore, is quite immaterial.

I suppose it would be immaterial to ask if the witness has been offered some

sort of official immunity in return for his willing testimony here. We resent

that, Your Honor. It must be apparent to counsel that this witness would tend to

be prejudiced in behalf of the defendant. After all, the two men are

stepbrothers.

I wasn't counseled aware of that fact either.

If defense counsel wishes a recess at this time, the court will consider it.

So, Mr. Mason?

I will continue, Your Honor.

I have no further questions of Mr. Foster.

You may step down.

But it's just that I've always tried to protect the kid.

I know I should have told you he was my stepbrother, but I never told anybody

else. With all this Tennessee stuff.

Rennie's stupid, Mr. Mason, but he ain't bad.

He had nothing to do with this whole... Call your next witness, Mr. Prosecutor.

And what time was that, Mr. Farwell?

I left Miss Con over at the ranch at 8 p .m. sharp.

What did you do then?

I stopped by the Fernwood School for Girls for a few moments to visit with my

daughter in the car.

Then I drove into town to my office.

Sometime after midnight, I went to my club to sleep.

Now, once more concerning the next morning. You arrived at your ranch at 10

'clock, is that right?

Yes, yes, it is. I particularly remember because I had to open the gate for a

truck from the rug cleaners.

Miss Conover was planning quite a bit of cleaning and redecorating while we were

away.

I think that's all, Mr. Farwell. Thank you.

Mr. Farwell, about the rug man.

Did they enter the room with you?

Yes, yes, they did. They expected to see Miss Conover. When I found she was

missing, they asked if they could wait.

Then you stated that after a while you became concerned that Joe Dixon wasn't

the ranch either, so you finally called the police who had just received the

report of your car being stopped. Is that all correct?

Yes, yes, it is.

If the rugman hadn't been there, Mr. Farwell, would you have

called anyone?

I don't understand. What do you mean?

Or would you have just pretended to go off towards Las Vegas, knowing that

you could go up to Pine Lake and in secrecy dispose of the body which was

delivered there in your own automobile?

Object, Your Honor!

Sustained, Mr. Mason, you will confine yourself to proper cross -examination.

The police also stated that...

An anonymous call from a farmer who claimed his car had been sideswiped led

the stopping of your car and the discovery of the body.

Yet an examination of your car showed no evidence of any collision.

Therefore, it must be assumed that the anonymous call was made only to induce

the police to search your car.

I'm going to ask you, Mr. Farwell.

Are you the person who made that anonymous call?

I certainly am not.

No further questions.

You may step down.

Call your next witness, Mr. Prosecutor.

Call Wilmer Beasley, please.

Harry. Raise your right hand.

Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?

I do. State your name.

Wilmer Beasley. Be seated, please.

Will you state your occupation, Mr. Beasley?

I'm a theatrical booking agent from Memphis.

Tennessee, that is.

Have you ever known the defendant?

Briefly. I tried to avoid him whenever I could.

Would you state the circumstances?

It was about 12 years ago.

Mr. Dixon was married at the time to a 16 -year -old girl named Georgia Hale. I

think she walked out on him shortly afterwards.

She was stage -struck, and she kept hounding me to get her a job.

Was that how you happened to meet her husband?

Oh, my, yes. He didn't like the idea at all.

That man has a terrible temper when he has a few drinks in him. Just answer the

question.

Did you get Joe Dixon's wife, Georgia Hale, a job?

Oh, not exactly.

I'm afraid she didn't get much of anywhere until a couple of years later

she moved to New York and changed her name to Rita Conover.

Thank you.

Monday on the 10 o 'clock news.

I hadn't heard from her in years, Mr. Mason.

There she was at the ranch one day.

She had a big car and she was a little short of money.

Spotted Renny and she knew he was wanted back in Tennessee.

You mean she tried to get money from you?

Blackmail was better than alimony any day.

I guess that's why I always felt so sorry for Ann.

She was the only one who really saw through Rita.

I knew how conniving and downright mean she really was.

Stay with your own story, Joe.

Well, that's about it.

My new boss came home then, Bert Farwell.

Rita, she says she's out looking for real estate, and then the first thing

know, they're going out to dinner together.

You didn't tell Farwell who she really was?

How could I?

Rita could put Rennie in prison, don't you understand?

Because of a tramp like Rennie, you were going to let all those people be hurt.

Mr. Mason, once you start covering...

Once you start hiding things, you can't stop.

I want to tell Mr. Farwell the truth on it.

I started to that same day before she was killed.

Then I didn't, and it was too late.

Is that all of the story, Joe?

That's all of it.

All right, Joe.

Come on, Paul. We've got work to do.

Raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear the testimony you're about to give will be the truth,

whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

I do.

State your name.

Anne Farwell.

Be seated, please.

