Original subtitles

Another of the same, Mr. Marty?

Yeah, but make this one with a touch more authority, huh?

That I'll do.

How come you got pictures of both the candidates up there?

You see, it really isn't figuring out who's in business by taking sides.

People for Foster, get that half of the bar.

People for Caldwell, take that half of the bar.

This will be where I should be, right in the middle.

How long has that little chick been over there?

Oh, a half hour?

Do you know her, Mr. Marty?

I know her face is sort of familiar.

But I've reached the age where all teenagers look alike.

She better not be a teenager drinking Jackfish.

David?

Whatever she's having and a double bourbon for me. All right?

Hon.

Are you all right?

Now, why wouldn't I be?

I thought they might have beaten you up or something.

I told you, collection day's tomorrow.

And you've got the money.

Now, where would I get $6 ,000?

And don't start telling me I should have thought of that when I wrote the check.

It was the only way I could get out of Vegas alive.

Couldn't we go away somewhere?

Find some place far, far off and get married, isn't it?

I could get a job while you finish law school.

What would Big Brother Jason do?

He wouldn't do anything.

Are you kidding?

Kid sister and no -good stepson of the rival candidate for state senator

off together?

Running away won't work, sweetheart.

If Jason doesn't find us, the gamblers will.

They've got connections everywhere.

If you don't mind, miss, I'd like to see your ID card.

I've already shown it to the bartender.

Well, I'd like to see it just the same way.

Susan Foster, age 22.

Jason Foster's sister?

Yes.

Let's see what your driver's license says.

Well, it's more like it.

17, according to this.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to take you two in.

Just a minute. Why me?

Buying drinks for a minor? I haven't bought any drinks yet.

Besides, how was I to know she's a minor?

That's right, officer.

How was he to know?

He didn't even know my name a few minutes ago when he came in. I picked

Well, I guess that takes you off the hook then.

We're too much faster. I'm still going to have to take you in.

Thanks.

Why, of all the crummy yellow rats, who asked your opinion?

I guess nobody, Mr. Marty.

See you tomorrow, David.

Would you mind getting a little closer to your husband?

That's fine.

Hold it just a minute.

Let's get the lady who's masterminding this campaign. Alma, get in here.

I thought this was supposed to be a family thing. You are. I think it looks

like the idea.

Everybody smile.

Good. That's it.

Her name is Alma Wright. Wright Real Estate Company.

Largest in the area, in case you don't know.

Thanks for the plug.

Senator Cartwell charged in a speech last night that you've sold out to Harry

Mardik and the others promoting the new racetrack. Any comments? Senator

Cartwell is wrong. I haven't sold out to Harry Mardik or anybody else. Does that

mean you will promote the track?

Depends on where they put it. Land better used for housing, and I'm

Thank you, Mr. Foster. Pleasure.

Returns from the 2nd and 3rd Precinct.

Good. Good.

Mr. Foster?

Yes, sir. Can I talk to you for a moment on a private life?

You're off the roar, aren't you? That's right. Call the roar.

Don't tell me my wife's drawn another parking ticket.

I'm afraid it's a bit more serious than you thought.

Tell me something.

Did you ever hear of a place at the north end of town called Reg Reef?

Am I supposed to?

Oh, your sister didn't tell you then?

My sister hasn't told me anything since she was 14 years old.

Now, what is it about Reg Reef?

Well, I had to take her out of there last night.

She was using a fake ID card to drink with some joker that she picked up.

I think it's Danny.

We'll build her out.

I never booked her.

I mean, you know, you running for state senator, I think it'd be better if I

just sent her on home.

You have any idea of the painful things that could happen to a cop trying a

shakedown? Oh, Mr.

Paul, look, I'm one of your big supporters.

What do you want?

Nothing, nothing, nothing. I just thought it's something that you ought to

about. That's off the ruler.

Thanks.

Well, listen, don't thank me.

Harry Mardig's the one you better thank.

Harry Mardig?

Yeah, yeah, I was taking her in.

