All language subtitles for Perry.Mason.S09E15.The.Case.of.the.Bogus.Buccaneers.DVDRip.x264

Mmm.

It's been a long day, hasn't it?

You've been dishwasher
and housemaid,

chauffeur and
gardener, haven't you?

And in a few moments,

your own buccaneer
will be coming home.

What you need is just a
touch of Bennet magic.

Try Bennet's new
magical Romantique,

at drug stores and
beauty salons everywhere.

Romantique will help you
capture your buccaneer.

Oh, so it's you, huh?

Well, now, that's
a 14-karat surprise.

Well, this is me, Grace.

I wanna know what's
holding up the dough.

Is that so?

Well, I guess I'm just gonna have
to fill you in on a few little facts, baby.

Well, better late
than never, my friend.

- I'm one of the Bennet Buccaneers...
- Yeah, I know, and I'm Little Egypt.

Come on in.

Ma'am, I wonder if you'd mind
answering a few questions for us.

Cut out the dumb act,
baby, and give me the dough.

Look, lady, I gave you everything
I'm supposed to give you.

- You've got my money! Give it to me.
- I don't have anything.

You're a thief! And you've
got it. Now, I know you've got it.

All right.

Okay, you just cool
it, mister. Cool it.

I'm making a phone call.

- Lady, I'm getting out of here.
- Oh, no, you're not.

Operator, quick,
get me the police.

Hold it.

Okay, jump in.

What for? What's up?

Never mind. Come on.

There's another one.

Hold it there.

Halt or I'll fire.

- Hey, what's...?
- Inside.

Now stand over there
with the others, no talking.

You're positive about
the money, Mrs. Webb?

That Knapp woman paid me
her rent a couple of hours ago.

She had a roll of bills,
must have been 4- or $500.

They're clean. Nothing that
could have been a murder weapon.

The murder weapon
was under the body,

a 4-inch steel hook.

V.- Where's Lieutenant Drumm?
- Over there.

Thank you, officer.

- Lieutenant Drumm?
- I'm Lieutenant Drumm.

Oh. I'm Kean. Harlan Kean.

I'm the producer of the
Bennet Buccaneer Show.

You wanted to see me?

I understand you hired these
men. Do you have a list of names?

Oh, yes, of course.
Here. There are six in all.

Lieutenant, I really
ought to call my office.

This is a very sensitive matter.

With the wrong
kind of publicity...

Um, ahem.

Lieutenant, would you mind not
saying anything to the newspapers

until I have time to
prepare a release?

I'll make it worth your while.

This isn't a television
show, Mr. Kean, it's murder.

You sit over there, I'll
call you when I need you.

Look, guy, look, I'm an
actor. I'm in between jobs.

The employment
office put me onto this

because it's like no work,
no check, you follow?

I took it, but I don't know
nothing else, nothing!

Have him join the
others and no talking.

Mrs. Webb.

All right, sergeant.

All right, first man,
Charles Strout,

step forward.

Too tall.

Stand aside.

Second man, Michael Woods.

Well, he's about the right size,

maybe a little chunky.

Did he have any money on him?

Five dollars and 80 cents.

Where's your hook?

Step back.

Next man, Tony Polk.

Well, he stands
sort of like him.

Did he have any money on him?

Three hundred
dollars and 41 cents.

Hey.

Hey, he told me he was broke,

gave me a hard luck story,
that why I gave him the job.

Where did you get
the money, Mr. Polk?

- I borrowed it.
- Where's your hook?

I dropped it. DRUMM: Where?

Look, I don't know.

That's him.

She scratched his face, see?

I saw him hit her with
that hook. I saw him kill her!

Steve, I've been a parole
officer for what, 15 years now?

Yep.

So take it from me, nothing
surprises me anymore.

I see a no-good bum straighten
out and become a mensch, a man.

I see a nice kid from a good family
go from petty theft to grand larceny.

Does it upset me?
Do I worry about it?

It's just part of the job.

I know, Abe. You're
a tough operator,

strictly business, never
get emotionally involved.

In fact, you didn't finance this
sandwich and this cup of coffee

because you wanna
talk about Tony Polk, no.

This is just a, uh,
social call, huh?

So an actor I'm not.

Steve, about this boy, Tony.

All right, he's no angel. He
won't win any medals for tact.

He's got a record.

But a killer?

That that boy killed a
woman, I don't believe it.

Why, Abe, because he's
married and has a baby coming?

That doesn't change the facts.

He ran when a police
officer tried to pick him up.

He had over $300 on him
that he said he borrowed

from an unknown friend.

