Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 2, Episode 22 - The Case of the Bedeviled Doctor - full transcript

Nurse Edith Douglas arrives home to find her younger brother Mark there. Their parents died when he was young with the result he is always in trouble. Mark tells her he is hiding because he owes several thousand dollars. He convinces her to help him steal an audio tape recording her employer Dr. David Craig makes of his sessions with patients. Mark wants a recording of the patient Peter Heywood, a successful aviation executive, whose wife Barbara believes he is having an affair. When Dr. Craig finds his office ransacked and five tapes missing, he contacts Perry about the situation. Paul tells them it appears someone made a wax copy of a key. Dr. Craig suddenly leaves Perry's office, realizing only Edith could have done it. He goes to her apartment where he confronts her and Mark. Mark hands over the five tapes but Dr. Craig doesn't realize Mark made copies until he receives a call from Mr. Heywood who thinks Dr. Craig is in on the blackmail. When Mark is found murdered with a 38, Dr. Craig who owned a 38 is charged.

Ah. Mark!

Am I glad you're home, Sis.

Oh, what are you doing here?

Did you lose your
job in San Diego?

I quit.

They're lookin' for me.

They're looking for you?

A couple of boys from Vegas.

You've been gambling again.

I'm no good, Edith.

I... I don't know why you
waste your time with me.



Oh, don't say that.

We'll... We'll work
out something.

I got $600 in the bank.

You know how much
I owe these fellas?

Four thousand bucks.

What am I gonna do, Edith?

They'll kill me.

W-we'll tell the police.

That won't do any good.
You don't know these guys.

There must be something.

Edith,

I got one chance.

I met a woman a
couple of days ago

named Barbara Heywood.



Her husband is one
of Dr. Craig's patients.

Peter Heywood?

You told me once Dr. Craig
makes tape recordings

of each session so
he can study 'em later.

Now, if this guy Heywood

is playin' around
with another woman,

wouldn't he tell
that to his analyst?

I don't understand.

Mrs. Heywood said
she'd give me 5 grand

for a recording of one of
her husband's sessions.

Now, she figures it'll
be worth a half a million

in a divorce settlement.

I got it all figured out.

All you... Do you
realize what this

could do to Dr. Craig?

Do you realize what those
Vegas boys will do to me

if I don't pay off?

Well, when they fish
my body out of the ocean,

don't bother to identify it.

Mark.

Wait.

I knew you wouldn't
let me down, Edith.

I knew it.

Oh...

Sometimes, I-I...

I feel I could kill her.

Like the time I came home

and found her drunk
in front of the maid.

Then I remember
what she used to be like.

She...

She was the most
beautiful woman in the world.

You must have seen her, doctor.

Her professional name was

Barbara Clinton.

Heh. Of course,
she never could act.

And when the
public found that out,

that finished her.

That's when she
started to drink.

It was my fault.

I was... Oh, I was too busy

designing airplanes.

I didn't devote
enough time to her.

Tell me, did you ever
try to discuss your work

with her, Mr. Heywood?

Yeah, for a while,

but she didn't seem to care.

Maybe I gave up too soon.

Maybe... Oh, I don't know.

Maybe if I'd tried harder,

she wouldn't be
an alcoholic today.

Don't you think you're being
unduly severe with yourself?

Don't you feel that
your wife's drinking

is her own problem?

But I'm to blame for
looking elsewhere!

Remember? I-I told you
about this other woman.

Maybe...

Maybe if I hadn't
started with Dana,

none of this would
have happened.

Now, this Dana that
you keep referring to,

has she made any demands on you?

Absolutely none.

She wouldn't take
a thing from me.

Of course, with your
particular neurosis,

you feel guiltier than ever.

What should I do, doctor?

I can't give you the answer.

My job is to help
you find it yourself.

If I can hold out that long.

Oh, my time's up, eh?

Mm-hm.

See you Wednesday.

I thought you'd like some tea

before your next appointment.

