Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 1, Episode 9 - The Case of the Vagabond Vixen - full transcript

( suspenseful theme playing)

( noirish jazz theme playing)

( elegant, relaxing
theme playing)

(engine stops)

Are you sure you
know the car, Veronica?

Yes, I told you I know it, Pete.

Well, put on a good show, baby.

I'll meet you back in town.

But what if he doesn't stop?

I know that mouse. He'll stop.

You won't be in
the car 30 seconds



before he'll start
to get friendly.

Okay, Pete.

(engine starts)

(vehicle approaching)

It looks like I'm
going your way, huh?

No need being frightened of me.

I see pretty girls all
the time in my work.

Oh?

The name's Edgar Ferrell.

Fidelity Studios.

Oh, you're a...

You're a motion picture
producer, Mr. Ferrell?

That's right.

Maybe, uh...



Maybe I could
find a job for you.

Well, I'd... I'd certainly
like to hear about it.

Why are we stopping
here, Mr. Ferrell?

Now, Veronica, who ever heard
of talking over a movie contract

and fighting traffic
at the same time, hm?

You do want to talk
about it, don't you?

All right.

Is this...?

Is this whole place
yours, Mr. Ferrell?

In a manner of speaking.

It belongs to my
studio, Fidelity Pictures.

We do quite a lot of
location shooting here.

It's... It's just beautiful.

Yes, indeed.

And you use this beautiful
place just to work in?

Not entirely.

I come out from time
to time just, uh, to relax.

So as you can see,

I make it a point to have
all the comforts of home.

Would you like to see

the rest of the house, Veronica?

I'd love to.

(vehicle approaching)

That may be my wife.

Go in the back

and stay there until I
tell you to come out.

But you didn't tell
me... Do what I tell you.

( ominous theme playing)

(gunshot)

( suspenseful theme playing)

( suspenseful theme playing)

( dings)

MAN (over phone):
Bob Martindale.

Hello, is Peter Handsell there?

This is Veronica Dale.

Sorry, he ain't here.

But he must be.

I was supposed
to meet him there.

Lady, if we could have
television in the phones,

I'd show you. He ain't here.

I... I wonder if
you could give me

a ride to town, sir.

I... I know I don't
look very nice,

but when you hitchhike,

sometimes you don't
ride with the nicest people,

so I chose to
walk the last part.

Sure, get in. Thank you.

My name is Veronica
Dale, mister...

(engine starts)

( suspenseful theme playing)

My name is Perry Mason.

Oh, how do you do? I'm Myrtle
Northrup. Mr. Addison's assistant.

He's expecting you.
Won't you go in?

Thank you.

Thanks for coming to
the studio, Mr. Mason.

Uh, it's hard to believe
that I have so little time.

I hope it wasn't too
much of an imposition.

Not at all.

I was coming out
this way anyhow.

Well, what I want
to talk to you about

is a rather personal matter.

There's a girl in jail.

I'd like you to get her out.

What's she charged with?

Vagrancy.

I gave this young
girl a ride last night.

Later on, she was arrested.

Why did she get
in touch with you?

I suppose I'm the only
one she knew to call.

She just got into town.

What's her name?

Veronica Dale.

I think if you just
quietly get her out,

that'll be all there is to it.

Vagrancy?

Is there something
more I should know?

It's every bit as innocent

as I've explained it, Mason.

But I still want
to keep it quiet.

You know what one of
those scandal magazines

would do with it.

I see.

All right. I'll take care of it.

Thanks very much.

And if I can ever do you
a favor around the studio,

you just let me know.

All right.

( suspenseful theme playing)

It's the first time

I've ever been in
one of these places.

I... I can't tell you
how much I appreciate

what you've done, Mr. Mason.

Where are you from, Veronica?

Albuquerque.

Why did you leave there?

Well, you get sort of
tired seeing the world

from the back of a
second-rate lunch counter.

Oh, I... I take that back.

I mean, about the "second-rate."

You see, it's my mother's place,

and she does the
very best she can.

Does your mother
know you're here?

Oh, sure.

She was upset about
me hitchhiking, though.

Well, I don't blame her.

It's not the safest
way in the world

for a young girl to travel.

Why are you doing this?

At your age, the reason
would sound just a little square.

I wish there was some
way that I could thank you.

Well, there is.

Soon as I drop
you off at your hotel,

pack your things

and take the next bus
back to Albuquerque.

Oh, I will. Thank you.

( ominous theme playing)

(whistling)

Morning, Della.

Say, we have a
lot of calls here.

