Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 1, Episode 3 - The Case of the Nervous Accomplice - full transcript

Thank you.

Oh, did you include the paragraph
on the cost of the drilling rig?

And the estimates of the well in case
it has to go deeper than 5,000 feet?

- Yes, sir.
- Good.

You wanna see if this covers it,
Miss Howard?

Thank you.

I think this ought to be a very
profitable investment

for both of us, Miss Howard,
and I hope...

Now, remember, this is the last time
you come here.

Well, all right, Bruce. If that's the way
you feel, I'll stay out of your way.

I just wanted to make sure we had
everything down in black and white.



Roxy.

- Change your mind? Ha-ha.
- I ought to kill you.

Do you see the model house,
Mr. Mason?

Yes.

Well, now look
at the swimming pool.

Now do you see the girl?

- Quite a bit of her, as a matter of fact.
- That's Roxy Howard.

She go with the model house?

No, Mr. Mason.
She goes with my husband.

You come up here quite often,
Mrs. Granger?

I guess you think it's wrong of me
spying on them like this.

No, not wrong.
Just very cruel to yourself.

I thought so too at first.

I never knew that hate had a taste
all of its own



that kind of fills your throat
and chokes you.

But it doesn't get you back
the man you love.

Mr. Mason, that's why I asked you
to come up here.

Plainly because I thought if you saw
what I was fighting

that maybe you'd take my case.

There are any number
of good divorce lawyers.

I don't want a divorce. I want Bruce.

Oh, Mr. Mason,
he's worth fighting for.

You just can't give up
15 years of married life,

of love and companionship,
of being part of another person,

just because one of you
makes a silly mistake.

You're a very unusual woman.

No, just a woman
who wants her husband.

What would you like me to do?

Do you see all this property,
Mr. Mason?

All of this property belongs to the
Sylvan Glade Development Company

- Did they put up the model home?
- Yes, but that's as far as they'll go.

They think they found oil
on the property now.

What's all this got to do
with Miss Howard?

Well, the Sylvan Glade Company
didn't have enough money to drill

so Miss Howard persuaded
my husband to finance the operation.

And if they find oil on the property,
she gets half his profits.

Not bad.

- She own that model home?
- No, they're just letting her live in it.

I understand she has a very good
friend in the company.

- Any idea who this friend is?
- No.

Apparently Miss Howard
has thought of everything.

Not quite.

Not if I can get you to block the deal.

How do you expect me to do that?

By buying stock
in the Sylvan Glade Company.

Oh, I'll put up the money. But once
you're a stockholder, you'll find a way.

You believe that if Miss Howard

can't realise a fast profit on your
husband, the romance will sour.

That's right and then she'll play
the part of the nagging wife.

And when she does,
I'll be there waiting

with laughter and companionship.

And I'll be playing the part
of the other woman.

What if your husband finds out?

Oh, but he mustn't find out.
That would ruin everything.

That's why I want you to do this all
in your name.

Well, Mr. Mason?

- I'll do everything I can to help.
- Oh, thank you.

But buying that stock
could prove very expensive.

I'll get the money for it somehow.

Where's your son-in-law, Lutts?
We wanna start the meeting.

Oh, Herbert. Will you come on out
here so we can get down to business?

Sorry. I was just getting
the minutes in order.

Well, now, before Herbert
reads the minutes

of our Sylvan Glade
Development Company,

I have a couple
of announcements to make.

I've asked Mr. Granger
and Miss Howard

to attend this meeting so we can close
the oil deal that we have with them.

We also have another guest,
Mr. Perry Mason.

What's he doing here?

Mr. Mason has bought
some of my stock in the corporation.

Wait a minute, he's a lawyer,
isn't he?

- That's right.
- Who are you representing?

The stock is in my name.

Well, you're representing somebody.
You didn't just drop out of thin air.

Oh, Sam Elkins. For once,
let's have a meeting

without all the fuss and feathers.
We've got important business here.

Business that means money
in all our pockets.

Now, Mr. Granger here is prepared
to finance our drilling operations

as soon as we've passed
a corporate resolution

to exploit the oil and mineral rights
of our county property.

- We have agreed that, in exchange...
- Uh, Mr. Chairman.

- Excuse me.
- Yes?

I'm confused.

I was under the impression
you were going to subdivide

that county property
for tract houses.

I don't care
what your impression was.

We're here to talk money,
not impressions, and oil is money.

