Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 2, Episode 7 - The Case of the Married Moonlighter - full transcript

But there must be some mistake.

I know my husband took
care of the payment last week.

Look, cou...

Couldn't you at least wait

until my husband gets
home, and maybe he...

Oh, darling, I'm so
glad you're home.

These men are from Walsh's.

Yes, I know, I...

I saw the truck outside.

Danny...

Danny, I can't go on like this!



I go crazy wondering what's
going to be repossessed next.

Yes, I know, I know, but...

Things'll improve, you'll see.

You've said that before, Danny.

I don't care about myself,
but what about the baby?

Oh, yeah,

how is she?

Oh, she's asleep.

No, she isn't.

Hi. Hi, sweetheart.

Got a kiss for old dad, huh?

I bet she does. Come
here. Come here.

String.

Oh, yeah, a nice big string.



Aw.

What'd the doctor say today?

She's got to have
a new brace. $85.

$85?

$120 just two weeks ago.

Would you...?

Would you like me to
take her to the clinic?

Did I say that?

No, I'll... I'll find the
money somehow.

There we go. Sleep?

Lay down? No.

Oh. Let's just put you down.

Bye, daddy.

Danny. Danny, why don't
you let me ask my father?

After what he said?

Oh, all he said was
what any parent...

I won't take a penny from him.

All right.

You'll have to find
something else to do.

You can't go on teaching
school and working nights.

Eileen, please, let's
not go into that again.

I love teaching and I'm
not going to give it up.

All right!

I want a divorce.

Oh, Eileen, honey, look,

you don't know
what you're saying.

Yes, I do, Danny.

I don't mind
scrimping for myself,

but I won't let Carol suffer.

Honey, I promise you,
I'll take care of everything.

I'll get the money somehow.

How?

I said I'd get it.

Mommy, come here.

All right, darling, coming.

It's been going on like this

ever since I had
the baby, Perry.

That's when I quit my job.

Danny didn't want
me to go on working.

I'd love to help, Eileen,

if only because you
were the first woman

who ever proposed to me.

It was on her father's
farm in Oregon.

She was seven at the time.

I was not! I was 8 and a
half, and you turned me down.

He probably thought
you were too old for him.

Heh-heh.

Now, seriously,

I'll do anything I can.

Now, what'd you have in mind?

A divorce.

Aren't you in love with Danny?

That has nothing to do with it.

We need money desperately.

Danny could go to work tomorrow

for almost any engineering
firm in the country, but no.

He's got to kill himself
by holding down two jobs.

He...

He acts as though
teaching were a holy calling.

I know a lot of
doctors and lawyers

who feel the same way.

Do their wives and
children have to suffer for it?

Uh...

I'm sorry, Eileen, I...

I just...

I just can't think you'd be
better off with a divorce.

Now, you...

You ought to see Danny's side.

I have.

He has nothing
but foolish pride.

Oh, so far the baby
hasn't suffered from it.

Do I...? Do I have
to wait for that?

Here, why don't
you let us help you?

Oh, no.

No, I couldn't take
money from you.

All right then.

Suppose I see Danny?

No, thanks.

Why...

I don't mean to sound
ungrateful, Perry,

but I'm tired of talk.

I'm tired of hearing
all the clichés

about how everything
will turn out all right.

Thanks for seeing me, anyway.

Goodbye, Miss Street.

Goodbye.

Wondering what
she's going to do now?

I hope she's going
to see another lawyer.

Della.

Mm-hm?

See if you can find out
where Danny works nights.

Right.

Let's see, that's...

With tax, 83 cents.

Thank you.

'Night.

Hm.

Eighty-three cents.

Well that ought to take care
of next month's rent, huh?

I guess not.

I don't know how long I'm gonna
be able to keep you on, Dan,

I'll be honest.

Boy, since they built that
new diner down the block...

Yeah, I know, Luke.

Ah, this is no job for a
school teacher anyway.

You know, I've
often wondered why

a guy with your
background and education...

Customer.

I'd like some service
at a table, please.

Hello, Danny.

Hello, Frank.

I'd like a cup of coffee, black,

and a bowl of chili.

Chili, a bowl. Right.

I thought you were gonna grow up

to be a school teacher, Danny.

What's the matter,
board of education

get wise to you?

Bowl o' chili.

Is he givin' you a rough time?

He's loaded.

Danny, you were the
smartest boy on the block.

Smart one.

Look at you now, slingin' hash.

