Original subtitles

Thanks, Sergeant.

We can use them.

Water system ready?

Affirmative. I have a trip complete light.

Lock tanking secured?

Lock tanking secured.

Relax, Mr. Morgan.

Relax?

That's easy to say, Major.

That scepter out there is my baby. My own flesh and blood. I've got a

I'll relax, all right, after it flies. And this time it better fly.

Data check. Command on internal?

Affirmative. Telemetry and launch condition?

Affirmative. Missile in internal DC? Affirmative.

Pressurization complete?

Affirmative.

Status check. Range safety arm light on? Affirmative.

Range ready?

Ready.

Tell me why!

Let's end call, ma 'am. I'd like to talk to Miss Rand. They're testing a standby

bird on the hydraulic pumping unit.

Tell them to check out the gimbal shafts on both booster engines.

It's the only thing that fits the pattern.

Yes, sir.

You look as tired as I feel.

Reporters still riding you hard?

Jerry, isn't there something we can tell them?

Sure. Tell them we're testing our reaction to failure.

We all pass with flying colors. I put that out and the Morgan Missile Company

will be searching for a new public relations counsel.

Well, the scepter isn't an Air Force bird. Not yet. It's Morgan's baby till

Air Force accepts or rejects it.

The next test shot's the last one, Jerry.

Let that bird flies right.

This could be goodbye scepter contract for Morgan.

You know that.

It'll fly.

On schedule, on course.

You're not canceling next Friday's shot?

No. That bird can fly, and it will.

Telephone, sir.

Oh, thanks, Sergeant.

Major Reynolds.

Mm -hmm.

Well?

Well, I picked up this thing, but I'm sure it was after they cleared up the

debris off the range yesterday.

No, Major.

I haven't the faintest idea whether the part was off your missile.

But there's something on it I think you should see.

Oh, fine. Then you'll run it over tonight when you finish for the day.

Thank you.

Well, some civilian engineer found something on the base that could be or

not be part of the destroyed scepter. And maybe does or doesn't show

marks.

Major Reynolds.

I'll leave now.

Yes, sir.

Jerry?

I might just be relieved of the whole problem.

A man named Colonel Sloan is arriving in half an hour at the airfield.

taking over, Major, is you can concentrate on the technical side.

It goes no deeper than that.

You're not being reprimanded, believe me.

Then I stay on as project officer.

Of course, Johnny.

Simply want you to be free of the detail work so you can get that shot off next

Friday. Oh, Major Reynolds.

Captain Caldwell. Mike flew out for me from Washington.

Been a long time, Mike.

I heard you made, Major.

Congratulations.

Even though they are late.

Sir.

I borrowed Mike from the Air Force Inspector General's office.

He'll be in charge of investigating the possibility of something other than your

functional failures on your missile abort.

Other than functional failures?

The right -handed monkey wrench on a left -handed nut and bolt.

Never can tell, can you?

So give him everything you've got and know about her he asked for.

Turn that aspect of the job entirely over to him.

Anything you say, Colonel Sloan.

Jerry. All I want you to do is to concentrate on making that next shot a

success.

Air Force could use a bird like the scepter.

Just leave the rest of the details to us.

Now, let's see about quarter.

Sergeant, come here.

You don't seem to be taking this very seriously, Doctor.

Hardly think that's called for.

Well, you haven't learned exactly what caused that failure.

Well, we're trying to find out for sure, Captain.

Guess is meaningless in science.

Dr. Bradbury, you've been senior Morgan Company scientist on the SEPTA project

since the beginning.

Now tell me, were you just as heavy a drinker then as you are now?

That's none of your concern.

The Air Force and the American people have spent millions of dollars on the

SEPTA so far.

And that's a pretty expensive bar tab, Doctor.

You usually supervise the pre -flight tests.

You didn't before the last shoot.

Who ran those tests?

Major Reynolds.

Major Reynolds?

Along?

Well, regular staff, some of the Air Force personnel.

I guess some of our people helped him.