And how do we know
there really is oil?

Most speculative.

- How many shares does he have?
- Let's vote him out of the room.

I move we proceed at once

to exploit the mineral and oil rights
of our tract number 136.

Wait, before you vote,

better have a look at your corporate
bylaws, Paragraph 2, Section 16.

"It will be binding
upon this corporation

to secure the unanimous consent
of all stockholders

before undertaking any activity
not specifically identified

with the construction
of home dwelling units

and the acquisition
of property therefore."

I am unalterably opposed
to the business

now before this board.
Good day, gentlemen.

Can he do this to us?

How much did he pay you
for those shares?

- Why, that's none of your business.
- It's all of our business.

If you hadn't let him buy in,
this wouldn't have happened.

Well, they're my shares
I can do what I like with them.

Suppose there is no oil?
I've got to protect myself.

- And sell us down the river, is that it?
- Yes.

- Maybe you and Mason...
- Where do you think you're going?

Isn't it obvious? The deal's off.

Oh, no, it isn't.
They'll figure something out.

As far as we're concerned,
the deal is still on

unless you want me to do business
with your wife.

Listen to me, Mr. Mason. I need
that stock. I've got to get it back.

I'll give you $36,000...

Hello? Mr. Mason. Hello? Hello?

He won't even listen to me.

He can make 10 percent
on his investment in one day

and he won't even listen to me.

Papa, don't get so excited.
It's bad for you.

Come on, eat your dinner
before it gets cold.

What does the man want?
What's he trying to do to me?

Oh, so you had to buy steak
at $1.34 a pound.

What's the matter with you?
You think I'm made of money?

- Oh, please.
- Isn't it enough that I feed you

and your husband, and clothe you,
let you live in my house rent-free?

Do you have to bleed me dry?

Vinnie didn't mean any harm,
George.

Oh, you keep out of this.
Oh, I don't know. I don't understand.

Everybody tries to take advantage
of me. You, Elkins, Mason.

Did Mason say why he wouldn't
sell the stock back to you?

Oh, some nonsense

about wanting to keep the property
clear for development. Ha.

But, Herbert, you're always out there,
fixing up that model house.

You ever seen Mason
hanging around?

- No, not that I remember.
- Ever see anybody?

What about Mrs. Granger, Herbert?

Sybil Granger?
Bruce Granger's wife?

- It's nothing. Forget it.
- What do you mean forget it?

- Did you see her there or didn't you?
- Yeah.

Every day last week, wasn't it?

- Oh, Vinnie, please.
- But you told me.

Papa, she's up there
every afternoon on the hilltop

in back of the model house.

She watches it with binoculars.

- The house?
- Mm-hm.

Well, there's nothing
to see at the house...

Wait a minute. We're letting
Roxy Howard live at the house.

And Bruce Granger's
been paying her a lot of attention.

He's up there too, Papa.
Herbert has seen him.

- Why didn't you tell me this before?
- I didn't think it was important.

- My hind foot.
- Papa, your dinner.

Keep it warm.

Vinnie, I wish you hadn't said
anything about this.

Why not?
At least it got his mind off the steak.

Hello, Sam? George Lutts.

No, no. I haven't got
the stock back yet, but I will.

Now, listen.
You have bank connections.

Find out if Mason deposited a cheque
from Mrs. Bruce Granger.

That's right. Mrs. Bruce Granger.
She's behind all our troubles.

Enjoying the view? Oh, there's no
need to be scared, ma'am.

I'm George Lutts.
My company owns all this property.

How do you do?

You interested in acquiring
a piece of land?

- No, no. I'm just looking around.
- Hmm.

Mind if I look?

Sometimes there's an awfully
good view from up here.

Mm, no, nothing much to see today.
Maybe tomorrow, though.

Mr. Lutts, why did you come up here?
It certainly wasn't by accident.

Let me put it this way, ma'am.

It's just as accidental as Mr. Mason's
buying stock in my company.

The way I see it,
he bought those shares for you.

I want them back.

Or else I'll tell your husband
that you've been spying on him.

And also that you...

Mr. Lutts.

Taxi.

Help me!

- Where to, miss?
- Just drive on. I'll tell you where later.

Mr. Mason.

'What happened
after your car went into the ditch?'

Mrs. Granger. 'I was petrified.
I didn't know which way to turn.

I just wanted to get away from there
as fast as I could.

I ran down to the highway.
I was lucky enough to find this cab."'

