Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 2, Episode 25 - The Case of the Petulant Partner - full transcript

Take your time now.

Take your time.

Give me ten gallons, high-test.

Ain't got no high-test.

Why do I bother to trade here?

You try and find
another gas station

within 20 miles.

Hey. Did you hear
about Chuck Clark?

What about him?

He's back.

Got back about six weeks ago.



What did you say?

You heard me.

Harry!

Chuck's back!

Where did you hear

about Chuck?

Too bad you gotta get
your news secondhand.

And you, his partner.

You ought to see his new wife.

Young enough to be his kid.

You're a liar.

He bought the Brandywine Estate

over in Palm Valley
for $200,000 cash.

His new brother-in-law
handled the deal.



Yeah, it's too bad that...

You know, that you
ain't good enough

to get invited out there.

Do you wanna drive?

Hey.

What are you
doing with my diary?

Uh, I'm reading
it, obviously. You...

Better wait here, Nell.

Don't do anything
foolish, Harry.

Ooh, give me that. I
will when I finish with it.

Look, honey, this i...

Where's Chuck Clark?

Well, he's in Los Angeles.

His nephew, Bill Shayne, around?

No, he's with Chuck.

I'm Harry Bright.

Hooray for you.

Mr. Bright, I'm Margaret Clark,

Chuck's wife.

This is my brother,
Howard Roper.

How much you figure you're
gonna get out of Chuck...

for selling him your sister?

Howard!

Now, you ever lay another
finger on me, mister...

and you won't live to regret it.

You wouldn't have

nerve enough to use that.

Now, you just tell
your husband...

Harry Bright dropped
around to pay his respects.

You calling me an old fool?

Sure I am.

Chuck Clark. Ha!

In his second childhood.

Look at them clothes.

You going to a...
A sweet-16 party?

Your child bride must
be real proud of you.

You better stop talking

about my wife like that,

or I'll pull your tongue
right out of your empty head!

Now wait a minute.

You two ought to be
ashamed of yourselves.

Ashamed? You're his nephew.

Did he ever write you?

Six months he's been gone.

And six months,
not even a postcard.

This high-class wife
of yours must be too...

I'm warning you, Harry!

Uh, if you wanna get
milked dry with them crooks,

I can't stop you.

But they ain't stealing

my share of the money too.

Where's a pen?

There.

Why, it's only made
out for $100,000.

Every cent you're gonna get

till you learn to treat
my wife like a lady.

Did she teach you to
cheat your partner too?

I told you, you
keep her out of this!

You'd better run
along, sonny boy,

before she finds out

you got loose from your playpen.

And take this with you!

Didn't need no writing
to share hard times,

and hunger and thirst.

We had 20 years of it

before we struck it rich.

And that's a lot more binding

than any writing.

Nevertheless, you do have

a written agreement between you.

And according to the
terms of this agreement...

Mr. Clark controls the finances.

Always has.

Even when we only
had two bits between us.

I was the musclehead.

Chuck, he was the brains.

Does he have power of attorney?

Well, he... He signs the checks,

if that's what you mean.

Mr. Mason. You got
to understand this.

Chuck and me have
always been like...

well, sort of... Well...

like that.

Chuck can have every cent

as far as I'm concerned.

But that woman
ain't gonna cheat me.

Well, can you prove
she has, Mr. Bright?

Don't need no better proof

than Chuck offering me
$100,000 for my share.

It's her doing.

Perhaps that's all
your share is worth.

Well, we got $5 million in
properties working for us.

Uh, suppose we file an action

for dissolution of
the partnership,

and ask for an
immediate accounting

of all the joint properties.

If things don't add up right...

can you send that woman
and her brother to jail?

If... you have been swindled,

it was by Mr. Clark.

Now, wait a second.

I-I don't want
Chuck going to jail.

It ain't none of his fault.

He just lost his brains.

I tell you, this woman
has got him hypnotized.

Her and that no-good brother.

Why don't I have a
talk with Mr. Clark?