I don't know what I'd
do without you, Edith.

You'd better drink your tea.

Mrs. Wallace will
be here any minute.

Would you like me to
take care of that for you?

Yeah, sure.

What's the matter?
Is something wrong?

Oh, that must be Mrs. Wallace.

I'll tell her you'll be
with her in a minute.

The doctor will see you
in a moment, Mrs. Wallace.

There were papers
strewn all over the place,

my safe had been forced.

Perry, what am I gonna
do? I can't go to the police.

And if my patients find
out I've been negligent...

Why do you persist
in blaming yourself?

Because it's my fault.

I should have been more
careful with those tapes.

You locked them up in your safe.

As far as your legal
responsibility is concerned...

I'm not worried about
my legal responsibility,

it's my patient I'm thinking of.

You said there were
five tapes stolen.

Four of them were blank.

Why did you keep
them in your safe?

Oh, just a precaution.

Look, Perry, if I don't
get that tape back...

Was your patient's
name on that tape?

Who is he?

Peter Heywood.

President of Heywood Aircraft?

Della, will you please
see if Paul Drake is free?

Perry, why bring him into this?

Do you keep any
narcotics in your safe?

Were they stolen? No.

Why would a thief
pass up narcotics

in favor of Heywood's tape?

You don't know what was on it.

How'd the thief know?

What is on the tape, Dave?

Perry, you know that everything
a patient tells his doctor

is confidential.

So is anything a
doctor tells his lawyer.

Look, unless I
have all the facts,

I can't help you.

Well,

Heywood spoke of his wife
and a woman named Dana.

He's in love with her.

Did he want a divorce?

That's the problem.

His wife's an alcoholic,

and Heywood feels
responsible for her condition.

Perry, if that tape falls
in the wrong hands...

I think it's safe to
assume that it has.

Paul Drake is here.

All right, send him in.

Paul, this is an
old friend of mine,

Dr. David Craig.

Dave, this is Paul Drake.

How do you do,
doctor? How are you?

Paul,

what can you tell us about that?

Uh, let me see your
magnifying glass

a minute, please.

Well, somebody's made

an impression of
this recently. Uh...

See those, uh,
particles on the ridges?

That's wax.

All right, thanks.

Pleasure. Nice to
have met you, doctor.

All right, Dave,

who had the opportunity

to make that wax impression?

I haven't the least idea.

How often does your
nurse use that key?

Perry, let's forget
the whole thing.

I'll take it from here.

Dave.

Don't do anything foolish.

You know, Perry, for an analyst,

I'd say he seems
emotionally disturbed.

He is.

I'd say he was in
love with his nurse.

Who is it?

It's me, Mark. Open up.

Did you get the tape?

You mean, you didn't go

to Dr. Craig's
office last night?

No, I...

Look, you little chiseler,
this whole thing was my idea.

I was the one who made the
contact with Mrs. Heywood.

I'm tellin' you, Ronny,
my sister wouldn't go for it.

Hello, Sis.

Oh, uh, this is
a friend of mine,

Ronny Fowler.

Ronny, this is my sister.

I'm glad to know you.

I'll see you later, Mark.

Uh, afraid I'm going
to be tied up, Ronny.

Well, try to clear some time.

It's important.

Where's the tape?

Why? You gotta
give it back to me.

You don't know what
this has done to Dr. Craig.

Did he call the police?

No, he went to see his lawyer,

Perry Mason.

What did Mason
say? I don't know.

I didn't wait for him to
come to the office. I've...

I've just been driving
around all morning.

Why, you jerk.

What's Craig gonna
think when he comes back

to the office and
doesn't find you?

I don't care.

You've got to
give it back to me.

If you don't, so
help me, I'll...

Who is it?

Dr. Craig.

I expected to find
you at the office.

I thought you
might be interested

in what Perry Mason had to say.

It seems that someone

recently made a wax
impression of my safe key.

Why did you do it, Edith? Why?

Leave her alone!