What do you teach in
that high school of yours?

Cooking?

How to succeed?

This stuff is slop.

Would you like to
order something else?

No, I want a bowl of chili,

not that slop!

If that's slop, you're
in the right place, pal.

'Cause you're
nothin' but a lousy pig.

He's drunk, Luke.
That's no excuse.

My friend, you're not
only gonna pay for it,

but you're gonna
clean it up too.

No, Luke, I'll clean
it up. No, you don't!

He's the pig that
made this mess.

He's gonna clean it up.

Is that so?

This is all I need, with
all my other troubles.

Call the cops.

No, no. I know where he lives.

I'll take him home.

What do you wanna
bother with him for?

Oh, it's on my way.

Well, okay, business
is lousy anyhow.

You may as well go.

First, I'm gonna get
what he owes me.

Here we are.

Oh, brother!

Let's see, the chili and
coffee was 40 cents,

the busted bowl was
65, that makes $1.05.

I'll settle for a buck even
if he's got one in here.

Ah, there it is,
the little stranger.

I'll get my coat.

All right, Frank.

Yeah, okay.

Come on, you, up!

Up and out. This is
a place of business.

What time is it?

Get out. Come on.

All right, Frank.

What? Come on, you're home.

I'm all right.

Yeah, I know. Now,
come on, buddy.

Where we goin'?

Your place.

I'm... I'm fine. Yeah, I know.

I don't feel so hot.

Just wait till I
get you upstairs.

You can't talk to
him now, Linda.

He's drunk.

I've got to talk to him, Phil.

But you can't.

Danny?

Yeah, Frank.

What time is it?
Yeah, yeah, now t...

Take it easy, huh?

Wait a minute!
I live over there.

Okay.

Now, Frank. Huh?

Let me have your key.

I don't got my key.

Frank! What?

Give me your key.

No.

For crying' out...

What are you doing?

I'm trying to get your key!

Leave me alone!

Hey, how about a little
less noise out here?

I'm sorry, I was, uh...

I was trying to find his key.

Well, try over the door.

Thank you. Stay there.

Come on.

Eileen, honey, don't be mad.

You better finish your lunch,
Danny, you'll be late for class.

Now, come on, you've
got to listen to me.

Mrs. Harrison? Yes.

My name is Tragg,
Lieutenant Tragg.

Is anything wrong?

You Daniel Harrison?

Yes, I am.

Wonder if you'd mind
answering me a few questions?

Well, I'm late for
work now, officer.

You see, I'm a school teacher.

Yes, I know, I know. You, uh...

You also work
nights at Luke's place.

I think you
teachers call it, uh...

moonlighting.

You own a gun?

Say, what is this all about?

Just answer my
question, if you don't mind.

Do you own a gun? No, I don't.

You pawned one
yesterday afternoon.

I, um...

I needed money.

Why did you say
you didn't own a gun?

Because I don't own a gun.

As you said, I
pawned it yesterday.

Now, it's not necessary
to lose your temper.

I'm not losing my temper, sir.

It's just that I wanna
know what this is all about.

How well do you
know Frank Curran?

Why?

He was murdered last night.

Murdered?

I...

I can't believe it.

You could take my word for it.

You were the last
one to see him alive.

Well? Weren't you?

You took him home last night.

Well, he was all
right when I left him.

I think you better come with me.

No! No, you can't do this.

That's all right,
honey. Oh, Danny!

Now, don't worry,
baby. Baby, please, now.

Look, I'll take care
of this thing in no time.

Just call the school,

and tell 'em I'll miss
my fifth period class.

Okay?

Dan...

Drink your milk, sweetheart.

Hello, Danny.

How do you feel?

Have a cigarette?

How do you think I feel?

How would you feel if they
dragged you down here,

fingerprinted you like you
were a crook or something?

Have you seen Eileen?

She's fine. So's the baby.

Do you know what
the doctor says?

In a couple years, that leg
is gonna be as good as new.

I see improvement already.

Eileen doesn't think that I...

That I did this?

Of course not.

Now, we don't have much time.

Come on, let's get to work.

Tell me,

why did you offer to drive
Frank Curran home last night?

Well, I couldn't leave him
on the floor at Luke's place.

He was drunk, and Luke
was gonna call the police.

The police say
Curran was robbed.

Apparently he had over
$2,000 in cash on him.

Did you know that?

Are you sure that wasn't
your reason for volunteering?

Well, you needed money badly.

