Original subtitles

Thank you.

Thank you.

A deal's a deal, Arnold.

In this business or any other.

Would you sell your candy for less if another customer offered to pay more?

If I'd given my word, then you're some kind of a nut.

You call funny, Mr. Arnold?

Yes, Tony. Mr. Purvis can't find his way out. Show him.

I'm not some punk you can shove around, Arnold.

If you deal with another party, you scare me to death.

Carol, talk to him.

After he's out, take over.

I've got an appointment at my place out back.

Perry,

you and I have something to discuss.

Nothing that I know about.

We have nothing to say to one another.

No chance.

Get in there, Arnold.

If you make a sound.

You're sure you know how to use that thing, Chester?

I want that formula back, Arnold.

I've got to have it tonight.

Tonight? Why?

Because Claire has an appointment with her lawyer.

She has to open her personal safe, get out some documents, and she'll see the

formula's gone.

Well, that's too bad.

I guess I'll have to give it to you then.

All right, get up.

Sit down over there.

Get over to my house behind the Royal Beach with the cash or I'll sell to

another buyer.

So it's my considered opinion that all avenues of conciliation should be

explored before bringing the matter into the courts.

Sincerely, etc., etc., etc.

You know, Claire Armstrong is usually punctual right to the minute.

It's 8 .15. She should be here.

What is that?

It's my dessert.

Oh, want some?

Well, I'm glad to see you've abandoned your war on calories.

Oh. There are no calories in this. Claire Armstrong sent it. It's their eat

sweet and thin assortment.

Yes, Perry Mason's office.

Miss Armstrong, where are you?

She's still at home.

Hello, Claire.

The paper's terminating the Purvis contract already.

We'll need the documents from your safe.

Now, how soon can you be here?

No, no, we don't mind waiting.

Now, I'm not convinced you're doing the right thing.

And before it's signed... But, Claire, Ed Purvis knows the business.

Mark Chester doesn't.

Just because you two are getting married, I... Either

we were disconnected or she hung up.

The check.

Like I told you before.

When I do business, I like cash.

Just cash.

Now what are you trying to pull?

We'll see about you and this check.

Hello?

No, no, Claire Armstrong isn't here yet, but we are expecting her.

Is something wrong?

Tell Clarence, this is Wanda.

Wanda Buren?

Candy. Poison.

Poison? In the candy.

Poison. Keep talking, Wanda.

Homicide, please. Emergency.

Paul, it's urgent. Can you come right down?

Wanda, where are you?

Perry's home.

Sick.

What's up?

Yes, I'm holding.

Woman's been poisoned. Perry has her on line two. We need to trace her on her

address. Humpfine's coming in on this line.

Yeah, Perry Mason's got a poison victim on 555 -3539.

Need a trace for the address.

Any idea what condition she's in?

Apparently, she's pretty far gone.

Oh, is that you, Steve?

Keep talking, Wanda.

Please, you must keep talking.

Got it. She's listed.

Sick. Oh, so sick.

Cut off.

All right, let me have it, Paul.

She hung up, Steve, but we have the address.

Yes, it's 860 -62 Royal Beach Road.

Her name is Wanda Buren.

Can you meet us there and take care of the ambulance?

Right, Perry.

I'm about 15 to 20 minutes away, but I'll have a car there in five.

Tell her, call Claire.

Tell her we're on our way to Wanda's. She may want to meet us there.

Well, it's 20 minutes since we left the office.

We're almost there.

Why'd she call you?

She knew Claire Armstrong had an appointment with me.

She moved two weeks ago. Nobody knows where.

Paul, get Della on the mobile phone.

She can ask Claire for Wanda's new address.

We're checking with Sacramento. She may have changed the address on her driver's

license.

What gives, Perry?

All I know is the girl said she was poisoned and needed help.

Who is she?

Secretary of a client of mine. Hi, Della. Perry wants... I've been trying

Claire ever since you left, and there's no answer.

Well, when Perry talked to her, Claire said she was home. So keep trying,

beautiful.

Dulles says Claire doesn't answer. I told her to keep ringing.

Oh,

Wanda has a phone. We know that much. Check the information.

Sacramento reports no operator's license issued to Wanda Buren.