It would be a shame to...

end a 20-year friendship

with a subpoena.

Yeah, but if you could have

heard the way he spoke to me.

If there is any possible
way to patch this up,

don't you think
it's worth a try?

Della, can we juggle
my schedule around

so we can get to the
desert for a few days?

We certainly can.
And would you please

make an appointment
for me to see Mr. Clark?

I'll get it.

Won't you come in, Mr. Mason?

I'm Bill Shayne.

Mr. Shayne.

Uh, this is my
uncle, Charles Clark.

Hello, Mr. Clark.

Howdy.

Sit down, Mason.

I, uh...

suppose you're here about Harry.

I understand you
and Harry Bright

have worked together
for a good many years.

Not long enough to
be called an old fool.

Tsk.

Nobody forced me
into marrying Margaret.

I seen her, and
I said to myself,

"There's a woman
I'd like for a wife."

Wait a minute.

Uh, would you come
into the living room,

uh, please, honey?

Yeah.

You know, Mason...

Harry Bright's been
in the sun too long.

It's, uh... It's
baked out his brain.

Why, I remember one time
about 18 years ago, when...

Come in.

Come in, honey.

Margaret, this is Mr. Mason.

He's a lawyer.

How do you do, Mrs. Clark?

This is a great
pleasure, Mr. Mason.

I've heard so much about you.

Oh, yeah. He's heard
a lot about you too.

Only it ain't true.

He's got a kind of an idea

that you're some sort
of vampire or something.

I, uh, figured it best
we all talk together.

Now, uh...

suppose you tell Mr. Mason

why you married me.

For your money.

There you are.

Cards right on the table,

just like that.

Um...

what kind of deal did we make?

That you would give
me a home. Yeah.

Money. Yep.

Everything I needed.

In exchange...

I would try to take care of you,

give you companionship.

Yeah. And teach me
how to enjoy myself.

Man's entitled to play

when he's grubbed and
hardpanned all his life.

I don't want to break
up an old friendship.

I know Chuck is unhappy...

and I'm sure Mr. Bright is.

Isn't there something you can do

to bring them back
together again?

Hmm. I'm very glad

to hear you say
that, Mrs. Clark.

Now, if you'll excuse me,

I do have to leave.

Why?

It's Wednesday, dear.

My day with Aunt Jane.

Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot.

Well, I'll see you tonight.

Right.

Nice meeting you, Mr. Mason.

Mrs. Clark.

I hope you can
work out something

for my husband and Mr. Bright.

Well, uh, first he's got to

learn to act like a gent.

Well...

Bye, dear. Goodbye.

Bye, Bill.

Well, I guess I should take

my cue from Mrs. Clark.

Now, look here, Mason.

You tell Harry Bright

that I don't want one
cent that's rightfully his.

But I don't want him to have

too much money at once.

Harry Bright don't have
the brains of a gnat,

where money's concerned.

Now, if you can fix up

some kind of a
trust arrangement,

I'll go along with it.

If you can get
Harry to go along.

May I see your books?

Any time.

You driving right
back to Los Angeles?

No. I thought I'd try my hand

at some golf this weekend.

Oh, where you staying?

Uh, White Sun Guest Ranch.

Oh, that's a nice place.

Look, uh, I'd like to have you

for supper, if you have time.

Thank you.

Bill, show, uh,
Mr. Mason to his car.

Mr. Clark.

See you later.

When you see Harry, tell him

he's got the wrong
idea about Margaret.

In all fairness to her,

she's done Chuck
a world of good.

That's very tolerant
of you, Mr. Shayne.

Most people in your position

would consider Mrs.
Clark an interloper.

Why?

Well doesn't your uncle's
marriage affect your prospects?

Not a bit.

I don't share in his estate.

Chuck took care of me
five years ago in a trust fund.

Maybe that's why I can
afford to be charitable.

It's been nice talking to you.

Thank you.

Don't you believe in knocking?

Don't mind me.