Look, Mr. Mason, if
you think I'm guilty...

Danny, I'm just trying
to determine the facts.

If I wanted that money, I
didn't have to kill Frank.

I could've just helped myself.

Supposing he saw
you helping yourself,

and tried to call
for assistance?

Is that what you think happened?

That's what the police think.

All right, let's start
from the beginning,

from the time you
parked your car

in the rear of his
apartment building.

Did you notice anyone around?

Well, it seems to me there
was a couple in a convertible.

I'm not sure, though.

Go on.

Well, I... I managed to
get Frank into the elevator

and up to the fifth floor.

Then I started
hunting for his keys.

I guess we made some noise,

because a fella came
out from across the hall

and said there was
a key over the door.

So, you let yourself
into his apartment?

Yeah. And then?

Well, as soon as
we got in the room,

Frank broke away from me,

stumbled across the
room and fell on the sofa.

I figured I might as
well leave him there.

Did you undress him?

No, I loosened his collar
and took off his shoes.

When they found him,
he was wearing pajamas.

Maybe he sobered up.

All I know is that I
left him on the sofa.

Anything else to tell me? No.

Now, think about
it for a moment.

Well, I...

I remember he... He
stumbled when he...

When he fell on the sofa,

and knocked over an end table.

What was on the end table?

Oh, just some books
and magazines.

I...

picked them up, put 'em back.

Did you pick up anything else?

What about a bronze bookend?

Yeah, I forgot about that.

There were a pair
of 'em on the table.

I... I picked them up
and put them back.

Did you tell that to the police?

Well, no, I... I didn't
think of it till now.

What difference does that make?

Quite a lot, Danny.

One of those bookends
was the murder weapon.

"Curran, Frank. Age: 32. Single.

"Address: 1417 Chetley.

Occupation: vice president of
Atlas Construction Company."

Which doesn't mean a thing.

His old man's
chairman of the board.

Atlas is the company that made
that new freeway near Whitlock.

"Close friends: none.

Hobbies: wine, women, and song."

That doesn't tell
me enough, Paul.

Who are the women?

There must be one
or two in particular.

I'm checking on that now.

Where'd all the money he
was carrying come from?

Poker game. Curran played
cards every Tuesday night.

Oh, where?

At the, uh, Mayberry Hotel.

I'm trying to run down
everyone who sat in the game.

Concentrate on the losers.

Have you talked
to Luke Hickey yet?

No, I haven't had a chance.

Maybe I should do that myself.

Do you want me to
have him come in?

No, I'd like to
look his place over.

Call Della the minute
you get something, huh?

Will do.

Bye, beautiful.

I don't care what it
looks like, lieutenant.

I tell you, Danny
didn't kill that guy.

Well, of course you'll
admit that you're prejudiced.

You're darn right I am. Hm.

Look, I know Danny Harrison.

He'd give you the
shirt off his back.

Let me put a
head on that for ya.

Thank you.

Um, whose idea was it
that Harrison take, uh,

Frank Curran home? Mine.

Oh, was it also your idea

that Harrison use his own car?

Well, Curran's car was parked

in the lot behind your
place all that night.

We just towed it home today.

What does that prove?

Look, lieutenant,
I'm tellin' you,

you're barkin' up
the wrong tree.

I saw this guy Curran once,

and immediately I could
tell he was strictly a wrongo.

And I'll lay you eight to five

he's had trouble
with the dames too.

What do you think of
that? Heh, heh, heh.

You know what the French say:

Cherchez la femme.

Yeah, I'll bear
that in mind, uh...

Well, hello, counselor.

How are you, lieutenant?

Couldn't be better. Sarge.

Well, I, uh,

kinda figured that you'd
be showing up here.

Oh, Mr. Hickey,
this is Perry Mason.

Hello, Mr. Hickey.
You just call me Luke.

Well, I imagine you two
have a lot to talk about.

Oh, Perry,

Mr. Hickey has some
very interesting ideas

about the murder.

He thinks we should,
uh, cherchez la femme.

Well, give it some thought.

I always do.

Sarge.

I'm, uh, glad to
know you, Mr. Mason.

Say, I sure hope you can
do somethin' for Danny.

He's a good man.

What did you tell the police?

Oh, you don't have to
worry, I didn't spill a thing.

I told 'em that it was my idea
for Danny to drive Curran home.

That's too bad.

Danny's already
admitted it was his.

Yeah, but he didn't
kill that crumb.

I believe that,

but we can't prove it with lies.