He left the murder weapon in
the dead woman's apartment.

He was identified by an
eyewitness as the killer.

Every piece fits
neatly in place, huh?

You going to stop looking?

Abe, of course not.

There'll be a
complete investigation.

But I can't invent another suspect
because you decide to ignore the facts.

Abe, he's an ex-con.

He walked into that apartment,
saw a lot of money lying around,

he killed a drunken woman
when she started screaming.

You know what he needs?

A chance to live
that night over again.

Steve, I know what he needs.

And with a little luck and a lot
of nerve, I'm gonna get it for him.

Perry!

I told the cops my story.

I told Abe Heyman.

I told that fuzzy-faced
kid they sent down

from the public
defender's office.

Now you're all ears.

What is this, your day to
show your face to charity cases?

You find some way to write
me off on your income tax?

Or do they give you merit
points at the Bar Association

for making calls on
enemies of the people?

I mean, what's in it for you?

Why are you so
anxious to help me?

Well, give me an answer.

Are you finished? I've heard about
all the hearts and flowers I can take.

- Nobody asked you to listen.
- Sit down.

Sit down.

Now, let's understand
one another.

I'm not here for your sake.

I'm here because Abe Heyman,

a rare man who lives
his job 24 hours a day,

believes in you.

Logic tells me he's
misplaced his trust.

It's clear enough
that you're arrogant,

that you're full of
self-pity, that you're rude...

I don't want any lectures.

Sit down, Mr. Polk.

Now, let's get one
thing out of the way.

Did you kill that woman?

No. I hit her, but not
hard enough to hurt her.

And not with the hook.

- Why did you hit her? TONY:
Look, I'd been to maybe six

or eight other places
with the free samples.

Every one of the people
were surprised to see me

and thanked me
and that was that.

But this dame was a nut.

The TV set was on
to the Buccaneer Show

when she opened the door,

and she acted like
she was expecting me.

She grabbed my samples,
she went tearing through them,

cussing and screaming at me.

She scratched my face, all the
time yelling about her money.

Like I took a dime from her.

- Where did you get the money?
- Look, I served my time

because I ran bets for
a bookie, not for robbery.

You've been out of
work for two months.

You told the man who hired
you that you were broke.

Now, where did
you get that money?

I borrowed it.

Where did you get the money?

I got it from the bookie
I used to work for.

Consorting with felons, it's a
violation of parole for both of us.

But if I rat on the guy, the
cops are gonna be all over him.

Now, he was decent to me. I
don't wanna get him in trouble.

Get him in trouble?

No one could be in
more trouble than you are.

That doesn't make
any difference.

He'd never admit that
he gave me the money

or that he even saw me.

As soon as he reads in the
papers that I've been arrested,

he'll probably take off.

This is the first time you'd
gone out on a promotion.

Who told you what to say?

That Kean fella, the producer.

He gave us a spiel, and
then he handed out the list.

And the name of Grace
Knapp was on your list?

Well, it was on the
one I ended up with.

See, there was this guy,
I think his name's Mike.

And he wanted to
swap lists with me.

He said that he knew somebody
that had a place on my list

and wanted to surprise
them. So we traded.

That's when I got the
Knapp woman's apartment.

Tony, why did you
run from the police?

See, if you've got a record,
you're used to getting bounced

anytime anything goes
wrong within 5 miles of you.

You'd lose your temper,
hit some crazy dame,

cops come at you with
sirens and a spotlight.

I ran.

Mr. Mason, my wife
Beth, this is killing her.

She worked for Abe
Heyman in his office.

Well, Abe okayed
our getting married.

Ever since I walked out of
prison, I've been straight. I paid up.

I've been paying ever since.

Now, Beth's gotta pay.

My baby isn't even born
yet. My baby's gotta pay.

So I swear to
you I'm not guilty.

Beth's all alone. I
mean, she's still a kid.

Hello? I'm sorry, I know it's
late, but is Mr. Mason still there?

This is Beth Polk.
Mrs. Tony Polk.

Hello?

The line's dead.

You let out a scream
and I'll brain you.

Who are you?

Never mind, just
give me the dough.

- Dough?
- Yes, big eyes, the 25,000 bucks.

Pick it up, sister,
I mean right now.

You must be crazy.

I don't know anything
about $25,000.

I don't wanna hurt you.

- I don't want to...
- I don't have any money!

Baby, if you're faking...

Look, I haven't got
all night, you know.

Hey.

I didn't mean to shake you up.

It's my dough and I want it.

I can't find it.

Now, for the last time,
where's the 25 G's?

