Original subtitles

Bye.

Senorita Juana? Yes, Rosa.

Senorita is nice.

Mm -hmm.

Very nice. Yes, Rosa, he's very nice.

And you ate him very much, see?

I what?

Rosa, how many times do I have to tell you? Mr. Scott is my patient.

Oh, si, si, but now, without so much bandages and without so much bed and

all the time. Rosa, stop it.

Forgive me, senorita.

I cannot help it. My eyes were not injured.

Maybe now you'll try a new medicine, si?

Guess who turned out the lights? I'm sorry.

Joanna, I was... The message in sunlight is much too bright for you to be

reading yet.

Yes, Chief.

No, Chief. You heard the instructions yourself. In another month, perhaps.

But I wasn't. Here, swallow this.

You know I'm sick of pills, and I'm sick of Baccapoco. I know, and you're sick

of keepers, too. Joanna, I was not reading.

And you, Mrs. Martinez, go away. Go away. Excuse me, it is the telephone,

No, whichever doctor it is, you tell him that I got into another accident. No,

tell him I got pneumonia and died last week. But it is long distance, Los

Angeles. And Mr. Scott, he says... My brother again?

Look, you tell Nervous Nelly that as long as I've got to stay away from

and remain in exile from society, stop pestering me. But, sir... The point is,

am on my way to Yucatan.

What? That's right.

I told you I wasn't reading.

I am just looking at the maps you gave me.

Do you really think you could answer a good idea?

Driving around in the tropic winter?

Month of moonlight?

Palm trees?

No, no, of course not.

But of course, until my eye healed, you'd have to do all the driving, right?

Then I could just lean back and nag you and nag you.

Oh, Rick.

It's exactly what the doctor felt would be the best thing for you. Sure, sure.

Now, look at this.

Now, if we take this road down...

I am sorry to interrupt so much, senorita, but it is not his brother. His

uncle and his uncle wish to speak to you.

Hello, operator.

Yes, I'm here.

Mr. Scott, how nice to hear from you again. How are you today?

Oh, fine, fine, honey.

Working hard and feeling frisky. But what I want to hear is how's Rick doing?

Oh, well, he's getting a little hard to handle. He's feeling so much better.

Well, now look here. You tell that boy not to get restless.

I want him to stay down there until he's clear in shape. You hear me?

And Joanna, it's your job to keep him there.

Oh, I understand.

You just tell him to borrow me. Got everything going fine.

Come you don't need him, I'm taking care of everything.

Oh, I know, I know. Mr. Scott, wait a minute.

You remember that idea I wrote you about to take an easy trip south by car?

Well, we're going to Yucatan.

Well, well, why didn't you say so?

Oh, sure, sure, honey. I knew I could depend on you.

Thank you, Mr. Scott.

Okay.

Joanna, come here.

You've met my brother and his wife, Ben, Elena?

Yes, of course.

Pamela, this is Joanna. She's the one who helped pull Uncle Hart through

pneumonia last year. Well, now she's done it for me. Of course.

If I ever get pneumonia, I won't hire anyone else.

I'm Pamela Blair. Rick and I have been friends for years.

More than merely friends, darling.

Be honest with the girl.

Rick, please, will you read those notes?

They just dropped in out of the blue.

Won't answer his phone calls, so the idiot flew down here.

Read them, I said.

We're going back by ship. It sails in just a few hours. I persuaded them the

ship would be so much more restful for Rick.

Just think of it. Five whole days and nights for fun and games.

For Rick?

But Rick can't... I mean, we were going to... I'm sorry, Joanna.

I'm going back to Los Angeles.

We literally forced Pamela to make this trip with us.

Are you insane?

The least you could do is dance with her.

Right now, I'd rather dance with you.

I know I'm irresistible. Oh, and intelligent.

Darling, you've been out in the Mexican sun too long.

Elena, I told Ben I'd come back to Los Angeles to make sure the company was all

right, but Ben is an alarmist.

Ben's much smarter than you think he is.

Sometimes... What do you mean?

When I had the accident, Uncle Harvey came out of retirement to run the

business.