May I have some coffee, please?

Sure.

Business usually this slow?

I hate to tell you.

I bet I haven't got four bucks
in that cash drawer of mine.

You knew that Curran
had a small fortune on him

when he was in here, didn't you?

Look, Mr. Mason,
you, uh, got any idea

that I knocked this
guy off and took his roll,

why don't you just come
out and ask me, huh?

All right.

Did you murder Frank Curran?

No.

Not that I've got scruples,

I, uh, just didn't think of it.

Say, uh,

incidentally, Mr. Mason,

I'd like to ask you a question.

That Lieutenant Tragg has
been pumpin' me like crazy.

Now, would I have
to go on the stand?

Say, if I didn't want to?

Well, if you mean, can
they force you to testify,

the answer's yes.

'Morning, Miss Street.

Good morning, Mr. Mason.

Nothing like starting the day

on another formality,
I always say.

Any calls?

Mm-hm.

Was Luke Hickey helpful?

Not too.

I have a hunch he has his
own idea on how to save Danny.

Like what?

Well, like disappearing so
they can't put him on the stand.

Now, we'd better have Paul

detail two men to check
on him wherever he goes.

Yes, Gertie?

Put him on.

It's Paul.

Hi, Paul. What's doing?

Perry, I got something
on Curran's girlfriend.

At least she was his
girlfriend up to six weeks ago.

Her name's, uh, Linda Kennedy.

She runs a swank
dress shop in Pasadena.

1817 Sacramento Street.

Have you talked to her yet?

All right, I'll meet you
there in 20 minutes.

Now, this is our latest
creation for the fall.

We call this Evening Romance.

Very pretty. What
do you think, Paul?

Hm? Oh, yeah, very pretty.

But isn't that a little, uh...

Oh, you know how Della is.

Well, if you'd like something
a little more unusual,

I have just the thing.

Suppose we show the
gentlemen Evening Song.

Thank you.

It's too bad about Frank.

I beg your pardon?

Frank Curran.

I understand you
used to go with him.

What are you,
detectives or reporters?

A detective.

We heard you considered
yourself engaged to Mr. Curran.

That happens to be
anything but the truth.

The night he died, you
called him seven times

at the Mayberry Hotel
where he was playing cards.

If you're suggesting I
ran after Frank Curran,

you're out of your mind.

Not now.

Would you mind
telling us what you did

on the night he was murdered?

I went out to dinner with
my partner, Phil McCabe.

He drove me home.

What time was that?

Around 11:30.

You didn't go out again?

No,

and if you have
any more questions,

you can see my lawyer.

What's the trouble, Linda?

No trouble, Mr. McCabe.

You are Mr. McCabe?

That's right.

These are policemen, Phil.

I didn't say that, Miss Kennedy.

You asked if we were detectives.

This gentleman is a detective.

A private detective.

Get out.

Miss Kennedy said
she was with you

the night Frank
Curran was murdered.

Obviously you
didn't understand me.

We're not going to
answer any more questions.

You mean at this time.

I mean at this time or any time.

I suggest you investigate
the power of a subpoena.

Good day, Miss Kennedy.

Mr. Palmer's here to see you.

Send him in.

Mr. Palmer.

Come in, Mr. Palmer.

Nice of you to come up here.

Well, I'm glad to do it.

Though, I don't know
how I can help your client.

You never know unless you try.

Here, cigarette?
Oh, don't mind if I do.

Sit down, won't you?

Thank you.

I understand that you
identified Daniel Harrison

for the police.

Now, if you're going
to ask me if I'm sure

that he's the man that brought
Frank Curran home that night,

you're wasting your time.

Because there's no
question in my mind.

There's no question about
what my client did, Mr. Palmer.

There's absolutely no
question that he left Luke's Cafe

and tried to play
Good Samaritan.

What I'd like to know
is what caused you

to open the door at that hour?

Well, you should have
heard the racket they made.

A man would have to be
deaf to sleep through that.

But you weren't asleep.

My client told me that
when you opened the door

you were wearing trousers
underneath your robe.

Most of us remove
them before we retire.

Well, I was watching some TV.

At 2:00 in the morning?

It so happens that when
I'm all wound up, I watch TV.

It helps me to relax.

Well, um,

why were you so wound
up at this particular time?

Look, Mr. Mason, I came up here

of my own free
will to try to help.

And you have.

Well, all I've got to say

is you've got a
mighty strange way

of showing your gratitude.