Until he came out and convinced me it was the wrong thing to do.

See you, Mr. Foster.

Do you smell what I smell?

Harry Mardig and his racetrack group are trying to box me in through Susan.

They got ID cards. I know these teenagers use them.

Picking up a joker at a bar? That doesn't sound like her.

Could be that this joker wasn't a pickup.

Be with you in a second.

Hi.

Why aren't you in school?

What are you, the law school tune officer now, Mom?

I called the school. They were a little evasive about you.

Well, if you must know, the dean and I had a little conference last week in

which it was decided the law wasn't exactly my forte.

Where were you last night?

Last night?

Why, I was out having fun and games with some of the boys.

Some of the boys, not Susan Foster.

That little teenage creep or whatever you're doing with her.

That's what I came to find out.

Oh, good old Auntie Alma.

Who are you mothering, her or me?

If I'm mothering anybody, it's Jason Foster.

Somebody helped Harry Marty get Susan into trouble at Red's Reef last night.

Was that somebody you?

No.

I haven't seen Susan in weeks.

What sort of trouble did she get into?

Are you telling the truth?

Of course.

All right.

But if I find out different... You'll do what?

But why can't we go out tonight, David? Nobody knows about last night.

Well, just tell them that they'll have to wait for their money.

Kill you?

Oh, they couldn't. They wouldn't do that.

What's this I hear about the trouble you got into at Red's Reef last night?

How would I know what you heard?

And what business is it of yours anyway?

I happen to be the head of this family. That's what business it is.

Look, Susan, are you trying to fix it so that I won't get elected?

I couldn't care less.

Look, Kipper, I've gone along with Margaret. You have your own car, buy

clothes, a raise and your allowance, but for the last couple of years, you've

given me nothing but trouble.

Why? Why?

I'll tell you why, because you personally insist on treating me as

a 14 -year -old delinquent.

I'm treating you the way Mother and Dad would treat you if they were alive.

You're treating me like a child, and I'm not. You're under 18 years old, Susan.

In my book, that's a child. In the law's book, it is too. Picking up men in

bars. How delinquent can you get?

Would you like to know who I picked up in that bar?

David Cartwell.

You haven't seen him yet.

Why not?

Why not?

Are you listening when I gave you a rundown on him? It's a wonder that

Cardwell hasn't booted him out a long time ago.

Now you can have the pleasure of doing that after David and I are married.

Are you figuring on marrying him, Susan?

That's right, brother dear.

I'm figuring on marrying him.

Oh, yes?

Well, you're going to stay in this room and in this house until further notice.

Do you understand?

What are you going to do?

I'm going to have a talk with your boyfriend, Susan.

That's what I'm going to do.

Well, how did it go, darling? Not good.

Sounded even worse than not good from here.

You know, all that was missing was a crack of a cat of nine tails on bare

Might have had him. Might have used him.

Margaret, she wants to marry David Cardinal.

Yes. I'll talk to her. How many times have you talked to her? 20 times? 30

times? And what good did it do?

But it'll do good eventually.

Oh, honey, look.

She's going through a very difficult period.

She needs our patience, our understanding, our help. Well, you've

chance with patience and understanding and help. Now it's my turn.

I'd say your situation is rather awkward, Jason.

If you're not concerned about Susan, merely because of the coming election.

quit this campaign in 30 seconds if I thought it'd do any good.

What about my idea of going into court and getting myself appointed her legal

guardian?

Arranging proper guardianship is something you should have done

after your parents died.

When Susan was a child. What about now? She's still a minor.

Yes, but she's 17 and the court will respect her opinion of the person to be

guardian.

I assume she'll object rather strenuously to you.

But you're my lawyer. What do I do?

Oh, I have one suggestion.

If young Cartwell did help Harry Mardig arrange for Susan to be arrested at

Red's Reef, then proof of that should open her eyes.

Where do I get proof?

They'll have Paul Drake come in.

Paul's a private investigator, one of the best in the business.

Man, he's expensive.