Yes, Dr. Harrison gave him a hand, I think.

Dr. Harrison.

I told you my activities here for the Morgan Company are restricted to one

thing.

Working on a radically new all -inertial guidance system.

Well, the man that comes up with this radically new inertial guidance, it

be worth a lot of money to him, couldn't it?

If the man you mean is me, and I did develop the system, it would belong to

Morgan Company, not to me.

It might be to your advantage not to complete it, as long as Morgan was still

business.

By the way, you took Dr.

Bradbury's place before those last pre -flight tests, didn't you?

Yeah. Dan Morgan and I helped with his checkout.

Now that you've all but intimated that I sabotaged a scepter, why don't you ask

Mr. Morgan if he didn't destroy his own missile?

I may do that, Doctor.

I may very well ask him.

Mr. Morgan?

I thought you'd finished here.

All the troubles you've been having. Your company's in pretty bad shape.

I know that better than you do.

That's the reason the shot Friday better can't fail.

Well, what if it does?

The Huxley Company is just waiting for something like that to happen.

The Huxley Company?

Is that a competitive bidder?

That scepter shot washes out Friday. They pick up the contracts.

But it won't.

I hope not.

Mr. Morgan, I... Oh, it's you.

My job is not to hurt anybody, Miss Rand.

But it is to find the truth, regardless of whether anybody does get hurt.

Exactly what do you mean?

Aside from the question of patriotism or the survival of the free world... Hear,

hear. Well, however you characterize it, Miss Rand, there also happens to be the

question of the billions of dollars spent on the missile programs.

So I'm sure you won't mind my thoroughly checking you and your company.

as well as the Huxley Corporation.

Oh, Perry, I'm taking a job at the Huxley Corporation.

They have a fine reputation.

Good choice of companies, Jerry.

Well, about a year ago, they opened a missile division.

That's a good spot for me with the company.

What's happened with you and the Air Force? I always thought that you and the

service were made for each other. Even back on Ulythia, I would have bet on it.

Hey, how about that?

Joint operations.

Navy and the Air Force. The frontal assault on the officer's bar on Mug Mug.

enchanted isle of the Pacific.

Remember that, Perry?

When was it?

44 or 45?

44.

You should be able to retire in four or five years.

You, uh, disenchanted, Jerry?

No, no, I love the Air Force.

It's part of my life, I guess.

Always will be.

Now, it's my dad.

For years, I've sent him every cent I could scrape together to keep his

going. Now he's in the hospital.

Pretty expensively sick, I'm afraid.

That business of his has left us both broke.

I'm very sorry.

That's a good deal at Huxley's.

Too much money to turn down.

Like it or not, I'm going to have to resign my commission.

Have you signed with Huxley?

That's why I asked you to come up, Perry.

Now, these are the contracts.

I'd appreciate you looking them over before I sign.

Something wrong with them?

Huxley's a strong competitor of Morgan.

Now, am I running a danger of conflict of interest by signing with Huxley?

You work for the Air Force, not Morgan.

Yes, but Huxley's project is essentially the same as the one I'm supervising for

Morgan. Now, I don't want to put myself or the Air Force on the spot.

I'll check out the contracts.

Get in touch with you in a couple of days.

Thanks for coming up, Perry. It was impossible for me to get away.

I had to fly to San Francisco. No problem stopping over.

Say, would you care to stick around for the shoot? I can arrange it. Oh, sorry,

Jerry, no time.

I don't want to miss that plane out of Santa Maria.

Oh, Perry.

I can get you to San Francisco real quick.

Thank you, no.

I think jets are fast enough for me.

Now, now, Miss Arrange at all, exactly why did you fix it for me to see the

at Vandenberg tomorrow morning?

Why, Mr. Huxley, to see the scepter shot, of course.

As a new prime contractor in missiles, you should be here.

Now, why should it be a problem?

And why else would I want you here?

Yes, why indeed.

Oh, would you like a drink?

No.

George, that shot tomorrow morning will never get off the ground.

Got an awful lot of stock in wishful thinking, Helen.

