Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 2, Episode 5 - The Case of the Curious Bride - full transcript

What is it, Carl?

Come here.

What's the matter? Did
you forget something?

That's just in case I
don't get back for lunch.

Silly.

Artie!

That's right.

The same Artie you were supposed

to meet yesterday, remember?

When you didn't show
up, I decided to meet you.

You must be crazy coming here!



If Carl saw you...

Don't worry, Mrs. Reynolds.

It's a nice layout
you have here.

A garage with two cars,

new clothes, a big diamond ring.

And a bridegroom
with a millionaire father.

You expect me to believe
you can't raise $2000?

I've given you
almost that already.

Sure, but it's gone.
I need 2000 more.

I'm not kidding, Rhoda!

I need 2000 more,

and I need it before tomorrow.

I can't get it!

You'd better get it.



Have it at my apartment
by 10:00 tonight.

I'll give you that much time.

Artie, Carl doesn't
go to bed that early.

All right.

Make it 2:00. He ought
to be asleep by then.

You know how to make
people go to sleep, Rhoda.

You're a nurse.

But be careful,
not too many pills.

We don't want to
lose our golden pigeon.

I'm going to call the police.

Go ahead.

That's one way to end it.

But don't forget, Rhoda,

that'll be the end of
you and your marriage.

Remember, 2:00. Sharp.

Pull.

Pull.

Certainly haven't
lost your eye, Dad.

Forty-seven out of 50.

Well, it's not bad,

considering how little
I've been shooting lately.

Don't tell me you're planning

to take up skeet shooting.

No. I'll leave the
trophy-collecting to you.

Well, it must be the money
that brings you out so early.

The answer is still no.

But, Daddy, it's only $2000.

Only 2000.

Do you know that
when I was your age

it took me almost six
months to earn $2000.

Well, I know, but...

All right, have it your own way,

but let me have my way too.

Carl, I've been a father
and a mother to you

ever since you were 4 years old.

I know that, Dad.

Up until now.

Now when you
sneak behind my back

and marry a woman about
whom you know absolutely nothing.

I know quite a lot
about Rhoda, Dad.

In a way I took
advantage of her,

of her sympathy when she
was nursing me back to health.

That's what I think our
love really is: sympathy.

Now she thinks I'm
dominated by you,

and she's trying
to cure me of that.

All she's trying to cure
is her own bank account,

in addition to amusing herself

with one of the
doctors of the hospital.

Dr. Michael Harris?

She's told you about him?

Yes, they were friends.

Well, I've done a
good deal of checking,

and I assure you they
are more than friends.

I trust her.

I love her.

You got her all wrong,
Dad, she's a wonderful girl.

She's a cheap adventuress who
sees you as a way to my money.

But she's not gonna
get a penny of it.

Nor are you, Carl, as long
as you remain married to her.

Dr. Robert Jackson.

Dr. Robert Jackson.

Sorry I had to run out
in the middle of things.

Fine young man, 6
and a half pounds.

I didn't mind waiting, Michael.

Thanks.

Now, Rhoda,

I think that I should see
this Arthur Kane of yours.

Oh, I don't want
you to get involved.

Well, then, at least let
me loan you the money.

Oh, I was hoping
you would, Michael,

but that won't do
any good either.

He'll just keep wanting more.

Well, then, go to the police.

Oh, I don't dare!

You know, you might be surprised

at Carl's reaction.

Oh, I know, he's been spoiled

and overprotected
most of his life,

but somewhere underneath,
there must be a man lurking.

Lord knows his
father's strong enough.

That's all the wedge
he needs to break us up.

You should've married me.

No father or mother.

Oh, Michael.

Now, seriously, what
am I going to do?

I've thought of one possibility.

If anybody can help
you, this man can.

Dr. Eugene Webster, stat.

Dr. Anna Douglas, stat.

"Perry Mason,

Suite 904, Brent Building."

Thank you.

Mr. Mason, this is Mrs. Crocker.

How do you do, Mr. Mason?

Mrs. Crocker.
Won't you sit down?

Thank you.

I understand you have
a question to ask me.

Well, actually, I'm here
on behalf of a friend.

A friend? I see.