I'm her brother.

She did it to help
me out of a jam.

Have you got that tape?

Have you got that tape?

Dave, don't!

I could kill you.

Let him have it, Mark. Please.

I wanna hear this one.

It's no use, my apologizing.

I realize I've done
a terrible thing.

I have no right
to ask for favors.

But I beg you,

please don't have him arrested.

I'm to blame for everything.

He's just a boy.

Aren't you ready yet?

Yeah.

Well, what are you waiting for?

Sometimes I feel
I could kill her.

Like the first time I came
home and found her drunk

in front of the maid.

You don't know
how lucky you are.

David.

May I talk to you?

There's nothing to say.

Just five minutes,
that's all I ask. Please?

Can we talk in your car?

Hello?

Mrs. Heywood?

That's right.

This is Mark Douglas.

You remember,

Ronny Fowler's friend.

I got some bad news for you.

Just a minute.

Martha, you can go
clean the den now.

You didn't get the tape?

Oh, I got the tape all right,

but there were complications.

Those complications
ran up the cost.

I want $10,000.

You said it would only be 5.

I told you, Mrs. Heywood,
there were complications.

But I can't afford
that kind of money.

You want me to peddle
it to your husband?

You wouldn't.

Oh, hm, not unless
you force me to.

Now... Now, you
must know someone

who could advance you the dough.

After all, this thing
is worth a fortune.

Your husband's a
great recording artist.

Well, I'll see what I can do.

That's the spirit.

You know where you can reach me.

And I don't like the design
of the fire-control unit.

If the automatic
device were to fail,

the pilot would find it...

Yes?

Sorry to bother
you, Mr. Heywood,

but there's a gentleman
here to see you.

His name is Mark Douglas.

I don't know any Mark Douglas.

He says he's a
friend of Dr. Craig's.

Very well. Send
him in, Miss Lewis.

How are you, Mr. Heywood?

Fine, thank you.

Did you say Dr. Craig
sent you here?

Well, you might put it that way.

This is a tape recording

of your last session
on the couch.

Where'd you get that?

I told you.

Dr. Craig and I are buddies.

You can have it if you
want to, Mr. Heywood.

I got another copy.

You don't let me go,

it'll cost you a lot more.

Suppose we say 20,000.

Get out.

I don't blame you
for being upset.

Uh, suppose I give you a
little ring tomorrow morning.

Get outta here!

Or you can call me.

My sister's name is in the book.

Get outta here!

Edith Douglas.

That boss of yours
sure is excitable.

What's wrong?

Better shut the door.

Darling, what is it?

That Mark Douglas
is a blackmailer.

He's got a recording
of my last session

with Dr. Craig.

Better call Supply and have
them send a tape recorder

over here right away.

Darling,

did you mention me by name?

If my wife ever
gets ahold of it,

it'd be the end of everything.

Perry, you were right.

My nurse did have
that key copied.

She... She did it
for her kid brother.

His name is Mark Douglas.

Did you get the tape back?

That's what he
led me to believe,

but apparently I don't know
as much about psychology

as I thought I did.

Heywood just left
ten minutes ago.

It seems that I'm the
world's prized chump.

The boy had another copy?

You called it.

He wants 20,000
from Mr. Heywood,

and Heywood thinks
I'm in on the plot.

Listen, Dave...

I'm afraid I haven't time. I...

I just called so
that you could say,

"I told you so."

Hello, Dave?

Dave?

See if you can find a
listing for Edith Douglas.

Mm-hm. And let's
get Paul in here.

Right.

Well, we're late.

He's dead.

Perry, let's get outta here.

Um, wait a minute.

Give me your handkerchief.

He's gone.

It says here that Mark
Douglas was shot by a .38.

Your doctor pal took
out a license for a .38

seven months ago.

Mm, that doesn't prove anything.

Granted, but he had a motive.

So did at least three others:

Mr. Peter Heywood,
his girlfriend Dana,

and Edith Douglas.