This, uh, this isn't a fairy tale world.

Well, here's to the scepter.

To Morgan's bird.

And to the egg it will lay.

Risky. Risky. T -minus ten seconds and holding.

Repeat, repeat, risky, risky.

T -minus ten seconds and holding.

Why doesn't Major Reynolds get back? What's holding him up?

Safety officer spotted something in the rain.

Reynolds went out to check it.

Whatever it was, it's been removed.

Reynolds is on the way back.

No need to get upset. Everything's under control.

As soon as the Major comes back inside, pick up and start your final countdown.

Now just take it easy, Mr. Morgan.

T minus 10 seconds and counting. T minus 9, 8, 7,

6, 5, 4, 3,

2,

1.

Captain McVeigh, Colonel Air Police.

That, uh, delay.

Yes, Captain McVeigh. The safety officer thought it was some sort of

unidentified object on the firing range.

It was no object, sir. It was a man's body.

Captain Caldwell of the Inspector General's office.

Caldwell?

He's been murdered.

I'm Mason. How are you? I spoke to you earlier on the phone, Mr. Mason. My

name's McVeigh.

Yes, Captain. Is Major Reynolds waiting for us?

Yes, sir, he is.

Uh, Mr. Mason, uh, Major Reynolds has been relieved of his duties and

to the base.

The restriction is in lieu of arrest pending completion of investigation.

Uh, he been charged with murder yet?

Technically, yes, but whether or not a general court -martial is actually

convened depends to a great extent on the investigating officer's report.

That's my report, Mr. Major. Now, it's not my job to try and work up a case

against him, but just to see if there is a case.

That seems fair enough.

Major Reynolds is not only entitled to counsel of his own choice during a

in case there is one, but also during my investigation.

Defense is entitled to the same privileges as the prosecution, so

physical evidence, it's all yours for study and questioning.

Now, you've both been cleared by security, so in addition to the plane

brought you up here, there's a car and a driver for each of you, and

identification badges to get you around the state.

So you're all set.

Your driver will take you to Major Reynolds.

Thank you very much, Captain. See you later.

Well, my men should be in Santa Maria by now.

We'll get located, and I'll put a tail on everyone Reynolds mentioned on the

phone. Some of them may still be here on the base.

Oh, Paul, that civilian engineer who made the phone call to Reynolds after

missile failure?

Yeah, let me see.

Thin voice, Midwestern accent, tendency to stammer. And you told me that

Reynolds couldn't remember his name.

Doesn't matter. Find him.

Thanks a lot.

Where do I find you?

When I finish with Jerry, I plan to see a man by the name of George Huxley. I

understand he's in a hotel in Santa Maria.

You'll be able to find me all right.

when Caldwell was grounded for having failed to carry out an order, he blamed

for his being reprimanded and reassigned.

Claimed I'd never given him the order.

I never told you about it, Perry. I was in Korea quite a few years back.

Captain McVeigh tells me that Caldwell was killed at approximately 3 a .m.

Now, where were you at that time, Friday?

The worst place you can think of.

Caldwell?

Well, I wasn't exactly with him.

I just happened to run into him at the officer's club here.

But it was an accident, Perry, honest.

We had an hour or so before final checkoff. I dropped in to look for

That's Helen Rand.

I wanted to ask her about a press release she did on the shoot.

She wasn't there.

Who was there?

Well, Dr. Harrison and Caldwell.

All right, then what happened?

Caldwell saw me. He came over, grabbed my arm, all excited.

Began yakking away about finally catching up with me.

Being able to prove I wasn't the bright genius I was supposed to be.

Oh, a lot of stuff.

Didn't make much sense to me.

Harrison's the one who heard this?

I guess so.

I walked away from Caldwell and went outside to my jeep.

Did he follow you?

Yeah. Still dishing out the insults. Same kind of accusations he made inside.

I, uh... I guess I finally lost my temper and took a swing at him.

I knocked him down.

What happened after you knocked him down?

Well, I, uh... I don't know for sure.