We are now checking... What is it? Is someone hurt?

No, everything's under control, sir. Now, would you all please go back to

homes? Thank you.

All right, folks, let's go. Let's break it up, please. It's all over. Let's go

inside, please. Thank you.

That's right.

Wanda Buren.

Okay, I got it. Thank you.

Here's the address, Steve.

It's a mile down the road.

Here's the manager, Lieutenant.

Quickly. Oh, I'm trying to find the right gene.

I swear.

You're still alive.

Pulse is up.

Poison?

I don't know. Get the oxygen up here. I'll help you.

Give me some wet towels. Hot and cold.

Sergeant Bryce, call the crime lab. I want prints, pictures, everything.

Right. Tell those people outside to clear the hall, huh?

Come on, lady, don't just stand there. Towels, please.

Don't touch that, madam.

We don't want anything disturbed.

I was only trying to straighten the place up. It's a mess.

Where do you want the oxygen?

Right over here, please.

Wait a minute, officers.

Push the right button and open this up. Just a second, friend.

I'm not your friend.

I said open it.

Now, which one of you is Harry Arnold?

He's not here.

Where is he?

He had a business appointment in the bungalow out back.

Check the bungalow.

Lieutenant. All for you. Homicide at the Royal Beach.

That's all I need to make my night complete.

Got a drum?

Yeah.

Who?

Okay, we're about a mile from there right now. We'll pick it up.

Two -bit gambler named Harry Arnold was killed.

Huh?

Caught her on the spot, huh? Good.

What's her name?

Claire...

Armstrong.

I did this to Mark Perry. I wanted him to stand on his own two feet, to be a

man, to accept responsibility before we were married. I thought it was

important. And that's why you trusted him with the combination of your

safe. Why you were ready to let him run your business.

Claire.

How long have you known Mark Chester?

Three months.

But that's long enough to know someone, to love them.

Mark is the first man who was ever interested in me as a woman.

I've been married to a candy company.

I know how important Mark Chester is to you.

But to blame yourself for driving him to murder, well, that's sheer fantasy.

I didn't say he murdered Harry Arnold.

But you think he did.

No.

Oh, if you knew him. If you really knew him.

Oh, I don't know what I think.

I know what I think.

You're not helping Mark by trying to protect him. And you are hurting

You're facing a charge for murder, not double parking.

I didn't kill Harry Arnold. You know that.

Claire, your gun was the murder weapon.

You were caught leaving the scene.

What am I going to do?

You're going to go back over everything until we find some answers.

Tony Earl, the manager at the Royal Beach, said Harry Arnold had your candy

formula and you wanted it back.

That formula is my company, Perry. I couldn't let him sell it to anyone else.

Now you say he got it from your fiancé, Mark, as security for his gambling loan.

The call came from Harry Arnold just as I was leaving my office to keep the

appointment with you.

And that was the first time you knew the formula had been taken?

I was frantic. I went to the safe and found it was gone.

And then I called you and said I'd be late.

You know, I just remembered something.

That phone call from Harry Arnold, it was very strange.

He spoke as if, well, as if we'd talked before.

So you checked the safe, called me, then went to Arnold's place.

No one answered the door, but it was open and the lights were on, so I...

I walked on in.

There was a man lying on the floor.

It was dead.

I knew it must be Arnold.

And then I... I recognized the gun was on the table. It was my gun.

There was only one way it could have gotten there.

Mark?

He knew where I kept it, in my office.

My only thought then was that I had to protect him. You didn't look for the

formula. No, I heard someone running toward the office. I picked up the gun

put it in my purse and ran out.

That's when the police grabbed me.

Oh, please, Perry, you've got to find Mark. You've got to help him. Claire,

you're the one who needs help.

If Mark didn't kill Harry Arnold, why has he run away?

And more important, who did use your gun on Harry Arnold?

I can't believe it. Why would anyone want to kill me?

Well, it's a good thing you remembered Claire's appointment with Mr. Mason.

That call undoubtedly saved your life.

And the poison was in the candy.

You and Claire Armstrong are cousins, aren't you?

Yes, but we were brought up like sisters by our grandmother.

Our parents died together in a hotel fire.

Well, then the formula, the candy queen formula, was left to you by your

grandmother.