And I mean now...

You, there! Stay where you are.

We'll have a fingerprint
detail here in a few minutes.

Don't touch anything.

Thank you.

This money he wanted, did he
talk about any particular sum?

He said he wanted $25,000.

Well, he could have made a mistake.
This could be the wrong apartment.

No.

I had the feeling
he knew who I was.

Did he mention Tony by name?

No, I don't think so.

I think we spotted him
out there, but we lost him.

He's still in the
area somewhere.

Don't worry, ma'am,
we'll stick close.

Perry, she can't
stay here alone.

I'll take her home with me.

I still feel there's a
pattern somewhere, Paul.

- I can't put it together, but it's there.
- Mr. Mason, Lieutenant Drumm says

he'll be finished in about five minutes.
- Thank you, sergeant.

Well, Grace Knapp moved
into the apartment three days

before she was killed.

According to the landlady, she
brought nothing with her but luggage.

All right, does that
suggest something?

Obviously the apartment was
a setup, but for what? Murder?

Or something that
backfired into murder.

Of course there's
also the money.

Grace expected Tony,
demanded money.

This man who
attacked Beth last night

demanded money
and thought she had it.

Well, it's not much of a
pattern, but it's all we have.

All right, check the rear
door, the passageway,

and then we'll be through. I
think the... Hello, Perry, Paul.

Thanks for
accommodating us, Steve.

Oh, it's the least
I could do, Perry.

Your client accommodated us,
fingerprints on the inside of the door.

Steve, he didn't
deny being here.

Paul, he denied using the hook on
her, and his fingerprints were all over it.

Oh, lieutenant, found this
on the desk in the bedroom.

Do you have any
information on Grace Knapp?

Where she came from,
what she was doing here?

Your client took
off with her purse,

driver's license,
identification.

We're checking her
laundry marks and luggage.

We ought to hear something
soon. Perry, take a look at that.

If that isn't a piece
of dramatic irony.

She writes a fan letter,

and some guy dressed
in a buccaneer outfit

comes in and kills her.

Now, there's a heck
of a coincidence.

Is it also a coincidence that my
client's wife was attacked last night?

Coincidence or not,
ours is a clear-cut case.

That's a job for
the robbery detail.

Well, thanks, Steve.
We'll keep in touch.

Perry.

I thought you wanted
to look around.

I have. Paul?

Uh, thanks, Steve.

What turned you on?

The pattern, Paul.

The letter, that fits?

Not yet, but it's a piece.

Tony said the TV was on
with the Buccaneer Show.

Tony arrives as a buccaneer.

Grace Knapp writes a
fan letter to the Buccaneer.

It was nice of you to let us
use the fan mail, Mr. Kean.

Glad to do it. Anything to help.

Tell me, how did
Grace Knapp's name

get on your original
master promotion list?

Over 100,000
people sent in cards.

Their names were picked at random
and put on the list for free samples.

Uh, could I see the
card that she mailed in?

Heh, I'm afraid not.

Our mail volume is too
great to hold postal cards.

Keeping track of fan mail
takes a full storage room.

Um, why do you want the card?

Because Grace Knapp was in
that apartment for only three days.

So?

Never mind. Tell me, suppose
she didn't mail in a card.

Could someone else
put her name on the list?

For what possible reason?

Look, Mr. Drake, I feel sorry
for the Polk boy in a way,

but my sponsors are raising the
roof because, through no fault of mine,

we're in the middle of a murder.

Now, I just want to see this
thing cleared up and forgotten.

And so do I, Mr. Kean.

Listen. "Dear Buccaneer,
I can't wait for your show.

You're in my mind constantly,

and I think of you
as my own buccaneer

who someday I will meet."

Hello, Beth. How
are you feeling?

Much better, thanks.

I'm afraid Della's
feeding me too well.

Did you find the letters
from Grace Knapp, beautiful?

No, and we've gone
through hundreds of these.

But we do have
this. Here, read these.

"Dear Buccaneer,

you remind me of Marvin Elders
who used to sit across from me

in plane geometry
at Waterton High."

"I've been telling my wife that
you look just like my sergeant,

and that maybe since
you're in show business,

you've changed your name.

It's been 20 years.

But if you're not
Sergeant Marve Elders,

you look enough like
him to be his brother."

And this tops it.

"Dear Buccaneer, I don't
know if you remember me,

but I could swear I remember
you when we worked in the sawmill.

I forget the last name,

but my chum was
named Marvin or Mervin,

and we were awfully
close back in Waterton."

You've looked through
1950 through 1957.

Want to see more?