I was just a boiling man. I started walking around the base.

I wasn't going anywhere in particular.

I was just trying to cool off, I suppose.

Jerry, exactly what did Caldwell say to you that made you angry enough to hit

him? That I really knew how to take care of myself.

That he found out about the cushy job I'd set up for myself with the Huxley

Corporation after I, uh... after I made sure the Morgan Company would fold.

And inasmuch as I'm a late starter in the missile field, I'm willing to

to get top men for my company.

Major Reynolds has a good reputation.

So it's as simple as that, Mr. Mason.

If the Morgan Company went out of business, Mr. Huxley, wouldn't you be in

for additional Air Force missile contracts?

Yes, it's possible. Very likely, as a matter of fact.

But they haven't failed, not yet.

You were on the base at the time of the firing as an observer.

Did you by any chance talk with Captain Caldwell?

The officer that was killed?

Yes. No, I've never even met him.

Why should I have talked to him?

Well, I understand he was making a thorough investigation of last week's

failure.

You know, Mr. Mason, I'm getting very tired of these efforts to involve me in

whatever goes on over at the Morgan Company.

All these efforts?

That's exactly what I said.

You now, and earlier today, a phone call.

Who was it that called you?

I don't know.

Some man. He sounded quite drunk.

Insisted he meet me here and tell me something about the Morgan Company.

As if I cared whatever he had to say or anybody else.

Including you, Mr. Mason.

So now, if you don't mind, I am a little busy.

Just one more question, Mr. Huxley, and I'll leave.

When was the last time you saw Helen Rand?

Miss Rand?

I haven't seen her since the Western Region Ballistic Missile Conference

month ago.

Why do you ask me that?

Interesting shade of lipstick on these filters.

Sorry to have troubled you, Mr. Huxley.

Hi, Perry. I hoped I'd catch you here.

News call?

Uh -huh. I found out that Helen Rand took off from the base just as we

there. One of my men spotted her in town and trailed her.

You'll never guess where.

My guess is that he followed her right here to this hotel.

Why pay me to find out something you already know?

I didn't know.

It was just a guess. Go on.

Well, she was inside for a while. Then she came out and waited in her car.

A couple of minutes later, a cab pulls up and a drunk got out.

A drunk?

A drunk.

He staggered toward the lobby, and Helen Rand spotted him. She ran out of her

car, grabbed him, started yakking at him like a house of fire, put him in her

car, and drove off. That was, oh, about half an hour ago.

Where'd they go?

She dropped him off at the downtown hotel.

He managed to make it into the lobby, and she took off for the base.

The drunk's name is Bradbury, Dr. Bradbury.

Good work, Paul.

And there's more.

The engineer who called Major Reynolds last week and said he'd found something

that might relate to the last missile failure?

You've seen the engineer?

No, but we know who he is.

His name's Bert Springer, and we're trying to locate him now. You want to

along? No.

No, I think I'll try my luck with Dr. Bradbury.

Keep in touch. Will do.

Dr. Bradbury.

Dr.

Bradbury.

Who are you?

Perry Mason, Major Reynolds' attorney.

Oh, yeah, yeah, sure.

Major Reynolds.

He's a good man.

He's a fine scientific mind.

I'm sorry.

I'm really sorry he's got in so much trouble.

It's not good.

I thought you might be able to tell me about it.

How did I help him?

He's a good friend, Jerry.

He's a good friend.

That why you called George Huxley, then tried to see him?

Huxley?

Who said I called Huxley?

Why, you did, Dr. Bradbury.

You said you called him.

Oh.

Well, maybe I did.

What about it?

What are you going to do?

I just wondered what it was you wanted to tell him that Helen Rand was against

your telling him.

Trapper, eh?

Brad, I brought your key. You'd better go upstairs and get some sleep.

Come on.

Yes, you see, I'm talking to Perry Mason.

I had some very important conversation, Dr. Harrison.

You're Dr. Harrison?

He's in no condition to talk.

It wouldn't make any sense.