I thought you'd be back
in the office yesterday.

It turned into a
pretty busy afternoon.

I heard...

about your bailing
the young girl

out of jail, that is.

How did you hear?

I collected the hundred
dollars from her mother.

Veronica didn't say
her mother was in town.

Well, she didn't know it.

You see, Mrs. Dale said

that she flew in from
Albuquerque just for the day

to see how Veronica
was getting along.

Uh... What's the
hundred dollars for?

She thought that would
be a reasonable fee.

When she heard
there was trouble,

she wanted to settle with us.

Especially since Veronica
was starting work today.

She's working? Mm-hm.

Where?

Fidelity Studios.
Contract player.

But who told Mrs. Dale all this?

I don't know.

Get hold of Addison.

Find out if I can see him
on my way home tonight.

And... And file this.

File it.

( suspenseful theme playing)

ADDISON: Oh, hello, Mason.

Come on in.

I'd like to introduce you
to Mrs. Lorraine Ferrell,

my partner's wife.

How do you do, Mrs.
Ferrell? Mr. Mason.

She's also one
of our best writers.

Are we through, John?

Yes, I think these
changes will play fine.

I'll have Ms. Northrup

put through the blue
pages in the morning.

Fine. Good night. Good night.

Good night. Good
night, Lorraine.

ADDISON: Drink?

MASON: Yes, thanks.

Just straight. No ice.

Your partner's wife,
she's very attractive.

Yes...

She and her husband don't
have too much in common.

If she appears
to be working late,

it's because she
prefers it that way.

To your health.

I understand you
hired Veronica Dale.

That's right.

Do you think that was wise?

Why not?

Well, for one thing,

it looks like she wanted
to get herself arrested.

You know, I was going
to call you this afternoon

when I got your message.

What about?

A man named Peter Handsell

found out that I got
Veronica out of jail.

He's one of the group that
I've been concerned about.

He digs up dirt for
scandal magazines.

Whether it gets printed
or not is up to me.

How much?

Ten thousand.

Of which Ms. Dale gets five.

I'm not so sure of that.

Then how did she convince
you to give her a job?

Well, she seemed
like a nice girl,

and she said she needed work,

so I told her to
contact Myrtle Northrup

and something
could be worked out.

You must admit that a
person who's out for blackmail

wouldn't be interested in a job.

Wouldn't she?

That would tie her
much closer to you,

giving Handsell's
filth more credibility.

I didn't think of that.

All right.

What did you tell Handsell?

I told him to come
over in the morning.

That I'd pay.

Of course, if you
know a better way...

First thing you do is to
forget that appointment.

Tell Handsell to be at
my office tonight at 10:00.

All right. What else?

Write your name
on a piece of paper.

Then I want you to fill
in the amount of $2000

on a blank check.

Now...

trace your signature
on that check.

Trace my own signature?

That's right.

You can't pay off a blackmailer

with that kind of check.

There are all kinds of ways

to pay off a
blackmailer, Mr. Addison.

I'll be in touch with you.

( suspenseful theme playing)

The office isn't wired

if that's what's bothering
you, Mr. Handsell.

Oh, I was being careful.

Sit down.

I'm only half-awake,

so let's skip the
social amenities.

Mr. Addison told me of his
conversation with you today.

I'd like to think he
misunderstood you.

Get with it, Mason.

You didn't study law
in seminary school.

How much?

You know how much. Ten thousand.

Ten thousand seems
like a lot of money

for a man to to pay
just to keep his name

out of the trash
you contribute to.

Do you know anything
about Fidelity Pictures?

No, not much.

It's a closed corporation.

Addison owns 40
percent of the stock,

Ferrell owns 40.

The other 20 is divided
up among old-timers.

So?

Next week, there's a
stockholders' meeting.

Now, everything being equal,

Addison will stay head man

because the other 20
percent will go along with him.

But they find out
he's using the studio

to cultivate a teenager,

Ferrell's as good as in.

How do you know all this?

When you eat by
digging up information,

you dig up all kinds.

I don't trust checks.

And I don't trust you.

In case you wanna
come back for more,

your endorsement on that
check will give my client

a little blackmail material too.

Now, take it or leave it.

Two thousand a week
for the next five weeks.

I'll take it.

As you said.

This is no time for
social amenities.

Now, get out of here.

(door opens and shuts)

Della?

Yes, sir?

Have you called the Drake
Detective Agency yet?

Paul's right here.

Send him in, will you?

Hi, Perry. Hello, Paul.

You had company, so I
waited. What's the detail?