I, um...

I'm your brother, remember?

That was a very interesting
act you put on for Mason.

I heard it.

Wasn't an act.

I'd like nothing better

than to see Chuck
and Harry friends again.

Well, now, that could
cost you almost $2 million.

It's worth it.

You out of your head?

Howard, let's get out of here.

We don't need the
money that badly.

What's come over you, Mag?

Can't I do something decent
for the first time in my life?

Now, you listen to me.

I put too much time
and effort into this

to have you blow it.

Oh, honey, I'm sorry.
I... I don't wanna hurt you.

But when you talk
like that, it upsets me.

Now, what do you say we, uh...?

We don't wanna miss seeing...

Seeing Aunt Jane, do we?

Let's go.

It just ain't right, Harry.

When two men have been partners

as long as you and Chuck have,

no woman ought
to be allowed to...

Well, ain't you
gonna invite me in?

I just had the place fumigated.

Heh-ha. Very funny.

Course, it ain't near
as funny as this.

Hi, Nellie.

What's the matter?

I told you she was no good.

Have a good game?

Mr. Mason's game was good.

Mine was interesting.

Thank you.

You order.

Hello?

Just a minute.

It's a call for you, Mr. Mason.

After breakfast, Carlos.

Can you call back

a little later, please?

Oh.

He said it's very important.

A Mr. Charles Clark.

Sure thing.

Hello, Mr. Clark.

I'll be right over.

No breakfast?

No time. Della,

get Paul up here right away.

Margaret Clark's been murdered.

Say, sergeant...

where's this brother of hers...

Howard Roper?

Waiting in the hall.

Better have him in.

Mr. Roper.

Anyway...

that's why I called you.

I want you to defend Harry.

Why does he need defending?

They're gonna arrest him

for my wife's murder.

He was here last night.

So I assume, were
you, Mr. Shayne,

and any number of people.

You don't understand.

Let me tell him, Chuck.

Howard Roper and Margaret

weren't brother and sister.

How do you know?

It's all in a
detective's report.

A man named Philip
Morgan from Sierra City

did the investigating.

Show him the letter.

This is addressed
to Mr. Walter Sims.

Who's he?

Oh, they call him Salty Sims.

He runs a gas station in Bardo.

Salty gave Harry this.

May I keep it?

Sure.

Now...

exactly what happened
here last night?

Well...

Harry came over.

Didn't say, "I told you so."

Didn't do any gloating.

I was gonna kill both of 'em.

Harry stopped me.

And it's like old times again...

Harry and me together...

depending on each other.

Go on.

Well, uh... that's
all there was.

Uh, Harry left about
20 minutes later.

All right. Now,
let's have the truth.

That is the truth.

How did Mrs. Clark die?

She was shot.

Well, what makes
you think that...

It was right around here,

Mr. Topham.

Gardener must
have covered it up.

All right, sergeant,
start digging.

Who's the gentleman in command?

Mel Topham...

district attorney
for Sierra County.

Would the other one
be Howard Roper?

That's it, son.

Just like I said.

Harry took a shot at

Roper the other day.

Uh, he didn't
mean anything by it.

He was just defending himself.

Where you going?

Think it's about
time I saw my client.

Yes, sir?

Can you tell me where
Harry Bright lives?

Yes, sir. Right over there.

Thank you. Fill it
up for me, will you?

Uh, sure. Sure.

I left about 20 minutes

after I showed him that letter.

It's like Chuck told you.

How do you know
what Chuck told me?

Where's your gun? I don't know.

What do you mean,
you don't know?

Well, I generally carry it

in the glove
compartment of my car.

It wasn't there this morning.

When did you last see it?

I don't rightly remember.

You trying to
protect Chuck Clark?

Chuck don't need protecting.

He must, if you
can't tell me the truth.

When I showed Chuck
that detective's report,

he almost went out of his mind.

He wanted to kill his wife
and that phony brother

right then and there.

Well, Bill Shayne and
me had all we could do

to talk him out of it.