And so the question
is a little involved.

Most legal questions are.

Suppose you begin by telling
me something about your friend.

Well, about eight years
ago, she was married,

and it only lasted
for a few months.

It seems her husband
vanished with her savings.

It was only a few
hundred dollars,

but it meant a lot to her.

Where was this?

Oh, this was in Seattle.

And then a short time later,

she received a telegram
from a small town in Kansas

saying that her husband

had been killed in
an auto accident.

And wiring for
funeral instructions.

So since her husband
didn't have any relatives,

she wired the money
for him to be buried there,

and then she just wiped the
whole business out of her mind.

Then quite recently, your
friend got married again.

How did you know that?

A guess.

Well, uh, yes, to a man who...

Who needed her.

And now her first
husband has turned up.

Are you really just guessing?

Well, not completely.

A fake telegram
asking for burial money

is one of the oldest
dodges in the book.

Let me see if I can
guess the question...

Is the new marriage
valid or invalid?

Why, yes, that's it exactly.

I'm afraid it's invalid.

Your friend is still legally
married to her first husband.

Well, isn't there
something about a person

who's disappeared
for seven years

being legally dead?

That doesn't apply in this case.

Well, what should my friend do?

Divorce her first husband.

She seems to have ample
grounds, then she can marry again.

What if the first husband
could be persuaded

not to come back into her life?

Oh, she wouldn't
do anything wrong.

She just wants advice.

I'd be glad to
talk to your friend

any time she cares to
make an appointment.

You won't tell me?

No, she'll have to
come here in person.

That didn't take very long.

Well, it's the old story,
advice for a friend.

When I tried to call
her bluff, out she went.

So?

Uh, so I'm not very
proud of myself.

That girl is badly frightened.

I should have drawn her
out, won her confidence.

I should have helped her.

Tsk.

I'll just, uh...

make out the charge for
the amount of the retainer.

There's no retainer, no charge.

Oh, yes, there is.

She insisted on giving
me $50, and I took it.

Well, I thought she needed
help, and I thought you'd help her.

Della, we've got
to find that girl.

Oh, she's out of
the building by now.

Well, how are you
going to find her?

Obviously she gave
a fictitious name.

Under the circumstances...
And since she is a client.

Handkerchief...

Coin purse...

Hospital letterhead
with my name on it.

Telegram.

"Mrs. Carl Reynolds,

"327 Hypathia Way, Los Angeles.

Don't forget our 2:00
date. Signed, Artie."

Is Paul still there?

Oh, yeah. Paul?

Yeah?

Don't tell me you've drummed up
some business for me, counselor.

You think you can
find out who sent this?

Artie? Sure, it's a cinch.

Have it for you in a jiffy.

I was looking for 1723.

Ah, Mr. Kane.

Oh, you know him? In a way...

You see, his windows face mine.

I live in the building
right next door.

Not a nice man.

Parties... Drunken parties.

But he does live there.

Yes, he's the only tenant.

Thank you.

Don't you forget, Artie,
by 10 tomorrow morning

or I'll blow the
whistle on you good.

Where can I reach you tonight?

You know where I'm
working, the Onyx.

Mrs. Kane?

I should sink so low.

What is it?

If you're selling
something, I don't want any.

I'm not a salesman, Mr. Kane.

My name is Mason.
I'm an attorney.

An attorney?

May I come in?

Rhoda Reynolds send you?

Let's just say I came
here on her behalf.

You're wasting your time.

Well, it's mine to waste.

Was it seven or eight
years ago you married her?

So that's it.

Rhoda?

Did you send a lawyer by
the name of Mason to see me?

Well, then, how come he...?

Yeah, sure.

Here.

Mrs. Reynolds?

What are you trying
to do, Mr. Mason?

Trying to help.

I don't want your help.

I don't want a lawyer.

Please, just leave me alone.

Looks like you've
kind of lost a client.

I didn't say Mrs.
Reynolds was a client.

I said I came
here on her behalf.

She talked about blackmail.

Well, I don't have
to talk about it.

I didn't expect you to.

I've talked. You've listened.

Now think.

No, lady, I'm sorry.
It's closing time.