Well, first thing
in the morning,

I want you to notify
all the banks in town

that a check forger is around

and that he's
forging the signatures

of some pretty important men.

Okay. Oh, I've got to go

to San Diego tomorrow morning.

Is it all right if I put
somebody else on it?

Well, I'd rather have the
eminent Paul Drake himself,

but I'll accept a
substitute if I have to.

Would you like my autograph?

(intercom buzzing)
Tomorrow will do.

Yes, Della?

John Addison
wants to talk to you.

He seems awfully upset.

Oh? Put him on.

See you later. All
right. See ya. Hello?

ADDISON: Mason,
I need your help.

Meet me at the
house up in Malibu...

It's called Gull's Way.

26800 Pacific Coast Highway.

Wait a minute.
What's this all about?

I can only say I need
you. Please hurry.

( clicks)

( suspenseful theme playing)

(crickets chirping)

Mason. Over here.

This way, Mason. Hurry.

Just a minute, Addison.

What's this all about?

I think you'd better
see for yourself.

Maybe I'd better not.

If something's
happened in that house,

if a crime has been committed
in there and I see that it has,

I'd have to report it to
the police immediately.

However, if you tell
me about something

that's happened in there,

that would be a
confidential communication

between attorney and client.

Edgar Ferrell, my
partner, he's been shot.

It's going to sound a
little strange to the police,

your coming out here
at 2:00 in the morning

and accidentally finding a body.

I was up above Paradise
Cove, checking a location.

And on my way back,

I thought I'd drop off
here and get some sleep.

I'm your attorney, and
even I wouldn't believe that.

It doesn't matter whether
you or the police believe it.

It doesn't take an expert

to see that Ferrell's
been dead for some time.

Since Tuesday?

That sound about right to you?

How would I know?

For one thing, you were
out this way last Tuesday.

That's not so. Isn't it?

What about Veronica Dale?

Didn't you pick her
up at a gas station

on the highway
last Tuesday night?

All right.

I was trying to help Ferrell.

Lorraine... That's
his wife, you know.

Well, she found out he was
using this place as a rendezvous,

and I thought I
ought to tell him.

And you found Ferrell
just the way he is?

Exactly.

Where did you pick up that girl?

About a mile from here. I
stopped to call the police.

When she saw me, I realized
that she could identify me,

so I changed my mind.

All right, so I
wasn't very smart.

Not coming across
dead bodies every day,

I was a little mixed-up.

Or do you think
all this is a lie too?

No, I believe you.

But why did you decide
to come back here tonight?

Well, I started to think

about that
blackmailer, Handsell,

and how this girl could
nail me to the cross,

and I thought that
it'd be better for me

if I just stumbled on the
body with someone like you.

As your attorney,

I wouldn't make a
very good witness.

What should I do?

First of all,

find yourself a new companion,

then call the police.

I'll see you at your
office tomorrow night.

You think I'll still
be a free man?

Nobody can be sure, Addison.

( ominous theme playing)

Do you want to have all
the furnishings in the house

removed to the
studio, Mr. Addison?

Yes, I think so.

We don't shoot any
interiors here anymore.

You needn't have come.

I could have brought a man
from the property department

to go over the
inventory with me.

Well, I was looking
forward to the ride.

Besides, I might
find a piece or two

I want to put in my own house.

Uh, you might as
well start in here,

and I'll see if, uh, there's
anything we can use

in the small house.

Fine.

Mr. Addison! Mr. Addison!

Good Lord.

It's Mr. Ferrell.

I'd better call the police.

No. No, don't.

What?

I mean, don't you call them.

Let me do it. I...

I'll say that I... That I
came out here alone.

Why should you be involved?

I appreciate that, Myrtle.

But it's all right. I
have nothing to hide.

Now, let's call the
police, shall we?

( suspenseful theme playing)

You wanted me, Perry?

Yes. Nobody in your office

knew about that job
I gave you last night.

No, they wouldn't have.

I called an operative
on my way to San Diego.

Were the banks notified?

Sure, why?

DELLA: Excuse me, Perry.

Sergeant Bent down at
Central Precinct called.

He wants you to
come down right away.

Something about a forgery case.

All right. Call him back.
Tell him I'll be there.

Right.

What's wrong, Perry?

Oh, everything.

My original intention
was to trap a blackmailer,

a man named Handsell.

But now I'm afraid his
story is gonna help the police

pin a murder charge
on one of our clients.

Well, do the police know
that this guy Handsell

can be such a big help?

They will, unless I
get him out of jail first.

( suspenseful theme playing)

What kind of a frame-up
you tryin' to pull?