Grandma made the candy in the kitchen.

Claire and I used to sell it. We were little girls.

Then when I was 17, I left to get married.

Grandma died and Claire inherited the formula.

And that made her the candy queen.

Neither of us had any idea how valuable the formula would turn out to be.

It wasn't until Ed Purvis came along.

He saw the possibilities and he built Candy Queen into big business.

Now she's repaying him by canceling his contract.

Losing his job and Claire all at once.

Is Ed Purvis in love with Claire?

Not really. He was just infatuated with her.

How can you be so sure?

Because when Mark came along, Ed began to notice me.

Right away.

And I certainly didn't encourage him.

Wanda, where did you get the candy?

We all get samples of any new assortment and give our opinions on it before it's

put on the market.

No, Wade, I see what you mean, but it's impossible.

I can't imagine who would want to kill me.

Then you can't think of anyone who'd have a reason.

Yes. Someone you know poisoned that box of candy.

I suppose, Mr. Purvis, you wanted to poison someone.

Now, wait just a minute. Hypothetical situation.

Whoever tried to kill Wanda Buren put the poison in the sample candy.

How? Well, it couldn't have happened in the plant.

Our production control is too closely supervised.

Access to this area is strictly controlled?

Yes. Selected personnel only. No exceptions.

Of course, Mark Chester's been an exception for the past few months.

I raised the roof about it, but Claire wouldn't budge. Is that what provoked

your break with Claire?

I didn't break with Claire. She broke with me.

What a thanks to dear Mark.

What a woman like her could see in that chiseling, no good little phony... I

gather from Claire that you went to some pains to make your feelings known.

Why shouldn't I?

Actually, didn't I owe it to her after I found out about him?

Listen, Mr. Mason.

One night I was out entertaining a couple of chain buyers.

We had some girls with us from Carol Olin's charm school. You know, that

agency?

Well, anyway...

One of the girls suggested that we drop into the Royal Beach for some action.

Well, the buyers went for it.

And there we were in the joint.

One look at the girls, and the maitre d' let us right into the casino.

I knew what that meant.

What did it mean?

The girls were stirrers for the house. You know, bring in a customer, collect a

piece of the action.

Well, anyway, guess who was there with Carol Olin herself, dropping a bundle at

the dice table?

Mark Chastain. In the flesh.

I did some checking.

Carol was Chester's girlfriend before Claire met him.

And it was pretty obvious to me she still was.

You seem to know a lot about Carol Olin.

Well, I met her at a party and had a couple of dates with her.

Did you by chance go to the Royal Beach with her?

Yes, as a matter of fact, she took me there.

Say, look, why am I being cross -examined?

Sorry if it sounded that way.

Now, let's get back to Carol and Chester.

You found out about them and you went to Claire with what you knew?

Claire hit the ceiling, but not at Mark Chester, at me.

That's when she had you draw up the papers terminating my contract.

Now, Tony Earl told the police that you were in the Royal Beach last night and

that you had an argument with Arnold just before he was killed.

You weren't still checking up on Mark Chester?

No, no, I wasn't.

Harry Arnold was a cheap chiseler and I told him so to his face.

But if you're suggesting that I had anything to do with his murder... Did I

suggest that?

One, two, three, pivot.

One, two, three, pivot.

Pivot.

One, two, three, pivot.

Pivot.

One, two, three, pivot.

One, two, three, pivot. Mr. Drake?

One, two, three, pivot. Mr. Drake? Pivot.

Pivot. I think we can talk a little bit better in here.

Pivot.

One, two, three, pivot.

One, two.

You're a private detective.

That's right.

I'm making an investigation for Perry Mason regarding Miss Claire Armstrong.

Should that mean something to me?

Look, Miss Olin.

Do we kid around for a while or do you want to play it straight?

I'll let you call it.

Straight. Good. That'll save us a lot of time.

Now, we know that you were Mark Chester's girlfriend and that you

into Harry Arnold's casino.

What we want to know is, where's Mark now?

Even if I knew, why should I tell you?

Again, you called it.

Because we need Mark's answers to some questions.

And if we don't have Mark, we'll have to get the answers some other way.

Such as subpoenaing witnesses like yourself.