Susan's happiness is faked, Harry.

The sky's the limit.

Paul is a Jason Foster, one of my favorite candidates for the state

I have only one vote, but it's at your disposal.

Thank you.

Where did you get this photograph, Edgerton?

Harry Mardig.

He expects you to publish it in the Citrus Valley News?

No, he simply gave it to me as something that might interest us.

Simply gave it to you, hmm?

Mm -hmm.

Or could it be, Edgerton, that you and Mardig and his group are doing a bit of

conniving behind my back?

Whatever gave you that idea?

Your editorials in the news.

You seem to have softened considerably on the racetrack issue.

Well, now, there are two sides to everything, Randolph, and I have to

them. But it's for conniving.

I'm your brother.

A fact I've been aware of for 55 years.

Just as I've been aware you do almost anything, short of fratricide, for a

dollar. That's not fair.

Oh, I realize it's your nose for money that's made the estate prosper.

But don't let her lead you into trying to cajole or trick me into anything.

There will be no deals with Mardig and no racetrack as long as I'm representing

this district. I advise you to keep that clearly in mind.

Here, return this to Mardig with my compliments.

Senator, I have a question to ask you.

Get out of here, Lieutenant.

All right,

Jason. Ask away.

You remember my sister, Susan?

Of course.

A policeman picked her up in a north side bar last night, drinking while

minor. I'm sorry to hear that.

That's not all.

Harry Mardick just happened to be there at the time.

And he also just happened to talk the policeman into letting Susan go.

Which makes me think that the whole thing was planned.

How could you possibly think I had a part in it?

Because your stepson just happened to be there, too.

With Susan.

Have David come in here.

Oh, what is it, Dad?

Mr. Foster says you were with Susan last night when she was arrested for

underage drinking.

Did Susan tell you that? Yes.

All right, I was with her.

But nothing happened.

The policeman let her go. And it happens I did not get her that drink. She got

it before I met her.

You can ask her. You're the one being asked, David.

Was Harry Marty with you?

Well, he was there, but not with us.

Did you conspire with him to have Susan arrested?

No. Or with me?

Is that what he's saying?

Answer my question.

I did not conspire with you or anyone.

It just happened.

Does that satisfy you, Jason?

Senator, I wouldn't believe him on a stack of Bibles.

How did Harry Mardick know that Susan would be there unless you told him?

Maybe Susan told him.

She doesn't happen to like you very much, Mr. Foster.

That'll punch you right in the face.

That'll do, Jason.

I think you owe us both an apology.

Maybe so, Senator.

But apology or not, let's get one thing clear.

You're not going to marry my sister.

Now, you stay clear of her, or you wish you were dead.

Don't get the wind up about that Susan badge. It's just a kid I'm having a

little fun with.

I'm Jason Foster.

I'm worked by Mr. Bates. Well, how are you, Mr. Foster?

Why, I'm at the old Cartwell estate, up on Eucalyptus Drive.

Thank you.

Susan?

I suppose you thought taking my car keys would keep me in. Where have you been?

Don't lie, because I have a pretty good idea.

I've been at David's.

Where is what I asked?

If you must know what the little house he has on his stepfather's estate... Was

this the first time you've been there?

Answer me. Answer me.

I've been there dozens of times.

What is it?

It's Jason.

He's on his way to David's house on the Cartwell estate, and I'm afraid he's

going to do something terrible to him. I mean something terrible.

The massive rise for Jason Foster.

All for dear.

Large or small, I like it. First campaign parade I've seen in years. Noon

at the park. Now I'm going to touch some old -fashioned hoopla and bring out the

folks.

Just as well saved our money.

Senator Cartwell's finished now. That depends on who killed young Cartwell.

Well, you don't believe Susan could have. No, she wouldn't have acted the

she did when she got home.

So it might be a good idea if we could prove that she didn't.

Your man Drake handled that?

Of course.

Good. I'm due at the park. You and Alma can break in.

Thanks for coming over.