Oh. It's 2:00.

Well, what am I gonna do?

I've never changed
a tire in my life!

Wish I could say that.

Please.

All right, I guess a couple
of more minutes won't kill me.

Let me have your keys,
please. Oh, they're in the car.

And would you hurry?

Do you realize in
another five minutes

I'd have called you at home?

You're a fool, Rhoda.

Could I help the flat tire?

It isn't the tire!

It's calling in that
half-baked lawyer!

I only wanted to
ask him a question.

Yeah, and you got
the wrong answer.

Now, where's the money?

I couldn't get it.

You what?

Artie, would you just give
me a day or two more...

Listen, I told you
tonight was the deadline!

Why didn't I think
about this before?

This rock's worth about 10,000.

What are you doing?

Oh, no. This is
Carl's mother's ring.

So you lose it.

Oh, no, I won't. He'd
never forgive me.

That's your worry.

There's somebody at the door.

Let him stay there.

Now, come on! Gimme it!

Artie, I'll hit you!
I swear I will.

You haven't got the nerve.

Give me the police quickly.
Somebody's getting killed.

Sure is, Della.

The same Artie who
sent the telegram.

Did you see the picture
of the ring on Page 2?

Yeah, it was quite a rock.

Looked like it came from some
maharajah's private collection.

Remember the woman
that came in yesterday

just as you were leaving, said
her name was Mrs. Crocker?

Yeah.

It was hers.

Yipe, that'll take
a little explaining.

I wonder what
Perry will do about it.

Nothing.

I no longer represent
the lady in question.

It seems I was fired yesterday

under rather painful
circumstances.

Do you think she did it?

Uh, it looks bad.

A telegram from the victim

reminding her of a
2:00 appointment,

the murder, if it is a murder,
committed at approximately 2:00,

and her ring in the
dead man's hand.

I'm afraid Lieutenant Tragg

will find it a simple
problem in addition.

As a matter of fact,
I'll lay you 5-to-1

he's got her in
custody right now.

Yes, Gertie?

Hold on.

Could I have a
dollar of that bet?

Sure.

Mrs. Reynolds.

Hello?

Where are you, Mrs. Reynolds?

Doctor's hospital,

waiting room, third floor.

Now, listen carefully.

Stay right where you are.

Don't leave that
room for any reason.

Yes, as soon as I can make it.

Uh, yesterday I was
fired, today I'm hired.

All right, two things, Paul.

Get ahold of the police
report on the crime.

I want copies of
the photographs.

See if you can find the
woman I bumped into

coming out of Kane's
apartment yesterday.

She's blond,

Jersey City accent,

a little on the tough
side, but still pretty,

5-foot-5, about 33,

and I believe she
works at the Onyx.

Will do. Bye.

Yes, it was around a quarter
of 7, before I'd gotten up.

Actually, I was still asleep.

Yes, but you were awake
enough to hear her say

her sister was, uh,
seriously ill in Chicago.

Yes, she said she'd call me
as soon as her plane got there.

Yeah.

Um...

Let me, uh, read you something.

Traffic citation,

failure to observe
a boulevard stop.

Issued at, uh, 2:22 this
morning to a Mrs. Carl Reynolds.

Uh, that your wife's signature?

What's going on in here?
Who is this man, Carl?

Lieutenant Tragg, Homicide.

C. Philip Reynolds. May
I ask what you're doing?

We're trying to establish

where young Mrs.
Reynolds was last night.

Mm-hm, and what's Carl told you?

Practically nothing.

Well, he certainly
told me enough

over the telephone
half an hour ago.

Dad, that was in confidence.

There is no such
thing as confidence

when murder's involved.

What did he tell
you, Mr. Reynolds?

That his wife tried to drug him.

Drug him?

Yes, by pouring sleeping powder

in a cup of hot chocolate.

Fortunately, Carl saw her,
and when her back was turned,

he emptied the cup and
pretended to fall asleep.

At 1:45, she crept
out of the house

and drove off in her car.

How did you know that?

My son watched her leave
from the bedroom window.

An hour later, she returned.

He pretended to be asleep
again. She got back in bed.

Is this so?

Yes.