How'd you manage it?

Well, I said I'd go and
tell her to clear out.

Why didn't Bill Shayne do that?

He took Chuck for a
drive to cool him off.

Then you were left
alone in the house? Ah.

I went to her bedroom

and knocked on the door.

There was no answer.

I looked in, and...

well, she was dead.

Police?

Did you touch anything
in Mrs. Clark's room?

Just the bed when I leaned over.

They must have found
your fingerprints there.

Go on.

Well, I went back
to the living room

and waited for...

Chuck and Bill to come back.

That's the truth, Mr. Mason.

Now, all you have to do
is tell that story in court.

No.

I told you the true story,

but I ain't gonna
tell anybody else.

I won't hurt Chuck.

I mean that, Mr. Mason.

If you're not gonna tell
the truth, don't talk at all.

Come in, sergeant.

Another drink, Miss Gridley?

No, uh... No, thank you.

I'm terribly sorry, Della.

That's all right, Perry.

This lady's been
waiting almost an hour.

Miss Nell Gridley,
this is Mr. Mason.

How do you do,
Mr. Mason? Miss Gridley.

Can we talk?

Well, of course.

Uh, phone call for
you, Mr. Mason.

Oh, thank you.

Hello?

Oh, yes, Paul.

Perry...

this Aunt Jane is
certainly no myth.

Her name is Jane Caldwell,

and she's at the
Hillsdale Sanitarium

in Mineral Springs.

And Mrs. Clark went
to visit her regularly

every Wednesday.

Anyone go with
her on those visits?

Howard Roper
was always with her.

Wait a minute.

That might be the answer.

They'd only spend about
half an hour at the sanitarium.

Then they'd register at
the Desert View at Mesa,

adjoining bungalows.

All right. What else?

I'm gonna talk to that
private investigator

who dug up that
report for Salty Sims.

He's up in Sierra City,

so I probably won't be able
to contact him till morning.

I'll see you then.

Uh... Thanks, Paul.

Well...

now we can talk.

Harry Bright didn't
kill that woman.

He was nowhere
near Chuck's ranch

when she was murdered.

Oh. Where was he?

Sitting with me,
right in my diner.

All night?

I'll swear to it.

Wouldn't be the truth.

I said I'd swear to it.

Why?

Well... uh,

there are two kind of

desert people, Mr. Mason.

The...

The lovers and the haters.

The haters sit in the
shade all hunched up...

building up poison
inside themselves

till...

they gotta use it or bust apart.

Talking about Salty Sims?

Salty waited a long time

to get even with
Chuck and Harry.

He sure got even with Harry,

when he showed him that

private detective's report.

What happened?

Nothing compared to
what must have happened

when Harry showed it to Chuck.

Chuck's always
had a terrible temper.

Are you trying to tell us

that Chuck Clark
killed his wife?

I'm not accusing anybody.

I... I just don't
wanna see Harry

pay for somebody
else's murdering.

That's all.

Mm.

May I ask you a
personal question,

Miss Gridley?

Fire away.

Why haven't you ever married?

Right man never
asked me, I guess.

Chuck Clark the right man?

Now there's some gossip for you.

Fact is, I could
have married him

any time I wanted to.

Well, why didn't you?

Didn't want to. That's why.

Oh, uh, I was
tempted, but, uh...

some women are just not cut out

for double harness, Mr. Mason.

They're...

too used to having things run

to suit themselves, you know?

If you want me for anything,

there's my business address.

I...

I typed my home phone
number on the back.

Thank you.

Thanks for the
drink, Miss Street.

Oh.

I didn't hear you come in.

It's all right. You
Philip Morgan?

Yeah.

My name's Paul Drake.

Oh. I've heard a lot about you.

Works both ways. I've
heard a lot about you.

What's on your mind?

You had a client
named Walter Sims.

He asked you to investigate
a couple of people?

Ah, you know I
can't discuss that.

I wouldn't want you to
divulge a confidence.