All right. That's enough.

Sit down, Mason.

No, thank you.

This man is Peter Handsell.

We picked him up for
trying to cash a $2000 check

supposedly signed
by John Addison.

He tells me you're the
one who paid him off.

You were at my
office, Mr. Handsell?

You know I was. You
gave me that check.

What was this check for?

Keep crowding
me and I'll tell you.

All right.

I'm crowding you.

Okay, wise guy.
I knew Addison...

Addison was paying you off

because you had
something on him?

HANDSELL: So what?

That comes under the
heading of extortion.

What?

Establish your innocence
in a possible forgery,

and you've lead yourself wide
open to a charge of extortion.

It's not a very good
alternative, Handsell.

So if you're trying to
lie your way out of here,

you'd better be careful
of what you're saying.

Well, right on the
ball, eh, counselor?

Oh. This is Peter
Handsell, isn't it?

That's right, lieutenant.

We picked him up
on that forgery rap.

He traced John
Addison's signature.

Yes, I know. I went over it.

I thought all your interests

were in homicide, lieutenant.

It all ties together. I
think you know that.

Edgar Ferrell,
Addison's partner,

was found murdered today.

BENT: So that's it.

I wouldn't be
surprised if Handsell

could tell us something.

The way he and Mason
have been talking...

Wait... Wait... Wait a minute.

Maybe we all made
a mistake, huh?

If there's no blackmail,
there's no forgery, either.

Now, wait a minute.
Nobody's gonna tell me

that that signature
isn't traced.

Have you spoken with
Mr. Addison about the check?

Does he say he didn't sign it?

He doesn't have to say
it. This says it for him.

Well, it seems to me

you should have called
him just to make sure.

Why don't you do
that now, sergeant?

You can find him
at Fidelity Studios.

I just left him there.

Number is, um,
Hollywood two, uh...

Six-two-three-one.

Yes.

And as for you,
the district attorney

wants to have a
little talk with you.

Alone.

Remember, Handsell.

The police can't
give you immunity.

We can get it for you.

Mr. John Addison, please.

Uh, this is Sergeant
Bent, Central Precinct.

Well...

Oh, stick around, Mason.

The sergeant might
find it necessary

to place a charge against you...

for forging Addison's
name to a check.

Hello, Mr. Addison?
This is Sergeant Bent.

We have a check here
in the amount of $2000

made out to Peter Handsell.
Did you sign this check?

When?

Are you sure?

But your signature looks
as though it's been traced.

All right.

Sorry to have disturbed you.

MASON: Well, sergeant?

I don't care what he
says. This is a tracing.

You tried to trap him,

and since you gave him
the check in the first place...

Let it go, sergeant.

Mason set a trap, all right,

but he was smart enough

to take out an insurance policy.

He got Addison to
trace his own signature.

Well, all right,
Mason. That's all.

We'll take care of your
friend Handsell here.

( ominous theme playing)

LORRAINE: Who is it?

Perry Mason.

Come in, Mr. Mason.

Where's Mr. Addison?

Oh, he'll be here.

He's having a
meeting on the pictures

to go into production
in the next 60 days.

Just in case he isn't available

to give them his
personal supervision.

I see. Oh, Mrs. Ferrell,

This is Ms. Della
Street from my office.

How do you do?

Hello, Mrs. Ferrell.
I was very sorry...

My only regret is that
my husband had to go

in such a mysterious
and messy way.

However, upon demand,

I'll try to muster the
proper display of grief.

Mr. Addison said
you wanted him to see

if your husband was
out at the old mansion

last Tuesday night.

That's right.

I was planning on
getting a divorce,

and every little thing
helps in a settlement.

Did Mr. Addison tell
you what he'd found?

No. He was very vague.

So I assumed he'd surprised
Edgar with some woman

and, well, was trying to keep
a man-to-man silence about it.

What's so amusing?

Well, you'd have to know
Edgar to appreciate it.

He was overflowing
in all the qualities

of a little man.

Petty, mean, a
sneak, revengeful.

To think of him as
a Lothario, well...

Well, good evening, Perry.

Mr. Addison said
we'd find you in here.

ADDISON: They, uh...

They've come to arrest me.

Oh?

On what charge?

Oh, you know the charge.

That forgery idea of
yours was very smart.

It's a sure way of
getting rid of blackmailers.

Unless what they
know ties in with murder.

In other words, they've
promised Handsell immunity

on the blackmail
charge if he fabricates

the kind of story
you're looking for.

Well, he's got the kind
of story we're looking for.