Nope, I've seen enough.

- Gee, thanks, mister.
- Thank you.

Uh, where can I make a
collect call around here?

- Collect?
- Uh-huh.

Right there.

Hello?

Oh, yes, put him on.

Hello, Paul, any luck?

Number one,

the Bennet Buccaneer, Martin
Eldridge, was Marvin Elders

before he left the radio
station here five years ago.

Steve Drumm just informed me that
they've finally placed Grace Knapp.

She's from Waterton.

Another one of
those coincidences.

I know that too. But
here's the topper.

The Buccaneer not only had another
name while he was in Waterton...

That's great, Paul.

See you tonight.

Well, once again, it's
time to say goodbye.

Good night, good night.

See you next week.

I thought Mr. Eldridge's
charms didn't reach you, Della.

Well, he's much
better in person.

Ooh. ELDRIDGE: Oh.

Well, hello there.

Mr. Eldridge, I'm Perry Mason.

The lady you've just bumped
into is Miss Street, my secretary.

My pleasure and my
apologies, Miss Street.

Harlan said you'd be
here tonight, Mr. Mason.

Martin, I thought the
tempo of that last num...

Oh, hello.

Oh, this is Mrs. Eldridge.
Ann, this is Miss Street

- Hello.
- And Mr. Mason.

Miss Street and I just
had a very happy accident.

Oh. You should be paid
for doing that on camera.

The other girls get paid.

Mr. Eldridge, I wonder if I might
talk with you for a few minutes.

Pardon me, maybe
later, Mr. Mason.

Did Mr. Kean tell you

that I've taken
Tony Polk's case?

The, uh, boy who was arrested?

Well, uh, can we talk
in my dressing room?

The girls will excuse us.

Excuse me.

Would you care for some coffee?

Was there something
in particular, Mr. Mason?

Did you tell the police you
were married to Grace Knapp?

How did you find that out?

Well, she was blackmailing
you, wasn't she?

You can't imagine the shock,
hearing from her after five years.

She agreed to a divorce when
I left if I gave her everything.

Well, I gave her everything,

and she conveniently forgot
about the Mexican divorce.

I assumed that...

Oh, Mr. Mason, Grace was...

Her death doesn't change
the fact. Grace was a tramp.

She found out where you were

and threatened to
expose you as a bigamist.

Yes.

Ruin my career,
the show, everything.

Mr. Mason, is there any
way I can persuade you

not to say anything?

Just until I can find
a way to tell Ann.

Your wife doesn't know? - No.

No, I didn't wanna tell
her about Grace and me.

I didn't see any reason to.

Think of the position it
would have put her in,

our marriage declared
illegal, publicly.

Who else knows about this?

Harlan. Uh, Mr. Kean.

Well, he knows Grace
was blackmailing me,

but he doesn't know why.

How did he find out
about the blackmail?

I went to him for money.

You paid her off?

Mr. Mason, they
told me you'd arrived.

I'm Harlan Kean.

Martin, I think
you'd better go out.

Ann thinks you should
reshoot the last take.

My star.

Can I pick them or can't I?

I sell everybody on an unknown,

build him into a big name, and all
of a sudden he's being blackmailed

and the woman's murdered.

And you gave him the
money to pay the lady off.

Hmm, I gave him a
loan and a sermon.

I told him I wouldn't try to
satisfy a blackmailer with money.

With what would you satisfy
a blackmailer, Mr. Kean?

I see what you mean, Mr. Mason.

No, no, no, not me. No.

After all, I did give
him the money, didn't I?

How will it affect your show when
it becomes general knowledge

that your star is a bigamist?

A bi...

So that's what she had on him.

That boozy hellion.

One look at her, you could
see she was a nothing.

You knew her, then.

No, Mr. Mason, I didn't
know her. I saw her.

I talked Martin into
going over there with me,

not knowing what
hold she had on him.

And I had a look at her,
then Martin changed his mind,

- wouldn't let me go in and talk to her.
- Thank you, Mr. Kean.

Oh, Mr. Mason.

Just what does it
take to keep you quiet

till this murder
thing's out of the way?

Well, not too much, Mr. Kean.

Only the assurance
that it's in the best interest

of both my client and justice.

- Well, welcome home.
- Hi.

Waterton must have
agreed with you.

- Beth, you're looking fit.
- Well, she ought to.

I've got her on my
prenatal blue-plate special.

Mothers must have their milk.

I got in about an hour ago, and
the office had something for me.

They've been trying to
subpoena the buccaneer

who traded lists with
Tony, Mike Woods,

- but we haven't been able to find him.
- We must find him.