I'm just double-checking.

Is, uh...

this the report you sent Sims

on Howard Roper
and Margaret Clark?

Where'd you get this?

You don't have to worry.
I came by it honestly.

Take a look at this
carbon copy of the letter

I sent Sims.

Somebody's been playing games.

Hm. According to this,

Howard Roper and Margaret Clark

are definitely
brother and sister.

Yeah. Now compare
it to the original letter

you've got there.

"Dear Mr. Sims, my
preliminary investigation

"reveals that Howard
Roper and Margaret Clark

"are definitely not
brother and sister.

"I expect additional
information on this point,

"which I will forward you.

Sincerely yours, Philip Morgan."

It was a cinch to
type in the word "not."

Comes right there
at the end of the line.

Are you sure Howard
Roper and Margaret Clark

are brother and sister?

I'm positive.

If you like, I can
get you copies

of their birth certificates.

I'd like nothing better.

What I want to know is...

who changed my report?

Offhand, I'd say
your client. Sims?

Mm-hm.

But why?

Unless he wanted to
make trouble for someone.

That's just what he wanted.

Can I keep this?

Yeah.

Thanks, Morgan. See you.

Does Sims own a typewriter?

No, but he could
have borrowed one.

This is addressed to
him at a box number.

Who runs the post office?

Nell Gridley.

I think she has a typewriter.

You still have her
business card?

I think so.

Let's see...

Here.

Yeah, that's it.

Look at those N's.

Now look at the...

N in this report

in the word "not."

They were both typed
on the same machine.

Interesting pictures.

Happier days.

Who's this one?

Salty Sims.

That your car?

No, it belonged to Salty.

Took great pride in it...

polishing and
washing it all the time.

Mr. Sims apparently
has run out of pride.

A man lives with
hate in his heart

all his days is bound
to turn up crazy.

Who does he hate?

Harry and me, I guess.

Why?

Oh...

You know where
Salty's service station is?

Yes.

That property once belonged
to Harry and Uncle Chuck.

When the gypsum company
came in, there was a land boom.

People had dreams of a big
city growing up out of the desert.

Salty had a worthless
mine up in the hills.

He salted it to
make it look rich,

then offered to trade
it to Uncle Chuck

for that roadside property.

I can see what happened
to the roadside property.

What happened to the mine?

They named it "Salty's Folly."

Chuck and Harry
took out close to

half a million dollars'
worth of ore the first year.

Excuse me.

I've been waiting
all day for him.

You.

Pack your things and get out!

Well, now, I might have
expected that from you.

I ought to...

Nah.

Makes me sick to touch you.

Look out, Chuck!

Come on!

Try your judo tricks on me.

I wanna see what
you use for guts.

You don't have to go this far.

You'll still go to the
gas chamber, Clark.

You and Harry Bright both!

Out! In an hour.

Now, tell me, sergeant,
what did you discover

when you entered the
deceased's bedroom?

Mrs. Clark was lying on the bed.

She had been shot
through the heart.

There were feathers
all over the place.

Well, can you tell us where
those feathers came from?

Yes, sir. A pillow.

It had been used
to muffle the shot.

Sergeant...

do you recognize this bullet?

It was turned over
to me by Dr. Fenton,

who did the autopsy.

It has my mark on it.

Thank you, sergeant.

Now...

I show you another bullet.

What about this one?

I dug this one up

in the garden of
the Clark estate.

If your honor please...

I'd like this marked
for identification.

Now, sergeant...

tell us about this
second bullet.

Well, I checked it...

under our new
comparison microscope.

It was fired from the same
gun that killed Mrs. Clark.

Were you able to,
uh, locate the gun?

No, sir.

You may cross-examine.

May I?

Thank you.

Mr. Topham.

Now, sergeant,
you seem very proud

of your...

new comparison microscope.

It's the best money can buy.

I'm sure.

Did it tell you which
of these bullets

was fired first?

Well, I know the bullet
I dug up in the garden

was fired first.

