Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 3, Episode 12 - The Case of the Frantic Flyer - full transcript
Howard Walters has what he thinks is the perfect plan to steal from his employer Wade Taylor and run off with his mistress, Janice Atkins. While flying his small private airplane on a business trip he will parachute to safety allowing the airplane to crash. After he has left, Janice takes $130,000 from the company safe and the plan is to meet at a remote cabin before setting off on their new life. Things start to go wrong when Walters breaks his leg on landing and finds himself stranded with a hermit of sorts, Zack Davis, and snowed in for nearly two months. By the time he gets back to Los Angeles, everyone had pretty much given up hope of him ever being found. That's okay with Janice who has been carrying on with Roger Porter, who works at the same company as Walters. The police eventually find the crash site and recover a body, that of the missing Andrew Taylor, Wade Taylor's ne'er-do-well son who everyone had assumed had taken the missing money. Andrew's wife Carol seeks Perry Mason's help in clearing her husband's name but when Howard Walters is found dead, she is charged with murder.
Left.
Once.
Three-one.
Right...
twice.
Fifty-five.
Left.
Ten.
What's in there?
Nothing.
What's going to be
in there Sunday night?
Over a hundred thousand dollars.
I hope.
One hundred and thirty thousand.
In cash.
What about the watchman?
Oh. Well, he starts
his rounds on the hour.
Takes him 12 minutes.
He ends up right back
where he started from.
His room at the
front of the entrance.
That's why I go through
the front gate at 5 after 11?
That's right.
Now then, what are you gonna do?
I take the money
out, put it in my bag
and close the safe.
And then get out.
You'll wait. You'll wait
in between the buildings
until you see the watchman
start his midnight rounds.
Right?
Then what?
Well, then we follow our plan.
You've already left
on another buying trip.
I meet you in the
cabin in the Sierras.
Yeah, going to use the
company plane this trip, Howard?
You know I love
to fly, Mr. Taylor.
I'd hoped my son could take over
some of this traveling for you.
Give you a chance to
relax behind your desk.
Give him the experience
he needs in the field.
Don't you worry, Mr. Taylor.
I'm sure he'll get it.
Yeah. The only
experience Andy's getting
is how to shoot
craps in Vegas...
and how to be irritating
and stubborn with me.
Well, I think he's just a
little young, impetuous.
How long do you stay
young and impetuous?
Boy eight years out of
college and married...
ought to have some
sense of responsibility.
The fights we've had lately...
I've tried to be a good father.
Have you, Mr. Taylor?
How do you expect Andy
to assume responsibility...
when all he ever hears from you
is how untrustworthy he is?
And what does he
hear from you, Carol?
How to be a patient, dutiful son
and wait for the inheritance?
I know you think I married
Andy for your money.
Well, what did you marry
him for? To reform him?
To get him over the habit of
signing my name to checks?
To stop his gambling?
Hasn't been a very
successful marriage, has it?
Perhaps with a
little understanding...
Andrew wasn't ready
for marriage, young lady.
You rushed him into it.
I understand that much.
What are you up here for now?
Mr. Walters...
Andy and I are leaving
for dinner at the club.
I thought perhaps my
father-in-law would join us.
Well... my wife's waiting.
She's driving
me to the airfield.
I left that Fresno
account for Andy to
take care of on Monday.
He'll be there... if
I have to pour him
on the morning plane myself.
Well, everything else is
under control, Mr. Taylor.
I'll be calling you the
first part of the week.
Fine, Howard, fine.
Have a good trip.
Thank you.
It just seems as
though we don't have
a life together anymore.
It's a short trip this time.
I wish you
wouldn't fly yourself.
I prefer it.
It isn't safe.
Well... look at
all the insurance
you stand to collect
if anything happens.
Don't say things like that.
All right, Ruth.
Howard.
I'll call you.
Be careful.
Sure.
Go on now.
The plane is gassed and ready.
- I'm leaving now.
- All right, dear.
Nervous? Yes.
But I'll be all right
Sunday night.
I'll be fine.
Oh, sure you will.
It'll go without a hitch,
just like we rehearsed it.
I'll meet you Monday, 4:00,
at the mountain cabin.
A new life, Janice.
Love me?
Darling...
you know I do.
Bye.
Bye, Howard.
See you Monday.
You won't. But I will.
What a surprise he'll
find up at that cabin.
Instead of Janice,
his darling...
me.
Instead of $130,000 dollars,
a .32 slug.
Mayday. Mayday, mayday.
This is 14536...
14536.
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
This is Merced Airport.
This is Merced Airport.
We receive your
transmission, 14536. Over.
I hear you, Merced.
This is Walters.
Howard Walters, Los Angeles.
All oil pressure lost.
Impossible to set her down.
Over.
Walters, state your position.
Please state your position.
Where are you bound for? Over.
Fresno to Portland. Losing
altitude. Dropping fast.
I'm on fire! On fire!
I'm gonna crash!
I'm crashing! Tell my
wife... Tell my wife...
Oh, clumsy, blundering fool.
Ouch.
Janice.
Hundred and thirty thousand.
Janice.
Janice.
Yeah.
Oh!
You better lay quiet, mister.
Your leg's busted.
How long have I been here?
Almost two days.
Two days.
Oh, I've got to get out of here.
Help me get up.
You ain't goin'
no place, mister.
You're just lucky I found
you and brung you home,
and took care of
your busted leg.
Who are you? Zack Davis.
What's your handle?
Not a solitary thing in your
belongings to tell me, stranger.
Have you got a car? Car?
Yeah. Mister, there ain't no way
in or out of this place
exceptin' on a shank's pony.
We're smack in the
middle of no place.
We got no roads, no
neighbors, no nothin'.
Where'd you find me?
This side of the ridge.
I was out prospectin'
with Daisy.
She's my burro.
I reckon you
traveled a far piece
with that busted leg.
Look. Help me get to a phone.
There ain't no phone for miles.
And you can't move
till that leg sets.
Well, how long will that be?
It don't matter how long.
You'll be here till
spring, anyhow.
Spring? No, I can't!
Well, it don't matter.
We'll be snowed in all winter.
I Hope you like
cribbage, mister.
Sure helps pass the time.
Oh.
And it's now seven weeks
since your husband disappeared?
Yes, Mr. Mason.
I wanted to notify the
police immediately...
but my father-in-law
wouldn't let me.
Why?
Well...
you see, the Sunday
that Andy disappeared,
a hundred and thirty
thousand dollars
was stolen from the office safe.
And your father-in-law thought
that Andy might have
stolen the money?
Yes.
Oh, I know there were
many things that Andy did
before we were
married that weren't right,
but he never stole.
Haven't you heard
from him in all this time?
No.
That's why I'm so worried.
All the other times he would...
Other times?
Twice before he went away.
After arguments with his father.
But he'd call me, and I'd talk
to him, and he'd come back.
I see.
Now, uh...
just how did you want me
to help you, Mrs. Taylor?
Mr. Mason, I'm so worried.
I think something might
have happened to Andy.
An accident...
You want me to make inquiries?
Perhaps call in a
private investigator?
Oh, yes. Please.
You understand
that in finding him,
it may uncover the fact
that he did steal the money?
Yes. I understand.
Do you have any
family, Mrs. Taylor?
Just a cousin. Roger Porter.
Della, see if you
can set up a...
An appointment
with Mr. Wade Taylor.