Come on, Brandon.

Come to your seat. Come on. Well, but I was... Come on.

But you... I wanted to... Perry,

I found that man Springer for you, but there's just one trouble.

Yeah, I'm afraid I found him first.

I'm afraid you found him first. Why?

Well, this is what Springer discovered last week. It's what's left of the

retainer bolt from a Yaw gimbal shaft of booster engine number one of the

Scepter missile that was aborted last week. Here, have a look.

It's been sheared off in one hand. Yeah, it was cut halfway through with a

hacksaw, and the rest of it just snapped under 300 ,000 pounds pressure.

This two -bit piece of hardware, deliberately tampered with, was very

responsible for the destruction of a million -dollar missile.

That's what Springer called Reynolds about?

Instead of giving it to Reynolds, he turned it over to Captain Caldwell

he was murdered.

We hadn't known that, although we had found the bolt.

You found that bolt before Springer told you about it?

Where? It's carefully tucked inside a hard hat.

Whose? The personal protective headgear that Major Reynolds kept at the launch

control center.

I'm really sorry, Mr. Mason.

Sorry, Captain?

I'm going to recommend that the general court -martial be convened and that

Major Reynolds be tried for murder.

Prosecution is ready to proceed with a trial in the case of the United States

versus... Gerald Reynolds, Major of the United States Air Force.

Sergeant Diamond has been appointed reporter for this court and will now be

sworn.

Will counsel representing the accused state whether the legal qualifications

the appointed member of the defense are other than as stated in the appointing

orders? And will individual counsel state whether he's been certified as

by the appropriate judge advocate general?

The legal qualifications of the appointed member of the defense is

stated in the appointing orders as certified by the Office of the Judge

General. I will proceed on the charges.

The accused, Gerald Reynolds, Major, United States Air Force, pleads to all

specifications and charges not guilty.

The prosecution has no opening statement.

Very well. Proceed with the first witness.

The prosecution calls this witness Dr.

Richard Stanton.

Dr. Stanton, please.

And there were numerous abrasions and lacerations on Captain Caldwell's

forehead, cheekbone, and chin. And did you determine the cause of death,

A heavy blow in the cranial area directly over the occipital lobe. The

of his skull was literally caved in.

Death was instantaneous.

And the time of death?

Between 3 and 3 .20 in the morning.

I show you this rock.

Prosecution exhibit number one for identification.

As I shall establish subsequently, it was discovered near the body of the

decedent. Have you examined the rock, Doctor?

Yes. There was cortical tissue adhering to it.

Its size and weight conformed to the extent of the blow, and specimens of

and hair I found on it are similar in type to those of the decedent.

In my opinion, that rock was used to kill the decedent.

And who was there in the officers' club when you arrived in the very early

morning? Dr.

Bradbury and Captain Caldwell. They were having coffee together.

Did you join them?

No, I had some reports to look over. I sat at another table.

Then Dr. Bradbury left the club, and Captain Caldwell came over to me. We

chatted for a while, and then Major Reynolds came in.

What time was that?

About ten minutes later. I'd say a little before 3 a .m.

May I ask what happened then, Doctor?

Well, Major Reynolds went over to the coffee urn, and Captain Caldwell

him. They got into rather a heated discussion, and Major Reynolds pushed

away and left.

Then Captain Caldwell followed him out of the club.

Now, let me understand this clearly, Sergeant.

At 12 minutes after 3 in the morning, you picked up Major Reynolds walking

on the range, and you brought him directly to the launch control center,

Major stayed inside the control center where you could see him until

considerably later that morning when you both left the control center. Yes, sir.

The final countdown was stopped when something was spotted on the range.

The air police, Captain McVeigh, had discovered the body of Captain Caldwell.

At 312, you picked up Major Reynolds on the range.

Tell me, Sergeant, where was the body of the murdered man in relation to where

you picked up Major Reynolds?

About 300 yards further down range, sir.

Thank you, Sergeant.

The prosecution has no further questions.