There's Pamela.

Elena, don't you think Uncle Harvey's been doing a good job?

He's apparently gotten that merger set up, and just as well as I could. That

merger's something we've always wanted.

I never did understand what a merger was.

Then do you agree with Ben?

Do you think Uncle Harvey has been acting odd, nervous, secret?

But darling, you should ask Pamela. She was Uncle Harvey's right hand before he

retired. She still sees him now and again. He's the one.

Never mind.

I just thought you might have noticed something.

Rick, don't you like to dance with Pamela?

I'll make your bet, Pam.

Three seconds and you'll have a new partner.

Rick? My wife is such a sweet little matchmaker.

Please rescue me from this brother of yours. I can't cope any longer.

Cope? With a wobbling envelope?

They make such a lovely couple.

You can just tell they were meant for each other.

Well, if they weren't, you'd see them.

Your Uncle Harvey acting strangely.

I haven't seen too much of him since I stopped working at the office.

Why not?

There's not much chance he's away so much on those prospecting trips.

Looking for uranium, I guess.

Or gold, or oil, or just sagebrush. You know your Uncle Harvey.

Yeah, but that's nothing to worry about.

I left him a real small budget for land exploration.

He's been worried about your Uncle Harvey. Is that it?

I don't know.

That's why I'm asking you.

Rick. Harvey was a sweet, dear old man, as far as I know.

Maybe I should ask you about Beth.

What?

Well, how did you happen to come along on this trip?

Well, hope springs eternal, you know.

Please, if you don't want to tell me.

I was lured by words like urgent, terrible emergency.

It wasn't until I got down here I realized they just wanted me for bait to

all you home.

Oh, darling, don't be mad at me.

The least you could do now is nibble a little.

Hi, Paul.

Oh, no, I just gave Rick his medication.

Well, if you're still on duty, why don't you bring something for us? Just the

two of us. Nice cool fizz, baby.

Thanks, but we're going to play shuffleboard.

In that Florence Nightingale costume?

Well, I know I don't really have to wear it, but to tell you the truth, I don't

have many clothes with me. But I should think Uncle Harvey would have supplied

you with a whole wardrobe.

How else could you do your real job?

I don't understand.

Oh, come on now, honey. Tell the crew.

Didn't that dear old reprobate really hire you to keep Rick away from Los

Angeles?

No. I don't know what you're talking about.

Well, that's what Ben said.

I bet you've really been enjoying your work, haven't you?

Oh, you've got the...

Mrs.

Scott, your brother -in -law is nothing but a patient to me.

One I'll be very glad to get rid of.

There it is.

Now look, I want a chance to go over the whole picture with you before we

doctor. Ben, there's no picture to go over and you know it.

This whole trip has been a waste.

That's exactly what I told Uncle Harvey, too.

What? When?

Look, how you could possibly think he'd mess up the company or the merger? Why

didn't you tell Uncle Harvey? I sent him a radiogram yesterday.

Oh, don't worry. I made a big joke out of your nervous Nellie suspicion. No,

Rick. Look, you may know more about the business than I do, but when it comes to

people... Excuse me, sir. Mr. Rick Scott?

Right here.

Radiogram. Thank you.

Uncle Harvey?

Yes. I'm sure he thinks it's all a big joke, too.

There's no point in you coming back anyway because everything about the

will be finalized tomorrow morning.

He's called a meeting of the other shareholders before we land.

Without me there, without you.

I told you so.

Now, whatever it is he's up to, there's nothing we can do about it. There's

nothing we... Yes, there is.

over for you.

It isn't time for your pill yet.

Look, little keeper, I know you must be pretty confused and maybe you think I am

too. Well, it really isn't any of my business. And I know this is going to

pretty sudden.

I mean, I'd find I'm working my way up to it.

Well, I counted on you, Catan.

Rick, will you please take your hands off me? Joanna, will you please marry

What?

I love you.

I could be my wife now.

Rick, what's the matter with you? Hold still, darn it. I'm proposing.

Now, I know there's a lot to explain.

Stop it.