Maybe the
newspapers can help us.

I've already planted a story,
and I have some other plans.

From his landlady, we
got a list of his friends,

and Wood does have some
legitimate claim to being an actor.

He's done six or seven bits
on the Bennet Buccaneer Show.

So we're working
on that aspect too.

There you are.

Now, would you like a
menu or are you just visiting?

Bring him the best
steak in the house.

Now, don't overdo it. If I know
Paul, his expense account will reflect

the arduousness of his labors.

Well, if you've seen this,

you'll wanna buy
me steak for a month.

From the Waterton Times-News.

Grace was as much a bigamist

as Martin Eldridge.

The husband has a record
from bunco to mail fraud.

That's him. I know it's him.

Why are you afraid
of Harlan Kean?

Ann, I owe him a lot.

You owe him nothing. He's
done pretty well for himself.

All he ever thinks
about is the show.

Well, I'm thinking
about you, about us.

Darling, please, let's
stop while we're ahead.

There'll be another
show, another place.

Darling, I have a
contract with Harlan.

I can't walk out.

You have a contract with
me, a marriage contract.

Darling, I've had it with the
Buccaneer, with Harlan Kean,

with those silly women, with
the pressures every week,

and now all this publicity.

We'll talk this
all out, I promise.

Okay, glamour boy,

now you wanna keep
that pretty face of yours,

- better hand over the money.
- What?

Who are you?

The kid they're holding for
murder doesn't have the dough.

Grace was supposed
to get 25 G's from you.

Well, I gave Grace
the money, as agreed.

I don't have the money.

You'd better not be lying

because I'll get back
to you, Buccaneer.

Honey, I'm Mike Woods.
I'm here to read for a part.

Oh, yes, Mr. Woods. Go right in.

Mr. Randolph is expecting you.

How do you do,
Mr. Randolph? I'm Mike Woods.

I know. I've been trying to
get a hold of you for days.

- We're holding a part for you.
- Oh, I'm sorry. I was out of town.

My girlfriend told me
that you asked for me.

I got here as
quickly as I could.

I guess the publicity
didn't hurt anything, did it?

Say, by the way, I've got to
square myself with the DA first.

I've gotta let him know
I'm on hand to testify.

- Sit down, Mike.
- Thank you.

You're gonna read for us.

Uh, this is our producer.

Mike Woods meet Perry Mason.

Mm-hm, yeah, I
might have known it.

Great big agency like this,
you don't have to call me.

Look, I don't have to
stay here, you know.

You're gonna hold me
here, it's just like kidnapping.

We're gonna hand you
a subpoena, Mr. Woods.

After that, you may
depart any time you like.

This will bring you to court.

I'd advise you to
know the right answers.

What answers? I'm clean.

Why did you leave town?

Oh, come on, now, Mr. Mason,

let's not make a great
big deal about this.

I was gonna come back
for the trial. I didn't bug out.

The only reason I did leave
was because of this publicity.

I wanted to see my face
and my name in print, there.

"Young actor missing.

Defense attorney seeks
material witness in murder case."

Huh?

Well, what's the matter?
It worked, didn't it?

Look, an actor goes
on an interview for a job.

Right? You listening?

You know what he hears?

Do you know what
he always hears?

"I'm sorry, we're
looking for a name."

For a name, he's looking.

Now, what is a name? How
does one get a name, huh?

From publicity, that's all.

Because talent
don't mean a thing.

So when this thing comes
along, man, it was made-to-order.

Mike, the night of the murder,

you talked Tony Polk
into trading lists with you.

Yeah, I got a couple
of friends on his route.

I checked out the list. You
weren't known to anyone on it.

Oh, yeah, they moved
just two weeks before.

They didn't get a
chance to let me know.

Oh, you can do
better than that, Mike.

You'd better get
up on your lines

before you get on
that stand under oath.

You know, there's a very
funny thing about us actors.

You take away the script,

man, we are speechless.

Paul?

Let's thank John Randolph
for the use of his office.

All right. Perry, do
you believe Woods?

About his leaving town?

It's a rather dubious story.

Well, at least we found him.

Now, if the police can just
pick up Clayton Douglas...

Well, she was a strange one.

There three days, and
drinking like a fish all the time.

And her TV is turned up so as
I had to bless her out about it.

Never washed a
dish, I don't think.

And always on the telephone.

To top it off, she was
banging that door shut

or opening it for air.

Paul, I don't understand
why Della isn't here.

Well, she told me she was
going over to Beth's place

to get some of her things
before Beth goes to the hospital,

but that was over two hours ago.