Sergeant, when you were searching for the Major, didn't it occur to you to try

the officer's club?

Oh, but I did look in at the officer's club. You did? At what time?

About 3 .05.

Well, didn't Dr.

Harrison advise you that Major Reynolds had just left?

No, he couldn't have, sir.

There wasn't anybody there at that time.

The officer's club was empty at 3 .05?

You're positive?

Yes, I am, sir.

So you saw no one in the club or no one entering or leaving the club at 3 .05?

Yes, sir, that's correct.

But just as I got to the club, a jeep was pulling away.

I called Major Reynolds over my speaker.

The jeep didn't stop.

You called Major Reynolds over your speaker.

But did you have any idea who was in that jeep? No, sir. Just someone in a

hurry.

Thank you, Sergeant.

Defense has no further questions.

Please continue, Major.

Now, Dr. Bradbury, the court has examined the bolt to see how it was

deliberately tampered with.

Now, could you tell us whether a bolt so tampered with could have been a prime

factor in the failure of the septum missile?

By shearing and affecting the gimbal control of one of the booster motors, it

could have been, yes.

Now, on the day of the successful shoot...

Who was in charge of all pre -flight testing?

I was.

Going back a week to the shoot that failed, who was in charge of all pre

testing then?

Were you, Dr. Bradbury?

Well, no, I was ill that day.

Major Reynolds had assumed my duties.

So before the missile failed, the missile carrying this tampered with

Major Reynolds took over your duties.

Well, he...

Yes. Previous to my placing this bolt in your hands, Doctor, when did you last

see it?

At the officer's club, the morning before the successful launch.

Captain Caldwell showed it to me.

Within minutes of the murder, the decedent had this damaging evidence in

possession.

Yes.

Thank you, Dr. Bradbury.

Prosecution has no further questions.

Major Cook, may I see that bolt, please?

Thank you.

This, uh... This illness which came over you on the day of the missile failure,

was it sudden?

Well, no, not sudden. It just happened.

Of course you checked with the medical officer.

Well, it wasn't that serious.

No?

It prevented you from carrying out your pre -flight check -off duties, did it

not?

Well, I'd had a couple of drinks.

I'd been under great pressure. Great pressure, doctor?

Could that pressure have been the result of Captain Caldwell's investigation?

No. No, he wasn't accusing me.

He didn't even understand the significance of that boulder. I had to

to him.

Now, Dr.

Harrison testified that you left the club a little before three. Is that

correct? Yes. Well, do you know Helen Rand?

Well...

We're, uh, we're good friends.

Defense has no further questions.

And this protective headgear belonging to Major Reynolds is always kept on top

of the clothes rack just inside of Launch Control Center 576B, where the

works during test shoots.

What else can you tell us about this particular hard hat, Captain?

Well, the bolts that have been tampered with, the one DeSeden had in his

possession prior to his death... We found that bolt tucked inside the

right here underneath the webbing.

Thank you, Captain.

One moment, Major Cook.

Is it the contention of the prosecution that this bolt was placed inside the

protective headgear by the defendant when he was brought to the launch

center by his sergeant sometime after 312?

Yes, sir.

All this, of course, hinges on the fact that the decedent must have had the bolt

in his possession when he was murdered.

May I remind the court that Dr. Bradbury testified that... The decedent had the

bolt and showed it to Dr. Bradbury prior to leaving the officer's club.

Subject to objection from the law officer or either counsel, the court

like to recall two previous witnesses to clear up this point before going on

with Captain McVeigh's testimony.

Well, Captain Caldwell showed me the bolt and then returned it to his pocket.

To the best of my knowledge, he still had it when I left the club.

Bradbury and Caldwell were examining the bolt and discussing it.

Then Captain Caldwell put the bolt back in his pocket.

When Dr.

Bradbury left and Captain Caldwell joined you, did he show you the bolt?

No. When Captain Caldwell went to join Major Reynolds, did he show him the

Not inside the club, no.