Might as well tell
him the rest of it too.

When my son woke
up this morning,

his wife was gone.

No sick sister?

I don't know where she went.

It's quite obvious
where she went:

to Kane's apartment.

I knew that the
moment I saw the picture

of the diamond
ring in the paper.

Your wife ever
mention Arthur Kane?

No, this is the first
I've heard of him.

Lieutenant, my son
knows next to nothing

about this woman he's married,

or should I say,
who's married him.

If you do learn something,

I hope you'll pass it along.

He will. You may
be certain of that.

I'll keep in touch.

I know my way out.

Dad, you shouldn't
have done that.

And why not?

What if Rhoda's innocent?

Do you, for one single
moment, believe that?

I don't know.

I don't know what to believe.

Dr. John Young. Dr. John Young.

Well, then he wrenched
off my ring, and I hit him.

And then the lights went out.

I don't know why,

but that gave me
a chance to run.

On your way out, did
you see the person

who had been
ringing the doorbell?

No, I didn't see anybody.
I just jumped in my car.

Anything else happen?

No, I put the car in the garage,

and then I tried to
get the door closed.

The car door?

No, the garage door.

The bumper of the
convertible was in the way.

When the door wouldn't close,

I just left it and
went up to bed.

Then on the morning
news you heard about Kane.

Yes, I didn't
think I killed him,

but when the announcer
said he was dead,

I was terrified.

I'm glad you've calmed down.

Now, I want you to go home

and act as if nothing
had happened.

When the police arrive,
don't tell them a thing.

Just say you want to
consult your attorney.

Don't talk, no matter
how hard they press.

You can be sure...

Dr. Andrew Russell, stat.

I'm sorry to interrupt
you, counselor,

but I have a warrant
for Mrs. Reynolds' arrest.

And the charge?

First-degree murder.

I don't see the sense of
this. I told you about the door.

In fact, I've told you
everything I told the police.

I'm sure of that, Mr. Reynolds.

I'm merely trying to
verify what your wife said.

Have either of these cars
been moved since last night?

No, the garage is just
the way Rhoda left it.

But she did try to
close the garage door?

Yes, she banged it a couple
of times, then came on upstairs.

You think that was around 2:40?

Oh, I know it was. I
looked at the clock.

Then you pretended to be
asleep when she came in.

That's the part I
don't quite understand.

Most husbands, if their
wives went out like that,

would want to know
where they'd been.

I... I was afraid she'd tell
me she'd been with Dr. Harris.

Dr. Harris?

Dr. Michael Harris.

My son's wife has been having
an affair with him for years.

I thought we'd agreed

that your son would do his
own talking, Mr. Reynolds.

Now, listen to me,
annul Carl's marriage.

If you can manage it
without undo publicity,

I'll give you $10,000.

It's quite a handsome figure,

but I've already accepted a
retainer from Mrs. Reynolds.

I can imagine what a
weighty sum that was.

Hm, perhaps it
wasn't very large,

but she also gave
me something else.

What was that?

Her trust, Mr. Reynolds.

Nobody realizes the jam
she's in more than I do.

You see, she not only told me

all about her
involvement with Kane,

but also about the
appointment at 2:00.

I warned her not to keep it.

How do you know she
did keep it, Dr. Harris?

Well, the ring,

and I saw her leave
Kane's apartment.

You saw her?

Then you must have been the
one who rang that front doorbell.

Yes. I couldn't
sleep last night.

Around 2:00, I got dressed

and drove over to the apartment.

Rhoda's car was parked in front.

I went in and rang
Kane's doorbell,

intending to face him with her.

I rang three or four times,

and then I heard
running feet down the hall.

I stepped back in the shadows,

and Rhoda dashed out.

Did you speak to her? No.

What should I do, Mr. Mason?

As a lawyer, I can't advise you.

You might consult a doctor.

Oh, what good would that do?

I've got dozens of patients

with troubles they
couldn't talk about,

and all I can tell them is
to take a long vacation.

Now I'm in the same
predicament myself.

As I said,

you might consult a doctor.

Any luck, Paul?

Plenty, Kane's record,

carbon of the report
from Homicide,

and the only photograph
I could get my hands on.