I'll go check. Excuse me.

She expected the White House.

And now, Mrs. Webb,
will you tell the court

what you saw on the
night of the murder?

Let's see.

I showed you at the
doors, how hers was open.

She was talking real loud
on the telephone, yelling.

And I started to come out
to tell her to hold it down.

And she just kicked the
door closed in my face.

I mean later, Mrs. Webb.

Please tell us what happened
later when you heard the disturbance

and saw the buccaneer
standing in the doorway.

Well, sir, she was screaming
at the top of her lungs

about him taking her money.

And she swiped him with
those long fingernails of hers,

scratched his face.

And what did he do then,

after she scratched his face?

Well, that was when he hit
her with that thing, that hook.

And she reeled back,
fell down on the sofa,

and she never made
another move after that.

Is that man you saw

leaving the murder room that
night in this courtroom today?

Yes, sir, he is. Right there.

I saw him kill her, all right.

Cross-examine, Mr. Mason.

Mrs. Webb, were you
standing in your doorway

when you saw and
heard all you testified to?

Yes, I was.

Was the door to the
decedent's apartment

wide open or just
partially opened?

Like I showed Mr. Burger,
it was open enough

so as I could see what was
going on, clear and plain.

You saw the defendant
strike the woman with a hook?

Yes, like I said.

In which hand was
he holding the hook?

- The right hand. MASON:
Did he hold it over his head

and strike down with it
or was it held to the side?

I think it was over his head.

But it happened kind of fast.
It might have been to his side.

Mrs. Webb, it had
to be to the side,

since the medical
examiner has testified

that the wound was
horizontal from left to right.

I guess it was to the
side, come to think of it.

But since the hook was held

in the right hand,

he would have had to backhand
the slash to make such a wound.

Yeah.

I remember now.

That's what he did.

His hand was pinned
back against his chest

when she was fighting him,
and he swung it out like that:

Now, Mrs. Webb,

you mentioned that the decedent
was talking on the telephone

shortly before her death,
yelling, I believe you said.

Can you recall the
substance of what you heard?

Something about, "Oh, it's you,"
and, "That's a 14-karat surprise."

What else did you
overhear, Mrs. Webb?

She said, "I wanna know
what's holding up the dough."

Thank you, Mrs. Webb.

Now, would step down, please,
and once more take the same position

at the door that you did
on the night in question?

Now, is the decedent's door open
as it was the night of the murder?

A little more.

All right, now hold the hook
in your right hand, please.

Now, place it across your chest.

Now, backhand with it.

Now, back out of the door,

close it after you
and cross away.

Now, Mrs. Webb,

are you now willing to
retract your testimony?

No. Why?

It was like I said.

Mrs. Webb, you may have thought

you saw all of those
things happen, but in reality,

you must have surmised
that they happened.

It's perfectly obvious that you
could not see the hook at all

when it was held
in the right hand.

You couldn't even see it when
I, standing behind the door,

took the hook away
from the buccaneer

as soon as he put
it in his right hand.

It's a trick. You tricked me!

Call it what you
like, Mrs. Webb.

You couldn't see this
hook in this courtroom

any more than you
could see it that night.

He hit her, she fell down.

And she never made
another move after that.

How would you know, Mrs. Webb?

From the time the
buccaneer apparently struck

till the time the door was fully
closed was almost nine seconds.

Now, for all you know, the
woman could have been up

and yelling on the
telephone the next minute.

You stated flatly

that you saw Tony
Polk kill Grace Knapp.

Are you willing to repeat
that statement now?

Mr. Kean, you want the court

to understand that you
gave Martin Eldridge $25,000

for him to give Grace
Knapp, the decedent,

and that she, in fact,
received that money?

Objection. No foundation
to support the fact

that the decedent
received such a sum.

No such sum was ever
found in the apartment.

Well, of course it
wasn't found, Mr. Mason.

Your Honor, we intend to show

that this buccaneer element
introduced into this case,

including blackmail and related
matters not yet in evidence,

only tend to strengthen
the State's case.

We intend to show

that what happened that
night in that apartment,

when an ex-convict,
down on his luck,

was suddenly confronted
with a large sum of money

guarded only by a
woman, obviously drunk,

could have happened
in any apartment

- under similar circumstances.
- Before you show anything else,

it is necessary to show that the
decedent had received the money.

Objection sustained.

Very well.

Mr. Kean, when did you
give Mr. Eldridge the money?

I gave him a check.

Let's see, it was
the 8th, a Thursday.

I had to transfer
some funds, of course,

to make sure the check was good.