Make it this afternoon
if possible. Mm.
Here?
No. I think I'd like to see
him in his own surroundings.
A privilege, Mr. Mason.
Mr. Taylor.
I'd like to talk to
you about your son.
So Carol went to you.
At least she didn't
go to the police.
Did she tell you
about the money?
Yes. And what does
you want you to do,
find him before the
money's all gone? No.
She's concerned
over his welfare.
Not hearing from
him, she thinks maybe
he might have been hurt or
something might have happened
to him. Forgive me, Mason.
I have no such fears.
Have you heard from him? No.
Would you tell me why
you suspect him of stealing?
I don't suspect. I know.
He took $130,000
out of that safe
in the outer office.
No question about it?
Only three people
knew the combination.
My general manager,
Howard Walters.
My son, Andrew.
And myself.
I see.
What about this Walters?
He couldn't have taken
the money, Mason.
He was out of town
when it happened.
As a matter of fact, he
telephoned me the evening
of the robbery, from Fresno.
And that leaves only
Andrew and yourself?
And I didn't rob myself.
Why didn't you
report the robbery?
And put my son in jail?
Insurance companies
aren't noted for sentiment.
Then you are taking the loss?
My loss is my son.
I thought there was
some hope for him.
I know now... there isn't.
Yes.
I will, thank you.
Oh, Mr. Taylor.
They found the plane.
The snows melting,
uh, gave the search party
a chance to get up there.
What about Walters?
Uh... Apparently,
he never bailed out.
They found his
body badly charred.
Thanks, Roger.
Oh, Roger Porter, Perry Mason.
How do you do? Hello.
You're Carol Taylor's
cousin, aren't you?
Uh, that's right.
I'm sorry to hear
about Mr. Walters.
When was the crash?
Seven weeks ago.
In the High Sierras.
Around the time of the theft?
Well, the next day, I believe.
A good man.
You were about to
tell me where to start
the search for your son.
Why not just wait, Mason?
He'll come home with
his tail between his legs
as soon as the money's all gone.
Thorough check on
the last seven weeks.
Former girlfriends, associates,
gambling, nightspots.
Here, Las Vegas and in Reno.
With special emphasis
on whether or not
he's been flashing
a roll? Mm-hm.
And about that plane crash...
I have a preliminary
report on that one.
Uh, a small private
plane reported an oil leak
to the Merced
Airport at 2:12 p.m.,
Monday, January 26th.
Crashed, burned and snowbound.
A search party reached
the plane this morning.
The body is being
sent to Los Angeles
at the wife's request.
Paul, before you
do anything else,
I want you to drop in
on Lieutenant Tragg.
Just drop in at headquarters?
Uh, with a suggestion.
I wanna make sure an autopsy
is performed on that body.
One that covers all
possible causes of death.
I can't understand it.
What could've happened?
Howard faked the whole
thing, why didn't he bail out?
I don't know, and I don't care.
Roger, it's been seven weeks.
How much longer
do we have to wait?
We played it safe. We got
the money stashed away.
We don't wanna get careless now.
Oh, darling.
Just think...
$130,000...
split two ways.
One way, baby.
One way?
Share and share alike, remember?
In everything.
Hello, Janice.
Well, don't I get a
welcome-home kiss?
I called a half-a-dozen times.
No one answered.
Mm, Howard, I...
I had just given up all hope.
Why didn't you let me know?
Oh, I couldn't.
I bailed out all right, but I
broke my leg when I landed.
Then I got snowed in.
Everybody thinks you're dead.
Well, isn't that
how we planned it?
Where's the money?
In a safety-deposit box.
Oh. Good girl.
No one suspects?
No.
No, it...
went off just perfectly.
Well, fine. We'll take
the money out tomorrow,
get away just the
way we planned...
only, uh, seven weeks later.
Say, have you got
anything to eat in this place?
Howard, you can't stay here.
Why not?
Well, a girl from
the office is coming
to spend the night here.
Don't you have
any place to stay?
Yeah. Yeah, I checked
in at the Valley Vista Motel
in North Hollywood.
Under the name
of Henry Morrison.
Seems like I, uh...
I really surprised you.
Uh, you did.
The search party
reached the plane.
Well? It burned up, didn't it?
Not completely.
They recovered a body.
So what?
I thought it was you.
It wasn't.
If I can't stay here...
you come with me.
Howard.
We mustn't take any chances.
And if my girlfriend
came in here
and found you here, sh...
All right. All right, I
can wait another day.
I'll call you later...
and set up the arrangements
for tomorrow morning.
Howard. Yeah?
Who was in that plane?
We thought the body
found in the plane
was Howard Walters, of course.
We even asked his
wife and his employer,
Mr. Taylor, to come
to the identification.
And then the body was definitely
identified, not as Walters,
but as Andrew Taylor.
And Wade Taylor made
the identification of his son?
That's right.
He told us to look
for a false tooth,
some special dentistry,
and the evidence
of a mastoid operation,
which we found.
What about the autopsy?
The body wasn't completely
consumed by flames.
Andrew Taylor died
of a .32-caliber bullet
through his heart.
Which made it murder.
How'd you know, Perry?
I didn't.
How did you guess?
More of a hunch, lieutenant.
What's your
interest in this case?
I don't know if I have
an interest at all now.
May be finished.
Hello.
Hello?
Mrs. Taylor?
Yes? Uh...
Who is this?
I'm sorry, but
the line isn't clear.
If you would like
evidence that your husband
did not steal that money
from his father's safe,
you can find it at
the Valley Vista Motel
in North Hollywood.
Bungalow 1.
What do you know
about this? Uh...
Who is it?
Hello? Hello?
She'll probably
leave right away.
You'd better start out.
Okay.
Fifteen thousand?
Hello? JANICE: Mrs. Walters.
Your husband is in town,
at the Valley Vista Motel.
Bungalow 1.
What's that?
Howard?
He wants to see you.
Howard?
Is Howard...?
Hello?
He...
Good evening. Mrs. Walters?
What is it? Who are you?
This is Miss Street.
My name is Mason.
Wait a minute. What do you want?
I'm an attorney.
Now, if it's more
convenient for you
to talk at another time...
Why, yes, it would be.
I represent a member
of the Taylor family.
I just wanted to find
out if you'd heard
from your husband recently.
Why, no. Not since
the plane crash.
Must have been a
relief to you to discover
that... Andrew Taylor
had been impersonating
your husband?
Impersonating Howard?
Yes, it was a relief.
Of course I... I
feel sorry for Andy.
Really, Mr. Mason, I
apologize for being rude...
Not at all.
Haven't you been worried,
not hearing from your husband?
Oh, yes. Yes, terribly worried.
And don't you think it odd
that none of the stolen money
was found in the wreckage?
Are you implying my
husband had something to do
with the stolen
money, Mr. Mason?
If you haven't heard from him.
He frequently
goes on long trips.
Without keeping in touch?
Sometimes.
Now, look here, I don't have
to answer your questions.
I beg your pardon.
We're, uh, sorry to
have disturbed you.
Come on, Della.
She didn't go in.
And the police, Perry.
Uh-huh.
Sorry. You'll have
to stand back.
My name is Mason. Okay, Mason.
I'll see the reporters
spell the name right.
What happened?
It'll be in the morning papers.
Hastings? Uh... Oh.
Well, hello, lieutenant.
Well, I was kind of
expecting you, Perry.
Then you know more than I do.
I wasn't expecting to be here.
Murder? Uh-huh.
Who is it? The one
we were looking for:
Walters. When did it happen?
Well, we can't be sure.
About an hour ago,
the manager here
thought he heard a backfire.
And it could've been then.
Uh, we'll have the whole
story in a few minutes.
Oh? Yes, we have the killer.
She came back for
her gun, we caught her.
Who's "her"?
Andrew Taylor's wife:
Carol Taylor.
And that's my story, ma'am.
I was with
Mr. Walters all the time
he was up in the mountains...
so I feel like I know
you personal-like.
What do you know
about me personal-like?
Oh, this and that.
You weren't his wife, but
he was in love with you.
Crazy about you.
I can't believe Howard
talked to you like that.
Well, he didn't. Not directly.
But when we first met
up, he was out of his head.
Delirious.
Of course, I didn't connect
up anything he was saying
till he...
mentioned $130,000.
What about $130,000?
Seems like you're
holdin' it for him.
Am I?
'Course, now you
can get to keep it.
Can I?
Mr. Walters ain't
in no condition
to ask for his share.
Isn't he? No.
Why not?
'Cause he's dead, Miss Janice.
You know that.
And that nice-lookin',
apple-cheeked young feller
in there knows it too.
I mean the one you
was with this evening
at the Valley Vista Motel...
a little before the cops came.
Roger.
What do you want?
Well, I'm a stranger in town.
I heard so much about
Los Angeles from Howard,
I had to see it for myself.
I ain't lyin' when I tell
you it's left me flat busted.
That means you want money?
That's right.
Well, why do you think
we should give you money?
If you don't know why,
there's no use my telling you.
I'm in the wrong place.
All right.
You're in the wrong place.
Yes, ma'am.
Uh, just a second.
Where you going?
To the right place, I reckon.
Where? Police station.
Oh, what makes you think
we were at the motel tonight?
Saw you, that's why.
Oh, that means you
were there. That's right.
So you could have
killed Howard Walters.
Sure.
I guess I could have.
I didn't though.
How much money do you want?
Would $500 be too much?
Well, Walters knew the
combination of the safe.
The police figure he
gave you the combination
just before he left on his trip.
That you stole the money.
Walters picked up
Andy by plane in Fresno,
and then with Andy already dead,
he deliberately
crashed the plane.
It just doesn't make sense.
They believe that
when Walters returned...
you met him at the
motel and killed him,
in order to keep the
$130,000 for yourself.
It isn't true.
I don't have anybody's money!
Why would they say I
stole that money if I...
They found $15,000 in your home.
In my home?
But I didn't steal any money.
Mr. Mason, I...
I'd never conspire
to steal or... Or murder.
What were you doing
in that bungalow?
I...
I just went to talk
to Mr. Walters.
I found him dead.
How did you know where he was?
I received a telephone call.
From whom?
Man's voice? Woman's?
A... A woman's. I-I'm not sure.
It was muffled-like, fuzzy.
What did the voice say?
It said if I wanted
evidence to prove
that Andy didn't steal
his father's money, I...
I should go to the
Valley Vista Motel,
Bungalow 1.
If Walters was dead,
how did you get in?
The door was open.
How many times were you
in Walters' bungalow tonight?
Once.
Just once!
Had you figured out
that Walters killed Andy?
Mr. Mason...
if you had told me
the police believe
that I shot Mr. Walters
because he killed Andy,
I'd say it makes sense,
even if it isn't true.
Yes, Mr. Mason,
I figured it out.
And if you don't want
to represent me, I...
Mrs. Taylor.
It'll be a privilege
to represent you.
And, uh, death
was instantaneous.
The bullet passing
through the heart
and lodging in the spine.
And I show you now this bullet
and ask you if
you can identify it.
Yes, sir. It has my mark.
That is the lethal
bullet. Thank you, doctor.
Your witness.
Uh, doctor, did you perform
an autopsy on the decedent?
Yes, sir.
Did you find evidence
of a recently broken leg?
Yes, I did.
Thank you,
doctor. That'll be all.
You may stand down, doctor.
Well, I got a
call from Unit 9...
That's in back of the court
so I went over and I
knocked on the door.
So I was outside when I
heard something like a shot.
Well, at that time, I thought
it was a car backfiring
outside of Bungalow number 1.
And what time was that?
Well, it was about
a quarter to 8.
And what did you do then?
Well... not getting any
answer to my knock,
I went out toward the street
to see what had happened,
and that's when I saw
this woman coming out
from behind the bungalows.
She was running pretty scared.
I see. Thank you,
sir. Your witness.
Now, this, uh... This
woman you saw,
did you recognize her?
- No, sir.
And was that the only
noise you heard that evening
that sounded like a
shot or a backfire?
Uh, yes, sir.
Now, excepting the time
you went to Unit
9 at a quarter of 8,
were you in your
office at all times
between 7:30 and 9:00?
Oh, yes, sir.
And from your
office or from Unit 9,
could you have seen anyone who
might have called at Bungalow 1?
Well, no, I couldn't
swear to who called there.
But I could've heard anything
that sounded like
a shot plain enough.
Thank you. That'll be all.
My job at Taylor Maid
is head bookkeeper.
I take care of expense
accounts and vouchers,
and the bookkeeping
on payrolls, and so on.
I see.
Now, could you tell
us, in that capacity,
the whereabouts
of Mr. Andrew Taylor
at 11 a.m.
on the morning of January 26th?
That's the day of
the airplane crash.
Yes, sir. Andy...
Andrew Taylor was in Fresno.
He called the office
collect from there.
Did anyone else call the office
from Fresno that same morning?
Yes, sir. Mr. Howard Walters.
May I show you
these... paper ribbons
and ask if you can...
identify them for us?
Yes. It's a currency
package marker,
printed to our
order at Taylor Maid.
To enclose $5,000 in
cash for a bank deposit.
And where do you keep
these packages of money?
In the safe in our
executive offices.
Until they're deposited. I see.
Thank you, Mr. Porter.
Your witness.
Uh, Mr. Porter...
as I understand it,
both Howard Walters
and Andrew Taylor
were in Fresno Monday
morning, January 26th?
That's right.
Uh, thank you. That'll be all.
You may stand down, Mr. Porter.
Uh, $130,000
was taken out of the safe
sometime near midnight,
the evening of
Sunday, January 25th.
And who knew the combination
to that safe, Mr. Taylor?
Myself. Andrew.
And Howard Walters.
Now, it's been established
that Howard Walters
was out of town that
night, is that correct?
That's right. He
phoned me at home
Sunday evening from Fresno.
Your witness.
Mr. Taylor...
the fact that only three people
knew the combination of
the safe doesn't rule out
one of the three telling
a fourth party, does it?
No, sir. Then Howard
Walters could've
told a fourth party,
could he not?
Yes, sir. As a matter of fact,
has it not occurred to
you that someone could've
robbed the safe Sunday
evening while Mr. Walters
was establishing an
alibi for himself in Fresno?
Yes, sir.
Thank you. That'll be all.
Uh, just a moment, Mr. Taylor.
One question on
a redirect, please.
Uh, Mr. Taylor, you just
testified that Howard Walters
could've given a fourth party
the combination of that safe.
Couldn't that fourth party
have been the defendant?
I thought of it, yes.
Uh, that's all,
Mr. Taylor. Thank you.
And now, lieutenant, would
you tell this court, please,
what happened at approximately
15 minutes before 9:00
on the evening of March 16th.
Well, a call sent me to
the Valley Vista Motel,
Bungalow 1. And
what did you find
when you got there?
When I got there,
Mrs. Andrew Taylor,
the defendant,
had been taken into custody.
Did you have a conversation
with Mrs. Taylor at that time?
Yes, sir. I asked the defendant
what she was doing there...
and she answered by
repeating over and over again,
"That's my gun. That's my gun."
I show you now
this .32-caliber gun,
and ask if you recognize it.
Yes, sir. That has my
identifying mark on it.
It's the gun found
in the murder room,
and has been checked out by, uh,
Ballistics as the murder weapon.
Uh, did you also check
the registration of this gun?
Yes, sir. It's
registered in the name
of Carol Taylor, the defendant.
And when you subsequently
searched the defendant's home,
what did you find there?
Well, the search of the
defendant's home turned up
three packages of
money, $5,000 in each,
and each package
wrapped in one of these.
We found them buried
under a planter box.
Thank you,
lieutenant. That'll be all.
Your witness.
Lieutenant, who
reported the murder?
It was a phone tip. Anonymous.
We couldn't even identify
if it was a man or a woman.
And by the time you
reached the motel,
a prowl car had arrived?
Yes, sir. Just in
time for our officer
to catch the defendant
going out the window again.
Again? Had they
caught the defendant
going out the
window once before?
Oh, no. No, no, no, no.
It's just a figure of speech.
Just a figure of speech.
Now, lieutenant...
you were aware
of the autopsy report on
the decedent's broken leg?
Yes.
Then after instituting
some research,
you must have found out
where Mr. Walters spent
the seven weeks between the time
his plane crashed
on January 26th,
and his reappearance
on March 16th?
Yes, sir.
In the cabin of a prospector
by the name of Zachary Davis.
Did you speak with
this Zachary Davis?
Heh. Still looking for him.
I see.
Now, when you examined
the body of Andrew Taylor,
you found a bullet to
be the cause of death.
May I ask if that bullet was
fired from the murder weapon
introduced in evidence
during this hearing?
Yes, sir. It was.
And as I understand it...
what transpired could
have gone like this:
Walters met the unsuspecting
young Taylor in Fresno,
offered him a lift in
the company plane,
shot the boy with his own gun,
caused the plane to crash,
while he, Walters, bailed out.
Yes, sir. It could've
happened like that.
Then Walters brought that
gun back to Los Angeles,
where he himself
was killed with it?
Yeah. Could've been like that.
Thank you,
lieutenant. That'll be all.
I couldn't really identify
the voice on the phone...
except that it was a woman.
And what did this
woman's voice say to you?
She said that
Howard was in town.
And then she told me
where Howard was staying.
And what time was this?
Time?
No, I don't know.
About 20 after 8.
Thank you, Ms.
Walters. Your witness.
Now, you say this
voice on the telephone
was unidentifiable,
Mrs. Walters?
Yes.
Then it could have
been almost anyone?
Almost any woman.
Now, when you drove to the
motel and saw the police there,
you didn't go in. You
hadn't seen your husband
for almost two months,
you knew he was there,
and still you didn't
go in. You drove away.
Why?
Uh, I was afraid.
Isn't it true, Mrs. Walters,
that seeing the
police at the motel
was no surprise to you?
Isn't it true that
you had visited
with your husband earlier?
That you drove away
because you had either
killed him or had
knowledge of his death?
No.
No. No, I wouldn't.
No?
That's all, thank you.
Gentlemen...
if you have no objections,
I'll call a somewhat early
recess this afternoon.
I have no objections,
Your Honor.
No objection, Your Honor.
Very well.
Court is adjourned till
10:00 tomorrow morning.
Perry. I checked out
Della's message on Unit 9.
A Milton Smith moved in
the same night Walters did.
Good, Paul.
Let's go.
Can I help you folks?
May we come in, Mr. Smith?
Or should I say Davis?
Come in.
Why, you're the
lawyer fellow, Mason.
I expect you know
that Howard Walters
spent some time at
my cabin in the Sierras.
Is that it? Is that
what you want?
How much did he tell you
about the money he'd stolen?
He didn't tell me
anything, Mr. Mason.
What about the
woman? His accomplice?
I don't know anything
about any woman.
Open up. Police.
Well, surprise. I
didn't expect you here.
I expected you, lieutenant.
Mr. Zachary Davis? Yes, sir?
You'll have to come
with me, Mr. Davis.
The district attorney's office
wants you for questioning.
Aren't you forgetting
something, lieutenant?
What? Money.
What money? I'd
guess most of the money
stolen from the
Taylor Maid offices.
Well, the first few
days, he was delirious.
He kept talkin' about this woman
he was supposed
to meet at the cabin.
She was supposed to
bring the money with her.
Did he mention the
name of this woman?
Yes, sir. Carol.
Just Carol? Uh, Carol Taylor.
They planned to kill her husband
and make it seem
like it was Walters
died in the plane.
It isn't true.
Now, why did you
follow Howard Walters
to Los Angeles, Mr. Davis?
Well, I'm gettin' a little
old, Mr. Prosecutor.
I guess I've seen so many
others stake a claim and get rich...
while mine always petered out.
I guess I figured this was
one claim I couldn't lose on.
Mm, go on.
Well, I was keeping
tabs on Walters.
And a little before 8 on
the night of the murder,
I spotted this woman, her...
bringing along a suitcase
to Walter's bungalow.
What happened then?
Uh, then I went back to my room.
Well, in a little while,
I heard this shot.
Well, it sounded like a
shot to me anyway, but...
But I wasn't gonna meddle
in anybody's business.
But then I got to thinki"
about that suitcase...
and Walters, and
the woman and all,
so I went to Walters' bungalow,
and there was no answer.
So I went in.
Well, he was dead all right,
and the suitcase was there...
so I took it.
Would you please point
to the woman that you saw
enter Howard Walters' room
at the Valley Vista Motel?
Her.
Let the record show
that the witness is pointing
at the defendant, Carol Taylor.
Thank you, Mr. Davis.
You may cross-examine,
Mr. Mason.
Mr. Davis...
haven't you made a
mistake in this story of yours?
Mistake?
Haven't you substituted
the name of Carol Taylor
for that of Janice Atkins.
I don't know any Janice Atkins.
But you paid her a visit
yesterday afternoon.
You must be mistaken.
No, I have the report
of a private detective.
Well... he must be mistaken.
According to his report...
you entered her apartment
house empty-handed...
you came out 35 minutes
later carrying a valise.
No, sir.
The detective further reported
that while you were in
Miss Atkins' apartment,
you were joined by...
Roger Porter.
No, sir.
Weren't you blackmailing
them, Mr. Davis?
I told you how I
found that money.
It is possible, Mr. Davis,
that by perjuring yourself,
you are also involving yourself
as an accessory after the fact.
Your Honor...
I protest.
Counsel's intimidating
this witness.
There seem to be
some discrepancies here,
Mr. Prosecutor.
Mr. Mason.
Do you, in fact, have
proof that the witness
called on this person
named Janice Atkins?
Yes, Your Honor.
If counsel has no objection,
I'd like Mr. Davis to step down
while I call Miss Janice
Atkins to the stand.
No objection, Your Honor.
Miss Atkins will come forward.
You may step down, Mr. Davis.
Raise your right hand.
Do you solemnly swear
the testimony you're about
to give shall be the truth,
the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth?
I do. State your name.
Janice Atkins.
Be seated, please.
Miss Atkins...
do you know the
previous witness,
Mr. Zachary Davis?
No.
Did he call on you yesterday
afternoon at your apartment?
No.
Now, you're under oath...
and the allegation has been made
that the witness
did call on you.
That one Roger
Porter joined you.
And that the witness departed
with a valise filled with money.
Maybe he saw somebody
else in my apartment house.
May I, Your Honor?
All right, counselor.
Now, the witness, Zachary Davis,
stated that he got that
valise from Howard Walters.
But Howard Walters did not
live at your apartment house.
All I know is he didn't
get any valise or...
Or any money from me.
Now, didn't Mr. Davis
blackmail you for that money?
No.
Uh, did you call the
defendant on the phone
and tell her she could get
evidence of the innocence
of her husband at
the Valley Vista Motel?
No.
And when she went
to that motel, did you,
or your accomplice,
Roger Porter,
plant $15,000 of
the stolen money
in the defendant's home?
No.
Fifteen thousand was found
in the defendant's home,
$100,000 was
found in the valise.
Leaving an undiscovered 15,000.
I don't know anything about it.
I must warn you, Miss Atkins,
that a search
warrant will be issued.
That your apartment
will be searched before
you have an
opportunity to return to it
and remove any
incriminating evidence.
I caution you as I
cautioned Mr. Davis.
That by perjuring yourself now,
even if you're not
guilty of murder,
you may be indicted as
an accessory after the fact.
Or did you really
kill Howard Walters,
the man with whom you conspired,
to rob and murder?
No, I didn't. You
didn't kill him?
No. But you did steal $130,000
from the Taylor
Maid safe? Mm, yes,
but I didn't conspire
to kill Andy Taylor.
I didn't know that was
part of Howard's plan.
And you did plant $15,000
in the defendant's home,
to make it appear
she was guilty?
Yes.
Yes, but I didn't kill Howard.
He did.
Roger did.
No. Don't do that to me, Janice.
Order! Order in the court.
If Your Honor please,
I think we may get
to the bottom of this
case if I'm allowed to finish
my cross-examination
of Zachary Davis.
Mr. Davis.
Well, you c...
Can't blame a fella
for trying to keep
his skirts clean.
So, okay, it was Janice Atkins
and Roger Porter all the time.
What about the
defendant, Carol Taylor?
She had nothing to do with it.
Uh, would you
explain to this court
why you perjured yourself?
Well, l-like I said, just
to keep my skirts clean.
How dirty are they?
Well, I, uh...
I admit I tried to
move in on all that money.
The, uh, first try for 500,
well...
that was just to test out
if I could make a
strike there at all.
I'd say your skirts are
dirtier than that, Mr. Davis.
But not as dirty
as theirs, though.
They killed
Walters, didn't they?
No.
Then who did? His wife?
No.
The young man's father?
Old man Taylor himself?
No.
You figure me.
It had to be you, Mr. Davis.
How's that?
From the evidence.
The sound of the
shot that killed Walters.
You said you heard
it in your room.
That's right. But you
weren't in your room.
Sure I was.
When the motel manager
knocked on your
door, you didn't answer.
At the time he heard the shot.
There's some mistake there.
Yours, Mr. Davis.
You called the
manager to your room
to keep him away
from Bungalow 1.
That was your mistake.
In not getting an answer
when he knocked on your door,
he put the lie to your alibi.
Well, I...
That's real tricky.
Real complicated and tricky.
Uh, I guess murder's like that.
No, sir.
Murder is usually very simple.
It's the getting away with it
that's real
complicated and tricky.
Mr. Mason, I want to thank you
for supporting my
daughter-in-law...
and for being patient
with my obstinate stupidity.
We all need to
learn a little tolerance
at one time or another.
It's unfortunate that
sometimes the learning comes...
after a man's death.
Yes.
I haven't had your
bill yet, Mr. Mason...
so, uh, I've left the
amount here blank.
You fill it out any
way you want to.
Well, thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Mason.
That's a...
That's a great idea.
Uh, why don't you just, uh...
fill my check out like that.
Uh, blank. Just sign it.
All right, Paul.
Once.
Three-one.
Right...
twice.
Fifty-five.
Left.
Ten.
What's in there?
Nothing.
What's going to be
in there Sunday night?
Over a hundred thousand dollars.
I hope.
One hundred and thirty thousand.
In cash.
What about the watchman?
Oh. Well, he starts
his rounds on the hour.
Takes him 12 minutes.
He ends up right back
where he started from.
His room at the
front of the entrance.
That's why I go through
the front gate at 5 after 11?
That's right.
Now then, what are you gonna do?
I take the money
out, put it in my bag
and close the safe.
And then get out.
You'll wait. You'll wait
in between the buildings
until you see the watchman
start his midnight rounds.
Right?
Then what?
Well, then we follow our plan.
You've already left
on another buying trip.
I meet you in the
cabin in the Sierras.
Yeah, going to use the
company plane this trip, Howard?
You know I love
to fly, Mr. Taylor.
I'd hoped my son could take over
some of this traveling for you.
Give you a chance to
relax behind your desk.
Give him the experience
he needs in the field.
Don't you worry, Mr. Taylor.
I'm sure he'll get it.
Yeah. The only
experience Andy's getting
is how to shoot
craps in Vegas...
and how to be irritating
and stubborn with me.
Well, I think he's just a
little young, impetuous.
How long do you stay
young and impetuous?
Boy eight years out of
college and married...
ought to have some
sense of responsibility.
The fights we've had lately...
I've tried to be a good father.
Have you, Mr. Taylor?
How do you expect Andy
to assume responsibility...
when all he ever hears from you
is how untrustworthy he is?
And what does he
hear from you, Carol?
How to be a patient, dutiful son
and wait for the inheritance?
I know you think I married
Andy for your money.
Well, what did you marry
him for? To reform him?
To get him over the habit of
signing my name to checks?
To stop his gambling?
Hasn't been a very
successful marriage, has it?
Perhaps with a
little understanding...
Andrew wasn't ready
for marriage, young lady.
You rushed him into it.
I understand that much.
What are you up here for now?
Mr. Walters...
Andy and I are leaving
for dinner at the club.
I thought perhaps my
father-in-law would join us.
Well... my wife's waiting.
She's driving
me to the airfield.
I left that Fresno
account for Andy to
take care of on Monday.
He'll be there... if
I have to pour him
on the morning plane myself.
Well, everything else is
under control, Mr. Taylor.
I'll be calling you the
first part of the week.
Fine, Howard, fine.
Have a good trip.
Thank you.
It just seems as
though we don't have
a life together anymore.
It's a short trip this time.
I wish you
wouldn't fly yourself.
I prefer it.
It isn't safe.
Well... look at
all the insurance
you stand to collect
if anything happens.
Don't say things like that.
All right, Ruth.
Howard.
I'll call you.
Be careful.
Sure.
Go on now.
The plane is gassed and ready.
- I'm leaving now.
- All right, dear.
Nervous? Yes.
But I'll be all right
Sunday night.
I'll be fine.
Oh, sure you will.
It'll go without a hitch,
just like we rehearsed it.
I'll meet you Monday, 4:00,
at the mountain cabin.
A new life, Janice.
Love me?
Darling...
you know I do.
Bye.
Bye, Howard.
See you Monday.
You won't. But I will.
What a surprise he'll
find up at that cabin.
Instead of Janice,
his darling...
me.
Instead of $130,000 dollars,
a .32 slug.
Mayday. Mayday, mayday.
This is 14536...
14536.
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
This is Merced Airport.
This is Merced Airport.
We receive your
transmission, 14536. Over.
I hear you, Merced.
This is Walters.
Howard Walters, Los Angeles.
All oil pressure lost.
Impossible to set her down.
Over.
Walters, state your position.
Please state your position.
Where are you bound for? Over.
Fresno to Portland. Losing
altitude. Dropping fast.
I'm on fire! On fire!
I'm gonna crash!
I'm crashing! Tell my
wife... Tell my wife...
Oh, clumsy, blundering fool.
Ouch.
Janice.
Hundred and thirty thousand.
Janice.
Janice.
Yeah.
Oh!
You better lay quiet, mister.
Your leg's busted.
How long have I been here?
Almost two days.
Two days.
Oh, I've got to get out of here.
Help me get up.
You ain't goin'
no place, mister.
You're just lucky I found
you and brung you home,
and took care of
your busted leg.
Who are you? Zack Davis.
What's your handle?
Not a solitary thing in your
belongings to tell me, stranger.
Have you got a car? Car?
Yeah. Mister, there ain't no way
in or out of this place
exceptin' on a shank's pony.
We're smack in the
middle of no place.
We got no roads, no
neighbors, no nothin'.
Where'd you find me?
This side of the ridge.
I was out prospectin'
with Daisy.
She's my burro.
I reckon you
traveled a far piece
with that busted leg.
Look. Help me get to a phone.
There ain't no phone for miles.
And you can't move
till that leg sets.
Well, how long will that be?
It don't matter how long.
You'll be here till
spring, anyhow.
Spring? No, I can't!
Well, it don't matter.
We'll be snowed in all winter.
I Hope you like
cribbage, mister.
Sure helps pass the time.
Oh.
And it's now seven weeks
since your husband disappeared?
Yes, Mr. Mason.
I wanted to notify the
police immediately...
but my father-in-law
wouldn't let me.
Why?
Well...
you see, the Sunday
that Andy disappeared,
a hundred and thirty
thousand dollars
was stolen from the office safe.
And your father-in-law thought
that Andy might have
stolen the money?
Yes.
Oh, I know there were
many things that Andy did
before we were
married that weren't right,
but he never stole.
Haven't you heard
from him in all this time?
No.
That's why I'm so worried.
All the other times he would...
Other times?
Twice before he went away.
After arguments with his father.
But he'd call me, and I'd talk
to him, and he'd come back.
I see.
Now, uh...
just how did you want me
to help you, Mrs. Taylor?
Mr. Mason, I'm so worried.
I think something might
have happened to Andy.
An accident...
You want me to make inquiries?
Perhaps call in a
private investigator?
Oh, yes. Please.
You understand
that in finding him,
it may uncover the fact
that he did steal the money?
Yes. I understand.
Do you have any
family, Mrs. Taylor?
Just a cousin. Roger Porter.
Della, see if you
can set up a...
An appointment
with Mr. Wade Taylor.
Make it this afternoon
if possible. Mm.
Here?
No. I think I'd like to see
him in his own surroundings.
A privilege, Mr. Mason.
Mr. Taylor.
I'd like to talk to
you about your son.
So Carol went to you.
At least she didn't
go to the police.
Did she tell you
about the money?
Yes. And what does
you want you to do,
find him before the
money's all gone? No.
She's concerned
over his welfare.
Not hearing from
him, she thinks maybe
he might have been hurt or
something might have happened
to him. Forgive me, Mason.
I have no such fears.
Have you heard from him? No.
Would you tell me why
you suspect him of stealing?
I don't suspect. I know.
He took $130,000
out of that safe
in the outer office.
No question about it?
Only three people
knew the combination.
My general manager,
Howard Walters.
My son, Andrew.
And myself.
I see.
What about this Walters?
He couldn't have taken
the money, Mason.
He was out of town
when it happened.
As a matter of fact, he
telephoned me the evening
of the robbery, from Fresno.
And that leaves only
Andrew and yourself?
And I didn't rob myself.
Why didn't you
report the robbery?
And put my son in jail?
Insurance companies
aren't noted for sentiment.
Then you are taking the loss?
My loss is my son.
I thought there was
some hope for him.
I know now... there isn't.
Yes.
I will, thank you.
Oh, Mr. Taylor.
They found the plane.
The snows melting,
uh, gave the search party
a chance to get up there.
What about Walters?
Uh... Apparently,
he never bailed out.
They found his
body badly charred.
Thanks, Roger.
Oh, Roger Porter, Perry Mason.
How do you do? Hello.
You're Carol Taylor's
cousin, aren't you?
Uh, that's right.
I'm sorry to hear
about Mr. Walters.
When was the crash?
Seven weeks ago.
In the High Sierras.
Around the time of the theft?
Well, the next day, I believe.
A good man.
You were about to
tell me where to start
the search for your son.
Why not just wait, Mason?
He'll come home with
his tail between his legs
as soon as the money's all gone.
Thorough check on
the last seven weeks.
Former girlfriends, associates,
gambling, nightspots.
Here, Las Vegas and in Reno.
With special emphasis
on whether or not
he's been flashing
a roll? Mm-hm.
And about that plane crash...
I have a preliminary
report on that one.
Uh, a small private
plane reported an oil leak
to the Merced
Airport at 2:12 p.m.,
Monday, January 26th.
Crashed, burned and snowbound.
A search party reached
the plane this morning.
The body is being
sent to Los Angeles
at the wife's request.
Paul, before you
do anything else,
I want you to drop in
on Lieutenant Tragg.
Just drop in at headquarters?
Uh, with a suggestion.
I wanna make sure an autopsy
is performed on that body.
One that covers all
possible causes of death.
I can't understand it.
What could've happened?
Howard faked the whole
thing, why didn't he bail out?
I don't know, and I don't care.
Roger, it's been seven weeks.
How much longer
do we have to wait?
We played it safe. We got
the money stashed away.
We don't wanna get careless now.
Oh, darling.
Just think...
$130,000...
split two ways.
One way, baby.
One way?
Share and share alike, remember?
In everything.
Hello, Janice.
Well, don't I get a
welcome-home kiss?
I called a half-a-dozen times.
No one answered.
Mm, Howard, I...
I had just given up all hope.
Why didn't you let me know?
Oh, I couldn't.
I bailed out all right, but I
broke my leg when I landed.
Then I got snowed in.
Everybody thinks you're dead.
Well, isn't that
how we planned it?
Where's the money?
In a safety-deposit box.
Oh. Good girl.
No one suspects?
No.
No, it...
went off just perfectly.
Well, fine. We'll take
the money out tomorrow,
get away just the
way we planned...
only, uh, seven weeks later.
Say, have you got
anything to eat in this place?
Howard, you can't stay here.
Why not?
Well, a girl from
the office is coming
to spend the night here.
Don't you have
any place to stay?
Yeah. Yeah, I checked
in at the Valley Vista Motel
in North Hollywood.
Under the name
of Henry Morrison.
Seems like I, uh...
I really surprised you.
Uh, you did.
The search party
reached the plane.
Well? It burned up, didn't it?
Not completely.
They recovered a body.
So what?
I thought it was you.
It wasn't.
If I can't stay here...
you come with me.
Howard.
We mustn't take any chances.
And if my girlfriend
came in here
and found you here, sh...
All right. All right, I
can wait another day.
I'll call you later...
and set up the arrangements
for tomorrow morning.
Howard. Yeah?
Who was in that plane?
We thought the body
found in the plane
was Howard Walters, of course.
We even asked his
wife and his employer,
Mr. Taylor, to come
to the identification.
And then the body was definitely
identified, not as Walters,
but as Andrew Taylor.
And Wade Taylor made
the identification of his son?
That's right.
He told us to look
for a false tooth,
some special dentistry,
and the evidence
of a mastoid operation,
which we found.
What about the autopsy?
The body wasn't completely
consumed by flames.
Andrew Taylor died
of a .32-caliber bullet
through his heart.
Which made it murder.
How'd you know, Perry?
I didn't.
How did you guess?
More of a hunch, lieutenant.
What's your
interest in this case?
I don't know if I have
an interest at all now.
May be finished.
Hello.
Hello?
Mrs. Taylor?
Yes? Uh...
Who is this?
I'm sorry, but
the line isn't clear.
If you would like
evidence that your husband
did not steal that money
from his father's safe,
you can find it at
the Valley Vista Motel
in North Hollywood.
Bungalow 1.
What do you know
about this? Uh...
Who is it?
Hello? Hello?
She'll probably
leave right away.
You'd better start out.
Okay.
Fifteen thousand?
Hello? JANICE: Mrs. Walters.
Your husband is in town,
at the Valley Vista Motel.
Bungalow 1.
What's that?
Howard?
He wants to see you.
Howard?
Is Howard...?
Hello?
He...
Good evening. Mrs. Walters?
What is it? Who are you?
This is Miss Street.
My name is Mason.
Wait a minute. What do you want?
I'm an attorney.
Now, if it's more
convenient for you
to talk at another time...
Why, yes, it would be.
I represent a member
of the Taylor family.
I just wanted to find
out if you'd heard
from your husband recently.
Why, no. Not since
the plane crash.
Must have been a
relief to you to discover
that... Andrew Taylor
had been impersonating
your husband?
Impersonating Howard?
Yes, it was a relief.
Of course I... I
feel sorry for Andy.
Really, Mr. Mason, I
apologize for being rude...
Not at all.
Haven't you been worried,
not hearing from your husband?
Oh, yes. Yes, terribly worried.
And don't you think it odd
that none of the stolen money
was found in the wreckage?
Are you implying my
husband had something to do
with the stolen
money, Mr. Mason?
If you haven't heard from him.
He frequently
goes on long trips.
Without keeping in touch?
Sometimes.
Now, look here, I don't have
to answer your questions.
I beg your pardon.
We're, uh, sorry to
have disturbed you.
Come on, Della.
She didn't go in.
And the police, Perry.
Uh-huh.
Sorry. You'll have
to stand back.
My name is Mason. Okay, Mason.
I'll see the reporters
spell the name right.
What happened?
It'll be in the morning papers.
Hastings? Uh... Oh.
Well, hello, lieutenant.
Well, I was kind of
expecting you, Perry.
Then you know more than I do.
I wasn't expecting to be here.
Murder? Uh-huh.
Who is it? The one
we were looking for:
Walters. When did it happen?
Well, we can't be sure.
About an hour ago,
the manager here
thought he heard a backfire.
And it could've been then.
Uh, we'll have the whole
story in a few minutes.
Oh? Yes, we have the killer.
She came back for
her gun, we caught her.
Who's "her"?
Andrew Taylor's wife:
Carol Taylor.
And that's my story, ma'am.
I was with
Mr. Walters all the time
he was up in the mountains...
so I feel like I know
you personal-like.
What do you know
about me personal-like?
Oh, this and that.
You weren't his wife, but
he was in love with you.
Crazy about you.
I can't believe Howard
talked to you like that.
Well, he didn't. Not directly.
But when we first met
up, he was out of his head.
Delirious.
Of course, I didn't connect
up anything he was saying
till he...
mentioned $130,000.
What about $130,000?
Seems like you're
holdin' it for him.
Am I?
'Course, now you
can get to keep it.
Can I?
Mr. Walters ain't
in no condition
to ask for his share.
Isn't he? No.
Why not?
'Cause he's dead, Miss Janice.
You know that.
And that nice-lookin',
apple-cheeked young feller
in there knows it too.
I mean the one you
was with this evening
at the Valley Vista Motel...
a little before the cops came.
Roger.
What do you want?
Well, I'm a stranger in town.
I heard so much about
Los Angeles from Howard,
I had to see it for myself.
I ain't lyin' when I tell
you it's left me flat busted.
That means you want money?
That's right.
Well, why do you think
we should give you money?
If you don't know why,
there's no use my telling you.
I'm in the wrong place.
All right.
You're in the wrong place.
Yes, ma'am.
Uh, just a second.
Where you going?
To the right place, I reckon.
Where? Police station.
Oh, what makes you think
we were at the motel tonight?
Saw you, that's why.
Oh, that means you
were there. That's right.
So you could have
killed Howard Walters.
Sure.
I guess I could have.
I didn't though.
How much money do you want?
Would $500 be too much?
Well, Walters knew the
combination of the safe.
The police figure he
gave you the combination
just before he left on his trip.
That you stole the money.
Walters picked up
Andy by plane in Fresno,
and then with Andy already dead,
he deliberately
crashed the plane.
It just doesn't make sense.
They believe that
when Walters returned...
you met him at the
motel and killed him,
in order to keep the
$130,000 for yourself.
It isn't true.
I don't have anybody's money!
Why would they say I
stole that money if I...
They found $15,000 in your home.
In my home?
But I didn't steal any money.
Mr. Mason, I...
I'd never conspire
to steal or... Or murder.
What were you doing
in that bungalow?
I...
I just went to talk
to Mr. Walters.
I found him dead.
How did you know where he was?
I received a telephone call.
From whom?
Man's voice? Woman's?
A... A woman's. I-I'm not sure.
It was muffled-like, fuzzy.
What did the voice say?
It said if I wanted
evidence to prove
that Andy didn't steal
his father's money, I...
I should go to the
Valley Vista Motel,
Bungalow 1.
If Walters was dead,
how did you get in?
The door was open.
How many times were you
in Walters' bungalow tonight?
Once.
Just once!
Had you figured out
that Walters killed Andy?
Mr. Mason...
if you had told me
the police believe
that I shot Mr. Walters
because he killed Andy,
I'd say it makes sense,
even if it isn't true.
Yes, Mr. Mason,
I figured it out.
And if you don't want
to represent me, I...
Mrs. Taylor.
It'll be a privilege
to represent you.
And, uh, death
was instantaneous.
The bullet passing
through the heart
and lodging in the spine.
And I show you now this bullet
and ask you if
you can identify it.
Yes, sir. It has my mark.
That is the lethal
bullet. Thank you, doctor.
Your witness.
Uh, doctor, did you perform
an autopsy on the decedent?
Yes, sir.
Did you find evidence
of a recently broken leg?
Yes, I did.
Thank you,
doctor. That'll be all.