We'll let the judge
decide if it's fabricated.

Don't worry about it, Addison.

Lieutenant Tragg is
making it sound much worse

than it really is.

The court usually
discounts the testimony

of a questionable witness.

Ms. Dale, have you ever
seen this gentleman before?

Yes, sir.

Where?

Why, out on the coast
highway last Tuesday night.

He gave me a lift to town.

You, uh, ready, Mr. Addison?

( suspenseful theme playing)

( suspenseful theme playing)

When I entered the house,

Mr. Addison and Ms.
Northrup were there.

Then I went over by the window

and discovered the body.

Mr. Addison told you

he had not been to
this location at any time

since Mr. Ferrell had
been away from the studio?

That's correct.

Most of the older tire
tracks had been obliterated.

But there were several
marks close to the house

from which I was
able to make casts.

And did these casts
match the treads

of any tire you examined?

They matched the tires
on Mr. Addison's car.

Thank you.

There were the
fingerprints of the victim

and, of course, of
Mr. Addison and Ms. Northrup,

who discovered the body.

Was that all?

Well, no, sir. There
were three or four

other prints in the room.

And to whom did they belong?

There was a set
of women's prints,

but we haven't been
able to identify them.

Of course, we don't know
when they were made.

It could have been that they
were before the murder or after it.

Really?

Then tell me this, please.

How do you know

when Mr. Addison's
fingerprints were made?

Well, I... I don't.

So they, too, could
have been made

before the murder or after it.

Well, his prints were
there. That's all I know.

That's enough. No
further questions.

Now, tell me this:

have the police recovered

the murder weapon,
Lieutenant Tragg?

TRAGG: No, sir, but we know

that the murder
gun had, for a time,

had been in the
possession of the defendant.

BURGER: How do you know that?

How's it going?

It'll have to get better.

Any word from Paul?

Yes, he was just
leaving Albuquerque.

He said he wants to meet
you at the Windsor Hotel

as soon as court adjourns.

He said he found
Veronica Dale's mother.

BURGER: Call Peter
Handsell to the stand, please.

Well, being a reporter,
I got this information

about Addison
picking up a young girl

on the coast highway
that Tuesday night,

getting her a hotel room
and bailing her out of jail.

So I thought I'd
check it out with him.

He told me to see his lawyer.

Who was his lawyer?

Perry Mason.

What did Mr. Mason say to you?

He said Mr. Addison
didn't want any publicity,

and he gave me
a check for $2,000,

signed by Mr. Addison.

You want this
court to understand

that Mr. Addison gave you
$2,000 to conceal the fact

that he'd been
out in that section

of the coast highway
last Tuesday night?

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Handsell, you went
to see John Addison

to blackmail him, did you not?

Yes.

I presume you know

that blackmail is
a serious offense.

I-I guess it is,

but I've got to tell the truth.

Yes, along with an understanding

from the district attorney

that you will be granted
immunity in this matter.

We'll stipulate to that.

Extortion is a mild crime
compared to murder.

17961 West Place, apartment two.

Does that address
mean something to you?

That's where I live.

How long have you lived there?

About a year.

Where was your
residence before that?

Wasn't it in the
state penitentiary?

That's right.

Why were you there?

I was convicted of a crime.

What crime?

Blackmail. (crowd murmurs)

And... have your
blackmail operations

usually included a
female accomplice?

Objection.

Counsel has the
right to ask this man

if he's ever been
convicted of a felony,

but once the witness has
answered in the affirmative,

counsel has no right
to question him further.

His impeachment
is already complete.

Your Honor, the only purpose
of my inquiry is to find out

who Mr. Handsell's
female accomplice is

so the court can
ascertain if her fingerprints

are the same ones
found in the murder house.

And now counsel is using
this court as a sounding board

for his highly
conjectural conclusions.

As the hearing
progresses, Mr. Burger,

we shall see how conjectural
those conclusions are.

Gentlemen!

We will keep personalities

out of this hearing.

As for the
prosecutor's objection,

I will make a ruling
in the morning.

Court's adjourned until 10 a.m.

Hi, Perry.

MASON: Hi, Paul.

Where is she? Next room.

You're sure you have
the right Mrs. Dale?

Positive.

Here's a picture of
her with Veronica.

That isn't Mrs. Dale.

What?

Well, at it isn't the one
that gave me the $100.

Nevertheless, that is
Veronica Dale's mother.

I've checked her
out from A to Z.

Hi.

Uh, my name is Perry Mason.

May I speak with
you for a minute.

Sure.

A to Z?