Good morning, Terry. Hi, Bella. Hi, Paul.

Paul, this is Alma Rice.

Jason Foster's campaign man. I do. Mr. Drake. How do you do?

How about trouble at Red Street?

You're still interested?

I talked to Roar. The policeman who picked Susan up. He claims it was just a

routine bar check.

But he's quite scared about something.

And Harry Mardy?

I had pay dirt on him in sort of a roundabout way.

A couple of weeks ago, a young cartwheel wrote a check for $6 ,000 to cover a

gambling debt in Las Vegas. The check was bad.

Where did you learn that?

Gossip around town. I checked it out at the bank.

Anyway, I called a casino in Vegas and found that his check had been sold to

Harry Mardy.

Could explain young cartwheel being in cahoots with him.

How about the people who read it?

Well, I only bet so far the bartender. He was off yesterday, but he'll be there

around 101 Purdy today.

Better talk to him. And look into the cartwheel killing.

Any further suggestions, Miss Rice?

Real estate's my line, Mr. Mason.

Not murder.

You've got to use the picture, Edgerton. Otherwise the senators are gone goose.

Randolph would never let me publish it. You run the paper, don't you? Yes, but

he's half owner.

Well, stick in your half then.

There's too much involved for either of us to back down now.

Of what?

What about a deal with Foster in return for not publishing?

The only kind of deal you'd get from Foster is a kick in the pants.

It has to be this way.

Now, I got the cop fixed good. And with that picture as a springboard, we can

put out some dirt about her running around with David. Maybe even throw

suspicion on her for the killing if we have to.

Alma. Well, where's the champagne, Edgerton?

Champagne? To toast to whichever one of you two killed David.

of that now.

But we will something else.

I was going to ask you just what it was you two were up to with Jason Foster.

But it looks like I don't have to.

Blackmail or smear? Which was it going to be, Harry?

Take it easy, Hama.

Remember, you're in this too.

Oh, no, I'm not.

It was a simple business deal. My funding for you and getting the option

racetrack land.

What about your agreeing to sell a racetrack deal to Foster?

A simple business deal too?

I said I'd try to sell him on the idea.

I didn't say anything about using bad checks to frame 17 -year -old girls or

peddling compromising pictures of the event.

You got sharp ears now, huh? Maybe too sharp. Let me ask you something.

One million fours involved if the deal goes through.

What's your commission on that?

Zero. That's my cut, Harry.

Unless you agree to forget that this was ever taken.

I've got other prints.

Use just one. I go to Jason with the whole story.

Then what'll he do to you?

Toss me out of my ear.

Which is just about what I deserve for getting mixed up with some like you.

Marduk is a dangerous wheel in this area, Mr. Drake.

But you're right.

And it does make a difference.

He and the Codwell pulsed in it together, just like you thought.

Pretending not to know each other until Roar took the girl out.

Then they spoke.

What'd they say?

Well, now, come to think of it, only Marduk spoke.

He said, see you tomorrow, David.

Now, that's when I knew.

This Rohwer, what's his reputation?

You mean, could he have been in with Marduk, too?

I'll bet he was.

Now, word is that a C -note will buy plenty from him.

I see.

Thanks very much.

Mr. Drake, now this may not mean anything, but it struck me kind of

What's that?

I came in for my check around three yesterday afternoon.

And there was young Cartwell, sitting in that booth across there, having drinks

and a cozy chat with... With who?

Mrs. Foster.

What is it?

This is Paul Drake. I'm a private investigator.

I'd like to talk to Senator Cartwell for a moment about his stepson.

Senator Cartwell doesn't want you to be disturbed.

Hey, buddy.

Oh, it's you again, huh?

That's right.

Now, look, the place has been officially sealed up, so don't get any notions

about nosing around inside, huh?

I wouldn't think of it.

Maybe you can tell me a couple of things.

I'm telling you nothing except stay out of my hair.

Private investigator.

My name's Finley.

Rufus Finley. Good cut, great hauling hereabouts.