Did you see him give it to anyone or otherwise dispose of it before he left

club? To the best of my knowledge, Captain Caldwell still had the bolt in

pocket when he and Major Reynolds left the club.

I hand you prosecution exhibit number six for identification, a regulation

flashlight. You recognize it, Captain?

Yes, it has my mark on it.

It was found on a clump of bushes approximately 40 yards distant from the

at which the decedent's body was found. Since it was badly smashed and there was

considerable blood on the top portion of it, we checked it over carefully.

And what did you discover, Captain?

Well, the blood was of the same type as that of the decedent.

Additionally... The lacerations and abrasions of the decedent matched in

the top of the flashlight.

In my opinion, sir, this flashlight was the weapon used to inflict wounds on the

face and forehead of the decedent.

And have you determined to whom this flashlight belonged?

The flashlight is Major Reynolds.

One moment, Major Cook.

I must object.

No possible foundation has been laid that would justify the statement that

flashlight has, in fact, been in the defendant's possession.

May I?

How can it be distinguished from the thousands and thousands of identical

flashlights issued by the military? No marks and obviously no fingerprints on

the barrel.

Captain McVeigh, why did you say the flashlight was Major Reynolds?

Mr. Mason is right. The outside barrel was smeared as if by a cloth.

And even if it hadn't been, it's doubtful if we could have lifted any

print. But...

Inside, on this reflector, we did find two clear fingerprints.

And whose fingerprints were those?

The defendant's, Major Reynolds.

Well, Paul, did you get the lowdown on the good Dr. Bradbury's finances?

They're lean, but very lean. Except for a $5 ,000 check he cashed and deposited

the day before the missile failure.

The teller in Bradbury's bank has a memory like an elephant, especially

comes to $5 ,000 checks.

And especially when they're signed by no less than George Huxley. Guessing

again? Well, it was signed by Huxley, all right, but it wasn't made out to

Bradbury. It was made out to Helen Rand, and she endorsed it to Bradbury.

Now, is that for a triangle?

It's the kind of triangle a clever Air Force attorney like Cook will turn into

an edifice of damaging proof.

What about a lawyer, that Major Cook?

All the service attorneys I've met are highly competent.

They're as dedicated to the legal profession as they are to the uniforms

wear. Well, work through now, Perry.

Paul, I think it's time to get out to tackle and do a little fishing.

Good luck.

And after that failure, it became apparent that unless the next launch was

success, I would be finished and so would the scepter.

Did you know that the defendant was planning to resign his commission in the

Force? Yes, he told me so himself.

And about his father and about needing the money.

I offered him a job, but he turned it down.

For what reason?

He said he would have to do better than the $15 ,000 a year I offered him.

Prosecution is no further question.

Mr. Morgan, didn't you resent Captain Caldwell's investigation of your

No, why should I?

You had no idea of what he was reporting to his superiors?

Not exactly, no. But he kept me posted on all his activities.

Would you mind telling me when he last kept you posted?

It was that Friday morning early, before he was killed.

I was in my office going over some reports before the final countdown.

Captain Caldwell came to my office about 2 o 'clock, I think it was.

He was very excited, as a matter of fact.

Excited about what?

He said he had the final proof as to the cause of the prior failure.

He showed me a partly sawed -through boat.

said it represented the culmination of his entire investigation.

And before Captain Caldwell left my office, he said, after I see Major

you won't have to worry anymore about a failure, Mr. Morgan.

Major Reynolds was resigning. I offered him a job, a good job.

Captain Caldwell was completely aware of the situation.

At no time was there any implication that I was raiding either the Air Force

the Morgan Company.

Without imputing you personally, the fact remains that with the Morgan

out of business, you would have picked up its contract.

And Major Reynolds, who could have ensured the Morgan Company failure, was

seeking employment with you.

What salary was the Major to receive from you?

$35 ,000 a year.

Are you aware that that's more than double what the Morgan Company offered

No, I'm not.

Nor do I care.

Major Reynolds was worth that to the Huxley Missile Corporation, so that's

I offered him.

Prosecution is no further questions.