The boy's sister?

Wouldn't be the first case
of fratricide on the books.

If she were in love with
David Craig and found...

Yes, Gertie?

Oh? Send him right in.

Lieutenant Tragg.

Good day, sir.

Morning, counselor.
Della. DELLA: Morning.

How are you, lieutenant?

Busy as the proverbial bee.

I hope your boss
doesn't keep you up

as late as he does me.

Uh... Hm. Still warm.

Paul Drake just left.

Would you mind telling me
what you fellas were up to

last night, say,
around, uh, 7:00?

Why? We got an anonymous tip

that a fella named,
uh, Mark Douglas

had been murdered.

Did you make that phone call?

Suppose I did.

Then it would be safe to assume

that you were in the apartment.

Why did you leave?

I felt the police
should be notified.

There was a phone less
than five feet from the body.

Mm-mm. There might
be fingerprints on it.

That's pretty good.

Well, as a matter
of fact, there were.

You didn't expect that, did you?

Why didn't you give
the police your name?

As a citizen, if I
discover a murder,

I'm duty bound to report it,

but as an attorney,

I have no obligation
to disclose my identity

when by doing so...

You might betray
a client. Exactly.

Yes, too bad your
client betrayed himself.

Whose fingerprints
do you think we found

on that phone? I have no idea.

Dr. David Craig's.

Nice thing about it:

He even admits it.

Where is he?

Headquarters.

We picked him up
about 2:00 this morning.

If you've been holding
Dr. Craig incommunicado...

No, no, no. We asked
him if he wanted a lawyer.

He said, "No."

Isn't it a shame?

You'd think a man like that

would have
something to live for.

You still haven't given
me an answer, Dave.

Why didn't you have
the police call me?

I didn't think it was necessary

to call an attorney.

What kind of a death
wish do you have?

I can use your
language too, you know.

Look...

do you wanna go
to the gas chamber?

Of course not.

Well, the police
know you had a run-in

with Mark Douglas
earlier in the day.

I told them that.

Did you tell them why?

Once they find that out,
we're really in trouble.

They found the cab
driver who took you

to the Douglas apartment.

Perry, you've gotta believe me.

He was dead when I got there.

Where's your gun?

I got rid of it.

Why?

You know, I thought I
knew myself very well,

but I was wrong.

I never thought it was possible

for me to ever
kill a human being

under any circumstances,

yet I went over
there to kill that boy.

And when I saw him lying
dead there on the floor...

You thought his
sister was responsible.

I didn't say that.

You didn't have to.

What'd you do with the gun?

I threw it in the ocean,

off the breakwater
at Long Beach.

Don't you realize there's
not one chance in a million

of recovering that gun?

What difference does it make?

All the difference in the world.

If the police don't find
the murder weapon,

they have every right to
believe yours did the trick.

I never wanna handle
a gun as long as I live,

and that's the truth!

All right.

Let's start at the beginning.

You learned there
was another tape

when Heywood came to see you.

And he accused me
of giving it to Douglas.

Then Heywood left.

Where was Miss Douglas?

Home.

I called her from the
office after Heywood left.

Then she knew what
her brother had done?

When you walked
into the apartment,

Miss Douglas had gone.

Why'd you use the phone?

The police found
your fingerprints on it.

Well, I... I wanted
to call my exchange.

At a time like that?

Well, I had to see if Edith
had left a message for me.

Was there a message?

No.

Look, Perry,
she didn't kill him.

She couldn't have. I know Edith.

Dave, you just
got through saying

you didn't even know yourself.

There's nothing
more I can tell you.

Mark was no good.

He was no good,
and it was my fault.

Who do you think killed him?

I don't know.

You think it was Dr. Craig?

Well, how can you say that?

He didn't even know my brother.

The police can prove he did.

They have everything but motive

to make their case complete.

And once they learn your
brother stole a recording

from Dr. Craig's office...

But Mark gave it back to him.

Not before he made
at least two copies.