Oh, this'll do fine.

Notice here on the table.

Mm, the alarm clock.
What's so special about that?

The alarm.

I don't get it.

Never mind. What
about the blond?

Her name is Edna Freeman,

and the, uh, Onyx is a
honky-tonk down on Main Street.

Better talk with her, Paul.

Find out what she
knows about Kane.

All right, I'll call you.

Now, where was I?

You got a cigarette? Oh, yeah.

You were just
meeting Artie Kane,

a dewy-eyed young
girl from Jersey City.

I must have had more
than dew in my eyes

to let him get his
hands on that money.

The 3000 your aunt left you?

Three thousand, three
hundred and eighty-six dollars.

Did you tell the police?

You bet I did. They've
got it on record.

That's why, when I
ran into him last week,

I was able to put
the screws on him.

At least I got half of it back.

Where were you last night?

In bed.

Couldn't be that
you went up there,

and when he wouldn't
give you the rest...

Are you crazy? The
Reynolds woman killed him.

That's where he was
supposed to get the money from.

She was to bring it by at
2:00. He told me all about her.

He did?

Look, I represent a
lawyer named Mason.

Would you be willing
to come and talk...

Uh-uh. I've already
been signed up.

Who by?

The police.

Thanks.

Sidney.

Mr. Mason.

What are you doin' here?

Come on in, Sidney.
I want to talk to you.

Sure.

Say, I hope I'm not in
some kind of trouble again.

No.

No, I just wondered
how you were making out.

Oh, I still got the same
little electric repair shop.

I got my wife and a couple
of kids to take care of.

Sidney, how would
you and your family

like to have an
apartment, rent-free?

An apartment?

Aw, I owe you too much already,
Mr. Mason, defending me...

No, no, you'd be
doing me a favor.

I would?

Where is this apartment?

Right here.

This apartment? Sure.

You can move in
anytime next week.

There's just one thing, though.

Oh, oh, a-anything.

Well, when you ring your
front doorbell, a buzzer sounds.

You don't like buzzers.

I don't?

No, so you get a
doorbell from your stock...

One that rings.

You put it up in
place of the buzzer.

Later, if somebody
should ask you about it...

I know, I know. I
just don't like buzzers.

That's right.

Perry, I'm pretty sure
she was on the level

that Kane did tell her
Mrs. Reynolds was coming

at 2:00 with the money.

That means that Edna Freeman

can supply the
prosecution with a motive.

And Carl Reynolds' story
about the sleeping powder...

Premeditation.

But you've always said a husband

can't testify against a wife.

You forget that Kane
was her husband.

What do you do now?

There's one thing I can do.

File for a divorce on her
behalf against Carl Reynolds.

But how can she divorce someone

she hasn't even been married to?

I think I'll let Mr. Burger
figure that out.

You still haven't explained

why you didn't
ask for a divorce.

I told you, Mr. Mason, I
don't want to divorce Carl.

Is that because you
feel sorry for him?

Yes, you're right. I
do feel sorry for him.

Sympathy is a noble thing,

but you can't live
your life honestly

if you base it on that alone.

I quarreled with Dr. Harris
about that very thing.

He called it my
broken-wing fixation.

Did you know that Dr. Harris

was the one who
rang the doorbell

when you were in
Kane's apartment?

Michael was there?

Trying to help you.

Let me put this as
straight as I can.

Now, your husband
made statements

linking you to the murder.

These must be branded as lies.

There are two
ways of doing that.

One is for me to subpoena
Carl in your divorce suit

and try to break down his story.

The other is the
divorce suit itself,

in which you can charge
him with having lied.

Next week you go on
trial for your life, Rhoda.

Isn't it time you
stop dodging reality?

And additionally,
we expect to prove

that the decedent was found
in his apartment at 2:25 a.m.

with his skull fractured.

And that this fracture

was caused by a
blow from an iron poker

found in the apartment.

Ladies and
gentlemen of the jury,

on the basis of
all this evidence

we intend to ask for a verdict
of murder in the first-degree.

Lieutenant, I ask you to
examine this diamond ring...

Introduced as
people's exhibit E.