I don't know how lucky that is.
The driver's sure to remember you.

Did you keep your taxi receipt?

Uh... Yes, I think I did.

The Skyline Cab Company.
Trip number 971, $2.95.

I gave the driver a 55-cent tip.

Do you own a gun?

Yes.

My husband collects them
and he gave me one.

Where is it?

You don't think I shot Mr. Lutts?

Where is that gun now?

It's in my car.

Let's get it.

I left it in the glove compartment.

But I thought I left it there.

If you pick someone to lie to,
Mrs. Granger,

never choose your doctor
or your lawyer.

In both cases, it could be fatal.
Now, I've got to call the police.

Hello?

Yes, Paul.

Good. What about the cab?

All right, I'll be there
in about an hour.

- Well, that's half the battle.
- Did your man get my car?

- It's in your garage.
- Oh, thank heaven.

Now, what about that friend of yours,
Ruth, uh...?

- Ruth Marvel.
- Is she ready?

She's waiting in her apartment.

- Sure you can trust her?
- Of course.

With your life?

- Yes.
- All right, then.

- You know what you're to do?
- Certainly.

- Hello, Drake.
- Come in, partner.

We're heading south on Roxbury.
The cab is in the left lane.

Stay with him.

Frank, don't lose him
if he turns on Santa Monica.

That's a bad intersection.

If that cab turns west,
it could be trouble.

No, he's going east.

- Mrs. Granger ready?
- Any time you are.

The cab's stopping.
Our man's getting in.

Good. Stay with him.

- Hello, Mrs. Granger.
- Yes, Mr. Mason.

One of our men
just got into that cab.

He'll have the driver take him
to an address

about half a block away
from where you are now.

- I understand.
- He'll be coming north on Doheny.

Now, hang on, I'll keep you posted.

Passing Hillcrest.

Still on Santa Monica.

He's turning left on Doheny now,
on his way north to Sunset.

Hello, Mrs. Granger. Get ready.
He's coming towards you now.

Cab 761.

Should be there any minute.

- He'll drop a passenger off.
- Hold on.

Ruth, that taxi should be here
any minute.

- What number?
- Seven sixty-one.

- I see him.
- We see him.

Fine. That's your man.

Now, get that cab
and don't forget the receipt.

Taxi. Taxi.

Where to, miss?

Well, we're looking for a place
in Beverly Hills.

I don't know the exact address.

You just drive down Sunset.
We'll tell you where to let us out.

No matter what you do, Mrs. Granger,
hold on to this taxi receipt.

I want the police to find it
right off the bat.

I understand.

Excuse me.

- Yes, Della?
- I'm sorry to disturb you, Mr. Mason,

but Lieutenant Tragg
is getting impatient.

Oh, of course. Send him right in.

- Shall I...?
- Sit right over there.

- Good morning, lieutenant.
- You mean good afternoon.

I feel like I've been waiting all day.

Oh, I'm sorry. What's on your mind?

As if you had no idea.

What do you know about
George Lutts?

- Lutts? Oh, yes, Lutts.
- Remember him?

You called and told me
where I'd find his body.

- So I did.
- Yeah. There was a gun nearby.

- What can you tell me about it?
- Not a thing.

It was registered
in the name of Bruce Granger.

Well, I imagine you've talked
with him.

For several hours.

He was very vague. Couldn't
remember when he'd last seen it.

- So naturally, we figured, uh...
- You're wrong.

Bruce gave it to me. It was my gun.

- This is Mrs. Granger.
- I see.

You mustn't blame my husband,
lieutenant. It was my gun.

Well, I think you'd best discuss
this with the district attorney.

But I didn't kill Mr. Lutts.

Then you haven't a thing
to worry about.

The State of California
v. Sybil Granger.

Your Honour, this present case
is perfectly simple and straightforward.

And if we can avoid endless
and purposeless cross-examination,

this preliminary hearing
can be quickly resolved.

Do you wish to make any statement,
Mr. Mason?

None whatever, Your Honour.

Proceed.

I will call Lieutenant Tragg.

Now, lieutenant, were you present
when the defendant was arrested?

- I was.
- Was she searched at that time?

Yes, by a police matron, though
I went through her purse myself.

- What did you find in her purse?
- Well, the usual things.

Keys, money, cigarettes

and a taxi receipt
from the Skyline Cab Company.

Is this the receipt?

- Yes, sir.
- How can you be sure?