You know that from
your comparison test?

No.

But Howard Roper told me that...

Isn't it true...

that there is no
scientific way to prove

which of these
bullets was fired first?

That's right.

Then it's entirely possible

that the killer first
shot Mrs. Clark

and then fired a
shot into the ground?

Uh, yeah.

But that makes no sense.

Doesn't it, sergeant?

Let's take a hypothetical case.

Now, if a killer knew
that a bullet from gun A

had been fired into the ground,

and he'd removed that
bullet and put in its place

a bullet from gun B,
the murder weapon,

what would be your deduction?

Well...

if I didn't know
about the substitution,

I would think that...

Whoever fired the bullet

I... found in the ground...

was the killer.

Then the order in which
the bullets were fired

is important.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, sergeant.

That'll be all.

Now, can you describe to us

the events on the afternoon

of June 17th?

My sister and I returned home,

um, about 7:00 in the evening.

We'd been visiting
with a sick aunt

at the Hillside Sanitarium
in Mineral Springs.

My sister went right to bed.
She wasn't feeling very well.

She... She had a bad headache.

And what happened later

in the evening?

About 9:00, I saw
the defendant drive up.

I didn't want any
more trouble with him,

so I jumped in my
car and went for a ride.

What time did you arrive

back at the Clark place?

Mm, approximately
1:00 in the morning.

Was the defendant's
car still in the driveway?

No, sir, it was not.

And all the lights in the house

had been turned out.

Thank you.

Your witness.

Now, um, Mr. Roper...

you testified that
you and your sister

arrived home at 7:00 p.m.

on the night of her murder.

That's right.

What time did you
leave the sanitarium?

About 2:00 in the afternoon.

It took five hours to drive
approximately 100 miles?

My sister liked to have
her hair done each week

by a certain
hairstylist in Mesa.

A fellow named Alberto.

Uh, she'd stop in
at his beauty salon,

then she'd rest for
a couple of hours

at the Desert View
Inn before starting back.

Alberto's is
adjacent to the inn.

Mm-hm. A visit to
Alberto's seems to

have been quite an ordeal.

It doesn't make much sense
driving around the desert

with a temperature
of 120 degrees.

The inn was air-conditioned.

Now, you also testified

that the defendant
tried to kill you.

He most certainly did.

But the bullet missed
and went into a path

made of decomposed granite.

That's right.

And the hole
caused by the bullet

was subsequently covered up.

Is that correct? Yes.

Yet, you had no difficulty

leading the district attorney

and the police directly to it.

You can always tell where
a bullet enters the ground.

With the court's permission,

I should like to conduct
a little experiment.

What kind of experiment?

That box, Your Honor,

contains decomposed granite.

I should like to
fire a shot into it

to see if the witness
can... determine

where the bullet
enters the ground.

Your Honor.

I object.

Counsel's turning
this into a sideshow.

Oh, now, let's don't
get excited, Mr. Topham.

Your witness made
a dogmatic statement

that you could always tell

where a bullet
entered the ground.

Now, I'm going to allow
Mr. Mason his opportunity

of testing him.

Go ahead, counselor.

You want him blindfolded?

No. It will be satisfactory

if he just turns
and faces the wall.

You may turn around, Mr. Roper.

You can't fool me this way.

You fired a blank.

I still say it was a blank.

You planted the
bullet in the box

before you brought it to court.

Thank you, Mr. Roper.

You've proved my point.

Just because a bullet is found
in some decomposed granite,

doesn't mean you can tell
when the bullet was fired...

or who fired it.

I'm through with the witness.

Any further
questions on redirect?

No, Your Honor.

You may step down.

Call your next witness.

I call Walter Sims.

And I saw Chuck and
his nephew, Bill Shayne,

pull up in front
of Harry's house.

Did you overhear
their conversation

with the, uh, defendant?

Well, I-I... I wouldn't
want anyone to think

that I was eavesdropping.