And tell this court, please,
how you happened to find it?

Well, the, uh, decedent's
right hand was clenched,

as though holding something,
and I bent down and looked.

The fingers were just
separated enough for me to see it.

The diamond ring.

Thank you, lieutenant.

Cross-examine, Mr. Mason.

Lieutenant Tragg,

you said you looked
around the apartment

while you were there?

Yes, sir, I did.

Did you see an alarm clock

in the room where
the body was found?

Yes, and it was going.

Did you notice for what time
the alarm was set on that clock?

Yes, it was set for 2:00,

or maybe a minute or two before.

Now, I ask you to
look at this photograph

marked people's exhibit B.

Does it show the alarm clock?

It does.

And what time
is it by that clock?

Three fifty-five.

Now, would you
please read the time

stamped on the photograph
indicating when it was taken?

Three fifty-five.

Then you were correct in saying

that the alarm clock
kept the right time?

Looks that way.

With the court's permission,

I should like to show
this photograph to the jury

and point out the clock.

Proceed.

May I ask to, uh, have the
alarm clock produced now?

We'll produce it when we're
ready to produce it, Mr. Mason.

Your Honor, please.

I should like to
cross-examine this witness

with the alarm
clock in evidence.

Well, I don't think I should
force the prosecution

to put on its case out of order.

If you care to
recall the witness

after the clock
has been produced,

well, then, you may do so.

Very well, Your Honor.

I have no further questions...

at this time.

Thank you, Mr. Lane.
No further questions.

Your witness.

Mr. Lane, I'm curious
as to how you know

it was exactly four minutes to 2

when the defendant drove
into your service station.

Well, I always start to
close up at five minutes of 2,

and I was just closing up.

And you say it took
you nine minutes

to change the tire?

Yes, sir.

I looked at my watch
when she drove out.

So during the interval
between 1:56 and 2:05,

Mrs. Reynolds was
in your service station?

Yes, sir.

During that time was
she ever out of your sight?

No, she stood there and
watched me change the tire.

Thank you, Mr. Lane.
No further questions.

Now, Mrs. Crandall,

you were in your bedroom

from midnight until
about 2:20, is that correct?

Yes, I was.

Referring now to Apartment
4 in the building next door,

did you hear
anything happen there

during the interval
I just mentioned?

Yes, first I heard
what woke me up,

the ringing of a doorbell.

What else did you hear?

I heard voices.

Did they seem to
be quarreling voices?

Objection. Question is
leading and suggestive.

I'll rephrase the question.

Could you tell if the voices

were men's voices
or women's voices?

Permit me to call your
attention to the fact

that the vice of a
leading question

consists in asking it.

Once counsel has pointed
the mind of a witness

in a certain direction,

it does no good to
rephrase the question.

The damage has been done.

Now, kindly avoid leading
questions in the future.

I'm very sorry, Your Honor.

Uh, could you hear what
the voices were saying?

Um... No.

Well, what else did you hear?

Well, I... I heard a
crashing of furniture and...

And the sounds of blows.

And later, I heard groaning.

And what did you
do about all this?

I got up and phoned the police.

Do you know what time it was?

Two fifteen.

Are you positive about the time?

Yes, there's an electric
clock by my telephone.

Thank you. Cross-examine.

Mrs. Crandall,
have you ever before

heard the doorbell ring in
the apartment across the way?

Well, this was an
unusually quiet night,

no wind.

That doesn't answer my question.

I asked about the doorbell.

Well, no, I don't
think I ever heard

the doorbell ring before.

Then how can you be
sure it was the doorbell

and not the telephone?

Well, for one thing,
the shade was drawn,

but I could see figures moving
about through an opening

between the window
and the shade.

How large would you
say that opening was?

Oh, about 8 inches or so.

I claim, Mrs. Crandall, that
you could not see figures

through an opening
only 8 inches wide.

Your Honor, I have
a suggestion to make,

if Mr. Mason's agreeable.

Since this seems
to be a question

of how much Mrs. Crandall could
see from her bedroom window

through a half-drawn shade
of the apartment opposite hers,

I suggest the
jury be taken there

and allowed to
see for themselves.

Well, Mr. Mason?