You'll notice I wrote my initials
in the corner and the date.

If the court please,
I should like this marked for exhibit.

Now, lieutenant,
I notice this is dated May 3rd.

- What was the date of the murder?
- May 3rd.

- The same day?
- Same day.

- Were you present at the scene?
- Yes, sir.

And did you examine the body

- of the victim yourself?
- I did.

How far would you say the gun
was held from the victim

at the time the fatal shot was fired?

Well, between, um, 18, 20 inches.
Certainly under two feet.

How do you determine that?

Well, by the powder tattooing
on the skin

and the dispersion
of powder particles in the clothing.

Thank you, sir.

You may cross-examine.

Why did you tell me
that shot came from a distance?

It did.

Do you intend to cross-examine
this witness, Mr. Mason?

No questions, Your Honour.

Call Jerome Keddie.

Raise your right hand.

Do you swear the evidence
you're about to give is the truth,

the whole truth
and nothing but the truth?

- I do.
- State your name.

- Jerome Keddie.
- Be seated.

Could you tell us your occupation,
Mr. Keddie?

I'm a driver
for the Skyline Cab Company.

On the third day of this month, were
you operating taxicab number 761?

I was.

And where were you at about
4:45 on the afternoon of that day?

Well, I was running back empty
towards the city

from out near the new freeway area
on the county highway.

A woman flagged me down.
She sure was nervous and upset.

I ask you to look around this courtroom
and tell us if that woman is here.

There she is.

Let the record show that the
witness pointed to the defendant,

Sybil Granger.

Now, Mr. Keddie.
Where did you take Mrs. Granger?

To the Brent Building
in Los Angeles.

I'm gonna show you a piece of paper
marked Exhibit A

and ask if you can identify this.

- Yes, it's the receipt I gave her.
- What does the receipt show?

It shows the trip number,
that it was my cab

- and that the fare is $2.95.
- Thank you.

Your witness.

Now, Mr. Keddie.

- Do you know what this is?
- Yes, it's one of my trip sheets.

Would you mind explaining
what that means?

Well, we have to keep a record
of all of the fares we pick up.

- Police orders.
- Thank you.

I'd like this marked for exhibit,
Your Honour.

Mr. Keddie, this trip sheet
is dated the 3rd of May.

- Is that correct?
- That's right.

This passenger you picked up
on the highway,

the one you claim
was the defendant,

that was one of your first trips
of the day?

Oh, it was the third. Number 971.
It's right here on the sheet.

I see.

How does it happen, then,
that this receipt,

the receipt you gave the defendant,
is for trip number 984?

- What?
- Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.
Let me see that thing.

- Now let me have the receipt.
- Just a moment.

The court would like to look
at those papers too, Mr. Prosecutor.

I'm sorry, Your Honour, of course.

Well, Mr. Keddie, I notice that trip
number 984 on your sheet is one

which you have marked the destination
to be Whittier and Wilshire.

Oh, I remember that trip. A couple
of ladies I picked up on Sunset.

They wanted to go to a certain place
in Beverly Hills,

only they didn't know the address.

So I drove them around until,
all of a sudden, one of them says:

"Stop right here. Here it is."

So I stopped.
They got out and paid off.

Was one of those women
this defendant?

Well, you know how it is.

You pick up a lot of people.

I can't remember them too well.

The point is, Mr. Keddie,
can you swear

that the woman you picked up
on Sunset wasn't the defendant?

No.

I can't swear it.

That's what I wanted to know.

Mr. Prosecutor, you must admit
that the testimony of this witness

has become hopelessly impaired.

You would hardly be in a position
to put him in front of a jury

to make an absolute identification.

At the moment,
I'm more interested in learning

how this trap was set.
And I intend to find out.

Meantime, I'd like the defendant
bound over,

indicted on a charge of murder
in the first degree.

Well, not unless you have
additional evidence.

The testimony of this witness
has been destroyed.

All right, Your Honour, then I move
that this hearing be dismissed

while I get additional evidence.

Motion is granted.
Court is adjourned.

Did you notice? He left a vapour trail.

He'll be back with a warrant
inside of five minutes.

I didn't fool him one little bit.

- Why did you lie to me, Mrs. Granger?
- I didn't.

You told me
that shot came from a distance.

- The officer must've made a mistake.
- No, not Tragg.

If he said there were powder burns,
why, there were powder...

Well, speak of the devil.

Congratulations, Mason.
A brilliant performance.