Miss Finley, I'd advise you not to hang around here.

The police take a dim view of sightseers.

Notion hit me passing by that maybe I ought to talk to the police.

Is it anything important?

See that smashed fender?

Lady did it, hightailing out of here in one of them little foreign jobs around

11 .30 last night.

Paid me $75 to forget it.

Wouldn't forget it except for reading about young Clark Wells killing in the

newspaper. Did the lady give you her name?

No, but I recognized her.

Seen her with her husband when he was making speeches.

Jason Foster's wife.

Jason, are you sure you should?

What do you mean, am I sure?

Is there any reason why I shouldn't talk to her?

No. Very good.

Hi.

As soon as I know it, you think you ought to get up, get something to eat?

I know it hurt.

Are you acting this way to me because you think I killed David?

Are you thinking wrong?

I know I was angry when I left here.

But I started to cool off by the time I got up to the cargo place. I got to

thinking.

It wouldn't do you or me any good if I rousted him around.

It would only make you like me less and more.

So I drove by the place, went on up to the hills.

I sat there for the better part of an hour, thinking of the best way to patch

things up between you and me. And that's the truth so help me.

Mr. Mason's on the phone.

He says it's important he talk to us.

Where is he?

Camping headquarters.

Tell him we'll be right there.

It seems like you two are working against me instead of for me with this

nonsense you brought in.

The police don't think it's nonsense, Jason, when they learn about it.

Well, let's settle it right now.

Honey, the bartender at Red's Beef said he saw you having drinks with David

Cartwell.

Oh, yeah.

He must have been taking me for someone else.

And the other part.

Smashing a truck coming out of the cartwheel gates.

Did you do that?

I never left the house last night.

Now you've all heard the senator's point of view, and you've all heard mine.

Senators fighting to keep Citrus Valley the way it's always been.

Groves, Cottonwood Arroyos.

Page brush hills with a few scattered houses.

Well, I want you all to know that I'm all for that.

I think it's a fine idea.

But it's a lost cause.

The forces of growth and progress are too strong to fight.

So I say join them.

Now, the thing to do is to make good, solid plans for fine housing,

parks, and a model shopping area.

And make sure that these plans are followed.

That way, you'll still be proud of this valley that you're living in.

Now, there's one thing more.

All during this campaign, I've repeatedly said that your ballots are

bullets to shoot down the candidates that you don't want elected.

It seems that...

A real bullet has gotten mixed into this, and I want you to all know that

sorry that this has happened.

But don't be swayed by it.

The important things are the issues.

So fire those paper bullets at the issues on election day.

I'm not trying to capitalize on David's death.

Did you think I would, Senator?

Mr. Foster?

Lieutenant?

Speech all right? I'm afraid I didn't hear much.

Mrs. Foster, I have here a warrant charging you with the murder of David

Cardwell.

Margaret, I'm not trying to frighten you, but the state's constructed an

impressive mass of evidence against you.

But I can't believe that you didn't see him that night, before the collision

outside the gates.

I told you I never left the house.

Could it be, Margaret, that you're trying to protect someone?

I'm not trying to protect anyone, Mr. Mason.

All I know is that I didn't kill him.

I didn't kill him.

As for motive, Your Honor...

The staples show that when the defendant realized that David Cartwell wasn't

keeping the bargain she made with him, a bargain involving breaking off

relations with her 17 -year -old sister -in -law, a bargain sealed with a

considerable sum of cash, she substituted live bullets for the paper

which her husband had been urging the voters to shoot, and she killed him.

May we proceed, Your Honor? Call your first witness.

How, Susan?

The state called Senator Randolph Cartwell.

Eight being the time you customarily leave the house in the morning, Senator?

Yes, I like to get down to headquarters early.

Would you tell the court what took place on the morning in question?

As I neared the estate gates, I noticed lights in the gatehouse and heard a

record player playing.

That seemed odd, so I stopped and went in.

What did you find inside?

David, my stepson, sprawled out on the living room floor.

Quite obviously dead.