It's the wrong time of day for this. Marry me, Joanna. Besides, I promised

ship's doctor I'd help with an operation tonight. Let me go. I love you.

No, you don't.

Your sister -in -law said... You pay no attention to what she says.

Now, I love you.

I would have told you sooner, but you were always coming at me with dark

glasses.

Rick. Come on.

Back up your mind now, Blake.

Captain's waiting.

Joanna, don't you love me at all?

You, Joanna... Montford.

Do you, Joanna Montford, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband?

I now pronounce you man and wife.

Two hours.

I shouldn't be at the office any longer than that. Now, you hurry up with that

shopping and finish up as fast as you can.

Don't worry.

Rick, I never did say goodbye to your sister -in -law. Well, I haven't seen

of them since we've been married.

Honey, the farther I keep you away from those wolves and vultures, the better I

like it.

Now, there's a lot you don't understand yet. Well, I understand your Uncle

Harvey's going to be pretty upset. I mean, about our even coming back here.

you know how many times he called me, making me promise I'd keep you down in

Mexico?

Skip it. I'll take care of him. And I'll explain everything later.

I don't want explanations. I just want... I gotta go now, honey.

Hurry, darling.

Bye. Bye.

Yes? I'm sorry.

Oh, yes.

Thank you.

Uh, Miss Lawson, would you mind... Mr. Barlow, would you tell Rick I'm here,

please?

I beg your pardon?

Well, my shopping didn't take any time at all, so... Well, just tell him I'll

wait here. I don't want to interrupt. Rick? You mean Rick Scott?

I don't know. Mr. Scott's down in Acapulco. I don't think... No, he isn't.

just landed here a little while ago.

Rick's here someplace, talking to his Uncle Harvey.

Mr. Harvey Scott hasn't been in today either.

I don't really know where he is, but... Mr. Barlow, don't you recognize me?

I'm Joanna.

Joanna Monford.

Oh, for heaven's sake.

Only now it's Scott, too, of course. Rick and I were just married.

That's what's going on.

Is he back already?

There wasn't anybody down at the desk.

Mrs. Scott?

Rick?

Have you lost him already, darling?

What a pity. A honeymoon without a bridegroom.

Well, it's us, and we brought our way in to help you celebrate the happy events.

Hi. Congratulations.

Oh, then you've heard what we did.

Ben finally got around to telling Alanna. He's really a frightful coward,

know that, that husband of mine?

In the glass, darling, not on me.

She said she was a relative of yours. Oh, go away.

Shoo.

Scat.

Rick went to see his Uncle Harvey.

Someplace. Oh, of course. The collector's dowry. How stupid of me.

off, Lainey. What do you mean? All I meant about the dowry was... Here.

Well? To the bride.

And the extra stock she brought to the groom.

Elena.

Uncle Harvey got more than he bargained for her.

Please, Elena.

Now, wait.

What did you mean about stock?

The dowry, I think you called it? Let it go, Joanna. Skip it.

But surely you must know.

I'm really very grateful.

It's amazing how quickly you pulled the rug out from under Uncle Harvey.

I what?

Lainey, if you say it, I swear I'll... Didn't Rick tell you why he married you?

Because he loves you, of course.

And loves the extra votes that he gets with the extra stock that Uncle Harvey

had to give up the minute Rick was married.

Well, it's really quite simple. When Rick's father died, stock was left in

for the boys with Uncle Harvey Scott until they came of age.

At that time, they received part of the stock, then more automatically at the

time of marriage.

So now Rick has control of the company? No, but all of the other shareholders

know about the arrangement.

Today, for example, an important meeting was called off. Everyone knows that

Harvey's powers are now a little less. They want to wait for Rick's return.

Oh, I see.

I mean, I guess I see.

I don't blame Rick for not wanting to bore you with dull business details.

Oh, I know, I know. It's just that those two women upset me.

I haven't even heard from Rick today. Of course, I knew you were the lawyer, and

I thought he might have come here.

Rick has disappeared, Perry. He was supposed to be back three hours ago to

her.

We'll help find him, Joanna.

But be patient, I'm sure. There's nothing to be alarmed about. Oh, no, no.