And in that case, it's just possible that someone might bring up your

with Harry Arnold.

I think the police might be interested.

The school's clean.

I'll buy that.

But the school's reputation depends on your reputation, doesn't it?

I get the picture.

Look, I'd help you if I could, but I honestly don't know where he is.

Have you seen him since the murder last week?

Yeah.

Yeah, Mark came over to my place last night.

Harry Arnold cleaned him out.

He needed money.

You gave it to him?

Where was he going?

I don't know.

Look, that's the whole bit. That's everything I know.

That's not very much help.

I'll tell you what.

I've got a little more than an hour to pick up a subpoena.

It's up to you to decide whether it's for you or for Mark Chester.

If you happen to get a hunch, you can reach me at Clay's Grill.

And if I don't hear from you, I'll see you in court.

Mr. Purvis, please.

Hello, it's Carol.

Well, you certainly had time enough to talk to me when you wanted to get to

Harry Arnold.

Look, all I know is a private detective has been asking questions.

And there's only one way he could have gotten to me, through you.

Now, I'm giving you fair warning, Purvis.

If they start putting the pressure on me, I'm going to tell everything I know.

It seems to me, Paulie boy, it's a sin and a shame prosecuting that lady for

killing a crooked gambler.

And if you were the district attorney?

I'd pay her a bounty, like they do for wolves or coyotes or other beasts of

prey.

Clay, I didn't know you were a loser.

Never bet.

Except on the horses.

And only on my lucky day.

And what day is that?

St. Patrick's Day.

What else?

Last March.

I bought myself a beautiful green fedora in honor of the occasion.

I sallied out as proud as you could be.

And the wind lifted right off my head.

Doesn't exactly sound like a lucky day. Wait. A little Mexican boy brought it

back to me.

Unharmed. I tipped him liberally in my usual fashion.

Went out to the track and who do you suppose was entered in the fourth race?

I can't wait to hear.

A little speed burner named Hats Off.

who no doubt paid a hundred to one.

He never left the gate.

And the winner was?

Sombrero.

The portents were all there.

It was merely a matter of proper interpretation.

Talking to Carol.

Looks like you got her kind of upset.

No.

When I left, I thought she was cool, composed, and completely devoid of

information.

Well, court opened this morning.

She'll make us a charming witness.

Subpoena for Carol?

Mm -hmm.

Don't serve it.

Any reason why I shouldn't?

Maybe.

Guy you're looking for happened to drop something to Carol.

He asked about a fellow who used to run a private game at a cabin up in Rosita

Canyon.

Great spot.

Never a raid shut at this time of year.

Now there's a chance.

What's the address?

We got a deal?

First, let's see if Mark's there.

Now, Lieutenant, I call your attention to States Exhibit A.

Are you able to recognize this weapon as the one used to murder the decedent

Harry Arnold?

Yes, this is the weapon that was used that fired the two shots.

One in the heart and one in the abdomen.

Were the police able to raise any fingerprints on this weapon?

No, sir.

Were you able to establish the ownership of the weapon?

Yes. It's registered to the defendant, Claire Armstrong.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Your witness.

No questions.

Very well.

You may step down, Lieutenant.

Call your next witness, Mr. Berger.

The state calls Mr. Edward Purvis.

And Mr. Purvis, referring to the so -called Candy Queen formula, which was

allegedly given to the decedent Harry Arnold, would it be possible for you to

put a monetary value on that formula?

Well, we have a $4 million business, and it's growing bigger every year.

A lot of people try to duplicate our candy. They can't. We use our own blend

substitutes for the basic ingredients.

This process retains the rich, creamy taste, yet practically eliminates the

-calorie content.

Then it would be correct to say that your process is similar in value to the

secret formulas of certain soft drinks and perfumes.

That's it exactly, yes. It's worth a fortune.

Thank you, Mr. Purvis. Your explanation has been most helpful, sir.

Call some phone. It's urgent.

Mr. Mason, will you cross -examine?

If it please the court, I have a phone call that has a vital bearing on this

case, if I might be excused. Very well.

Court will adjourn until 2 o 'clock this afternoon.

Yes, Paul.

Where are you?

Up in Rosita Canyon.

We found our man thanks to Tony Earl.