Why was he so mad?

I wonder.

I'll get it.

Come in, Paul.

You busy? No.

Well, Wallace just checked
in, and your hunch was right.

Luke Hickey did not open
his place this morning.

First, he went to the Chandler
Restaurant Supply Company

on Ventura.

Then, he checked into the, uh,

Baldwin Motel in the valley.

He registered under the
name of Henry Johnson.

Better keep him
under surveillance.

All right, what else?

Well, Faulkner
finally came through.

There were a couple of other
winners in that poker game.

I'm more interested
in the losers.

First, there was a man
named Eric Hartley.

He dropped $2,200
but he can afford it.

He owns Hartley Motors.

Then, there was a guy
named Stewart Leghorn.

He lost $250.

Now hold on to your hat.

There was one other loser.

George Palmer.

How much did he lose?
Fourteen hundred dollars.

That might explain
why I hit a raw nerve

when I asked him
about being so wound up.

He was just up here.

How did, uh...? How did
Palmer pay his losses to Curran?

He gave Curran an IOU, and
according to our information,

this is not the first IOU
he's given him either.

Curran kept a record of them

in a little black-leather
memo book.

Did the police find the
book or the IOU on the body?

No.

Well, what happened
to them, Paul?

Don't ask me.

But it's important, Paul.

Burger is basing his case

on the fact that our
client needed money

and helped himself
to Curran's money.

Now, there's no logical
reason that Danny Harrison

would take that
IOU, or the notebook.

They wouldn't
mean a thing to him.

They would mean a great deal

to someone who
owed Curran money.

That's right.

Now, we have to prove
the existence of both

the notebook and the IOU

before we go to trial on Monday.

We have to make their
disappearance seem significant.

They could very possibly
be destroyed by now.

I hope so.

If we can come up with
evidence that they have been,

I can get my client acquitted.

Well, just where do you
go to look for something

you hope is destroyed?

Well, it's easy.

You make it an essential part
of the district attorney's case.

Then he has to produce it.

Now, lieutenant,

what were the findings
of the police laboratory

with regard to this bookend?

On submitting
this to examination,

we found hair and blood that
matched those of the deceased.

Did you find
anything else on here?

Yes, sir, we found
several fingerprints.

The one on the right...

This one? Yes, sir.

That's an enlargement
of a latent print

we, uh, took off the bookend.

And what is this
other print, lieutenant?

The thumbprint of the defendant,
taken at police headquarters.

Would you say these
two prints are identical?

Yes, sir, I would.

As you will see, there are, uh,

over 14 points
of, uh, similarity.

Thank you, lieutenant.
You may cross-examine.

Now, lieutenant,

did you tell the defendant
that you discovered

his fingerprints on
the murder weapon?

No. No, I didn't.

So, then he had no
chance to explain them?

No.

Did you find the
defendant's fingerprints

elsewhere in the apartment?

Yes, in several places:

on a light switch, the door,

an end table.

Which merely proves that
he had been in the apartment.

Now, the defendant
never denied that, did he?

No. No, he didn't.

Thank you,
lieutenant. That's all.

You may stand down.

Call your next
witness, Mr. Burger.

I call Luke Hickey.

Luke Hickey.

Luke Hickey?

Your witness doesn't
seem to be in the courtroom,

Mr. District Attorney.

Will the bailiff try to locate
the witness in the corridor?

Your Honor, Mr. Hickey is a
close friend of the defendant,

and he has been, from the
outset, most uncooperative.

Has he been subpoenaed?

He has, Your Honor.

This witness is
vital to our case.

Clerk will draw an
order for the arrest

of the witness, Luke Hickey,

and produce him
in court forthwith.

Proceed with your
next witness, counselor.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I call Miss Linda
Kennedy to the stand.

Miss Linda Kennedy.

And I was parked right there

when I saw this other
car pull into the parking lot.

Like this?

Yes.

And then the defendant and
Mr. Curran got out of the car.

Or, rather, he helped
Frank out of the car.

Did you notice anything
at all that would indicate

the attitude of the
defendant toward Mr. Curran?

Well, he seemed
annoyed with Frank.

I remember I heard him say:

"Just wait till I
get you upstairs."

"Just wait till I
get you upstairs"?

He said that? Yes.

I didn't mean it that way.

He was feeling sick.
He wanted to lie down.

What time of night was this?

About 2:00 in
the morning. I see.

Thank you, Miss Kennedy.

Your witness.