PAUL: A to Z.

Thanks a lot for
that airplane ride.

Mr. Drake said you
were footin' the bill.

You don't fly very often?

(chuckles)

Just around that joint of mine.

You know, I haven't left
Albuquerque in ten years.

I believe Veronica
told me you had a café.

Mm-hm. Had it since
before Veronica's father left

for greener pastures.

That was in '52.

Oh, I don't care.

He was all dried-up.

Said our teenage customers
were drivin' him nuts.

Personally, I get a
charge out of 'em.

They keep you young, you know?

Yes, I know.

You, uh... Did Drake tell you

why we asked you
to make the trip?

No, he said you'd explain.

Is Veronica in some
kind of trouble again?

No, no, she's just a witness
in a court proceeding.

What kind of trouble
has she been in before?

Oh, just kid stuff.

Running away from
school, things like that.

You know, she just
started hitchhikin' around

a little bit,

and I'd always go get
her and bring her back.

Then she'd take off again.

Did you know she
was here in the city?

Well, how could I?

I haven't heard from
her in ten months.

I see.

Just one more thing, Mrs. Dale.

When she was away,

did she ever call on you
for financial assistance?

Say, you say my kid
isn't in any kind of trouble,

yet you're asking me
all these questions.

Just what's this
all about, anyhow?

Perhaps I should
let Veronica tell you.

I'll arrange for you to see
her as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, you're my guest,

so, uh, just go ahead
and have yourself a ball.

Oh, swell.

Say, can I start by
orderin' up a beer?

I'm so thirsty, I
could spit dust.

Help yourself.

Ha, ha! Swell.

A perfect lady.

Salt of the earth.

You know, this might be just
plain good-news day for you.

Not only did we locate
Veronica Dale's mother

but maybe some evidence too.

What evidence?

It seems the man I assigned
to keep tabs on Veronica

just happened to find himself
in her room this morning

after Burger had her check out.

He also just
happened to find that.

Pages and pages of numbers.

Let's get back to the office

and really check this out, Paul.

What about Mrs. Dale?

Are you just going
to leave her here?

Yes, I, uh, don't want her
daughter or Burger to know

she's in town just yet.

Ready, Paul? Mm-hm.

But then there's
this other Mrs. Dale.

Now, what if she...?

(sighs)

Coming, Della?

( ominous theme playing)

Do you solemnly
swear the testimony

you're about to give in
the court to be the truth.

I do.

State your name.

Veronica Dale.

Be seated.

How old are you, Veronica?

Eighteen.

Where do you live?

Well, I don't have
any residence, exactly.

My mother lives in New Mexico,

and I left town to
try and better myself.

I had just gotten here

when all of these
things happened to me.

Are you acquainted
with the defendant,

John Addison?

I am.

Now, Veronica, I'm gonna
ask you to recount for the court

all the events leading up

to your meeting
with John Addison

on the night of the ninth.

Well, I had been pretty lucky.

I got quite a few rides.

And the last driver, a rancher,

left me off on the coast highway

just above Paradise Cove.

What did you do then?

Well, I started walking

until I got to this
service station.

It was closed, so
I stopped to rest,

and that's when
Mr. Addison drove up.

And what did he do?

Well, he...

I thought he was
gonna use the phone,

but he changed his mind,

and he started
back toward the car.

That's when I
asked him for a ride,

and he gave it to me.

Go on.

Well, he was very nice.

He even got me a room in town.

Did you see Mr. Addison
again after that night?

Oh, no, sir, but I
saw his assistant.

A lady named Ms. Northrup.

She was very nice too.

She interviewed me
and saw that I was placed

in the studio's acting school.

Now, Veronica,
one final question.

Are you acquainted
with Peter Handsell?

No, sir.

Thank you.

I suppose you're gonna
wanna cross-examine

this young lady.

Yes, I am.

Remember she's
hardly more than a child.

All right, Della.

Ms. Dale, you came
directly to this city

from your home in New Mexico?

Yes.

How long did it take you
to hitchhike that distance?

About four days.

You lived with your
mother in New Mexico?

Yes.

So until four days
before the murder,

you were with your mother?

What is it, Ms. Dale?

Don't you understand
the question?

I... I'd like a glass
of water, please.

Water?

Yes.

Certainly.

Hi.

Thank you.

Have you thought
of an answer yet?

Well, I-I believe
you wanted to know

whether I lived with my mother

when I was in New
Mexico. Is that right?

No, Ms. Dale.

I wanted to know if you
were living with your mother

in New Mexico until four
days before the murder.