Does Chester know you spotted him?

When I could see through a cabin window, he doesn't even know it's daytime.

He's passed out on the couch and there are a bunch of empty gin bottles lying

around. I came down the hill to get my car. I'm on the way back up to the cabin

now. I'll try and wake him up and get him talkative by the time you get here.

Claire's lawyer?

I'm Perry Mason, Mark.

Well, what do you want from me?

Your testimony for her defense.

I told your friends here I can't do anything but hurt her.

Clara's gun killed Harry Arnold.

She said she found him dead in the gun beside him.

Now you knew where she kept that gun. Did you take it?

I didn't kill him.

I just used it to threaten him.

Get Clara's formula back.

All that happened was he took the gun away from me.

What happened after that?

Telephone to Claire.

I went to her office to try to stop her, but she'd already gone.

So, I drove back to Harry Arnold's.

I... I can't testify to what I saw there, Mr. Mason.

What did you see?

Claire standing over Harry Arnold's body.

With a gun in her hand.

Can you understand what that did to me?

The only woman in the whole world who didn't want something. Who'd try to give

me a break.

And I'd... I'd driven her to murder.

You're sure Clara killed him?

Didn't she?

Mark, with your testimony, we can establish reasonable doubt.

Possibly a good deal more.

Now, when you drove back, when you walked to the bungalow, did you hear any

shots? No.

I hadn't thought of that before.

That's strange.

Why didn't I hear a shot?

Come back with us, Mark.

Turn yourself in voluntarily.

It'll do Claire a lot more good that way than if the police pick you up. And

they will.

After all she tried to do for you.

Don't you owe her that much?

What should I say?

Just tell the truth.

The exact truth.

it cleaned up.

This guy's a weak sister, Perry.

I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw this cabin.

And you had been instructed by Harry Arnold himself to extend credit to Mark

Chester on the gambling tables?

Yeah, that's right.

How much did this credit amount to?

About 40 G's.

$40 ,000 without security?

Well, he had the formula.

You mean the candy queen formula that Mark Chester took from Claire

safe? Yeah, that's right. Mr. Arnold took it as a marker for the 40 Gs.

If you can tell us of your own knowledge, Mr. Earl, would you mind

this court how in the world your late employer ever expected to collect a

gambling debt secured in that fashion?

Well, if this Chester didn't come up with the money, he'd hit up the candy

herself.

I see.

Cross -example.

Mr. Earl.

a novice when it comes to gambling operations.

I wonder if you could fill me in a little.

How do you feel about extending credit to players?

That's bad.

It lets a guy take a bat and get in over his head.

It hurts business.

A word gets around, scares off the little shooter and brings on the cops.

Little shooter?

You mean a patron who wins or loses a few dollars?

Yeah, yeah. They're our bread and butter.

You see, you can't live on high rollers. You've got to have volume. You make

out, you know, on the percentages.

Then as casino manager, what was your reaction when Harry Arnold told you to

extend $40 ,000 credit to Mark Chester? I figured he was setting them up. For

what? He wanted that formula.

Why?

Why would a nightclub owner operating an illegal gambling casino be so anxious

to get hold of a candy recipe?

How would he even know about it or appreciate its value?

Somebody must have told him.

No further questions.

Your Honor, the state calls Mr. Mark Chester to the stand.

Mark, thank you for coming back.

It took a lot of...

He knew I needed him.

I do.

State your name.

Mark Chester. So, you had lost all this money gambling in Harry Arnold's casino,

and you wanted a chance to get even, and then Harry Arnold offered to extend you

credits? On what condition, Mr. Chester?

He wanted me to give him a marker.

Something he could hold for security. Now, were you the one who suggested

him the candy queen formula?

No, sir. That was Mr. Arnold's idea.

At the time, I didn't even know about the formula or where it was.

But apparently, Harry Arnold knew about it. He also told you where it could be

found. Yes, sir, in Clara's personal safe.

A safe to which only you and she had the combination.

Yes, sir.

I think that'll be all, Mr. Chester.

One further question, sir.

On the night of the murder, were you in the Royal Beach Gambling Casino?

No, sir.

Were you in the bungalow of Harry Arnold behind the Royal Beach Casino?