Anne, how long have you known Joe Dixon?

About a year.

See him often?

Twice a week.

Sometimes more when he gives me writing lessons.

You like him, Anne?

Very much.

And did Joe know how you felt about your father and mother splitting up? About

your father marrying Rita Conover?

Yes. We talked about it all the time.

Did Joe ever tell you how he felt about it?

He... He understood better than anyone.

Then he didn't approve of it either.

No.

Joe... He knew how much it was hurting me.

Did he ever threaten to do anything about it?

I don't remember.

Ann, you've sworn to tell the truth. You know you do remember.

Joe didn't kill her.

I know he didn't. Ann, I didn't ask you what you thought about his guilt or

innocence. I asked you if you ever heard him, Joe Dixon, the defendant, threaten

to do something about your problem.

I guess he did.

When?

The last time was the day she was killed.

He was taking me home.

He... He said there were times when it was all he could do to keep from... From

what?

He didn't mean it.

He was just angry.

He said it was all he could do to keep from what, Anne?

From bringing her pretty neck.

Thank you, Anne.

Your witness, Counselor.

Anne, you just said that Joe took you home.

The day of the murder.

I meant to say school.

What time did he take you to school?

About two o 'clock in the afternoon.

And then what?

My mother was waiting for me.

She wanted to take me home for the weekend.

Did you go?

No.

Why not?

I wanted to be alone.

I felt so awful about what Daddy was doing.

I just wanted to be alone.

So your mother left you at school.

Did you see your father that day?

Yes. In the evening.

He came by in the car and we went for a little ride.

You talked?

Yes.

What did you talk about?

Rita.

He said there was no way of changing anything.

That he and Rita were going to be married the next day.

Was that the end of the conversation?

No.

I tried to change his mind, but it wasn't any use.

So he took me back to the dorm.

Then what did you do?

Then I... I went to bed.

You stayed in bed?

Yes.

Are you sure you stayed in bed?

Yes.

Now, Ann...

Didn't you leave the dormitory?

Didn't you borrow your roommate's car and go back to the ranch to see Rita?

Yes.

I did.

Why did you do that?

I wanted to talk to her.

I wanted to tell her what she was doing to my mother.

I wanted to tell her about how Mother cried every night.

And everything else.

That's all.

I wanted to talk to her.

And then?

I got there.

And I left the car out on the highway.

And... And what happened then, Ann?

I can't tell you.

I can't.

I can't. You'd rather let Joe go to the gas chamber, is that it?

No. Is that it?

No!

Order! Order!

I'll declare a five -minute recess to let the witness composers up.

Ann!

Ann!

Oh, Ann!

Ann.

Stop!

Let me talk to you, Ann.

I don't want to talk!

I killed Rita!

I killed her!

No, you didn't. I can prove you didn't. I didn't!

Who are you trying to protect?

Your father or your mother?

What? Come down from there.

Oh, dear God.

You must have seen me there.

But, darling, I didn't kill her. We quarreled, that's all.

I thought we could talk sensibly, and then she lost her temper. I saw you run

out of the house. You got in the car and drove away.

Then what did you do, Ann?

I didn't know what to do.

After a while, I went inside and found Rita dead.

Oh, poor baby.

I sat down and tried to think for a long time.

And I called you.

Then that's why you said you killed her.

To protect your mother.

Oh, Bert.

And that's why you were willing to let Joe take the blame.

You were protecting Ann.

You're all protecting each other.

And now that at last we have that truth.

There's only one person who could have killed him.

Sex Ed is 86, Tuesday.

Rennie confessed to the whole thing. Seems almost proud of it.

I guess he likes to see his pictures in the papers.

Rennie had gone too far this time.

Rita was going to turn him over to the police. He'd been drinking and arguing

with them.

When you arrived, you went into another room.

When you ran out, he took advantage of the chance to kill Rita and have you

blamed.

But I thought Rennie had an alibi.

He did, just as soon as he got back to that theater where he'd been in trouble

with the ushers before.

He found a fire door still unlatched and got back in.

which isn't too much of a problem for an old popcorn boy.

Incidentally, he made that anonymous telephone call, made it from the

Very grateful stepbrother.

Well, I'm so ashamed of myself.

I thought if I kept quiet... Well, you see, Perry, I wanted to protect Bert.

I wanted to protect him just like he tried to protect Ann.

Yes.

You three are still acting like a family, aren't you?

Oh, I don't know about that.

But, well, it's like Bert says.

Sometimes it takes a terrible thing happening to make you realize how much

really care for one another.

3 -2 -7 -700.

Monday on Married with Children.

Al's cruisin' and losin' when he flunks his driver's test and joins the ranks of

the walkin' wounded.

Don't miss an outrageous Married with Children, Monday night at 7 on Fox 5.