Of course not. Perry, be patient. It's not good advice to give to a bride of

only one week.

One week?

Oh, it's barely one day.

We were just married last night on the ship by the captain.

I mean, if you're sure you're not really afraid Rick's in trouble of some kind.

I'm sure he isn't.

I was only reacting to the fact that you were married aboard ship.

I'm sure Rick explained about the old ship's marriage myth.

Myth? Well, it's a common belief that every ship's captain can marry people.

The truth is, very few of them are legally empowered to do so.

Yours obviously had the legal power.

Oh, yes.

Rick told me about that. So did the captain at the point moment.

Well, now, Joanna, you go to your hotel and relax.

Don't worry.

I'll be in touch.

Everything will be all right. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

Oh, Paul, would you please?

What's the matter?

Well,

I know who owns the Point Loma.

The captain of a ship owned by a California resident is not empowered to

people, Della.

I don't know what Rick Scott is up to, but that girl is not legally his wife.

Sorry, Brad. Private property. No trespassing.

Oh?

I didn't notice it was posted.

Well, it takes a little time to get everything done, friend.

And now you'll just have to take my word for it.

Sure. They told me and found this was the only road to the old Scott ranch

house. It used to be.

We just closed it off.

Tearing down the house and as the rest of the papers are signed.

None of this is Scott property anymore, friend.

At least to the Union Farm and Tool.

Union Farm and Tool.

That's a pretty big outfit.

Real big.

The trouble is, when we go to a new location, the locals resent us.

Sometimes they show their feelings with fan in the tractor oil and pot shots at

the hired hands.

That's why we got this rule.

No trespassers.

I'm sure you understand, friend.

Absolutely, friend. I was just leaving.

Oh, uh, one question.

I came up here looking for Harvey or Rick Scott.

Would you happen to know if they've been around?

Not to my knowledge.

Nice talking to you, friend.

Yeah, real nice friend.

Thank you, Gertie.

Paul, call him from downtown.

Hello, Paul.

Did you locate Rick Scott?

No, not a trace of him in Dos Banas, and I sure missed him here.

Any idea of what's going on with the company? No, nothing except Scott

Agricultural Mining Company leasing their principal property to Union Farm

Tool for mechanized agriculture, which is the first step in what appears to be

merger of the two companies.

As far as I can gather, it's strictly on the level.

What about Uncle Harvey?

You mean the desert rat's version of Santa Claus? I don't know where he is,

a Cub Scout can follow his trail.

That old buzzard and companion have been in, out, up, down, and around this

desert, prospecting and buying up mining claims you couldn't even give away.

Companion? Female type.

Neighbor from Los Angeles.

Name's Emmalou Snyder.

All right, Barlow, I've got no more to say. You can go. I'm sorry, Mr. Scott.

Confound it, no.

You understand English, Barlow? No, no, no. Please, Mr. Scott, I don't know why

you're so upset. And believe me, I'm not trying to pry.

I don't think it's asking too much to inquire why you saw fit to smuggle some

our records out of your office and here to your house. That's an accusing word,

Barlow, smuggle.

I went in and I took what I have every right to take.

And I told... I... You told whom?

You don't remember, do you?

Mr. Scott, you didn't tell anybody.

It's just like that check. Sometimes you're not... I'm running this company,

hear?

And I can do anything I want with the books. And I know what I'm doing, I

Nobody questions that for a moment, sir.

It's just that I thought... You thought? Thought what?

Well, we've worked together for 20 years. I thought maybe you'd want me to

you. No, no, I'll do it myself. It's my own problem, Bottle, not yours.

Well, if there is anything, anything at all... Well, thanks, Bottle. I'll go

over the books myself.

I'm... I'm not quite sure what I...

But thanks anyway.

talk to you.

Well, there's nothing to say, Emma Lou.

Sorry, Scott. I hate you so much I ought to cave in your skull with a flower

pot. Oh, stop carrying on that way. Now, stop it. Do you hear me? Stop it.

All right. Shout at me, big man.

All right.