Now, I believe you've testified

that you were
sitting in your car

from 1:00 in the morning

until you saw the defendant
arrive with Mr. Curran?

That's right.

When did you leave?

Right after Frank arrived.

I realized he was in
no condition to talk,

so we drove home.

We?

Mr. McCabe and myself.

May I ask why you and Mr. McCabe

wanted to see
Mr. Curran at that hour?

I object, Your Honor.

That question is incompetent,
irrelevant and immaterial.

If it please the court,
I feel that I'm entitled

to show all the circumstances
in cross-examining this witness,

including anything in a
relationship with the deceased

which might tend
to indicate bias.

The objection is overruled.
You may continue, Mr. Mason.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I'll repeat the question,
Miss Kennedy.

Why did you and Mr. McCabe

want to see Mr. Curran
at 2:00 in the morning?

Mr. McCabe
didn't want to. I did.

I'd been trying to
see Frank for days.

Mr. Curran had
been avoiding you?

Yes. Why?

Why?

Because I kept asking
him to marry me.

And Mr. Curran
refused to marry you?

He wouldn't even talk
to me on the phone.

What did Mr. McCabe hope to
accomplish by accompanying you?

He just didn't want me
to talk to Frank alone.

You're very fortunate

to have so thoughtful a
business partner, Miss Kennedy.

But then, Mr. McCabe
is much more

than your business
partner, isn't he?

I don't know what you mean.

Your Honor, I would like to
have this marked for identification.

Thank you.

Have you ever seen this
before, Miss Kennedy?

Yes.

It's a marriage license.

Phil and I took it out in
Las Vegas two days ago.

And yet, just a short time ago,

you waited until
2:00 in the morning

to ask Frank
Curran to marry you?

That's right.

Were you in love
with Frank Curran?

I loathed him.

I thought he was the most
despicable man that ever lived.

Thank you, Mrs. McCabe.

That will be all.

Hey, what's the idea?

Well, the idea is very
simple, Mr. Hickey.

The district attorney
wants to talk to you.

How'd you know where to find me?

Now, now, I didn't ask you
how you ran your restaurant.

Get his coat, and, uh,
take his razor along.

And then about
1:00 we settled up.

Frank Curran was
the heavy winner.

He must have had over
$2,000 in cash on him.

Are you sure of the amount?

Well, I saw two
$500 bills myself.

What did you do when
you left the poker game?

I went home.

And it was after that, as
you previously testified,

that you saw the
defendant in the corridor

with the deceased, Frank Curran?

Yes.

What time did you
go to bed that night?

Oh, about a quarter to 3.

Did you hear the defendant
leave the deceased's apartment

before you retired?

No, sir. I didn't.

Did you hear anything else?

Well, yes, around 2:30,
I went to the kitchen

to get myself a beer.

I heard a voice say,

"What do you think you're doing?

Put that back."

At the time, I thought it
came from the television set.

But I assume that since then,
you've changed your mind?

Yes, sir.

Now I know it was
Frank Curran's voice.

Thank you,
Mr. Palmer. That's all.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Palmer,

you say the poker
game broke up around 1?

Well, maybe a
few minutes before.

May I ask how you made
out in this particular game?

I lost a few dollars.

Standards vary, Mr. Palmer.

What do you call
"a few dollars"?

Fourteen hundred.

How much do you earn weekly?

A hundred and thirty.

Or less than 10
percent of your losses?

I don't always lose.

No, but this week you did.

How did you pay Mr. Curran?

I gave him an IOU.

Didn't Mr. Curran hold
several of your IOU's?

He did not.

I made them good
a long time ago.

Isn't it true that Mr. Curran
kept a record of the money

that you and other
players owed him

in a small leather
notebook? Yes.

Did you see that notebook
on the night of the game?

Yes.

Can you tell us what
subsequently happened to it?

No, I can't.

Are you sure, Mr. Palmer?

How many times
do I have to tell you?

Just once,

if it's the truth.

That's all, Mr. Palmer.

The witness may stand down.

Well, gentlemen, since
it's nearing noon hour,

I think this is as good
a time as any to recess.

Court stands adjourned
till 2:00 this afternoon.

We've gotta find that
notebook and the IOU's.

Well, we've checked on
everything, Mr. Burger.

It hasn't turned up.

Well, we're gonna
have to check again.

Don't you see what
Mason's doing?

He's hinting that the
IOU and the notebook

would have had no
value to Harrison,

therefore, he wouldn't
have taken them.