Of course. Did you
do that the same day?

Well, no, it was too late.

Actually, I took care of it the next
day just before the bank closed.

But the check was cashed.

Yes, sir.

Then Martin Eldridge could
not have received the cash

to meet Grace Knapp's
demands until just a few hours

before she herself was killed.

Thank you, Mr. Kean, very
much. That's all I wanna know.

One moment, Mr. Kean.

There is something
I want to know.

You told Mr. Burger about
the fatal door-to-door promotion,

but you didn't mention who
selected the addresses to be visited.

- Now, who did?
- I did.

Was the list available

to a large number of
people in your organization?

No. And the name of the decedent
was not on the list, Mr. Mason.

Could anyone else have
put her name on the list?

No.

Martin, myself and
the buccaneers I hired

were the only people
who had access to the list.

But you did know
where the decedent lived.

- Yes.
- No further questions at this time.

Perry.

No answer at Beth's
apartment or at Della's,

and they haven't been to
the doctor's or the hospital.

That's not like Della.
She would have called.

Now, there's a 2:00 train
leaving here this afternoon,

and I'm going to be
on it with my dough.

Now, Eldridge don't have it,
but I know he got it anted up,

so that kid husband of yours
grabbed it when he killed Grace.

Now, come across.

He didn't kill her.

And he didn't take the
money, and I don't have it.

For the tenth
time, I don't have it!

Now, I want that money.

It's no use, Beth.

Give it to him.

Della.

Come on.

You dirty little liar.

Get it and leave us alone.

It's in here.

Pretty smart. In there, huh?

Where?

Under the sink.

Way under the sink.

I don't see it.

I tell you, Grace and me just
said we were mister and misses

for business reasons.

She didn't wanna get
married again, not even to me.

She was a tough dame.

Just not too sharp
on some things.

I was the one that
recognized Elders.

Or Eldridge as he
calls himself on TV.

She didn't see how that
meant anything at all to her.

I had to line it up for her.

Then the blackmail
scheme was your idea?

Don't try to hang
blackmail onto me.

In this state, Grace was entitled
to half of everything Marvin had.

You knew about his
second marriage, of course.

It was his idea to get
married again, not Grace's.

Listen, with all that
jack he's knocking down,

she only hit him for 25,000.

Mr. Douglas, why did you
break into the Polk apartment

on two occasions
and make threats?

I should have known better.

I took Elder's...
Eldridge's word for it.

I didn't figure
he'd welsh on us.

Welsh? DOUGLAS: Yeah.

Where's the money if Grace got it?
And why did she light into your client

if it was delivered like
it was supposed to be?

Mike, you've
worked several times

as an actor on the Bennet
Buccaneer Show, haven't you?

Yeah, I've worked the show.

Did you happen to become acquainted
with the show's star, Mr. Eldridge?

Well, I spoke to him
sometimes on the set, sure.

Then you would say that you
are acquainted with Mr. Eldridge?

Well, yeah, sure.

Could it be that you became

so well acquainted,
you and Mr. Eldridge,

that he hired you for another
and more confidential kind of work?

I don't know what you mean.

Well, isn't it true that
Mr. Eldridge hired you

to deliver the blackmail
money that night?

Didn't he have you add the
address of the murder apartment

to the list you
traded to Tony Polk?

He told me he was
having a fling with this girl.

He told me he wanted to trick
up a surprise for her birthday.

So I put the address on my list.

Later he gave me this package
to mix in with the free samples.

I was supposed to go
there and give it to her.

You were supposed to?

Why didn't you, Mike?

I don't know.

Did you decide not to go

when you opened the surprise
package and saw the money?

You did open it,
didn't you, Mike?

And when you saw that $25,000,
you just decided to keep it.

And you traded
lists with Tony Polk.

There was no 25,000
in that package.

It was 2,500.

Look, I don't know anything
about any blackmail.

I sure didn't figure
on any murder.

Yeah, I swapped lists with him, sure,
because I figured he was an ex-con.

And then Eldridge, when he found
out that the money wasn't delivered,

I could tell him that some other guy
went to that apartment. But that's all.

Harlan... Mr. Kean had been
telling me all along I couldn't trust her.

So I decided to give
Grace just enough

to, uh, make her
eager for the rest.

I thought maybe I could tease
her into a quiet Mexican divorce.

Then she was killed and...
Well, everyone seemed to think

that whoever had the
money was the murderer,

so I kept quiet.

I suppose there's logic of
a sort to that, Mr. Eldridge.

You sent just enough money,
then, to test her reaction.