Now, Dr. Craig phoned you

right after his visit
with Mr. Heywood.

What did you do after that call?

I-I went to look for Mark.

I must have tried a
dozen different places,

but no one had seen him.

When I got back,
the police were there.

Did you know your brother
intended to blackmail Heywood?

No.

That's why I was so confused.

He told me he
wanted to sell the tape

to Mrs. Heywood.

Apparently, he was working
both sides of the street.

How'd he meet Mrs. Heywood?

Oh, I don't know.

Did they have mutual friends?

There must have been someone.

The other day, when I came home,

there was a man there.

He said he wanted
to see Mark later,

but my... My brother
said he couldn't make it.

You remember this man's name?

Fowler. Ronny Fowler.

All right.

Thank you for coming in.

You don't know how
badly I want to help.

I understand.

If you need me
for anything else...

I'll let you know.

Good afternoon. Good afternoon.

May I see Mr. Heywood, please?

Uh, whom shall I say is calling?

Perry Mason.

I'm sorry. He isn't in.

PETER: Miss Lewis.

Miss Lewis?

Didn't you hear me? Mr. Heywood?

No, he isn't.

What's going on here?

I represent Dr. David Craig.

So?

There are one or two questions

I'd like to ask you.

I have nothing to say.

A boy named Mark Douglas
was murdered last night.

He deserved it.

Why?

Don't answer that.

I know how you operate.

You're not going to
involve him in this case.

Mr. Heywood involved himself.

That was Dr. Craig's fault.

I'm not gonna let you destroy

what it's taken
Mr. Heywood years

to build up.

You have a very
loyal secretary here.

Don't you think I know it?

Yes, I think you do.

By any chance, would
your first name be Dana?

There's a car comin'.

How's it going?

Well, Mrs. Heywood hasn't
budged from the house.

Whose car is that?

That's Ronny Fowler.

He got here about
ten minutes ago.

Sure it was Fowler?

Positive.

Uh-oh.

Mrs. Heywood in?

Who shall I say is calling?

We'll announce ourselves.

What do you make of it?

Fowler was carrying a small box

when he went in there.

Could it have
been a roll of tape?

Possibility.

My guess is he's gonna
peddle it to Mrs. Heywood.

Take good care of that.

Well, looks like Tragg

caught him with the goods.

Not bad, huh?

From where I'm standing,
it couldn't be worse.

All right, Mr. Fowler,
I'm still waiting.

Are you gonna tell me
where you got this money?

I told you. She loaned it to me.

Ask her yourself if
you don't believe me.

He's telling the
truth, Mr. Burger.

I-I loaned him the
money to go into business.

The recording business?

That's right. A fellow I know
puts out high-fidelity tapes.

And that just happens

to be one of your samples? Yeah.

You have no right to
keep it. It belongs to me!

All right, you'll get it back
as soon as Lieutenant Tragg

is finished with it.

All set.

This is a high-fidelity
recording.

Whether your taste runs
to the classical or popular,

Echo High-Fidelity Recordings

can bring new delight.

This is Taylor Adams

inviting you to a demonstration

of high-fidelity sound.

Why, you dirty, little thief!
And I was fool enough...

Here, here. That's enough!

He said it was a
recording of my husband's.

I can't help it if she jumped
to the wrong conclusions.

I just told her I had a
tape recording for sale.

For $5,000?

Look, Mr. Burger, you've
gotta give me a break.

Remember, I told you about Mason

being in Mark Douglas'
apartment that night.

All right, Mr. Fowler,

suppose you can
tell me the rest of it.

Well, Mark had a
tape of Mr. Heywood

telling all about
himself and some dame.

Where did he get it?

He stole it from
Dr. Craig's office.

His sister got him
a copy of the key.

Well, I guess now we
know Dr. Craig's motive.

Leon, would you come
in a minute, please?

I want you to take
down a statement.

All right, doctor.

I removed this bullet
from the victim's brain.