So I phoned the police.

I was close by when the flash came, which made me the first officer there.

The senator was outside, and when he told me what happened, I went in.

Well, a young cart will have been shot, and so I started looking for the gun.

Did you find it?

No.

But I found something else, though.

Partway underneath the couch, it was a folded -up check.

Can you identify this?

Yes, that's the check I found.

It's made out to David Cardwell, and it's for $6 ,000.

And signed by?

Miss Margaret Foster.

Then in the language of the layman, Doctor, this bullet which you testify

removed from the body entered the heart at a slightly upward angle? After

glancing off a rib in the chest cage.

In other words, the bullet's original direction was at a right angle to the

body. I would say so.

Now, in your opinion, could the decedent holding the weapon in two hands have

fired the fatal bullet himself?

Suicide? Well, how could that be when no weapon was found?

Doctor, I'm quite aware that no weapon was found.

But it could have been removed by someone later.

Yes, there were powder burns on the deceased's clothing.

And dermal nitrate tests of the hands of the decedent?

Did they show the presence of gunpowder?

We didn't test the hands.

No? Thank you, that's all.

Now, I want you to look around the courtroom and see if you can identify

woman who collided with you that night and gave you $75 to forget the incident.

Why, that's an easy one.

Mrs. Foster?

After Mr. Finley informed you of his encounter with the defendant outside the

Cartwell gates, what did you do, Lieutenant?

Well, I obtained a search warrant and went to the Foster's garage where I

a foreign -made car like the one Finley told me about.

Did you examine this car?

On the right front fender, which was damaged, I found traces of paint, which,

after laboratory tests, I found matched the paint on Finley's truck.

In your examination of the car, did you uncover anything else?

Yes. In the locked glove compartment, I found a Luger pistol.

Was this the pistol, Lieutenant?

Well, yes. This is my identification tag on it. What did you do with it?

Well, I checked its registration and found that it belonged to a Jason

623 Cotton Drive. The same address as the defendant.

I then checked it ballistically with the extended bullet removed from the body.

With what determination?

That the bullet had been fired from the gun.

What time of night did you go down to the gatehouse, Mr. Marty?

Quarter past eleven or so.

Now, would you tell the court what you did and saw and heard that night,

Well, I parked down the road a ways and walked through the gates.

I didn't think that Senator Cartwell would exactly approve of my having

with his stepson.

What was the nature of this business?

Collecting a little daddy owed me and said he was ready to pay.

But when I got to the gatehouse, I saw a car parked there.

What kind of car?

Small one. That's all I noticed because of the racket that was going on inside

the gatehouse.

Racket? What sort of racket?

The radio was blaring out hillbilly music and some woman was yelling at

giving him blue blazes.

We had a bargain. You gave me your word that you wouldn't see Susan again. She

was yelling.

And he was yelling back at her that he'd see Susan any time he pleased.

I didn't think it was a good time to be collecting a debt, so I beat it. Thank

you.

Be a witness, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Mardig, the state has admitted to asking a rather obvious question.

Were you able to identify the voice of the woman you heard that night? With all

that hillbilly hootenanny going on, I have no idea whose voice it was.

Now as to the little debt, you say, you intended to collect from David Cartwell.

It was actually $6 ,000, was it not?

Thereabouts. The result of a bad check?

Written in Las Vegas, which you'd acquired?

Mr. Mason, I make all kinds of investments.

Investment? Or the trump card to force David Cartwell into helping you

Jason Foster through his sister Susan?

I refuse to answer on the grounds that it might tend to incriminate me.

Incriminate you in what, Mr. Marty? Murder?

Could it be David Cartwell didn't have the money to pay you and that you

invented your story of the small car and the quarreling voices to cover the fact

that you killed him?

If I'd have done that, Mr. Mason, I'd have gone whole hog and identified the

woman's voice as hers, Mrs. Foster.

You say, Mr. Cardwell, that you were on your way to see your brother at 11, or

shortly thereafter that night.

What made you stop at the gatehouse?