No, sir.

At no time that night in either place?

No, sir.

That'll be all.

Harry, what's he doing? He was there. He had to be.

He admitted to us he was there.

I knew it. I knew it all along.

So, you weren't anywhere near the Royal Beach the night of the murder, is that

right? Yes, sir.

How fortunate.

Then you couldn't have taken the defendant's gun and gone there to

Harry Arnold in order to retrieve the formula.

No, sir.

So, Harry Arnold couldn't have taken Claire's gun away from you, then called

Claire to tell her what was happening?

No. What kind of a man are you, Mr. Chester?

Do you want to put Claire Armstrong in the gas chamber?

Your Honor, I object. Counsel has no right. Mr. Mason, this kind of badgering

a witness is inexcusable.

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

I have only one more question of this witness.

Isn't it true that only this afternoon, in the presence of Paul Drake and

myself, you stated... And that's all. No further questions.

After all Claire did for him, how could he do that to her?

How could any man... Man?

You use the term loosely, beautiful.

You can smell a rat like that. I knew it when we picked Mark up at the cabin.

Well, what can we do for her now?

What can anybody do?

Well, I don't know what you're going to do, but I know what I'm going to do.

What's that?

I have a piece of candy.

That is, if there's any left of your candy queen assortment.

Are you sure you wouldn't rather have a roast beef sandwich?

Rare on rye.

Candy.

Anything you'd like me to do, Perry?

Oh, yes, there is, Paul.

If you hurry, you can make it to the closest candy queen shop. This is the

assortment I want.

You're right, Della.

Clara's candy is delicious.

Oh, let's see.

Opera cream.

Excellent.

Now, Mr. Purvis, I believe you told Mr. Berger and the court that your

promotional ideas and endeavors were what made Clara Armstrong's company what

is today.

Is that correct?

Well... Yes, that's about it.

When I first met Claire, all she had was her formula and a little candy store

about the size of a phone booth.

Would you say, then, that the Candy Queen success story was a 50 -50 blend

Claire's low -calorie formula and your merchandising ability?

I think that might be a fair estimate, yes.

And wouldn't $40 ,000 be a pretty cheap price for the return of the formula?

If you had to buy it back from someone, yes.

How much did you offer for it, Mr. Purvis?

Oh, just a minute.

Your Honor, I object.

During my direct examination of this witness, no mention was made at any time

any such offer.

How can counsel now... Your Honor, in view of the statements made by Mr.

Chester, the defense contends that the involvement of Mark Chester with the

decedent and the subsequent passing over of the formula was a carefully

engineered plot by a third party. If so...

Evidence of this is of the utmost importance to the defense of my client.

feel you could substantiate such allegations?

Yes, Your Honor. Very well.

I'm going to let him continue, Mr. Berger.

Yes, Your Honor.

Now then, Mr. Purvis.

We've heard testimony that Harry Arnold disliked extending credit to his

customers. Then along comes Mark Chester.

And credit is extended to him for $40 ,000.

Doesn't that seem strange?

I don't know anything about how Harry Arnold did business.

Really? All right, now.

Mark Chester has testified that it was Harry Arnold who suggested Claire

Armstrong's formula be used as security.

He even told Chester where to find it.

How would Harry Arnold, a gambler, know that?

How should I know? Only one person could have told him.

The only person who had a reason. You, Mr. Purvis. I?

Now, what reason would I have?

You were being fired by Claire Armstrong.

But with her formulas, you could walk into any candy company in the world

No.

A lady friend arranged for you to meet Harry Arnold, didn't she?

Yes, I did arrange to get to Harry Arnold.

I told him about the formula and that I'd buy it from him. But not for the

reason you say.

What was your reason?

Because Candy Queen was as much my company as Claire's.

Because she was kicking everything down the drain for both of us.

For a cheap, gutless little parasite.

Well, I had to do something, Mr. Mason.

I had to show him up to her for what he was. Before it was too late.

Before she married him. So you made an arrangement with Harry Arnold to get the

formula for you.

Only to bring it in and throw it on Claire's desk and tell her how I'd

it. But what, Mr. Purvis?

But Harry Arnold ratted on the deal.

He knew how much money I had, but he thought he could get more from Claire.