Now, listen. You want to know why I didn't take you with me on that last

the desert? I'll tell you why.

Because I was out there trying to make those old desert rats you got such a

out of buy back their mining claims. That's why.

Harvey, you didn't.

I couldn't. Desert rats run fast. Some of them I couldn't even catch.

But why, Harvey?

Why do you want to sell back?

Because I was scared, that's why.

Because I'm an irresponsible old man who... An old man who what, Harvey?

Oh, who's afraid to face himself, maybe.

Harvey, this trouble you're in, has it anything to do with your business and

sick nephew who's coming home?

Well, is there anything I can do to help?

Emmaloo, two weeks ago when we saw Peg Leg after we left his place and drove

west toward the coast, did we pick up another piece of property on the way?

We didn't go west. We went east to the town, to that square dance. Surely you

remember. Too much Mountain Dew, you said.

All right.

You better run along now. There's no use in both of us getting involved.

There's nothing they can put you in jail for.

Jail?

Harvey, what's going on?

It'll be all right. I'll make it all right.

You... You better run along now, Lou, and leave me alone, please.

I... I just got to work this out alone.

It plays back just like that.

Don't spit.

Emma Lou, I asked to please the... Joanna.

Mr. Scott, I was just about to ring the doorbell. I was hoping to give it to...

Is Rick with you?

No, I thought maybe he was here. Oh, wait a minute, Rick.

What is it? It's 5 .30. There's still time. Come in, come in. Mr. Scott.

You've got to help me.

You've got to.

Oh, put them on.

I'm on my way back to town, Perry. Now listen, I stopped to call my wife, but

she wasn't in, so I called my brother Ben's place.

Well, Joanna's probably looking for you.

The man she thinks is her husband.

The what?

What are you talking about?

You have quite a bit of explaining to do, Rick.

Okay, Perry, but later.

Look, Ben wasn't home either, and Elena said she got a phone call from my uncle,

from Harvey, setting up an important emergency meeting in less than a half

Now, you know where he lives.

Meet me there. Stall, do anything, but don't let him make a move until I

Please, Perry, do this for me. It's important.

Oh, Mr. Mason.

It is Mr. Mason, isn't it?

I'm Lawrence Barlow. I don't suppose you'd remember me, but... Of course I

You're Comptroller of the Scott Agriculture and Mining Company. This is

Drake. My pleasure.

Mr. Drake?

Did you get a call from Harvey, too?

Seems everybody else did.

Uncle Harvey, I tried to help, but there's nothing I can do.

Nothing anybody can do.

Harvey got it dead.

He didn't murder him.

No.

She did it.

She killed him.

The district attorney will claim that Harvey Scott paid you to keep Rick away

while Harvey was stealing from the company. He will claim you double

Harvey when you realized you could have more money by marrying Rick.

The state will try to prove that you and Harvey were accomplices who had a fight

that ended in Harvey's death.

A death for which you will be charged, Joanna, was criminal homicide.

But you haven't explained about Rick, where he was, why I didn't hear from

He phoned you at the hotel. You were out shopping.

So he left a message with the desk.

But I never got that message. Never.

I know. We're looking into that.

But right now, I want you to explain to me.

Where that money in your purse came from?

Well, I told you it was Harvey Scott's money. I picked it up for him at the

bank.

Mr. Mason, did Rick really say he loved me?

Yes, Joanna.

Yes, he'd planned to marry you even before this business started. The

ceremony was an emergency act to stop further maneuvering in the company.

But his plan was to take you to Las Vegas for a legal ceremony as soon as

were together ashore, and he could explain.

If only he hadn't gone looking for everyone, for his uncle and then the

shareholders.

Joanna, why did you go to the bank for that money?

Because Uncle Harvey sent me.

It wasn't the first time I'd run errands for him like that last year when I was

nursing him.

Did Harvey say why he wanted the money?

Well, he said he was in trouble and that he needed a few thousand dollars he

thought he still had in one of his accounts, that's all. A few thousand

he thought he still had in one of his accounts.

Those were his exact words?

I think so.

Mr. Mason, what was so wrong with my going to the bank for him?