Death was virtually
instantaneous.

Uh, it was caused
by a contact wound.

Which means the
muzzle of the weapon

was pressed against the body
at the time the shot was fired.

And what other effect
would this have, doctor,

beside the obvious one?

Well, a contact gunshot
makes very little noise.

Rather like the sound you get
when you blow up a paper bag

and then explode it.

Consequently, the
sound of the gunshot

might not even be heard.

Were you able to fix
the time of death, doctor?

Uh, judging by the temperature
of the body and other tests,

I would say that death occurred
between 5:45 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.

I see. And did you
find anything else

when you examined the body?

Yes, there were
bruises on the neck,

indicating the deceased
had been choked.

I would say this took place

about five or six
hours before he died.

All right, doctor.
Thank you very much.

Cross-examine, counselor.

No questions.

You may step down.
Call your next witness.

My next witness is
Lieutenant Arthur Tragg.

And then in several places

we found the
defendant's fingerprints.

On the table, drawers,
even on the phone.

I see.

Lieutenant, can you
tell me what this is?

Yes, sir. I found this
in Dr. Craig's desk.

It's a gun permit.

If it please the court, I
should like this gun permit

marked for identification.

All right, Your Honor.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, lieutenant, how long ago

was this permit
issued to Dr. Craig?

Seven months ago.

And what kind of a
gun does it cover?

A .38-caliber, Smith
& Wesson revolver.

I ask you now, lieutenant,
if you recall a conversation

that you had with the defendant

shortly after his
arrest. Yes, sir.

I asked the doctor to
surrender his revolver.

And what did he say?

He said he'd thrown it away

on the night of the murder.

Thank you,
lieutenant. That'll be all.

Cross-examine, counselor.

Lieutenant, on this
question of fingerprints,

did the defendant ever
deny being in that room?

No, sir.

Did you find any other
fingerprints there?

Other than those belonging
to the deceased or his sister?

Yes, there were others.

By any chance,

did you find the fingerprints

of a young man
named Ronny Fowler?

Yes, sir, I did.

And how did you
identify his prints?

Through the FBI.

Oh? Does Mr. Fowler
have a criminal record?

Your Honor, none
of this was covered

on direct examination.

Mr. Mason has no
right to pursue it.

If the court please,

I maintain that
once the question

of fingerprints was introduced,

I have the right to inquire
as to all the fingerprints

and how they were identified.

You've already made
your point, counselor.

I ought to sustain
Mr. Burger's objection.

If you really want to go into
Mr. Fowler's criminal record,

I suggest you wait until
he's called as a witness.

Yes, Your Honor.

Now, lieutenant,
let's turn our attention

to the missing weapon.

Would you care to estimate

how many .38-caliber
Smith & Wessons

there are in this country?

No, sir, I would not.

You'll agree it may
be close to 100,000?

I should, uh, say so.

And that bullet could have come

from any one of
those 100,000 guns?

Well, as I testified, Mr. Mason,

we were unable to check
it against the doctor's,

as he had told me that he
had thrown his gun away.

Did he tell you
where he'd thrown it?

Yes, sir. Off the
breakwater in Long Beach.

Did you make any
attempt to recover it?

Well, the way the doctor
described his actions,

he wasn't sure himself
how far out he'd thrown it

or in which direction.

The fact remains, lieutenant,

you made no effort
to recover the gun.

No, sir.

Thank you, lieutenant.

That'll be all.

How old was your brother
when your parents died,

Miss Douglas?

Thirteen.

So it would be true to say
that for the last eight years,

you had been taking care of him?

Well, if you mean by
"taking care of him"

that I taught him the difference

between right
and wrong, I didn't.

I... I guess I don't know
the difference myself.

Um, if it please the court,

Miss Douglas is the
sister of the deceased,

but she is nevertheless
a hostile witness.

I would appreciate it if
the court would instruct her

to be more responsive.