There was a taxi parked outside the gates, and, well, I wondered who was

visiting David.

I'm a little ashamed of what I did. I went to one of the windows and looked

And saw?

That Susan Foster was the visitor.

I went on in to the main house, discussed some campaign matters with

had a drink, as I remember, and drove home.

Mr. Mason?

When you left the estate, Mr. Cartwell, Was the taxi still

parked outside the gates?

No, it was gone.

And the small car Harry Mardig testified he saw by the gatehouse?

Was it parked there? There was no car of any sort parked by the gatehouse when I

left. Thank you.

You may stand down, Mr. Cogwell. The state calls Susan Foster.

Do you tell me to tell the truth, the whole truth, and that's for the truth?

I do. State your name.

Susan Foster.

Be seated.

Your Honor, Miss Foster may prove a hostile witness.

Hostile?

You?

I'll tell you who I'm hostile to.

My brother, Jason!

Just got a call from the senator.

Suggested I withdraw from the race.

After that, people think that Margaret and I really did kill you in Cardwell.

Jason, Susan would like to talk with you.

Get you a letter. Of course. Where is she?

Right here, Jason.

No kidding.

Jason!

I'm so sorry.

I've been so mixed up.

That's crazy, I guess.

How could I ever believe that you'd let Margaret suffer for something you did? I

just don't know.

Susan, I want you to tell Jason what you just told me.

Well, first, I lied about ever having been at David's before.

That night was the first time, and he only... let me stay a minute. I think it

was because he had somebody there with him.

Now tell your brother why you went there.

David said they might beat him up and even kill him.

And then he owed money to him, so I... I took your pistol to him.

Susan, that's the pistol there? Not Jason?

That doesn't mean you're accusing her, Mr. Mason.

Margaret, I'm accusing no one, with the possible exception of you, for

conceiving the truth from me.

But with Jason telling Susan that he was going to David's place, my going after

him, finding his pistol there, well, it all made it worse for him. And

recognizing the pistol as Jason's, you took it?

Yes.

Did you go there merely because Susan begged you to go there?

No, mostly because I...

I wanted to find out why David hadn't kept his part of the bargain I made with

him. Never to see her again.

The other half of the bargain being your check for $6 ,000 to take care of the

bad check he'd written in Las Vegas.

When you met him at Red's Reef, did he tell you Harry Mardig had his bad check?

No.

But I don't understand what difference that would make. He admitted in court he

had it.

I'd hope that David had told you how Mardig found out about the check.

Well, there's one good thing about Susan's outburst.

It caused the judge to recess.

And that gives us the weekend.

For what, Mr. Mason?

Oh, maybe a little gambling in Las Vegas.

Nineteen is the number, red in the odd payoff.

How do you like that? I'm at twenty bucks already.

Mr. Mason, say, don't tell me you've run out of money.

I've come later.

Right now, it's a check we got from my home.

Yeah, on the cart, well.

Yeah, I wrote about it.

It's too bad.

How did Harry Marty learn about the check?

I have no idea.

He just walked in here one day and offered me 50 cents on the dollar. I was

to take it.

I got enough bad checks around here to paper the place.

Was someone with him when he wrote the check?

Yeah, a dame.

One of these women, perhaps?

Yeah, listen.

Susan, in telling your story, you said you were pretty sure that David had

someone with him that night.

Now, what made you say that?

What?

The way he made me leave after I'd given him the pistol, for one thing.

And there were two glasses there, both half -filled and with eyes still in

The fingerprints on both glasses were smeared. They were of no use for

of identification.

Where were these glasses, Lieutenant?

Well, one was on the table. The other was overturned on a rug, was it not?

Yes. Which one had traces of lipstick on it? The one on the rug.

Did you attempt to match these traces with the lipstick used by the defendant?

Yes. They did not match, did they? No. Did you attempt to match the traces with

another lipstick? You can knock off the cat and mouse game, Mr. Mason. It's my

lipstick on the glass, which I threw whiskey, ice, and all right in David

Cartwell's face.