Nothing.

Nothing except the money was still in your purse while he was dying on the

floor. And while he was dying, I should have handed him the money and insisted

on a receipt?

I'm a registered nurse. I came into the house, found an old man who had been

brutally beaten, and tried to help. What? crime did I commit?

According to the police, you argued over your payoff for services rendered.

He tried to take the money back, and you killed him.

But I'm telling the truth.

All of it?

Including Harvey's asking you to pick up a few thousand dollars for him?

That's exactly what he said.

Joanna, the police found in your purse not a few thousand dollars, but sixty

thousand dollars.

Mr. Scott was very explicit when he called the bank.

He wanted whatever cash there was in his account turned over to the young lady

there, the defendant.

She had done banking with us before.

I knew her by sight, knew her well.

With his call and the balance of account check which she brought, there wasn't

any problem.

Harvey Scott banked with you for a considerable number of years, didn't he?

sir.

Until the last few months, what was the largest balance Mr. Scott ever carried

at your bank? Can you tell us that?

I checked our records.

A little less than $3 ,000.

$3 ,000.

And what was the amount that he accumulated by regular mail deposits in

months during which his nephew was away?

The sum you turned over to the defendant, Joanna Monford.

$60 ,000.

Lieutenant Anderson, you heard the autopsy surgeon testify that Harvey

killed by repeated blows on the head with a blunt instrument.

I show you now this fireplace poker. I ask if you've ever seen it before.

Yes, sir. It has on one of my tags for identification.

The poker was found lying beside the body of the decedent. Now, did you have

poker analyzed by the police laboratories? And if so, with what

Yes, sir.

The bloodstains were made from blood of the same type as that of the decedent.

And the human hair matched exactly the hair of the decedent. I see.

And this dress, marked for the people exhibit three, has been identified as

one worn by the defendant at the time she was apprehended. I ask you to

it, please.

It also bears one of my identifying tags, Mr. Berger. Did you then have this

dress worn by the defendant when she emerged from the decedent's house, also

analyzed by the police laboratory?

Yes, sir.

Like the bloodstains on the poker, the bloodstains on this dress.

are from the same type blood as that of the murdered man.

She said very clearly that she had tried to help him. With a poker, Mr. Drake?

Your Honor. I withdraw the question, Your Honor.

With apologies to the defense counsel.

This girl, Mr. Drake, the defendant, came stumbling out of the house and

something which you are pleased to interpret as a statement that she tried

help. But, Mr. Drake, at that moment, what happened?

Mr. Mason went into the house. Thank you.

Mr. Mason?

I have no questions.

The witness is excused.

Call your next witness, Mr. Berger.

It's Mr. Mason.

I call Perry Mason to the stand.

Objection, Your Honor.

This is mere harassment.

An attorney cannot, without consent of his client, be examined on communication

made by the client to him or his advice given to the client in the course of

professional employment.

Your Honor, we're not interested in what Mr. Mason said to his client or heard

from his client.

We're interested in what Mr. Mason saw as an individual witness, which I

will help convict his client.

I move that remark be stricken from the record and the prosecutor be warned to

refrain from further prejudicial statements assuming facts not in

So ordered.

Very well, then I insist that the court now rule on the competency of Mr. Perry

Mason to appear as a witness for the prosecution.

Mr. Mason.

Yes, Harvey Scott was still alive.

Barely alive when I felt his pulse.

And while you were feeling his pulse, Mr. Mason?

It stopped.

Then you know of your own knowledge that Harvey Scott's heart stopped beating

less than one minute after Joanna Monford ran out of that house with her

covered with blood from the battered head of Harvey Scott.

Yes. Thank you.

You're a witness, Mr. Mason.

No use of both of us getting involved.

Nothing they can send you to jail for. Those were his exact words.

After which the decedent asked you to leave him alone and you went back to

own house, is that right?

Yes. I went upstairs to change my clothes. It was just by accident that I

out the window over to Harvey's place.

And then when I saw what I saw, I put my clothes back on and rushed back over

there.

It was too late then.