Miss Douglas,

you will answer the
district attorney directly

and without any side excursions.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, Miss Douglas,
on February 27th,

didn't your brother
come to you and tell you

that he needed money
desperately and ask you to help him?

He... He was lying.

That doesn't answer my question.

A simple "yes"
or "no" will suffice.

Did your brother come to you

and tell you that he
needed money desperately?

Yes.

And did he ask you to help
him by making a wax impression

of the key to
Dr. Craig's office safe?

Yes.

Then on February
28th, didn't your brother

enter Dr. Craig's office and
steal five recording tapes

from the doctor's safe?

Your Honor, I object.

The question calls
for a conclusion

not based on the facts.

There's been no evidence
introduced to indicate

that Dr. Craig's safe
had been burglarized.

Objection sustained.

Huh. Well, then
I'll put it this way:

The next morning, isn't
it true that your brother

had in his possession
five recording tapes?

Yes. Didn't Dr. Craig
subsequently

come to your apartment at
noon and demand their return?

Yes.

Would you tell us what
happened at that time?

Mark gave them to him.

Yes, but isn't it true that
before Mark could be induced

to part with these recordings,
the defendant choked him?

Well, he didn't mean it.

He was excited.

Do you think he was calm
when he later found out

that your brother tricked
him and duplicated

one of these tapes?

Your Honor.

Mr. Burger, you
know the impropriety

of that question.

I'm terribly sorry, Your Honor.

Take the witness.

No questions.

You may step down.
Call your next witness.

I call Peter Heywood.

And then, it must
have been around 3:00,

my secretary announced

that a Mark Douglas
would like to see me.

Will you tell us,
please, what happened

when Mark Douglas
came into your office?

He showed me a
recording of what he claimed

was my last session
with Dr. Craig.

He said if I didn't
give him $20,000,

he'd sell it elsewhere.

What did you do?

After I threw him out, I
went to see Dr. Craig.

He said I was mistaken.

I said it was no mistake.

I'd listened to the tape,
and it was a McCoy.

And how did Dr. Craig
respond to that?

He exploded.

He said he'd get every copy back

if he had to kill Mark Douglas.

Thank you, Mr. Heywood.

Cross-examine.

Don't ask him
what's on that tape.

Please, Perry. I mean it.

Mr. Heywood, you testified
that Dr. Craig told you

he'd get every copy
of that recording back

even if he had to kill
Mark Douglas to get them.

That's right.

Did you take that
threat literally?

Yes.

Haven't you ever said in anger,

"I could kill so-and-so"?

Yes.

But I didn't mean it.

Then you'll agree the
phrase is meaningless?

You didn't see Dr. Craig's face

when he used it.

I didn't see yours either.

You also testified
that you believe

Dr. Craig and the deceased
were partners in this attempt

to blackmail you.

That's right.

Then when Dr. Craig told you

he'd get every
copy of the recording

back from Mark Douglas,

you didn't think he meant it?

No, I didn't.

What measures were you
prepared to take to defend yourself?

I don't understand.

Well, since you felt
this recording could be

damaging to you,

and you had no
faith in Dr. Craig,

I'm curious as to what
you intended doing about it.

Nothing.

Nothing?

As Dr. Craig once told me,

indecision was my big problem.

I never could force myself
to act when it really counted.

That's pretty
devastating self-analysis.

But it's accurate.

And so when you
left Dr. Craig's office

that day at 5,

what did you do?

I went...

directly home.

He's lying!

Bailiff, bring that woman here.

He's lying, Your Honor.

He was out all night.

He was out with
some little tramp!

You will be quiet, madam.

If the court please,
this is Mrs. Heywood.

That's no explanation
for her conduct.

I hereby sentence
you to five days in jail

for contempt of court.

You can't.

Your Honor, Mrs. Heywood

is a witness for the state.

When did you intend to call her?

First thing tomorrow morning.

Very well,

she can serve her sentence

after she testifies.

Court stands adjourned
until 10:00 tomorrow morning.