And we know that
Curran had 'em with him

when he left the poker game.

Oh, Mrs. McCabe.

Could I see you for a moment?

I wonder if you could help us.

I'll be glad to do
anything I can.

I don't want to embarrass
you, Mr. McCabe...

Oh, that's quite all right.

But you did know Frank
Curran pretty well, didn't you?

Yes, I did.

Would you know any place
that he kept his valuables?

Well, he had a vault at
the Security State Bank.

No, other than that.

Well, he had a special
compartment built in his car

where he kept a revolver.

He thought the glove
compartment was too obvious.

Well, did he keep
anything else in there?

I couldn't say.

Where was this compartment?

Underneath the dashboard,

right next to the
steering wheel.

The knob that operates it

looks rather like
a choke button.

Thank you, Mrs. McCabe.

Thank you, sir.

Unit 344 on Mission Valley Road,

one-eighth mile east of 395.

1183, car turned over. Code 3.

Frank Curran.

This is it.

344 from Eighth and
Washington, Station A.

33, disregard.
344 is very close.

251-A, Code 7, station.

Unit 7, come in.

Correction, Unit 3, come in.

Station A, Unit 3?

Station A, Unit 3, come in.

Unit 3, no response.

"I owe you $1,400,

George Palmer."

Well, I've got a hunch

Mr. Burger is gonna
be very happy about this.

But isn't it true, Mr. Hickey,
that the defendant

only suggested taking
Frank Curran home

after you had suggested
calling the police?

Your Honor, I object.

Counsel is cross-examining
his own witness.

If it please the court,
Mr. Hickey is a hostile witness,

as Mr. Mason knows very well.

The objection is overruled.

You may proceed, Mr. Burger.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Mr. Burger?

May we approach the
bench, Your Honor?

If the court
please, at this time,

I should like to withdraw
this witness temporarily,

and recall Lieutenant
Tragg to the stand.

Your Honor, I see no reason

why Mr. Hickey can't
finish his testimony.

Furthermore, I see no reason

why Lieutenant Tragg
should be recalled.

If the court please,

Mr. Mason has been insinuating
from the very beginning

that the disappearance
of a small leather notebook

belonging to the deceased

is the principle
motive for this crime.

Lieutenant Tragg has now
discovered that notebook.

I maintain the introduction
of that notebook

is incompetent,
irrelevant and immaterial.

Not when you, sir,
have been hinting

that it's disappearance is
a prime factor in this case,

and that Mr. Palmer
may have taken it.

Your Honor, I think I
should have a chance

to rebut that suggestion.

Of course, gentlemen,

this is a matter wholly in
the discretion of the court.

But I agree with Mr. Burger.

I think he should be afforded
the opportunity he requests.

Is Lieutenant Tragg
needed elsewhere?

Yes, Your Honor, he's
needed at headquarters,

and this will only
take a few minutes.

All right, then
we'll hear him now.

Mr. Hickey, will you step
down for a few minutes?

Lieutenant Tragg, will
you please take the stand?

In the compartment
under the dash,

I found this book.

And what about Mr. Palmer's IOU?

It was in the book.

Thank you, lieutenant.
That will be all.

With the court's permission,
I would now like to complete

my direct examination
of Mr. Hickey.

If the court please,

I have one or two questions
of Lieutenant Tragg on cross.

You may proceed, Mr. Mason.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Lieutenant, you
testified you found this

in the decedent's car
at the police garage?

Yes, sir, the car was towed
there the day after the murder.

Towed?

Yes, by, uh, Officer Davis.

Was the ignition
key in the lock?

Yes, it was on the
chain with his other keys.

By any chance, did
you try the ignition key?

Yes, I did.

Did it work?

No, it, uh, wouldn't turn.

But it did fit the lock?

Perfectly.

Thank you, lieutenant.

That'll be all.

You may stand down.

Now, Your Honor, may we have
Mr. Hickey resume the stand?

Now, Mr. Hickey,

I was asking you,

did the defendant volunteer
to take Frank Curran home?

That don't mean anything.

But the answer is yes?

Answer the question, please.

Yes.

And did the defendant
know that the deceased

had on his person a
large sum of money?

You might as well blame
me. I went through his pockets.

Yes, but you didn't volunteer
to take him home, did you?

No.

And the defendant did volunteer
to take him home, didn't he?

Well, yes, but...

Even though Frank Curran
was getting violent and abusive?

Thank you, Mr. Hickey,
that will be all.

Your witness.

Now, Mr. Hickey,

the district attorney
has spent a lot of time

trying to establish that Danny
Harrison needed money,

that he only volunteered
to drive the decedent home

after he saw you take that
roll of bills from his pocket.

That's not true.

Danny offered to drive him home

before he knew the guy
had any money on him.

After all, he's
known him for years.

But you didn't know Mr. Curran?

No. I-I never met
him before in my life.

When did you close
your place that night?

About 2:00.

After you closed,
what did you do?

I went home.

But first you had
to get your car?

That's right. You
must have noticed

the other car parked in the lot.

I mean, Frank Curran's car?

Yeah, but I figured
he'd come back

and pick it up when
he sobered up.

By any chance, did
you look his car over?

Casually, maybe.

Suppose I told you

that your fingerprints
were found in his car.

Why shouldn't they be?

I told you I looked
it over, didn't I?

And in looking it over,

you must have noticed
the ignition keys.

His house key was
on the same ring.

What are you drivin' at?

I suggest you took those keys

and went over to
Curran's apartment.

Look, I told you I didn't know
his name or where he lived.

According to the law,

there had to be a
registration slip in his car.

It was probably right
there on the steering post.

Well, I didn't notice it.

You must have, Luke.

You had two opportunities:

When you removed Curran's
keys, and when you put them back.

Look, I told you I
didn't remove any keys

and I didn't put any back!

Then who made the mistake

of putting the trunk
key in the ignition lock?

What do you mean?

That's the only thing
that would explain

why the key fit but wouldn't
operate the tumblers.

Now, who made the
mistake, Luke, if it wasn't you?

How should I know?

It could have been
Curran himself, couldn't it?

No.

Because he drove over to
your place from the poker game.

Look, Y-your
Honor, this is crazy.

I had no motive
to kill this man.

You testified that
business was bad,

that you were thinking
of letting Danny go.

Well, what does
that got to do with it?

A half-hour before you went
to that motel, did you stop

at the Chandler Restaurant
Supply Company on Ventura?

I-I don't know. I-I'm not sure.

Two private
detectives followed you.

Do you remember
what you did there?

Take your time.

Well, Luke?

I-I told you, I don't remember.

Suppose I help you.

You paid Mr. Chandler
monies owed him,

and long overdue.

What does that prove?

It might prove a lot,

if you paid him in
cash with a $500 bill.

Shall we get Mr. Chandler
down here and see?

If it please the court, I
should like to request a...

Oh, forget it.

Yeah, I paid him with
one of the $500 bills

I took off of Curran.

But I didn't mean to kill
him, Your Honor, honest.

Just when he came
out of his bedroom

and saw me goin'
through his pockets,

he recognized me and...

And he started to yell,

"Hey, what do you think you're
doin' there? I'll fix you good."

Then he came after me.

That's when you hit
him with the bookend?

Yeah.

It's funny how things work out.

You saw my place.

It's really a dump.

But you don't
know what it means.

People on the street would say,

"There goes Luke Hickey.
He owns a restaurant."

It's very important to me.

Kind of. Do you
know what I mean?

Then when I
couldn't meet my bills,

I guess I just flipped.

Then when I saw this crumb who

probably never did
an honest day's work

in his whole life, I...

I don't know, it just
didn't seem right

that he should
have all this money,

and I should need it so bad.

But I swear to you, Danny,

I-I didn't think they'd nab you.

You gotta believe that.

So help me, that's the truth.

Uh, one there for me?

A big one.

Do you know what gets me?

Why Perry doesn't have you
arrested for grand larceny?

No. What gets me is what
put him on to Luke Hickey

in the first place.

It wasn't in the first place,
Paul. It was in the last.

In fact, Lieutenant
Tragg gave him the tip-off.

You mean when
he came into court,

waving that memo
book and the IOU?

Mm-hm. That acquitted
George Palmer,

and Perry knew he had to
look elsewhere in a hurry.

How did he know that
Luke Hickey's fingerprints

were found in Curran's car?

He didn't.

He said, and I quote:

"Suppose I told you

your fingerprints
were found in the car."

When Luke didn't
deny it, Perry was home.

Any more questions?

Yeah.

The way I see it,

Perry doesn't stand to
make a dime in this case.

After all, the Harrisons
can't afford to pay him.

So how can he afford to pay me?

That's a very good
question, Paul.

Come to think of it, I can't.