So I called the police. I thought that if they raided him and closed him up

before he could deal with Claire, I might still get it from him. And that's

truth.

All of it.

I only hoped I wouldn't hurt Claire for all and...

No further questions.

No questions, Your Honor.

Witness may step down.

Your Honor, there's one aspect of this affair that hasn't been dealt with.

This is more than a murder case.

It also involves the attempted murder of Wanda Buren.

Your Honor, for purposes of this hearing, the state has studiously

mentioning the case that Mr. Mason now refers to.

Because there is absolutely no evidence to support his allegation that one

matter is related to the other. With the court's permission, I believe I can

connect the two.

Very well. Call your witness, Mr. Mason.

Now, Wanda, it's our contention that whoever tried to kill you was the

chocolates.

also succeeded in killing Harry Arnold that same evening.

Now, do you know of anyone who had reason to wish you dead?

No.

No.

Some who didn't like me, but for anyone who wanted to murder me.

With your cooperation, I think we might be able to identify the poisoner.

Will you help us?

If I can.

Good.

Wanda...

What did you think when your cousin Claire told you she was releasing Ed

I thought it was terrible.

A man like that, all he'd done for her.

He's worth ten Mark Chesters.

Wanda, I have here a box of chocolates identical to the

one you... received the day Harry Arnold was killed.

Now, this is very important.

I want you to try to remember the order in which you ate those pieces of candy

that night.

Well, I seem to remember... I think the first one was an opera

cream. An opera cream. Now, let's see. Would that be this one?

Yes, it looks like it. Now, just take a small bite. You don't have to eat it

all.

You know, if you had inherited your grandmother's formula instead of Claire,

then it might have been you and Ed Purvis who built the company.

You'd have been the candy queen.

Funny how things work out sometimes.

Opera cream?

Yes. Good.

Now, what was the next piece you ate?

It might have been a lemon jelly.

Now, which one would you say is lemon jelly?

Are you right?

No, that's chocolate mocha.

One out of two, that's not bad.

Now, try this one.

Something wrong with it, Wanda?

Yes, it's bitter, isn't it?

That's one of the pieces I filled with veranol. You knew it tasted bad

immediately.

Yet you've tried to tell this court that you ate five pieces of candy filled

with veranol, one right after the other.

And you didn't realize they'd been poisoned.

No. And what did happen?

Didn't you take the veranol yourself after you called my office thinking

would be there?

No. You doctored the remaining candy with veranol.

It's not true.

I didn't even know him. I had no reason.

But you did know him.

When Harry Arnold called the defendant on the night of his murder, he indicated

that he'd talked to her before.

Now he hadn't.

He talked to you. You, posing as Claire.

And when you went to his bungalow to pick up the formula, you just couldn't

bring off the impersonation.

He saw her picture on the box of candy.

You were about to lose everything.

Ed Purvis, a chance at the formula you believed was yours, even the security of

your job.

All of it would have been lost as soon as Harry Arnold notified your cousin.

The check. He wouldn't take the check.

The defendant's gun was there.

Harry Arnold had taken it away from Mark Chester.

How could you possibly know?

You made one mistake, Wanda. When you made the call to my office from Harry

Arnold's, you hung up the phone.

But when we found you at home, unconscious, the phone was off the hook.

The formula was mine, too, just as much as hers.

It came from me. I know he did.

He didn't say it, but I know he did.

We could have gone away someplace together.

Why does she always have everything?

You've got it all again, haven't you, Claire?

Like always, you've got it all.

Hate you.

I hate you. I hate you.

Bon voyage, Claire. Have a wonderful cruise. Thank you,

Della. Two whole weeks. Time to forget everything.

Well, don't forget you still have a business.

Since Paul found your formula in Wanda's apartment.

Oh, I'm sorry he didn't make it for a goodbye drink. I wanted to thank him.

I drew up an extension on Ed Purvis' contract.

Would you like to sign it?

I mean... What'll I tell Ed?

Just give him this.

Right.

We've got to run.

Thank you both so much for coming.

Well, you finally made it out.

Yeah, by bribing my way aboard. Oh, this is for you. Oh, thank you, Paul.

Not a box of candy.

Paul, how did you know? It's exactly what I needed.