This is a little unexpected,

but the defense has no objection
to such a visit, Your Honor.

Directly opposite this window
is Apartment Number 4,

the decedent's apartment.

Well, how can the
jury tell if you can see...

Your Honor, this
is manifestly unfair.

The ringing of the bell

is equivalent to the
taking of testimony.

The jury was brought here
only to view the premises,

not to hear a bell.

Mr. Burger, there
was no stipulation

that the doorbell was to be
rung while a jury was here.

Why, Your Honor, I had no
idea the bell was gonna be rung.

I simply told the deputy
to go and disconnect it.

But you warned the
man not to ring it?

Why, no, Your Honor,
it never occurred to me

he'd take it upon himself to...

Stop ringing that bell!

And I've had an electrician
prepare a set of dry batteries,

which can be
connected to the bell.

In this way, I can test
Mrs. Crandall's recollection

of the sound of the bell.

However, before I do this,

I ask permission to have
the witness step down

so that the prosecution

can introduce the
bell in evidence.

Any objections?

No objection.

Why, thank you.

Perhaps, at this time,

the prosecution
will also see fit

to introduce the alarm
clock in evidence.

We'll be happy to do anything
to assist counsel that we can.

Will you step down,
please, Mrs. Crandall?

How long have you lived
in the apartment, Mr. Otis?

Since two days after the murder.

And do you recognize this bell?

Sure, that's the bell
your men took out.

And this bell was in the
apartment when you moved in?

No, sir.

No, sir?

That bell's from my store.

Oh, I see. You...

You replaced the original
bell with one of your own.

I replaced it, but
it wasn't no bell.

What was it?

A buzzer.

You mean to say that
there was a buzzer

in that apartment
when you moved in?

All the apartments have buzzers.

The other three
still have buzzers.

I'm gonna get to
the bottom of this.

Lieutenant,

get someone out there

and find out what's
in those apartments!

Now, counselor, as
long as you're in my court,

you will pay attention to
the proceedings at hand.

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

I have no further
questions. Cross-examine.

I'm afraid I'm at loss
as to how to proceed.

I did intended to
test that doorbell.

Now it appears there was
a buzzer in the apartment.

You're excused, Mr. Otis.

Step down.

Now, Mrs. Crandall,

I don't want to confuse you,

but if there was a
buzzer in the apartment

at the time of the
decedent's death,

you could not have heard
a doorbell, now, could you?

Well, I thought it
was the doorbell.

As I recall, you said it
had a whirring sound?

Yes.

Mrs. Crandall, I ask
you to examine this clock.

It has been identified
as the one taken

from the decedent's
apartment shortly after his death.

You will note that the
alarm has been set at 2,

and that both the clock and
the alarm have run down.

Well, of course it's run down.

The police have better things
to do than winding clocks.

Well, there need be no
argument. What is it you wish to do?

Under the court's supervision,

I wish to wind the alarm

and then turn the hands
so that the alarm will ring.

Very well, you may do so.

Mr. Burger, if
you'd care to watch.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I assure you, the
prosecution is not interested

in watching
Mr. Mason wind a clock.

Yes, that's it.

That's what I heard,
the alarm clock!

Naturally, for the
purpose of this discussion,

I've dismissed the jury.

Now, gentlemen,

if that was an alarm clock
that Mrs. Crandall heard,

then it would be
manifestly impossible

for the defendant to have
been in the room at the time.

The prosecution's own
testimony shows that the defendant

was at a nearby service
station at the time.

If the court please,

I don't wish to take any unfair
advantage of the prosecutor.

I was satisfied that
the witness believed

that she had heard a doorbell,

but I also thought
that her honest opinion

had been conditioned
by previous testimony.

Therefore, I arranged a test

wherein she would
be forced to believe

that she could not
have heard a doorbell.

Well, exactly what do
you mean, Mr. Mason,

when you say you
arranged a test?

Well, simply this,

the buzzer which the
present tenant replaced

was not there on the
night of the murder.

So that's it.

You deliberately
deceived this court!

You even deceived the witness!

How could I, Mr. Burger?

I brought this to the
attention of the court.