Now, upstairs in your own house, while you were changing your clothes and when

you accidentally looked out your window and across to the Harvey Scott house,

exactly what did you see?

I saw Harvey's shadow up against the side window shade and a woman's shadow,

she was beating him over the head with a poker.

Jasper? Hey, Mr. Jasper.

Hey, big -legged Jasper, where are you?

Right behind you, son.

Uh -oh.

Don't move.

Because I've got this rifle zeroed right into the small of your back, Buster.

You just breathe too hard, darling. I've put a hole through you so you can

breathe easier.

Now raise your hands and turn around.

I've been dodging you crazy deputies for two days now.

But you ain't going to get me in no courtroom, no, sir. Not as long as I've

these two legs and this rifle to shoot. Thought I had me hit out here pretty

good.

How come you found me?

Mrs. Snyder thought I might locate you here.

Amy Lou?

She knew you were an old friend of Harvey Scott's and thought you might

do him one last favor.

Harvey dead, dead and buried.

Yeah, but they've dug up his reputation and they're dirting it up pretty bad.

They say he was two -faced and a thief, that he was stealing from his own

family. That, mister, is a lie.

You hear me?

Harvey Scott was no thief.

That's a matter of opinion, Mr. Jasper.

Now, you sold him a mining claim for $2 ,000, is that right?

Oh, I already told you that. Yes, you also told us that you deposited the

he mailed to you from his office, but that the next time you came to town, you

were called into the bank and told there'd been a mistake and that payment

been stopped on that first check and that his second check was issued to you

the correct amount.

Now, after you received that second check, did the decedent Harvey Scott

and see you in the desert?

Yes, I guess he did. And what did he say to you at that time?

Well, he called me a thief.

He accused me of fooling with that first check.

Fooling with it?

Now, Mr. Jasper, he showed you a check on which payment had been stopped.

Exactly what did he say had happened to that check?

Well, he showed me now where that check was changed to read from $2 ,000 to $20

,000. And were you the one fooling with that company check, Mr. Jasper? Here,

mister, don't you go call me no names. I'll tell you the same thing I told old

Harb. He's clean from loco.

I couldn't fool with that check or any other check.

You know why?

I can't neither read nor write.

When this bank called the office, I asked them not to put the check through.

And after I spoke to Mr. Scott, Mr.

Harvey Scott, And we sent them a substitute check in the proper amount.

But you did speak to the decedent about it. Now, what did he say?

Well, he found it hard to believe that first check was his own mistake.

Was it a mistake?

That time, yes. I think it was.

Oh, there were other times?

I'm not really sure.

But I am afraid there probably were other times.

Don't you know, Mr. Barlow?

Well, with this merger...

Part of our records are here in town, part are back east, some in the hands of

our attorneys. The merger required a good deal of shifting around of assets

accounts.

I'm afraid it may be some time before we really know for sure.

Well, does anybody know for sure?

Mr. Rick Scott's been going over the books.

Maybe he knows.

And what about the $60 ,000 in his private account?

I mean his private personal account, not the company account.

Don't you know the source of that money either?

No, not for sure. I'll admit there appear to be possible shortages in

accounts, and that some of our assets would appear to be unaccounted for, but

nothing I could specifically attribute to my uncle.

Really?

All right, Mr. Scott.

Now tell us this.

Did the defendant ever exert any effort to keep you away from Los Angeles?

If she did, my wife's only concern was with my health.

Your wife.

You're referring, of course, to the defendant, Miss Joanna Monford, whom you

conveniently put through a mock marriage ceremony in order to stop your uncle

from destroying your company.

I'm referring to the woman I love.

The woman I planned to marry. The woman I will formally marry when this

ridiculous hearing's at an end. In spite of the fact that prior to your

proposal, her only interest in you was to obey the instructions of her

accomplice and to keep you away from Los Angeles? Away from the company that he

was stealing from?

That's a lie.

No further questions.

You're a witness, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Scott, after you left your wife at the dock, did you send her a message

telling her where you were and when you expected to return to her?

Yes. I phoned her at the hotel, but she wasn't there, so I left a message.

Have you discovered what happened to that message?