Not very big, is it?

And you could
plant one like this

in a thousand different places

and you might never discover it.

What you getting at?

We have to find
out how many copies

Mark Douglas made

and how many
copies are still around.

We know he was killed
because of that tape.

Well,

that lets Mrs. Heywood out.

After all, she only
needed one copy.

If she had killed Douglas,

she'd hardly have to
try and buy another copy

from Ronny Fowler.

If Ronny had had the tape,

he wouldn't have had to
sell Mrs. Heywood a phony.

According to that logic,

if there were no copies left,

Mr. Heywood would
be the prime suspect.

Mm-hm. Either he or
his girlfriend, Dana Lewis.

Where does Edith Douglas fit in?

Personally, I don't
think she does.

You know what I think?

I think she's the key
to the entire problem.

Martha!

Martha!

Hello?

May I speak to
Mr. Heywood, please?

How dare you call
here, you cheap, little...

Oh, you don't
understand, Mrs. Heywood.

This is Edith Douglas.

Who?

Edith Douglas.

I used to work for Dr. Craig.

Well, what do you
want with my husband?

I was going through
my brother's things,

and I found something, and...

Well, I'd like to talk
to Mr. Heywood.

Well, he isn't here.

Can you tell me
where I can reach him?

It's very important. I've
already tried his office.

Why don't you try
what's-her-name's apartment?

Who?

You know, his girlfriend.

I-I'm sorry I bothered you.

Hello? Miss Douglas?

Hello.

What are you doing here?

You phoned my home
several hours ago.

You wanted to find out
where my husband was.

Have you been able to reach him?

Well, I'm... I'm
delighted to hear it.

That means the
tape is still here.

What are you talking about?

Now, really, Miss Douglas.

You must take me
for an awful fool.

You said you found something
in your brother's belongings,

and that could only
mean one thing.

You don't understand.

No, you don't understand.

Obviously, your brother's death

has taught you nothing.

Where's the tape?

I-I destroyed it.

Don't lie to me, Miss Douglas.

I'm telling you the truth.

I-I destroyed it after
Dr. Craig called me that night

and told me what
my brother had done.

I-I've searched the apartment,

and I found it.

I searched the place
myself, and it wasn't here.

Oh, it was here.

It was hidden
behind that mirror.

Then why did you call me
tonight about my husband?

That was Mr. Mason's
idea. Stay just as you are.

You said you searched
this place yourself.

When did you make that search,

the night you killed
Mark Douglas?

When Ballistics gets
this, it'll do enough talking

for everybody concerned.

Shall we?

Thank you, Miss Douglas.

What are you gonna do now?

Leave town.

I'd talk to Dr. Craig first.

Edith, don't you
think he understands?

You had to make a choice.

Either betray the man you loved

or see your brother
be killed by mobsters.

But Mark was lying.

That doesn't alter the case.

You actually believed
he was in danger.

Now, I'm sure Dr. Craig realizes

what you must have gone through.

He'll likely be
released in an hour,

so if you hurry...

Well, shall we go?

I don't get it.

It's very simple.

"Mrs. Heywood confesses murder."

No, I don't mean that.

I mean, what put you
onto Mrs. Heywood

in the first place?

Mm.

It was when you and Paul
decided to exonerate her.

It seemed logical.

She wouldn't kill Mark Douglas

unless she got
the tape from him.

On the other hand,

if she had gotten
the tape from him,

she wouldn't have
had to kill him.

Suppose she killed him first

and then couldn't find the tape

because his sister
had destroyed it.

Wouldn't that
explain everything?

True.

Confession's in order.

I was afraid Dana
Lewis was guilty all along.

You... From the way
you described her, I...

I didn't think she'd be
troubled by indecision

as Mr. Heywood was.

Hm. You're right.

And then when you told me

how she tried to
protect Mr. Heywood,

I liked her. Mm.

I don't know a secretary

who would go to bat like that

for her boss.

I don't either.

Shall we?