May it please the court, I request that each and every witness connected with

this trial be physically present in the courtroom during my cross -examination

of Mr. Huxley.

Prosecution objects.

We see no valid reason to waive the rules of procedure.

Before ruling on the objection, the court would like to hear from the law

officer, Colonel Fremont.

May I ask you for what purpose the defense counsel makes this request?

To establish voice identification in regard to a telephone conversation.

Both the request of the defense counsel and prosecution's objections are within

the discretion of this court. The Air Force is interested in justice, not

Subject to objections from any member of the court, the prosecution's objection

is overruled.

Mr. Huxley.

The day following the murder, you received a telephone call from a man

purporting to have important information for you regarding the Morgan Company.

Isn't that so?

Yes, I received such a call. But that's as far as it went.

Wasn't the man who called actually your contact inside the Morgan Company?

Of course not.

Then why did you write a $5 ,000 check which ended up in Dr.

Bradbury's bank account?

I did no such thing. That's absolutely untrue.

You denied the check? Let me refresh your memory. It was made out to Helen

Endorsed by her to Dr. Bradbury. No. No, I don't deny that check.

I gave it to Helen. For what, Mr. Huxley?

Well, it was a gift.

I wanted her to buy something for herself.

We're very old friends.

So the check was merely a token of friendship.

Or to put it another way, a token of love?

Yes.

Yes, of love.

You cheat.

You no -good cheat.

All right, shut up. You've got it all wrong.

I thought you were supposed to be in love with me. There'll be order in this

court. That was just an advance.

I was supposed to wreck that missile and put Morgan out of business, and then

the whole world was gonna be ours, yours and mine.

Shut up, you. Order! Just shut up!

Yeah, sure, I'm a weakling and I'm a drunk, but who made that scepter go?

I did. Me.

I couldn't fail again, not even for you.

There'll be order in this court.

Order.

The defense has no further questions, but with the court's permission, I would

like to recall a witness.

Mr. Dan Morgan.

And as I stated before, Captain Caldwell showed me the boat to assure me that he

had finished the investigation.

According to your testimony, that was at approximately 2 a .m.

Yes, about that time.

That's most interesting, Mr. Morgan.

considering the fact the decedent had no idea at all of the significance of that

bolt until Dr. Bradbury explained it to him 45 minutes later.

Well, I... Now, the only time you saw Caldwell that morning was when you

him. Isn't that so, Mr. Morgan?

The scepter was the most important thing in my life. I would have done anything

to see it fly.

Anything. I would have, and I did.

Many of the things I did over the past few years were wrong.

Against the law.

But it was either that or stop.

And nothing was going to stop me.

Captain Caldwell found out. Enough to put me out of business. Enough to keep

scepter from flying. Don't you understand?

He wouldn't let my bird fly.

I didn't want to kill him.

I begged with him. I pleaded. I cried. But he wouldn't listen. The scepter. My

scepter. He wouldn't let it fly.

You don't understand what it means to build out of nothing but a dream.

My jets hadn't even been invented when I was talking about missiles.

Morgan, the fool visionary, they called me. But I fought it through.

Yes, I killed him.

Let it be.

No matter what.

I built the first scepter.

And it flew.

It was Morgan's Jeep that your sergeant saw pulling out of the officer's club

that morning.

With my flashlight. How did that get involved?

Well, you must have dropped it by accident, and Morgan saw it and decided

and frame you for the murder.

Picked it up with a handkerchief and beat Caldwell with it. And almost

himself by wiping your fingerprints from the barrel of the flashlight.

But not the inside reflector.

No, Captain McVeigh, not the reflector.

Morgan then took the bolt from Caldwell's pocket and completed the

hiding it in your helmet.

Well, Perry, what can I say but thanks?

Oh, it might help if I told you that I've decided not to take this uniform

Somebody still has to nurse the scepter along.

I'd like it to be me.

Good, Jerry.

We can work things out as far as your dad's concerned.

I think he'll agree that the uniform belongs on you, Major.

You think?

Captain?