I haven't deceived the
witness. I merely tested her.

Very well, Mr. Mason,

then instead of bringing
charges against you

for unethical conduct,
when this case is finished,

I'll have you indicted
for breaking into a house

and stealing a doorbell!

Toward which end, Your
Honor, may I respectfully request

that we recall the jury
and get on with the case.

Well, we'll do that tomorrow,

if there's no objection
on the part of the defense.

Uh, none at all, Your Honor.

It will give me an opportunity

to get a deposition
from Carl Reynolds

in connection with
the divorce suit

Mrs. Reynolds has
brought against him.

Wait a minute, Your Honor,

Carl Reynolds is a
prosecution witness.

This is a deliberate
attempt to intimidate him!

Your Honor, the prosecution
is perfectly welcome

to sit in on the
deposition at my office

and to make any
objection for the record

if it appears that his witness

is being intimidated in any way.

Well, that seems
reasonable enough.

The court'll be adjourned
until tomorrow morning at 10:00.

You say that she
was more than friendly

with Dr. Michael Harris?

Yes.

How do you know that?

My father told me, he
had her checked on.

By detectives?

I suppose.

Did he do any of this
checking in person?

I did on several occasions.

Please, Mr. Reynolds, your
son is making this deposition.

Your father hated
Rhoda, didn't he?

He didn't like our marriage.

In connection with
his checking on her,

did he mention Arthur Kane?

Not until I told him
about the telegram.

The one reminding Rhoda
about the 2:00 date, signed "Artie"?

Yes.

Did your father say

what he'd found out
about Arthur Kane?

Only that Rhoda had
been meeting him.

Did your father have any
theory regarding the telegram?

He said it was
obviously an assignation,

and the date was for that night.

Now, how about that night?

You never left the house?

No.

You're positive?

Yes.

Then how do you
account for the fact

that the garage
door wouldn't close

when Rhoda returned?

I don't understand.

Didn't you say
you saw her unlock

and open it when she left?

Yes.

Yet, when she came back,

the bumper on the convertible

prevented the door from closing.

Wouldn't that suggest to you

that the convertible
had been used

while your wife was absent?

That when it was returned,

it wasn't driven far
enough into the garage?

I never thought of that.

I think you did.

I think you know your
father took the convertible

and followed Rhoda
to Kane's apartment,

went up the back way.

When he saw her struggling
with Kane over that ring,

he realized he could get
rid of her by killing Kane.

So he turned off the lights...

No.

No, it wasn't that way at all.

It wasn't Dad.

I killed him.

I...

I saw them fighting

and turned out the lights
so Rhoda wouldn't see me

and went in to help.

She ran, and Kane grabbed me.

He had the poker, and I...

I got it away from
him, hit out, and he fell.

Then I lit a match to
see what happened.

He was dead.

Perry, about that motion
for a directed verdict?

Yes?

I'll make it for you.

Won't you come
in, Mrs. Reynolds?

Thank you.

Mr. Mason.

Rhoda.

You'll be glad to hear

that Mr. Reynolds
is standing by Carl.

And so am I.

Well, they don't
seem to want that.

You mean Carl doesn't?

Well, he realizes that pity
is not a basis for marriage.

He'd like an annulment.

Well, of course
I won't oppose it,

but are you sure
he doesn't need me?

I'm sure.

I know someone that does
need you, though, Rhoda.

A certain Dr. Harris.

Oh, Michael? Yes.

When did he get in town?

He called about ten minutes ago.

Oh.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

You get all the
breaks, counselor.

Hm, speaking of breaks...

I am afraid he's
not going to get

the same break from Mr. Burger.

Oh, you mean about the buzzer.

Uh-huh. Mr. Burger is
gonna subpoena Perry

before the grand jury

on a charge of illegal entry
and larceny of the doorbell.

I know it's a
technicality, Perry,

but he's got you over a barrel.

Paul, I suggest
you call Mr. Burger

and ask him if it's a
crime for a landlord

to enter his own
property to make repairs.

Would you mind
filing this for me, Della?

What is it?

Well, on the day
after the murder,

I invested in
some real estate...

A four-family flat.

Not the one Arthur Kane...

I might have known.