Oh, it's just that the opposition
wasn't up to par.

Oh, really?
I thought Burger did all right.

Now, I ask you, Tragg.

He charged my client with murder

and never established one link
between her and the victim.

He's shown no actual proof
that Lutts and Mrs. Granger even met.

Well, you've got a point there.

You mind if I think that over
for a minute?

You know what you're really
thinking about, don't you, Tragg?

How you can delay us
until Burger shows up with his warrant.

What...?
Whatever gave you that impression?

Well, for one thing, that deputy
coming toward us right now.

What...?

Oh, you mean this.

Matron, Mrs. Granger is being held
for another hearing.

Well, see you later, counsellor.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Granger.
You'll have to go with the matron.

Sybil.

Please, my husband.

I'm sorry.

I must go now.

I'm Bruce Granger.

Is there anything I can do to help?

Aren't you a little late, Mr. Granger?

Come on, Della.

This is the spot, Perry.

See Della?

This is the only place in a direct line
with the hilltop that isn't obscured.

- How do we get in here?
- Lutts' son-in-law might have a key.

Let's try him.

Those are all the keys
my father-in-law had.

That was a Master padlock
on that shack, Perry.

- None of these keys will fit.
- I'm sorry.

If there's nothing else
we can do for you...

As a matter of fact, there is.

Did your father-in-law
have any enemies?

It's all right, Herbert.

George Lutts wasn't the easiest man
in the world to get along with.

Not everyone liked him.

- Did you?
- Ha-ha.

- Now, you listen to me.
- Never mind, Vinnie.

No, I'm gonna tell this smart lawyer
a thing or two.

Do you think Herbert enjoyed
working for my father?

He had better offers
every day of the week.

You know why he stuck?
To please me.

- I see.
- No, I don't think you do.

How could you, Mr. Mason?

You didn't have a father
who was sick. Sick about money.

Who was twisted every which way
whenever he had to spend a nickel.

But he was my father

and Herbert
stayed with him to please me.

Thank you very much, Mrs. Dean.
Come on, Della. Excuse me.

You've been under a strain, Vinnie.
It won't last much longer.

Why, lieutenant,
I'm surprised at you.

- A Peeping Tom, at your age.
- Ha.

Beautiful pair of glasses.

Is that what you wanted
to talk to me about?

Uh-huh. One of my men
found them in a ditch.

Not far from where Lutts was shot.

Notice the initials there.

- These belong to Sybil Granger.
- Uh-huh.

And Mason said that we couldn't prove
that she even knew George Lutts.

Don't tell me the lab found
Lutts' fingerprints on these.

Oh, but all over.

I wonder how Mr. Mason
will explain that at the next hearing.

Mr. Redfield,
let me understand you.

You say that this exhibit
is the defendant's gun,

that it has her fingerprints on it and it
was found near the victim's body.

Yes, sir, and it was registered
in the name of Bruce Granger.

- Had it been fired?
- Yes, sir, twice.

One of the cartridges
was a Peters .38 Special.

The other one was a U.M.C.
That was the last one fired.

Now, as ballistics expert
for this department,

you checked the fatal bullet

to determine from which weapon
it had been fired. Isn't that correct?

I did. It was fired from that gun.
The one you're holding.

Thank you.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Redfield, you stated
there were two shots fired

from the murder weapon.

- Yes.
- Which one was the fatal bullet?

The first one.
The Peters .38 Special.

Well, what happened to the bullet
from the second shot, the U.M.C.?

We were unable to find that bullet.
It went wild.

You want us to believe
that the defendant

stood less than two feet
away from the victim,

hit him with the first shot

and completely missed him
with the second?

I'm here to report the facts
as I find them.

You can interpret them
any way you want.

All right, let's interpret them my way,
if you don't mind.

Now, suppose the first bullet,

the bullet that killed Lutts,
was fired from a distance.

Then you'd have no powder burns
on the body.

Suppose the second shot
was a blank.

- A blank?
- Yes, if it were fired

directly into the wound,
say, from a distance of, oh, 19 inches,

wouldn't that explain
the powder burns?

That would explain the powder burns,
Mr. Mason,

but we could establish
what happened in a second.

Oh? How?

A blank cartridge has a paper wadding
to hold the powder in place.

The coroner would find it
in the wound.

- And none was found in the body.
- None at all.

Now, you've got to understand
that a paper wadding

has a tremendous penetrating force.
It can go through thick cardboard.