Oh, no, no, not that recently.

How recently, then?

W-well, about nine
or ten months ago.

Where have you
been all this time?

Well, I don't know.

Wherever the rides
have taken me.

During the ten months
you've been traveling,

you've had living
expenses, have you not?

Of course.

And you've paid these
expenses yourself?

Well, I wouldn't let
anybody else pay for them,

if that's what you mean.

How did you pay them?

I'd work.

Doing what?

Different things.

I-I'd babysit o-or
wait on tables.

Any job I could get.

Would you give us the names
of some of your employers?

No, I-I don't remember.

I never worked one
place long enough

to remember any of the names.

Ms. Dale...

what's my name?

Mr. Mason.

And the name of the defendant?

John Addison.

What's the date?

The 19th.

What's your mother's name?

Martha Dale.

Your memory seems normal,

so I shall ask you once more.

For whom did you work
during the past ten months?

(voice breaking): I told
you I don't remember!

And you can't
remember specific dates

when you were in various cities?

No.

Perhaps you kept a record.

Well?

Yes. Yes, I did keep a record.

Listing various license plates

under each calendar date?

Yes, that's right.

And these license
numbers represent the cars

in which you rode each day?

Yes.

Would you please tell the court

why you were so interested
in keeping such a record?

Well... it's a hobby of mine.

And it is not possible
that these numbers

were to be used by an accomplice

for purposes of extortion?

Objection.

Overruled.

Ms. Dale,

you said that the
last man you rode with

before being picked
up by Mr. Addison

was some rancher.

Now,

do you remember his name?

No.

Is this his license
number: KYL907?

Well, if it's the
last one, it is.

KYL907.

That's the number
of the studio car

Edgar Ferrell was driving!

(crowd murmurs)

You were with Edgar
Ferrell, were you not?

Yes.

Why did you ask
these men for rides?

I think when we check out

some of the license
numbers you've recorded here,

we'll know why, Ms. Dale.

All right.

I'd ask them for loans.

Loans?

Wasn't the money
more of an outright gift?

Objection. Counsel's
implying that this witness...

MASON: I'll
rephrase the question.

Ms. Dale, did you ever
pay back any of these loans?

No, I-I...

Wasn't it that you never
intended to pay them back?

All right, they had big
cars and good jobs!

What was wrong with
taking money from them?

But the point is, how did
you get the money from them?

Didn't you ever hear of
a hard-luck story, mister?

And it was a hard-luck story

you gave to Edgar Ferrell?

(quietly): Yes. Where?

In the house in which
he was murdered? No!

Your Honor, I
would like to request

that this young
woman's fingerprints...

All right! I was in that house!

(crowd murmurs)

We would like to hear
about that, Ms. Dale.

We had no sooner
gotten into the house

when this car drove up,

and he told me to
beat it out the back way.

That's all there was to it.

You saw the car?

Just for a second.

Was it Mr. Addison's?

No.

That is all.

Mr. Burger, I assume
that you're aware

of the contradictions in
this witness's testimony.

I would suggest you begin
an immediate investigation

for possible charges of perjury.

Yes, Your Honor.

And since the
prosecution is interested

in serving the ends of justice,

I'd like to move for a
continuance of this hearing

so that the evidence may be
more thoroughly investigated.

Do you agree, Mr. Mason?

Only if I may have the
privilege of reopening

my cross-examination
of Peter Handsell.

JUDGE: Is Mr. Handsell present?

You may step down.

Now, Mr. Handsell, in
your blackmailing operation,

you've used Ms. Dale as
an accomplice, have you not?

Well, Handsell?

Look, Mason,

I may not be a lawyer,

but I know a man doesn't
have to say somethin'

the law might use against him.

MASON: You've been given
immunity in this particular case,

so you can claim
no self-incrimination.

Now, answer my question.

Okay.

I knew Veronica.

How long?

Six, seven months.

Just how did you happen
to arrange the pickup

with Edgar Ferrell?

Nosing around the studios,

I found out he had a habit

of spending Tuesdays
and Wednesdays

out at that beach place.

Just one more question.

Who is the woman
you used to impersonate

Veronica Dale's mother?

Why do we need somebody
to play her mother?

We were doing okay by ourselves.

Thank you, Mr. Handsell.

That is all.

JUDGE: Court is
adjourned until 10 a.m.

(gavel bangs)

For the first time I feel
like there's still some hope.

There's always hope.

Get yourself a
good night's rest.

Don't you think you could
have given Mr. Addison

a little more encouragement?

I will when it warrants it.