Yes, it was picked up at the hotel desk by my sister -in -law, Elena.

I didn't like the girl.

I didn't trust her, so I tore up the message.

Pamela was with me when I did.

She not only knows I tore it up, she knows why.

I told her.

Elena was frightened.

She thought Harvey Scott was doing something that would injure the company

affect the income she depended on.

That was the reason Rick was convinced to come back to Los Angeles.

Elena thought if Joanna got Rick's message, she might interfere with what

doing.

I told Elena I thought she was wrong, but she wouldn't listen.

Ben had confessed to this whole mixed -up thing as true.

And you believed, really believed, that your uncle was capable of robbing the

company he and your father had established?

Why, I never said he was actually robbing.

Oh?

What did you say?

That he was old and confused and acting strange with Mrs. Snyder.

But he and Mrs. Snyder were old friends.

After so long in association, why suddenly did you see it as dangerous?

That isn't so.

They weren't old friends.

Harvey Scott never saw that woman in his life.

Not until after Rick had his accident. Not until after Rick went down to

How unusual.

And how convenient.

A kindred spirit.

Exactly the sort of person who would awaken in Harvey Scott the always hard

-resist urge to prospect.

Buy at mining claims.

Convenient. Convenient that she should cross his path when Rick wasn't around.

When Harvey was running the company, when a merger was taking place.

When it would be so easy, so very easy to make mistakes under cover of that

merger. Now, how did Harvey Scott meet this woman? Did you introduce him?

Me? No, no, not me.

It was Barlow.

Prove, Mr. Barlow.

Prove that you arranged Emma Lou Snyder's meeting with Harvey Scott.

Prove that you arranged for her to rent the house next door.

I... I wasn't... You weren't what?

You weren't expecting Ben to become suspicious?

Weren't expecting that he would have his brother come home to force a stock

distribution that would take control away from the confused old man you were

using as front for your embezzlement?

No, no. But the old man wasn't quite so confused, was he? He realized something

was wrong.

Thought he had inadvertently been wasting company money.

True, he made a harmless mistake or two.

But the big mistakes were really arranged by you, weren't they?

Please. Please, I didn't mean to... Then he took the books home, and the fat was

in a fire.

He was on the verge of discovering the truth.

Not merely the $60 ,000, but the whole truth.

I'd already deposited the money in his account. But then there were other

accounts.

He'd signed certain assignments in other papers, not knowing what they were.

How much were you planning to steal?

A quarter of a million dollars.

And that's what Harvey Scott suddenly stumbled onto?

Yes, he...

He told me on the phone.

He called everyone, everyone concerned to come to the house.

Ben, Ben's wife. He called you.

Well, you were there. You used to hear me arrive.

Did I, Mr. Barlow? The killer arrived before Joanna Monfort.

The killer struck and fatally injured Harvey Scott, ran out the back, then

around the block and arrived in time with everyone else.

But I didn't kill him. No, that was your accomplice, the former bookkeeper who

devised the scheme, who refused to let you give up the chance for a quarter of

million dollars.

Miss Blair, why did Harvey Scott call you to come to the house?

You hadn't worked for the company for over a year. You weren't a stockholder.

You had never been more than a casual friend.

Or was it Barlow who called you?

Barlow who told you that Harvey Scott knew your scheme and was ready to call

authorities.

You couldn't permit that, could you, Pamela?

Even if you had to murder Harvey Scott to prevent it.

Then it was Pamela's silhouette that Emmalou saw in the window shade hitting

Harvey with a poker.

Pamela went in the back, murdered him, came out, drove her car around front

as we were all arriving.

What I don't understand, what made Perry know that Harvey was about to discover

an embezzlement?

Crumpled paper.

What?

When Joanna first saw Harvey, the floor was littered with crumpled pieces of

paper. Paper he'd been figuring on.

When we found Joanna and the dead body, there was no paper.

Now, Pamela knew that the old man had been checking the books. She was afraid

that his notes and figures might tip the truth.

She sure must have gathered that paper up and carted it out in one big hurry.

Not so loud.

By virtue of the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife.