Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 2, Episode 13 - The Case of the Borrowed Brunette - full transcript

I'm sorry, Mr. Lane.

Mr. Slater is still busy.

Yes, I'll tell him. Goodbye.

Miss Eva Martell is next.

Good luck, Eva.

Miss Martell?

That's right.

How tall are you, Miss Martell?

5'5". Your weight?

116.

Hm.



What are your
measurements, Miss Martell?

You know, your measurements?

Heh. 34-24-34.

Uh-huh. Your age?

Twenty-seven.

Single? Yes.

Y... Is all this on
the up and up?

Absolutely. The
advertisement I put in the paper

said you could take
along an older woman

as a chaperon if you wanted to.

Yes, she's right outside.

Good.

Uh, would you come in, please?

All right, Miss
Martell. You'll do.



You already know I'll
pay you $100 a day,

and your chaperon $25 a day...

to a minimum of $1,000.

And it can go on
a whole lot further.

Okay, now that you'll have us,

let's see if we'll have you.

What's the job?

Well...

since the pay is so special...

there'll be some
particular requirements.

What?

You'll have to move out
of your present quarters,

move into an apartment
at the Lodestar.

You'll have no connection with
the outside world whatsoever.

No calls to friends,

no letters, visitors, nothing.

Whose apartment is it?

Belongs to a girl by the
name of Helen Reynolds.

You'll be required
to wear her clothes.

Helen Reynolds' clothes?

That's right. It's a
very sharp wardrobe.

It sounds like an impersonation.

Aunt Agnes, I don't
think this is the right...

I do.

We'll try it.

Aunt Aggie?

Mm-hm?

Mr. Slater acts awfully
strange for a private detective.

Don't borrow trouble, child.

But even when we took
some personal things

from our own apartment...

he made us put them
in a shopping bag

to make it look as though

we were just bringing
groceries in here.

And those men we saw
tonight, following us...

they're still down
on the street.

Don't worry, Eva.

I'll look out for you.

I know you will, Aunt
Aggie. You always do.

But this is so strange.

I think we made a
mistake coming here...

no matter how badly
we need the money.

Go on, answer it.

Hello?

No, she isn't here right now.

This is Agnes Nulty,
her nurse/companion.

May I have her call you back?

All right. Goodbye.

Fine.

You did that just
fine. Who was it?

He didn't say. He
said he'd call later.

And what would you do if
he wanted Mrs. Reynolds

to call back, and I wasn't here?

Call your office and
relay the message.

You see how easy it is?

Well, that fits fine.

I'll pick you up at 6:30.

Mr. Slater.

Are you taking us out
to dinner again tonight?

That's right. Every night.

Goodbye, ladies.

There they are again.

What do they want, Aunt Aggie?

They must be after something.

Maybe they're the police.

Maybe something's wrong.

Maybe something's
terribly wrong.

I didn't want to
do this. I told you.

Shh! In the bedroom.

Oh. I beg your pardon.

I'm looking for Mr. Slater.

Why would you be
looking for him here?

I'm Mrs. Slater.

Oh.

Have you tried his office?

He was here a few minutes ago.

I expect he's on
his way back there.

Oh. They won't let
me in to see him.

I have to just... catch him.

You see, he won
$1,800 in a poker game,

and the children...

I beg your pardon.

Will you be seeing him?

What do you mean
you have to "catch" him?

Well, he won't give
me enough money to...

Tsk.

I'm sorry. I... I
shouldn't talk like this.

You mean, he refuses
to support his family?

Please... if you see him,

would you tell him
that I want to see him?

Please, tell him to
come home tonight.

Yes, I'll tell him.

Ah, don't you worry, honey.

Goodbye.

Goodbye. Thank you.

I don't understand.

There's so many things
going on I don't understand.

Who is Slater?

What is he doing with
this Helen Reynolds?

Why am I taking her place?

What if she's dead?

What if what we're
doing is illegal?

I think it's time we got
some advice on that, Eva.

I'll go to a lawyer.

Let's quit, Aunt Agnes.

I'm not giving up
that money so quickly.

All right, what lawyer?

Well, if this is a
crime of some kind,

a criminal lawyer.

Very simply, Miss Nulty,

my advice is to quit...

pack up and go home.

You're vulnerable.

Oh?

You moved into
someone else's apartment.

The real owner can claim
your entry was felonious.

If something is missing, you
can be charged with larceny.

Then there's grand theft, bunco.

This man Slater
could be manipulating

a dozen different
confidence games.

Are you sure you're
being followed?

We were even followed here.

Why did you take the job?

Well, we need the
money desperately for Eva.

She's studying music,

and that takes a lot
of money, Mr. Mason.

We'd like to keep on, if we can.

Then you'd better
get some protection.

How?

Well, there are several
things I could do.

Wait a minute.

How much are you
going to charge?

I think we can come to
an equitable arrangement...

later on.

Well, I don't like
to do business

on a "later on" basis,
Mr. Mason, but...

you have an honest face and...

Well... what do
you want us to do?

Uh, go back to the apartment...

call Mr. Slater, tell
him you're quitting.

He'll hit the ceiling.

Tell him you're under
advice of counsel, and...

then pack your
things and get out.

All right, Mr. Mason.

I don't know where
you're heading,

but... we'll follow
your instructions.

Uh, Miss Martell...

has Mr. Slater made any...

improper advances?

Oh, no.

And he'd better not.

I've got a gun in this
purse, Mr. Mason,

and I can use it.

Do you have a permit
to carry that gun?

No.

Then my first advice to you

is to get rid of it at once.

You're in a rather
peculiar position.

Having an unlicensed
gun can only make it worse.

All right, Mr. Mason.

Goodbye, Miss Street.

Goodbye.

Thank you.

Goodbye, Mr. Mason.

Miss Martell.

Let's get ahold of
Paul Drake, Della.

Mm-hm. I want him to find out

who's having them
followed and why.

I wonder what sort of
flimflam this Mr. Slater's up to.

We'll start the ball
rolling when he calls.

When he calls?

Mm-hm.

When he hits that ceiling,
he'll have a phone with him.

This is a scandalous,

high-handed
procedure, Miss Nulty.

We've got an agreement.

I told you,

you'd better speak to
our attorney, Mr. Slater.

Come on, Eva.

Uh...

You can't leave me
in the lurch like this.

An agreement is an agreement.

His name is Mason. His
phone number is on the pad.

Now, hold on, Mr. Slater.

I take it you're aware
it may be a crime

to impersonate others?

Only where there is intent
to defraud, Mr. Mason.

I've gone into the
matter thoroughly.

There's no intent
to defraud here.

But you do intend
to deceive people?

Now, who gave you permission

to install my clients in
Mrs. Reynolds' apartment?

Mrs. Reynolds did.

Why?

For...

For reasons I can't
tell you, Mr. Mason.

There's nothing illegal
going on, I swear to you.

Your assurances aren't
good enough, Mr. Slater.

What do you want me to do?

I want Mrs. Reynolds
to come to my office,

prove her identity,
and sign a statement

relieving my clients
of all responsibility

for what you
instruct them to do,

for what they are
doing, or may do.

I don't know if I can get
Mrs. Reynolds to do that.

Then forget about Eva Martell

going on with
this impersonation.

Get someone else.

I can't get someone else.
Not now, not anymore.

Then have Mrs. Reynolds
at my office before 1:00.

At 1:00, I instruct my clients

to return to their
own apartment.

No, they can't do that.

Everything will be ruined.

They've already
disobeyed by going to you.

One o'clock,
Mr. Slater. Goodbye.

Observe. I press
my thumb on the pad

and on the paper.

Now you'll notice that
it corresponds exactly

with the thumbprint
on the license.

I am me, Helen Reynolds.

You do look a great
deal like Miss Martell.

Almost like sisters.

They seem to be identical.

They are identical.

What other kind of convincing

do you want, Mr. Mason?

Did you commission Melvin
Slater to arrange this impersonation?

Yes.

For what purpose?

That's my business.

Yes, it is, Mrs. Reynolds...

so long as you break no laws
or cause them to be broken.

And so long as you
do not jeopardize

the rights of others.

Della, do you have
that document?

Yes, it's right here.

Please read it before you sign.

I suppose this is
the indemnification

Slater told me you wanted.

"Agree to hold harmless
for any damages

"because of so impersonating me,

"and fully indemnify
against any or all kind

"of financial loss of any sort,

nature or description."

Why, I'll be giving them

a license to steal me blind.

Not quite.

Well, that's the
way it looks to me.

I'd be signing my life away.

You lawyers make me sick.

I've included only the
minimum requirements

for the protection
of my clients.

It gives them
absolute carte blanche.

I'm not going to sign it.

If you can satisfy me

as to your motives behind
the whole maneuver,

you may not have to.

I hate men like you.

One or the other,
Mrs. Reynolds...

or I must instruct my clients

to return to their
own apartment.

Mr. Mason, I
believe you're right.

I may be taking unfair
advantage of them.

Where do I sign?

Right here.

You're a philosophical loser.

Will they go back to
the apartment now?

Of course.

Your, uh...

bag made quite a thump
when it hit the desk.

If it contains a gun,

I hope you have
a license for it.

A gun?

I have no gun.

Goodbye, Mr. Mason.

Yes, Gertie?

Oh. Oh, put her on.

Eva Martell.

Yes, Miss Martell,
where are you?

We're at Wilson's Grill,
Mr. Mason. A restaurant.

It is? That's wonderful.

Well, do you
think it'll be all right

if we go to the beauty
parlor and the supermarket

before we go back to
Mrs. Reynolds' apartment?

Yes, I think it'll be all right.

Are you still being followed?

Oh, yes, Mr. Mason.

Now there are other men too.

I don't know whether
they're following us

or following the men
who are following us.

Oh, don't mind them. Just
go about your business.

Okay, Mr. Mason. Goodbye.

Did he say it's
all right? Mm-hm.

It's Mr. Slater.

I'll put these
groceries away, Eva.

Mr. Slater?

Aunt Aggie!

Call Mr. Mason

from the phone in
the lobby downstairs.

Go on, I'll be right with you.

Hi, Perry, Della.

Hi, Paul. Hi, Paul.

It is now three
hours and 20 minutes

since the discovery
of Melvin Slater's body.

What do you know so far?

Nothing. Except what Eva
Martell told me over the phone.

Well, she called the police.

Tragg and his
boys arrived at 4:10.

At five after 5,

Tragg took your clients
downtown for questioning.

Do you know anything
about the murder itself?

No.

Slater was shot in the
middle of his forehead

with a small-caliber gun.

Probably a .32.

Well, uh, what's the matter?

Well, Aunt Agnes
said she carried a gun.

Probably small-bore.

Go on.

You wanted to know who
was behind that tailing job,

and I had a perfect
opportunity of finding out.

Who was it?

I noticed that the
Interstate Detective boys,

the ones tailing your clients,

were feeding information
back to the home office

from the Lodestar via phone.

Then one of them took off.

I figured he was
heading back to the office

for only one reason.

To report to the
client in person?

Right. So I covered.

Okay, Paul, who was it?

Grant Willoughby Reynolds.

Reynolds?

Helen Reynolds' husband?

That's right.

Where is he now?

Still in the apartment.
Belvedere Towers.

All right, let's go.

Oh, Della... Mm-hm.

Get ahold of Reynolds.

Tell him I want to talk
to him about his wife.

Miss Martell and her
aunt will probably come by

when they're through at
police headquarters or call.

Right.

I do hope they come by.

That Miss Martell is a doll.

That'll make your day complete?

I was thinking of my
evening. Goodbye, beautiful.

You're Mason?

No, I am.

And who are you?

I'm Paul Drake.

What do you do?

I'm a private detective.

Come in.

Now, what about
my wife, Mr. Mason?

How long have you
been separated?

That's my personal business.

I'm afraid it's gonna
be public business

before very long.

Why?

A murder was committed

in her apartment this afternoon.

I, uh...

I don't understand
your connection

with this, Mason.

I'll explain it, Mr. Reynolds.

You hired private detectives

to spy on your wife.

You gave them a description

and her address at the Lodestar.

You wanted to know
everything about her.

But apparently, your wife knew
what you were planning to do

and made some plans of her own.

What are you talking about?

An advertisement that
appeared in the newspapers

three or four days ago.

My client answered it.

And with her aunt as chaperon,

she moved into
your wife's apartment,

even before you hired
your private detectives.

Go on, Mason.

Well, there you have it.

A woman was living
in your wife's apartment

who answered in every way

the description you'd given
Interstate Detective Agency.

Then the reports
I've been getting

have been on your
client, not my wife?

That's right, Mr. Reynolds.

My wife's been
as free as a bird...

to consort with 100
men if she wanted to.

And that's a dirty game
she's playing, Mason.

How about your
game? What's that?

What was your purpose in
having your wife spied on?

She's my wife.

When I don't want anything
anymore, I give it away.

But nobody leaves
me. Nobody quits me.

And nobody takes what's mine.

And she wanted to quit you?

All right. Now I understand.

Where do you fit in
and what do you want?

Mr. Reynolds...

somehow there seems to
have been a leak in your plans.

Who did you tell them to?

Nobody.

Who recommended Interstate
Detective Agency to you?

That's personal.
That won't help you.

Where were you this
afternoon, Mr. Reynolds?

About 1:00?

I'm not gonna
answer that either.

Why not?

On general principles.

You're not the police.
You've got another ax to grind.

All right, Paul,
I guess that's it.

Wait a minute.

I've got an ax too.

I want to get rid of my wife...

but I don't want to get stuck.

Now, she's seeing somebody.

She's... in love with somebody.

If I can find out who...

I can't help you.

Did this Slater have a
key to my wife's apartment?

If he had lived,

would you have named
him in a divorce action?

I can still use that key to
soften up her demands.

Might be a two-edged sword.

What do you mean by that?

Well, if he had a
key and you found it,

you might've been
insanely jealous

and tried to trap him.

Remember, Mr. Reynolds...

he was murdered.

Uh, Mr. Mason...

will you please tell me

how you knew what
Slater was up to?

I didn't know, Mr. Drake.

Was the only way the
facts made any sense.

There's more than a
good chance, though,

that Reynolds is right about
his wife seeing someone.

Hm. Why?

She wouldn't have
gone to all the trouble

of setting up an
impersonation just to fool him.

Yeah, she must've wanted
to be with someone else,

without being spied on.

She didn't impress
me as the type

who would spend long evenings

with... only a book
and a record player.

Paul...

Ah. I know.

I'll try to find who
the boyfriend is.

Della?

Yes, Perry?

Any word from the,
uh...? They're here.

Come in, won't you?

Well, it's nice
of you to stop by.

Here, sit down.

Thank you.

Did you just leave
police headquarters?

We just stopped at our own
place to drop off our things.

I see.

Well, tell me what happened.

I understand Slater was shot

with a .32 revolver.

Oh? Was he?

What caliber was your gun?

Mine?

Oh, you mean what we
were talking about today.

Why, Mr. Mason, I
don't own a revolver.

What a fuss you make
over a little white fib.

I never carried
a gun in my life.

Did you tell that to the police?

Well, of course.
Because it's the truth.

Did you disturb anything
in the murder room?

No.

Were you two
together all the time.

I mean, the whole day?

We were together
all day, Mr. Mason.

What about the time
you were phoning me

from Wilson's Grill?

Well, that was just
a minute or two.

What else did you
tell Lieutenant Tragg?

Just the truth.

Of course, we
didn't offer anything,

but when he asked a
question, we answered.

Mr. Mason...

we'd like to thank you

for everything
you've done for us.

You no longer want
me to represent you?

That's right. We
want to settle up now.

We don't want to
run up a big bill.

How much, uh...?

Good evening, Della.

Perry.

Miss Nulty.

Uh, you'll have to come with me.

What for?

Murder.

You just released her.

Yes, I know, but that was
before we found the gun.

What gun?

The murder gun, Perry.

Miss Nulty's gun.

The one she shot
Melvin Slater with.

The one she tried to dispose of.

And before we found $1,800.

Three $500 bills
and three $100 bills.

Where'd you find it?

Along with Slater's wallet.

In among the personal things

Miss Nulty took out of
the Reynolds' apartment.

Why did you kill
him, Miss Nulty?

For the money?

I didn't kill him!

For heaven sakes,
doesn't anybody

get anything
straight around here?

Let's go.

I guess I became economical
a mite too soon, Mr. Mason.

Can you keep on representing
us a little while longer?

We can take up the fee later.

All right, Miss Nulty.

Mr. Mason, shouldn't
I go with her?

You said you told the police
you were with your aunt all day.

Yes.

Did you sign a
statement to that effect?

Yes.

Did you swear to it?

Yes, it was an affidavit.

I'm not the police,
I'm your lawyer.

I want the truth.

Were you with your
aunt every second?

Well, practically.

Practically?

All right. When
weren't you with her?

Well, after we told
Mr. Slater we were quitting,

like you said, we
packed our things

and left Mrs.
Reynolds' apartment

and got down in the lobby.

And suddenly Aunt Agnes

remembered something
she'd left upstairs.

What?

Well, she didn't say what.

And she went upstairs again?

Yes.

What time was this?

About quarter to 1.

How long was she gone?

Only a few minutes.

Mr. Mason, about Aunt Agnes,

you have to take some of
the things she says with a...

Well, it isn't that she
means to deceive you,

it's just that...

Just that she's a liar.

Well, yes. Yes, I guess she is.

But she wouldn't hurt
anyone. She didn't kill Slater.

You're worried about her?

Yes.

At the moment, I'm
worried about you.

I know you're
holding Agnes Nulty

on suspicion of murder.

I think her niece, Eva Martell,
can be of some help to you.

That affidavit she signed,

just in case it
contains an oversight

or an incorrect recital of fact,

I want to be sure nothing's
going to be done about it.

So that's it?

You wanna make a deal?

That's it.

Let me tell you
something, Perry.

At approximately 1:00
Melvin Slater was killed

by a bullet from
Agnes Nulty's gun.

Your Eva Martell has
sworn in her affidavit

that she was with Agnes
Nulty every minute of that time.

Now, I just told
you she may have...

Therefore, if she
gets on the stand

and testifies that she
was with Agnes Nulty,

she's gonna be convicted,
along with Agnes Nulty

of murder in the first degree.

But if she tries to
change her testimony,

she's gonna be
convicted of perjury.

No deal, Perry.
You just struck out.

I note that the defendants,
Agnes Nulty and Eva Martell,

are charged jointly
with first-degree murder

and are both
represented by Mr. Mason.

Proceed, Mr. Prosecutor.

I call as my first witness
Officer Samuel Dixon.

Officer Samuel Dixon.

And within two minutes
after we got the radio call,

my partner and I
were at the apartment.

The body was in a chair,

and there was a bullet
hole in his forehead.

And who was present in
the apartment at that time?

Uh, the defendants, Miss
Nulty and Miss Martell.

Thank you, officer.
Cross-examine.

No question.

I call Helen
Reynolds to the stand.

No, sir, I didn't
actually see Mr. Slater

on the day he was killed,

but I did talk to
him over the phone.

And you had seen him many
times prior to that occasion?

Many times, yes.

Did you rent an apartment
at the Lodestar Apartments?

Yes.

And you had given
Mr. Slater permission

to use your apartment?

Temporarily, yes.

On the 4th day of the month,

at the request of the
police department,

did you go to the city morgue?

I did.

And while you were there,
did you identify a man's body?

Yes, I did. It was
Mr. Melvin Slater.

Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds.

Cross-examine, counselor.

Mrs. Reynolds, why did you
give Mr. Slater permission

to occupy your apartment?

He was employed to hire a
woman who resembled me.

Why?

She was to occupy the apartment

with an older woman.

Mr. Slater would then escort
these women around town,

taking them to
dinner and the theater,

so that the private detectives

that my husband
had hired to spy on me

would turn in
false reports to him.

Then Mr. Slater
had fulfilled his job?

Yes, he hired Miss
Martell and Miss Nulty.

Where were you at 12:30 on
the afternoon of the murder?

Your Honor, that's
objected to on the grounds

that it's incompetent,
irrelevant and immaterial.

It's also improper
cross-examination.

Your Honor, the
witness has testified

she did not see the
decedent all that day.

I only want to follow
her movements

from the luncheon period
until the time of the murder.

What was the time of the murder?

The coroner's
report states the time

as between 12:30 and 2:00.

The prosecution
fixes the time at 1:00.

If it please the court,

the prosecution
fixes the time of death

at between 12:45 and 1:15.

Very well. Objection overruled.

Defense is entitled
to investigate

this area of time.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, Mrs. Reynolds,
where were you at 12:30?

At lunch.

With whom?

A friend.

What friend?

A personal friend.

And I'm not gonna tell
you who, Mr. Mason.

But at 15 minutes to 1, I got
a message from Mr. Slater.

He said I was to go to
Mr. Perry Mason's office.

At 1:00, or a few
minutes after...

Was that when the
murder took place?

I was speaking to
Mr. Mason in his office.

Thank you.

No further questions.

I call Grant Willoughby
Reynolds to the stand, please.

Mr. Reynolds, you have heard
the testimony of your wife?

I have.

Did you indeed hire
Interstate Detective Agency

to have her shadowed?

I did.

And did you receive
reports from this agency

about the activities of
Miss Martell and Miss Nulty

in the belief that
they were reports

about your wife
and her chaperon?

Yes.

Now, after you were
apprised of the murder,

what did you do?

Well, I instructed
the detective agency

to give the police all
the information they had.

And to the best of your
knowledge, they did?

Yes.

Thank you, Mr. Reynolds.
Cross-examine.

Now, Mr. Reynolds,

how did you
receive your reports?

By mail, telephone or in person?

Sometimes by phone,
sometimes in person.

Do you recall a
conversation we had

on the evening of the murder?

I do.

At that time

I informed you
of Slater's murder,

yet you did not seem surprised.

No.

Why not?

I'd been apprised of it

by the Interstate
Detective Agency.

By telephone or in person?

By phone.

Had you been at the
Interstate office on that day?

If you're fishing for an account
of my whereabouts, Mr. Mason,

it's a matter of record.

I had lunch with the
manager of Interstate.

Lunch was from
12:15 to almost 1:30.

At which time I returned
with the manager

to the Interstate offices.

Thank you,
Mr. Reynolds. That'll be all.

Now, Mr. Folsom,
you're a private detective.

By whom are you employed?

The Interstate Detective Agency.

I direct your attention to
the defendant Agnes Nulty,

and I ask if you saw her
on the 4th day of the month

at approximately
1:20 in the afternoon.

I did.

Whereabouts?

At Wilson's Grill, a restaurant.

Were you able to observe
what she was doing there?

She was with the
other defendant.

They arrived at
five minutes to 1.

At 1:20, while Eva
Martell was phoning,

Miss Nulty left the grill.

Without being observed,

I followed her to an alley
back of the restaurant.

And what did she do there?

There were three
garbage cans there.

She lifted the lid
of the middle one,

apparently dropped
something into it,

and then replaced the lid.

And you say this was
approximately 1:20?

Yes, sir, at 1:20.

Thank you, sir. That'll be all.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Folsom, I noticed
you were very careful

in your choice of words.

You said that Miss
Nulty lifted the lid

and apparently dropped
something into the can?

Yes, sir.

When she picked it up,
it was with her left hand.

Her back was to me,

and her body hid what
her right hand was doing.

I see.

Now, Mr. Folsom,

at the time you observed
the defendant Nulty,

or within a very few
minutes thereafter,

did you not telephone a
report to the Interstate Agency?

Uh, yes, I did.

In that report,
did you not state

that she lifted the lid
and looked into the can?

Uh... I believe so, yes.

And isn't it a fact
that you did not report

that she dropped
something into it?

Well, uh, no,

if you want to get
technical about it.

But in thinking it over...

We don't want your second
thoughts, Mr. Folsom.

The initial impression
is all we want.

Thank you. That'll be all.

I call Barbara Slater
to the stand, please.

Mrs. Barbara Slater.

Now, Mrs. Slater, I
show you this wallet

and ask if you've
ever seen it before.

Yes. It's my...

It was my husband's.

Would you tell
the court, please,

the occasion when
you saw it last?

Yes, sir.

It was on the morning
of the 4th of October.

He changed suits
and opened the wallet

and gave me $20 for house money.

Were you able to observe

anything in the wallet
while it was open?

Yes, sir.

I saw a $500 bill.

I asked him where he got it,

and he said he won
it in a poker game.

And then he showed
me three of them,

and three $100 bills.

Thank you, Mrs. Slater.

You may cross-examine.

Mrs. Slater, your husband
gave you $20 for expenses,

and kept $1800 for himself?

Yes, sir.

Did you try to reach him
at Mrs. Reynolds' apartment

on the morning of the murder?

I... Yes.

You missed him?

Did you then try to reach
him again at that apartment?

No.

No, Mr. Mason.

I had to go home and
take care of my family.

Thank you, Mrs. Slater.

That will be all.

Lieutenant, were you in
charge of the investigation

of the murder of Melvin Slater?

Yes, sir.

And did you find on
his person a wallet?

No. No, sir.

I see. Now, you
took the defendants

down to police
headquarters for questioning.

Until about what time
did you detain them there?

Uh, it was about
20 minutes past 6.

And would you tell the
court please what transpired

after they left
police headquarters?

Well, we got a report from
the Interstate Detective Agency

relating the
garbage-can incident,

and I went to Wilson's Grill

and inspected the
middle garbage can

in the back alley.

Would you tell us,
please, what you found?

Yes, I found the can to
be about two-thirds full,

and I had it emptied
out on a piece of canvas.

And in that refuse,
I found a gun.

I show you now this gun
and ask if you can identify it.

Oh, yes, I can. It
has my mark on it.

It's the .32 revolver we found
in the middle of the refuse.

I see. Did you take
this gun with you

and return to police
headquarters?

No, sir. I sent it, along
with the top of the can,

to be tested.

And I immediately
called on Agnes Nulty.

She wasn't home.

What home are you
referring to, lieutenant?

Before she took up residence
at Mrs. Reynolds' apartment,

she and Miss Martell
shared a duplex.

I see. So what did you do?

Since I had a search warrant,

I got the owner of
the place to let me in.

And you searched the premises?

Yes, sir, I found
among the belongings

that Miss Nulty had taken away

from Mrs. Reynolds'
apartment, a wallet.

I show you now this wallet
and ask if you can identify it.

Yes, I can.

It too has my mark.

It's the wallet I found in
Miss Nulty's possessions.

And what did you find
in the wallet, lieutenant?

Well, among papers and licenses,

three $500 bills
and three $100 bills.

And what did you do
after you found the money?

Well, I called headquarters,

and I learned the gun
was the murder weapon,

and that the lid
of the garbage pail

revealed the fingerprints
of Agnes Nulty.

I then went to
Mr. Mason's office

and I arrested Miss Nulty.

Thank you,
lieutenant. That'll be all.

Cross-examine, counselor.

One moment, counselor.

Do you anticipate a
prolonged cross-examination?

Yes, I do, Your Honor.

Since it is nearly 5:00,

the court will be adjourned
until 10:00 tomorrow morning.

Hi, Perry.

Hi, Paul.

Anything on Helen
Reynolds' boyfriend?

No, not yet,

But I'm still waiting
to hear from the boys.

There's something
else that bothers me.

I think the same
thing is bothering me.

Well, what's that?

Well, from what you've
been able to reconstruct

of Slater's character,
wouldn't he be the kind of man

to take advantage of a
situation with Helen Reynolds?

Exactly.

Paul, can you take
Della to dinner?

It's a pleasure. But
what about you?

I have an errand to do.
I'll see you both later.

Good evening.

What do you want, Mr. Mason?

Just a few words.

You've had them in court.

I thought you might
prefer these out of court.

Who's the man?

What man?

The one you've gone to
such lengths to protect,

the one you're still protecting.

The gentleman,

the man so unlike
Grant Reynolds.

He is different, isn't he?

He has to be,

otherwise he'd be fighting
for you out in the open.

You're the most...
The second most.

Obnoxious person I've ever met.

Second only to your husband?

I think the reason I
dislike you so intensely

is that there's
something about you,

though in a subtler way,
that reminds me of Grant.

There's the same initial
impact of a strong personality,

the same steady,
insistent pressure

to overcome obstacles that...

Well, that I find attractive.

It's a good deal softer in you,

and wiser and more humanitarian,

but it's there.

You're a remarkable woman.

All right, I'm not
going to fight with you

over something
that isn't worthwhile.

What do you want to know?

Outside of who I'm in love with?

How did you find
out before the fact

that your husband was
going to have you shadowed?

Melvin Slater told me.

Slater?

My husband is an
inveterate poker player.

He'll even play
with professionals

when he can't find
a game with friends.

At a recent game,

he inquired about a
good detective agency.

Slater was there.

He put two and two
together and, um, came to me.

And... you and he
figured out the antidote?

Yes.

Slater's quite an opportunist.

How much did he blackmail
you for, Mrs. Reynolds?

There you go again,

like a bull with your head
down and your horns ripping.

Mr. Mason, I'm packing.
I want to get out of here.

I can't believe he
wouldn't blackmail you.

Didn't he discover
who your lover was

and take the whole
thing to your husband?

No. I wouldn't be
blackmailed, Mr. Mason.

There's never any end
to blackmail once it starts.

Oh, yes, there's an end.

But only one.

What?

Murder, Mrs. Reynolds.

Where did you go
when you left my office

on the day of the murder?

To my lover,

who is not a lover, Mr. Mason.

To the man I'm in love with.

A gentle man, a man full
of warmth and sweetness

and an abundance of love.

I've protected him from Grant.

Do you think I won't
protect him from you

and the whole
world if I have to?

Good night, Mr. Mason.

Perry, this is the
information you wanted

on the kitchen schedule.

I got to talking
with the chef there,

and guess who used
to work in the kitchen?

Who? Barbara Slater.

When?

She quit about four months ago.

Nice work, Paul.

Please rise.

Here we go.

Now, lieutenant, you had the
lid of the garbage can tested

and found Miss
Nulty's fingerprints?

That's right.

On the underside
of the lid's handle

were several latents.

Some smudged and
some clearly identifiable.

Did all the identifiable
prints belong to Miss Nulty?

Oh, no. No, sir.

And, of course, you had
these other prints checked out?

We'd have to go through
the whole kitchen staff.

And, of course, you also
had the murder weapon

tested for fingerprints?

Yes, negative.

Everything had been
smudged and smeared.

It had been there an
appreciable amount of time

and garbage had
been piled on top of it

from time to time.

Isn't this only an assumption
of yours, lieutenant?

Well, yes.

Of course, it's obvious.

Well, would you please
explain the part of the evidence

that makes it obvious?

Well, I found the gun

pretty well down
inside the garbage.

Well, isn't it possible the gun
could have been pushed down?

And wouldn't that
account for the fact

that the fingerprints on
the gun were smudged?

Your Honor, it's
perfectly obvious

that counsel is merely wrangling

about an interpretation
of evidence.

It's up to the court to
make that interpretation.

Your Honor, I'm
only trying to find out

what actually happened.

But isn't it obvious that
what the lieutenant says

must be exactly what
happened, Mr. Mason?

No, it isn't, Your Honor.

I would be glad to
hear counsel on this.

Then if it please the court,

I would like to recall a
witness, Mrs. Barbara Slater.

Very well. Call
Mrs. Barbara Slater.

Mrs. Barbara Slater.

You may stand down.

You're already under
oath, Mrs. Slater.

Continue, Mr. Mason.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, Mrs. Slater, were
you gainfully employed

up until four months ago?

Yes.

Where did you work?

Um, in Wilson's
Grill, in the kitchen.

I, uh... I did
general utility work.

Cleaning up, washing
and drying dishes.

Emptying refuse into
the cans behind the cafe?

Yes, sir.

Did the kitchen staff

have a regular
schedule for this task?

Yes, sir.

When is the last lot of refuse

transferred to the
cans after 12:00 noon?

It's right before 12:30.

The breakfast help
work by the hour,

and they go off time at 12:30,

so, uh, i-it has to
be done before then.

And in the evening?

Well, when we
work that split shift,

we come back at 8:00.

There are never any changes?

I worked there 32
months, Mr. Mason,

day in and day out, and...

And no refuse was ever put out

between 12:30 and
8:00 in the evening.

Thank you.

Is that all?

Why, yes, Mrs. Slater,

unless Mr. Burger
has some questions.

No, I haven't.

Your Honor,

I don't think this
proves anything at all.

It simply means that it
must've been the way

counsel himself theorized.

Miss Nulty pushed the gun

deep into the middle
of the refuse can.

Now, in order to do that,

Miss Nulty would've had
to roll up her right sleeve.

She most certainly
did not do that

according to the witness Folsom.

Folsom couldn't see her hands.

According to his testimony,

Folsom's first impression
was that she had raised the lid

and looked into the can.

Then he said maybe

she had dropped
something into it.

But he most
certainly did not say

that she had bent over and
pushed something into it.

Now, Mr. District Attorney,
it would seem that counsel

is logically and clearly
building a good point.

If Your Honor please,

I maintain that the position
of the gun in the refuse can

materially affects this case.

How so, Mr. Mason?

We all accepted
Mr. Burger's theory

that the murder took
place prior to 1:20,

only because Miss Nulty was
seen in the alley at that time.

But since she was seen there

and disposed of the
murder weapon at that time,

what other theory is there?

Mr. Burger, you'll recall
the coroner's report states

that the murder
could have occurred

at any time between
12:30 and 2:00.

Now, if it please the court,

and if Mr. Burger
has no objections,

in an effort to clarify
this entire matter,

I should like to recall
another witness.

You may recall your
witness, Mr. Mason.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Mr. Grant Reynolds, please.

You stated you had lunch

with the manager of
Interstate Detective Agency

on the day of the murder?

Yes.

And that you returned
to the Interstate offices

at approximately 1:30?

That's right.

Then you must've been there

when Mr. Folsom phoned
in his report on Agnes Nulty,

who, by the way, was
following my directive

to get rid of the gun.

Are you sure I was there?

We can check that with
the Interstate manager,

can't we, Mr. Reynolds?

Now, there were only four people

who knew about Miss
Nulty's peculiar actions:

Miss Nulty herself,
the Interstate manager,

Mr. Folsom, and
you, Mr. Reynolds.

And it piqued your curiosity.

What was your wife's chaperon
disposing of so secretly?

How long did it take you

to get to the alley
back of Wilson's Grill?

How long to take advantage
of the gun, already loaded?

How long to get to
your wife's apartment,

seeing a man in
his shirt-sleeves,

a man you thought
had replaced you

in your wife's affections?

How long to pull that
trigger, Mr. Reynolds?

Not long enough to give
Slater the chance to tell you

he wasn't the man you
were looking for, was it?

What makes you think he wasn't?

He had a key to
my wife's apartment.

He sat around the
place as if he owned it.

Sure,

maybe he started
by working for her.

But I know my wife.

I knew there was
something going on.

Yes.

You knew.

You knew something was going on

every time she even
nodded to another man.

You'll never convince
me there wasn't.

I wouldn't try, Mr. Reynolds.

Then after Mr. Reynolds
killed Slater,

he brought the gun
back to the garbage can.

And thinking that more garbage
had been added in the meantime,

he pushed it halfway down.

That's right, Della.

There's one thing
I don't understand.

Why Miss Nulty took the $1,800.

I took it because I
wanted to make sure

it got back to
where it belonged.

And where would that be?

To Barbara Slater.

I was going to put it in an
envelope and mail it to her,

only I never had the chance.

Well, I guess that
clears everything up.

No, there's one little bit
of unfinished business.

Hm. What?

Helen Reynolds' boyfriend.

Where is he?

Ah, we stopped
looking for him, Perry.

You stopped looking
for him? Why?

Well, the judge had already
dismissed the case. Mm-hm.

You'd already
uncovered the murderer.

Mm-hm.

Besides, we couldn't find him.

Mm-hm.