Then it should certainly
penetrate fabric.

Without question.

Very interesting.

If it please the court, I should like
to test Mr. Redfield's thesis.

Your Honour,
does counsel for the defence

presume to know more
about ballistics

than Mr. Redfield,
a recognised expert?

I see no harm in this experiment,
Mr. Burger.

As I understand it,
it is solely for the purpose

of clarifying your witness's testimony.
Surely you can't object to that.

Proceed, Mr. Mason.

Now, Mr. Redfield, would you tell
the court what this is, please.

- Yes?
- It's a blank.

Well, would it fit this gun,
the murder weapon?

It should. It's a .38.

Would you load it for me, please?

Thank you.
Now, Mr. Redfield, if I were to...

Oh, excuse me.

If I were to fire this blank
into this fabric, what would happen?

You'd have your powder burns,
but you'd also have a hole in the fabric.

- Caused by the paper wadding?
- Yes, sir.

All right, let's see.

Your Honour, I object.

Counsel for defence
is up to his usual grandstanding.

I demand to know how that trick
was accomplished.

Overruled.
It is not incumbent on Mr. Mason

to reveal how this trick
was managed.

Obviously,
it wasn't done with mirrors.

Have you any further questions
of this witness?

No, Your Honour.
The witness is excused.

All right, sir. My next witness
is a hostile witness.

I have her under subpoena and I would like
to call her at this time, out of order,

for reasons which I shall show later.

Very well, you may call the witness.

Mrs. Ruth Marvel.

Now, keep a poker face.
They'll all be watching.

Raise your right hand.

Do you swear the evidence
you're about to give

is the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth?

- I do.
- State your name.

- Mrs. Ruth Marvel.
- Be seated, please.

Now, Mrs. Marvel,

you know the defendant
in this case, don't you?

I do. She's my friend.

You might even go farther than that,
couldn't you, Mrs. Marvel?

She's my best friend.

But you've just sworn to tell the truth,
and I'm sure you will, won't you?

Yes, sir.

Mrs. Marvel, I'm gonna ask you if the
defendant made a statement to you

as to the reason, the real reason,

why she wanted to engage
a certain taxi on the night of May 3rd.

Objection, Your Honour.

Counsel is cross-examining
his own witness.

He's asking leading questions.
He's threatening her...

May I be heard?

If the court please,
I believe this witness will testify

to a damaging admission
on the part of the defendant.

The objection will be overruled.

All right, Mrs. Marvel,
answer the question.

She said it was a cab
she had taken earlier in the day.

She said...

She said what, Mrs. Marvel?

I must insist on your answer.

She said her lawyer
had told her to take this cab,

to have me ride around with her
and pay him off

when the meter got to $2.95.

Would you recognise that cab driver
if you saw him again?

- Yes.
- Will Jerome Keddie stand up?

Is that the man, Mrs. Marvel?

Yes.

Thank you.

Cross-examine.

You mustn't feel badly, Mrs. Marvel,

because the prosecution
called you to testify.

The defendant told you
that under my instruction,

she was testing the recollection
of a possible witness, didn't she?

That's right.

Now, the cab driver
did not recognise her, did he?

At least, he showed no sign
of recognition that you could see?

No, sir.

That's all the defendant
was trying to accomplish.

We were simply attempting to test
the credibility of a witness.

Now, that's all. Thank you.

No further questions, Your Honour.

Very well, the court is adjourned
until tomorrow morning.

Over here, Perry.

I thought you'd better see this
for yourself.

These tracks were made
by Roxy Howard's car.

My man saw her do it.
Also, the lock's gone now.

What the devil?

Paul, let me get this straight.

Your man saw Roxy Howard
take a lot of junk out of here

and toss it into the gully
in back of her place?

That's right.
He made a complete inventory.

There were some small sandbags,
a few clamps,

some pieces of iron pipe, 2-by-4s
and, oh, yeah, a stool.

- Where's the gully?
- Come on.

He showed me everything
before he left.

Come on, Perry.

Wait a minute. The stuff's gone.
It was right here.

- Who'd take it?
- I don't know.

Paul, I'm gonna take
a last-minute gamble.

Get hold of your operative.
Have him describe every pipe

and wood that he saw. Duplicate it
and bring it to my workshop tonight.

Oh, and don't forget the sandbags.

- No good to ask you why.
- No good.

Thank you very much, sir.

That completes the prosecution's case,
Your Honour.

The defence may proceed.

I call as my first witness
Bruce Granger.

Bruce Granger to the stand.

Mr. Granger, what is your
relationship with the defendant?

I'm her husband.

- How long have you been married?
- Fifteen years.

And, of course,
you're very devoted to your wife?

- I mean, you naturally wanna help her.
- Of course.

Of course. Tell me.

Do you know a Miss Roxy Howard?

Yes.

And what is your relationship
with Miss Howard?

Well, we were friends.

Then, as a friend, have you ever been
to Miss Howard's home?

- Yes.
- Then you know

it's a completely isolated house
in the Sylvan Glade Development.

- Yes.
- Well, for her personal protection,

did you ever give Miss Howard
lessons in shooting a revolver?

- Yes.
- You own a collection of firearms?

- Well, I have seven.
- They are all in your possession?

Except for the one
that's being held by the police.

I see.

Did you ever give Miss Howard
a revolver from your collection?

Answer the question, please.

Well, yeah,
as a matter of fact, I did.

- Does she still have the weapon?
- No, she returned it to me.

Oh?

- When?
- May 30th.

- What did you do with the weapon?
- I put it back in my collection.

Do you, uh,

have any record showing the serial
numbers of your various guns?

Yes.

Mr. Granger, where do you keep
your gun collection?

In a locked wall compartment
concealed behind a sliding panel.

And I have the only key.

What is this?

I must beg the indulgence
of the court.

But as part of my case,
it is necessary for me

to introduce in evidence some
material discarded by one of the...

It's very heavy material and this is
the only way I could bring it into court.

This is a disturbance
we cannot tolerate.

You should have waited
until the court takes a recess.

- You there, with that truck.
- Yes, Your Honour.

Wait there until counsel has finished
the examination of this witness.

Then the court
will take a brief recess.

It seems to me, Mr. Mason,

that you could have secured
a more silent truck.

Proceed.

If the court permit,
I wish this witness be instructed

to check his list of serial numbers
with the guns now in his possession.

And after the recess,
I want him to produce that list.

The witness is so instructed.

Perhaps we can also use
the time to move that truck.

The court will recess until 11:30.

Did you have to make me use
this old truck?

- I felt like a jackass.
- It was in a good cause, Paul.

Nothing like a little noise
to upset jittery nerves.

If anyone on our list leaves
the courtroom, he'll be covered.

- He'll be in a hurry.
- Will you please tell me

what we're trying to do?

We are laying a trap
for a nervous accomplice.

The court will come to order.
Mr. Bruce Granger to the stand.

- What is it?
- We just filled an inside straight.

Mr. Granger, you've checked your list
of serial numbers

with the guns in your possession?

Yes, and there's something
I can't understand.

One of the guns isn't mine.

No, it's the same make and model,
but it has a different serial number.

Could that weapon
have been the gun

Miss Howard returned to you
on May 30th?

- It could have been.
- That's all. That's all, Your Honour.

Cross-examination?

Not at this time, Your Honour.

I might want to recall him later,
if I may do that.

I have no objection in the least.

Will Miss Roxy Howard
come forward, please?

Miss Roxy Howard.

Come forward and be sworn.

Now, Miss Howard, we've established
that Mr. Granger loaned you a gun.

Did you ever give that gun
to someone else?

- No.
- But Mr. Granger testified

that the gun you returned to him
on May 30th

- was not the same gun he loaned you.
- I can't help that.

Well, is Mr. Granger lying,
or was there a substitution?

- I don't know.
- You don't know.

But you do know
there's a construction shack

near your home
in the Sylvan Glade Development.

- Yes.
- Have you been inside that shack?

Once or twice.

Did you ever notice
any unusual equipment?

Equipment that had nothing to do
with the building construction.

I don't know what you mean.

With the court's permission.

Miss Howard,
you ever seen this before?

If Your Honour please,

what possible connection
can there be between that...

Whatever it is.
-and the murder of George Lutts?

This enquiry's getting pretty far afield.

If Your Honour please,

this is exactly the field we should be in
and I can prove it.

Proceed.

Miss Howard.

Have you ever seen that before?

No.

Perhaps you saw it
in a different condition.

Taken apart, just pipes and wood.

I'm not sure.

Do you know
what a shooting stand is?

- No.
- Mr. Granger never showed you one?

I tell you, I don't know what it is.

Then you've never seen
any kind of a device

that would steady the aim
of a marksman.

- No.
- Well,

such a device must be absolutely
immovable, consequently heavy.

In this case, braced by sandbags.

The person using the gun

merely lays his arm in the rest,

holds the barrel on a direct line
with the target,

then all he has to do
is simply pull the trigger.

Do you still say
you've never seen this before?

- Well, I...
- Have you seen it, Miss Howard?

- Yes.
- Where?

Didn't you see a shooting stand
in that construction shack?

- Yes.
- What was the proposed target?

It had to be someone
or some object on the hilltop.

The hilltop is the only place
in a direct line with a certain hole

in the wall of that construction shack.
Isn't that true, Miss Howard?

I don't know.

There were only two people
on that hilltop.

George Lutts and Sybil Granger.
You knew that, didn't you?

I didn't know Mr. Lutts
would be there.

But you were certain
Mrs. Granger would be.

- Oh, well, she always was.
- I see.

Now, Miss Howard, let's jump a step.

Why did you take
that shooting stand apart

- and dump the pieces in a gully?
- I didn't.

But you were seen, Miss Howard.
Where do you think this came from?

Now, I ask you again, Miss Howard.

Why did you take
that shooting stand apart?

You must have had some reason.

Did you do it to protect yourself?

- No.
- Then who were you protecting?

No one.

Did you tell someone
you had dismantled the stand?

- No.
- Then why were the pieces

- removed from the gully?
- You did that.

Oh, no, Miss Howard.
Someone else did that.

What you see here is purely
for the purpose of demonstration.

The actual dismantled stand
is in a garage

not very far away from here.

Uh... I don't know
what you're talking about.

During the recess,
the owner of that garage

even ran home to make sure
the stand was there.

He wanted to see if I was bluffing.

Well, it was there.

But he had no opportunity to warn you
that I built that stand myself.

All right, Miss Howard,
let's get down to cases.

Mr. Granger gave you a gun.

The weapon used to murder
George Lutts.

You returned a different gun.

You knew Mrs. Granger
was going to be on that hilltop.

You took a shooting stand apart,
destroying evidence.

If you are not trying
to protect someone,

- then you murdered George Lutts.
- No, no. I didn't. Uh...

It was an accident.

It was Mrs. Granger.
She was supposed to be the one.

You mean, you deliberately aimed
at Mrs. Granger

and Lutts got in the way?

No, I didn't say that.

- I didn't shoot Mr. Lutts.
- Then who did?

What are you sitting there for,
letting me take the blame?

Come up here, tell them.

He did it.
Herbert. Herbert Dean.

It was his idea.
He wanted to get rid of Mrs. Granger.

She was the only one
blocking the oil deal.

Vinnie, wait, please.
You don't believe her?

Let go of me.

Bailiff, hold that man.

I would have made a million dollars.
He did it. It was all his idea.

"And again, let me thank you

for all you've done
on behalf of my wife.

By the time you receive this,
we'll be on our way to Mexico

for our second honeymoon."
It's signed Bruce Granger.

- Mm-hm.
- Women. I'll never understand them.

Here, she takes the guy back

after she almost gets herself killed
because of him.

Oh, you're wrong, Paul.
Lutts was the target from the start.

With that shooting stand,
Herbert couldn't miss.

Yeah, but Roxy said that...

Oh, Herbert let Roxy think
he'd made a mistake

so she'd keep on helping him.

Whoa, hold it, hold it.

- What is the idea of this?
- We don't want it.

It belongs to Mr. Mason.
He introduced it in evidence.

And what are we supposed to do
with this pile of junk?

- You take it right out of here.
- Hold it, hold it.

It's Mr. Mason's job
to dispose of things like this.

I don't have to tell you, counsellor,
you're gonna have quite a problem.

The city rubbish collection has strict
orders not to pick up trash like this.

Now, I want
to be reasonable, Perry.

I can handle the whole thing.
For a fee.

- Oh, that's bribery, Tragg.
- Uh-huh.

But the DA is a friend of mine.

He's not gonna give me any trouble.

You'd like to know how I worked
that stunt with the blank cartridge.

That's my price.

Well, if instead of using
paper wadding

to hold the powder in the blank
cartridge, you take some chalk,

crimp just enough of it
in the end of the shell

to let the pressure build up,
you'll burn up the powder...

And the explosion
will disintegrate the chalk

so there's no trace of it. Oh...

Get me out of here
before I use this on myself.