Now, let us consider that
Grace Knapp was known

for a quick and violent temper,

and that she received
no money at all that night.

She was hardly the person to hide
her feelings in such a situation, was she?

- Hardly. MASON: And
she had been drinking.

Let me suggest, Mr. Eldridge,
that after her disappointment,

she contacted you and forced you
into an immediate interview in person.

- No. MASON: You've
already admitted

that it was
important, vital to you,

that your second wife remain
ignorant of your bigamous state.

So you went to that apartment,

that only you, Harlan Kean
and Mike Woods knew about,

she flew into a murderous rage,

and you took up the hook
the defendant had dropped,

and you used it.

No, that's impossible.

Impossible? Why impossible?

Well, I told you before, I
was doing a show that night.

We weren't working
at the studio.

We did a live location
stunt, out in the Valley

at the opening of
some shopping center.

There was legal trouble
about a guest spot

and they had to cut it.

When Grace was killed,

I was singing to about
1,500 people out there.

The, uh, live
portion started at...

Um, I think it was at 8:40.

When you drove to the
shopping center for the broadcast,

did you encounter
especially heavy traffic?

Well, uh...

Well, I didn't notice.

I wasn't driving.

Your wife drove you? - No.

I drove with one of
the men in the crew.

We had to go into the studio
for makeup and costume.

My wife always watches
the show at home.

Now, we've heard testimony

that Grace Knapp was
overheard that night

having a very heated
exchange on the telephone,

presumably delivering
some sort of ultimatum.

Now, Mr. Eldridge,

with whom would she most logically
have had that sort of exchange?

I don't know.

Most logically.

Wouldn't it have been with you?

Okay, she called me, all right.

I left my script at the house and
we had to go there and pick it up.

The phone was
ringing when I walked in.

Was your wife aware of the
call and who it was calling?

The show was already starting. I
could hear the music out in the den.

I don't think she even
knew I was in the house.

What did Grace Knapp tell you?

Well, she, uh...

Well, she was
furious, unreasonable.

I tried to tell her that I
did send the money, that...

Well, that there must
have been some mistake.

You mean about the
delivery of the wrong gauntlet?

Yes, I...

Well, she said the
buccaneer had been there.

So after the defendant
left that apartment,

Grace Knapp was still alive?

Your Honor, I strongly object.

Defense counsel is leading
this witness into a conclusion.

Oh, I think the counsel

is within the limits of proper
questioning, Mr. Burger.

Just be careful, Mr. Mason,
you remain within those limits.

Yes, Your Honor. But I must confess
that, worse than leading the witness

into stating a conclusion, I was
leading him into an outright lie.

The telephone conversation
overheard by Mrs. Webb

took place before the defendant's
visit to the murder apartment.

So how do you explain
Grace Knapp's outrage

over the defendant's
failure to deliver the money

some minutes before his arrival.

All right.

I didn't know about the call.

Mrs. Eldridge, your
husband testified

that he received a phone
call from Grace Knapp,

and he contradicted his testimony
and denied knowledge of the call.

But you were there in the house.

I'm going to ask you
for the truth of the matter.

Did your husband
take that phone call?

I want to caution
you, you're under oath.

No.

No, he didn't take
any phone calls.

You took that call
from the decedent

and learned for the first time
that your husband was a bigamist.

Ann, don't say anything else.

You went to the decedent's apartment
after the defendant left, wasn't it?

Yes, I came to give her
what money and jewelry I had.

I couldn't get in touch with
Martin, and I needed time.

I came up the
back as she told me.

She was a wild woman,
drunk and obscene.

She didn't even
look at what I brought.

She showed me
the marriage license

and then she came at
me with that awful hook.

She grabbed me by
the hair. I fought back

and I got the hook from her.

And then I hit her.

I grabbed her purse with
the marriage license in it,

and I ran.

And I've been
running ever since.

I don't care, I'm not even
gonna try to be modest about it.

He's marvelous.

I agree with you, Beth. Look
at the intelligence in those eyes.

That boy has got to be,
at least, a little bit Irish.

Irish he's not.

If he were, he would
have been born talking.

But handsome he is.

Well, it's obvious there aren't
any impartial observers among us,

except me.

And as one of his
three godfathers,

I'll admit to the fact that
he's a very special baby.

Mr. Mason, I'd like
to talk about my bill.

I got it, but it's marked paid.

Now that Abe found
me a job, I can...

Ah, I've talked it over
with Clay and with Abe,

and we decided we
didn't want our godson

starting out with
any liabilities.

Perry Abraham Terrence
Polk starts life free and clear.

Agreed?