We'd been, well, seeing each other weekends for about a year.

Then he started going out with Susan.

So we had a showdown, and he promised to stop seeing her.

That was the night of his death?

No, about a month or so ago.

Then I heard about the trouble at Red's Reef. It sounded as though David had had

a part in it. So we had another showdown.

Only this time he lied. He said he hadn't been with her that night.

And then you found out he'd lied?

Yes.

So we had still another showdown.

Overheard by Harry Marty?

Yes. Now, in regard to your weekends, one took place in Las Vegas, did it not?

When David wrote his bad check for $6 ,000.

I warn you, Miss Rice, I have a witness who can identify you as having been with

him.

All right.

I was there.

And afterward, you told Harry Marty about the check.

No, I told Edgerton about it. I didn't want to go to the senator, but I felt

that somebody in the family ought to know what kind of a mess David had

himself into.

And so the third showdown with David, Miss Rice, ended with your shooting him.

It ended with my letting him have it with a highball glass.

And that wasn't so much on account of Susan as it was a bon voyage present for

his year in Europe.

Year in Europe?

Yes. He told me he was getting enough money from somewhere to join the Riviera

jet set.

Getting or already had, Miss Rice?

Getting.

Later that night.

Not for me, Mr. Mason.

In fact, we had a bitter quarrel that day.

The upshot of which was that I disinherited him.

Told him to clear out.

Edgerton, the $20 ,000 estate check for emergency campaign expenses you brought

me that night, and which I refused to countersign, was that the money David

expecting?

You told Harry Marding about David's bad check?

Yes. Hoping to use it to force David's help in getting Susan Foster in trouble,

thus smearing Jason Foster.

It was Harry's idea.

But you went along with it.

You see, I have power of attorney for the estate's land holdings.

It was through Elmer Rice that I'd given Harry an option on some property for

the new racetrack. The property your brother has an interest in?

Yes, but he is opposed to the racetrack, is he not?

Yes, but I thought if I presented it as a fait accompli after the election, he'd

come around.

A million four hundred thousand dollars in cash and a quarter interest in the

track.

It was the deal of a lifetime.

But when David pieced things together, he threatened to upset your golden apple

cart, didn't he?

David didn't know anything about that. I believe he did. And when your brother

refused to sign the check you said was for emergency campaign expenses, money

actually designed to buy David's silence and send him to Europe until the

racetrack sale was a fait accompli.

When that happened, there was only one way left to keep him quiet.

Kill him.

No, no, I didn't kill him.

Harry Marnick did.

Or Anna there.

Or Mrs. Foster's sheep.

Yes, of course.

Mrs. Foster.

The small car I saw parked by the gatehouse when I left.

But you testified, Mr. Cartwell, that you saw no car when you left.

Oh, but I did. I remember now. But it was Alma Rice's car, not Mrs.

Foster's. And the time was 11 .20, not 11 .30.

11 .20 when Alma drove off, leaving the way clear for you to enter the gatehouse

and kill David.

Tell them, Randolph.

I was with you for more than a half hour that night.

With you from 11 to 11 .30.

Tell them.

I might have gone along about the racetrack, as you said, Edgerton.

But this is murder.

Cold -blooded murder.

He was with me five minutes at the most, Mr. Mason.

Five minutes at the most.

Oh, Randolph.

You're going to deal the life?

11th Street, St.

Godwell. One thousand...

Fosker, 1 ,764.

25th Precinct, Cartwell, 1 ,932.

Fosker, 2 ,756.

Barry, the one thing I don't get is what exactly was Harry Martin's pitch.

Well, two Susan needs to get either for Jason Foster to accept the racetrack or

cause him to lose the election.

Thus leaving Senator Cartwell with Edgerton's fait accompli.

I just received a phone call from Senator Cargwell.

Conceding defeat.

Hooray!

And I'd like to say this.

This victory is as much yours as it is mine, and I won't forget it.

Good man's worth fighting for, Dylan.