Mr. Sims, the
question I asked was,

"Did you overhear
their conversation?"

Yes, sir.

What did Mr. Clark
say to the defendant?

He said he better act
decent to Mrs. Clark,

or he'd knock his head off.

And what was the
defendant's reply?

Uh, he told Chuck that
Mrs. Clark was no good,

and that she was responsible

for Chuck trying to cheat him.

Then the argument
got so hot and heavy

that Bill Shayne... That...

Uh, that's Chuck's nephew

he had to step in
between to keep 'em apart.

Thank you, Mr. Sims.

Cross-examine.

Now, Mr. Sims...

how do you feel about the
defendant, Harry Bright?

What do you mean,
"How do I feel?"

Well, do you like him?

Well, I don't hate him.

Despite the fact that
you told many people

that he and Mr. Clark
had swindled you

out of a valuable
piece of property?

Oh. I just told that story

because it was a joke on me.

Pretty expensive
joke, wasn't it?

Well, it'd been my own fault.

And you held no grievance?

No.

Now, Mr. Sims, are you
familiar with a private investigator

named Philip Morgan?

Um... yes.

As a matter of fact,
didn't you hire Mr. Morgan

to investigate Howard Roper

and his sister, Margaret Clark?

Yes.

Is this the report that
Mr. Morgan furnished you?

Well, I ain't sure.

It's addressed to you, Mr. Sims.

It's the same one you
gave the defendant.

Yes.

Yes.

Your Honor, I should like this

marked for identification.

Thank you.

Now, Mr. Sims,
according to this report...

Now, look. I can explain that.

You can explain why
you doctored the report?

I didn't do that!

You didn't insert the
word "not" in this report

so that the line would read,

"Howard Roper and Margaret Clark

are definitely not
brother and sister"?

I don't even own a typewriter!

That doesn't answer my question.

Why don't you ask Nell Gridley?

Why, you dirty skunk!

He's a filthy liar.

He's borrowed my typewriter

lots of times.

I'm telling the truth, judge.

I'm under oath!

I'm glad you remembered.

Go on, counselor.

Your Honor.

Now, do you deny ever
using Miss Gridley's typewriter?

Absolutely.

How did you get in
touch with Mr. Morgan

in the first place?

How did I get in touch?

That's what I asked you.

Well, I, uh...

I don't remember.

Then perhaps, uh...

this will refresh your memory.

It's a typewritten letter

inquiring as to
Mr. Morgan's rates.

That your signature?

Yes.

Let me see that.

Your Honor, I would also like

to, uh...

have this marked
for identification.

I... I forgot about
that, Your Honor.

Seems to me you forget
very easily, Mr. Sims.

Mr. Topham, you know what to do.

Yes, Your Honor.

You finished with the witness?

Quite finished, Your Honor.

Well, in that case, we
might as well wind up

for the day.

Court stands adjourned
until 10:00 tomorrow morning.

Bailiff.

Hi.

Hi, Paul. Hi, Paul.

Thanks.

How did things
go in court today,

or shouldn't I ask?

Don't ask.

Well, I wish I had some
cheery news for you.

I just came back from Mesa.

Howard Roper was a
pretty busy boy up there.

He and his sister didn't stop

at Mesa because of the heat.

Roper had a girlfriend in town:

a cocktail waitress
named Louise Dayton.

Louise Dayton. Mm-hm.

Registration cards.

Desert View Inn.

How long does it
take to drive to Mesa?

Hm. About two hours.

Well, I'm on my way.

Did a great job, Paul.

Buy him a drink, Della.

Just one.

What's it to you if I
know Howard Roper?

I understand he spent a lot
of time with you, Miss Dayton.

Anything wrong with that?

Hardly. I'd say he
showed excellent taste.

You can't soft-soap me, mister.

It can't be done.

Mr. Roper claims he saw you
every Wednesday afternoon.

That's right.

Where'd you go?

No place.

We stayed right here.

All the time he was in town?

Every minute.

I used to drive out with him

when he went to
pick up his sister.