Well, you completely
ruined Burger's case.

What's he got left?

For one thing, the
fact that the murder

was committed
with Addison's gun.

But they haven't
even found the gun.

Well, they
cross-matched the bullets.

And then there's
Addison's fight with Ferrell

over control of the studio.

And Addison was seen in
the vicinity of the murder house

the night Ferrell was killed.

What's left is enough
to send our client

to the gas chamber.

What do you plan to do?

(sighs)

Go back out to that house.

Play the murder all over again.

How do you get in?

Probably Ms.
Northrup has the key.

( energetic horn theme playing)

MASON: Well, the killer must
have been standing about here.

Evidently Ferrell
turned to face him

just at about the time
the shot was fired.

What do you think, Paul?

Perry, I don't get this.

You've gone over everything.

You've reconstructed the
case just like the police did,

but what have you come up with

that'll help Addison?

Yes, I know.

I've been grasping at straws.

You're not giving up
on this case, are you?

You don't mean they'll
convict Mr. Addison?

So far, I haven't found a thing

to prevent it, Ms. Northrup.

But you said if you could
get back in the house

and go over things once more...

I was hoping...

Just hoping to come
up with something

we might be able to use.

No need to hang
around here any longer.

Come on, Paul.

(door closes)

Mr. Mason!

Wait!

That man and woman who
tried to blackmail Mr. Addison,

maybe they killed Mr. Ferrell.

Why should they?

They'd only profit
if Ferrell was alive.

On top of that,

how could they have
gotten Addison's gun?

Oh.

The only thing I can do

is enter a plea of
second-degree murder.

I think Burger will buy it.

What will they do
to Mr. Addison?

Chances are, I can get
him off in about 20 years.

Twenty years?

But, Mr. Mason,
this is a great man.

He has so much to give.

They can't take 20 years
of this kind of talent and...

And just lock it up in a cell!

They can if they feel
he's guilty of murder.

But he isn't guilty!

Our problem is to
prove that, Ms. Northrup.

We're not able to do that.

I can prove it.

I overheard Mrs. Ferrell
call Mr. Addison that night

and ask him to come out here.

To spy on her husband,
get evidence for a divorce.

But I knew Mr. Addison
would never do that.

So you came out here yourself,

hoping to get that evidence.

Yes, I was going
to use it as a threat,

force him to keep
Mr. Addison in the studio.

Didn't you realize
the district attorney

could accuse Mr. Addison
of the same motive?

But he wasn't even here!

I found Mr. Ferrell alone.

I didn't see the girl,

although I knew she
was around someplace.

He'd been drinking.

I warned him.

I told him I was going
to ruin his reputation.

I even started to call his wife.

His wife didn't say
anything about it.

Mr. Ferrell stopped me.

He rushed me and
tried to choke me.

The gun went off, and I...

It didn't occur to me that...

a bullet could be
traced without a gun.

How did you happen
to have Addison's gun?

I took it from his
desk in the office.

I just wanted to
scare Mr. Ferrell.

I was just trying
to hold him off

while I called his wife.

I...

I didn't mean to kill him.

Mr. Addison must be very proud

to have a friend like you.

But I did kill him.

Mr. Addison had
nothing to do with it.

Let's go, Paul.

Mr. Mason!

If you'll come
over here, please.

( melodramatic theme playing)

In there.

Well, I knew I'd never see
my own name up in lights,

and I was going to make sure

that Mr. Addison's
would always be there.

What's up? I just
thought I'd warn you.

There's a whole mob of
newspaper guys downstairs.

They wanna talk to you
about Myrtle Northrup.

They just grabbed Burger.

Better get off at
the second floor

and go out the back way.

But what about the press?

You handle them. You kiddin'?

I don't know the answers myself.

Suppose they ask me what
made you suspect Myrtle

in the first place?

Just say that since everyone

with a selfish
motive was ruled out,

we had to look for someone
with an unselfish motive.

And Ms. Northrup
fit that description.

She was trying
to protect Addison.

Two, please.

Why did she pose
as Veronica's mother?

So there'd be no connection

between the girl and Addison.

You weren't supposed to come up

with the genuine article.

You know, I feel sorry for her.

After all, she did say

that Ferrell came at
her with a poker, and...

You know, with a good attorney,

she might get off
with self-defense.

That's what I thought too.

MAN: Second floor.

Any other message for
the gentlemen of the press?

You might tell them
if they're ever tempted

to pick up a lady on
the highway, don't.

If she's no lady, it
could be murder.

( horn theme playing)

( noirish jazz theme playing)