You don't frighten
me, Mr. Mason.

I'll swear to it if I have to.

You may have to
do that, Miss Dayton.

Now, Mr. Shayne...

To your knowledge,

had the defendant ever
been in this house before?

Not that I know of.

He... He was on the grounds

the day he had the
run-in with Howard Roper.

Then if the defendant's
fingerprints were found

in Mrs. Clark's bedroom,

they must have been left there

the night of the murder.

Your Honor, I object.

Not only does the question
call for a conclusion,

it's leading and suggestive.

Objection sustained.

You may cross-examine.

Now, Mr. Shayne...

I've only a few questions.

Now, on the afternoon
of June 17th...

you were alone
at the Clark ranch.

Is that correct? Yes, sir.

And where was your uncle?

He drove to La
Costa on business.

He didn't get back till 8.

During that afternoon,

did Howard Roper
come back to the house?

Not that I know of.

He drove Margaret
up to visit her aunt.

If he had come back,
you would have seen him?

Oh. Not necessarily.

It's a pretty big
place, you know.

Isn't there another reason

you might not have seen him?

Didn't you spend that afternoon

at the Desert View Inn at Mesa?

Me?

Didn't you register there

under the name of
"Howard Roper..."

as you had on many
other occasions?

I don't have to take this, do I?

Just answer
Mr. Mason's questions.

He doesn't know
what he's talking about.

Then he'll answer to me.

Proceed, Mr. Mason.

Your Honor.

You had a romance
with Margaret Clark.

That's not true.

She threatened
to go to your uncle

and tell him the whole story.

She did not. I maintain she did.

I maintain that's
why you killed her.

I tell you, you're wrong!

Then you deny registering
at the Desert View

under the name of "Howard Roper"

on certain Wednesdays
during May and June?

I certainly do.

Mr. Kellogg, will
you please stand?

Mr. Shayne...

do you recognize that man?

No.

With the court's permission,

I would like Mr. Kellogg
to identify himself.

I'm the manager of
the Desert View Inn.

Thank you, Mr. Kellogg.

Now, suppose Mr. Kellogg
testifies that you were there

every Wednesday afternoon,

and that you had registered

under the name
of "Howard Roper"?

He'd be wrong!

All right.

Mr. Kellogg, may I see

those registration
cards, please?

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Your Honor, I would like
to have a handwriting expert

look at these cards.

Sergeant Givens?

Can you do what Mr. Mason says?

Just give me an hour, sir,

and a sample of his handwriting.

You'll have them both.

The witness is instructed

to give Sergeant Givens

a sample of his handwriting.

You may step down now.

Temporarily.

The court is adjourned for...

I said, you may step down.

So money was the
main motive? Right.

Oh, would you please
put those bags in my car?

You bet, Mr. Mason.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

But a motive with a twist.

Bill Shayne couldn't
gain financially

by Margaret Clark's death.

But he stood to lose
by her being alive.

His uncle could have
revoked the trust fund.

Mm-hm. So...

So...

Bill got the gun out
of Harry Bright's car

and shot her when she
returned home that evening.

He felt certain
there was nothing

that could link
him with Margaret.

What did? Lies.

And registration cards.

What lies?

Everybody's.

Bill Shayne was lying.

Salty Sims was lying.

And most important,
Howard Roper was lying.

Roper knew that his sister
was involved with Shayne,

and he knew that
Shayne had killed her.

To all intents, he'd been
blackmailing his sister,

so he planned on
keeping a meal ticket

by blackmailing Shayne.

And the registration cards?

From the Desert View
Inn. There were 12 of them.

Should only have been six.

Every time that Howard
Roper stopped at Mesa,

he'd spend the afternoon
with Louise Dayton, remember?

Not at the Desert View.

Well. Obviously, someone
else was using his name.

But it didn't necessarily
have to be Bill Shayne.

That's right.

But I just couldn't
believe it was Salty Sims.

Bring her with you.

Oh!