You may stand down, doctor.
Well, I got a
call from Unit 9...
That's in back of the court
so I went over and I
knocked on the door.
So I was outside when I
heard something like a shot.
Well, at that time, I thought
it was a car backfiring
outside of Bungalow number 1.
And what time was that?
Well, it was about
a quarter to 8.
And what did you do then?
Well... not getting any
answer to my knock,
I went out toward the street
to see what had happened,
and that's when I saw
this woman coming out
from behind the bungalows.
She was running pretty scared.
I see. Thank you,
sir. Your witness.
Now, this, uh... This
woman you saw,
did you recognize her?
- No, sir.
And was that the only
noise you heard that evening
that sounded like a
shot or a backfire?
Uh, yes, sir.
Now, excepting the time
you went to Unit
9 at a quarter of 8,
were you in your
office at all times
between 7:30 and 9:00?
Oh, yes, sir.
And from your
office or from Unit 9,
could you have seen anyone who
might have called at Bungalow 1?
Well, no, I couldn't
swear to who called there.
But I could've heard anything
that sounded like
a shot plain enough.
Thank you. That'll be all.
My job at Taylor Maid
is head bookkeeper.
I take care of expense
accounts and vouchers,
and the bookkeeping
on payrolls, and so on.
I see.
Now, could you tell
us, in that capacity,
the whereabouts
of Mr. Andrew Taylor
at 11 a.m.
on the morning of January 26th?
That's the day of
the airplane crash.
Yes, sir. Andy...
Andrew Taylor was in Fresno.
He called the office
collect from there.
Did anyone else call the office
from Fresno that same morning?
Yes, sir. Mr. Howard Walters.
May I show you
these... paper ribbons
and ask if you can...
identify them for us?
Yes. It's a currency
package marker,
printed to our
order at Taylor Maid.
To enclose $5,000 in
cash for a bank deposit.
And where do you keep
these packages of money?
In the safe in our
executive offices.
Until they're deposited. I see.
Thank you, Mr. Porter.
Your witness.
Uh, Mr. Porter...
as I understand it,
both Howard Walters
and Andrew Taylor
were in Fresno Monday
morning, January 26th?
That's right.
Uh, thank you. That'll be all.
You may stand down, Mr. Porter.
Uh, $130,000
was taken out of the safe
sometime near midnight,
the evening of
Sunday, January 25th.
And who knew the combination
to that safe, Mr. Taylor?
Myself. Andrew.
And Howard Walters.
Now, it's been established
that Howard Walters
was out of town that
night, is that correct?
That's right. He
phoned me at home
Sunday evening from Fresno.
Your witness.
Mr. Taylor...
the fact that only three people
knew the combination of
the safe doesn't rule out
one of the three telling
a fourth party, does it?
No, sir. Then Howard
Walters could've
told a fourth party,
could he not?
Yes, sir. As a matter of fact,
has it not occurred to
you that someone could've
robbed the safe Sunday
evening while Mr. Walters
was establishing an
alibi for himself in Fresno?
Yes, sir.
Thank you. That'll be all.
Uh, just a moment, Mr. Taylor.
One question on
a redirect, please.
Uh, Mr. Taylor, you just
testified that Howard Walters
could've given a fourth party
the combination of that safe.
Couldn't that fourth party
have been the defendant?
I thought of it, yes.
Uh, that's all,
Mr. Taylor. Thank you.
And now, lieutenant, would
you tell this court, please,
what happened at approximately
15 minutes before 9:00
on the evening of March 16th.
Well, a call sent me to
the Valley Vista Motel,
Bungalow 1. And
what did you find
when you got there?
When I got there,
Mrs. Andrew Taylor,
the defendant,
had been taken into custody.
Did you have a conversation
with Mrs. Taylor at that time?
Yes, sir. I asked the defendant
what she was doing there...
and she answered by
repeating over and over again,
"That's my gun. That's my gun."
I show you now
this .32-caliber gun,
and ask if you recognize it.
Yes, sir. That has my
identifying mark on it.
It's the gun found
in the murder room,
and has been checked out by, uh,
Ballistics as the murder weapon.
Uh, did you also check
the registration of this gun?
Yes, sir. It's
registered in the name
of Carol Taylor, the defendant.
And when you subsequently
searched the defendant's home,
what did you find there?
Well, the search of the
defendant's home turned up
three packages of
money, $5,000 in each,
and each package
wrapped in one of these.
We found them buried
under a planter box.
Thank you,
lieutenant. That'll be all.
Your witness.
Lieutenant, who
reported the murder?
It was a phone tip. Anonymous.
We couldn't even identify
if it was a man or a woman.
And by the time you
reached the motel,
a prowl car had arrived?
Yes, sir. Just in
time for our officer
to catch the defendant
going out the window again.
Again? Had they
caught the defendant
going out the
window once before?
Oh, no. No, no, no, no.
It's just a figure of speech.
Just a figure of speech.
Now, lieutenant...
you were aware
of the autopsy report on
the decedent's broken leg?
Yes.
Then after instituting
some research,
you must have found out
where Mr. Walters spent
the seven weeks between the time
his plane crashed
on January 26th,
and his reappearance
on March 16th?
Yes, sir.
In the cabin of a prospector
by the name of Zachary Davis.
Did you speak with
this Zachary Davis?
Heh. Still looking for him.
I see.
Now, when you examined
the body of Andrew Taylor,
you found a bullet to
be the cause of death.
May I ask if that bullet was
fired from the murder weapon
introduced in evidence
during this hearing?
Yes, sir. It was.
And as I understand it...
what transpired could
have gone like this:
Walters met the unsuspecting
young Taylor in Fresno,
offered him a lift in
the company plane,
shot the boy with his own gun,
caused the plane to crash,
while he, Walters, bailed out.
Yes, sir. It could've
happened like that.
Then Walters brought that
gun back to Los Angeles,
where he himself
was killed with it?
Yeah. Could've been like that.
Thank you,
lieutenant. That'll be all.
I couldn't really identify
the voice on the phone...
except that it was a woman.
And what did this
woman's voice say to you?
She said that
Howard was in town.
And then she told me
where Howard was staying.
And what time was this?
Time?
No, I don't know.
About 20 after 8.
Thank you, Ms.
Walters. Your witness.
Now, you say this
voice on the telephone
was unidentifiable,
Mrs. Walters?
Yes.
Then it could have
been almost anyone?
Almost any woman.
Now, when you drove to the
motel and saw the police there,
you didn't go in. You
hadn't seen your husband
for almost two months,
you knew he was there,
and still you didn't
go in. You drove away.
Why?
Uh, I was afraid.
Isn't it true, Mrs. Walters,
that seeing the
police at the motel
was no surprise to you?
Isn't it true that
you had visited
with your husband earlier?
That you drove away
because you had either
killed him or had
knowledge of his death?
No.
No. No, I wouldn't.
No?
That's all, thank you.
Gentlemen...
if you have no objections,
I'll call a somewhat early
recess this afternoon.
I have no objections,
Your Honor.
No objection, Your Honor.
Very well.
Court is adjourned till
10:00 tomorrow morning.
Perry. I checked out
Della's message on Unit 9.
A Milton Smith moved in
the same night Walters did.
Good, Paul.
Let's go.
Can I help you folks?
May we come in, Mr. Smith?
Or should I say Davis?
Come in.
Why, you're the
lawyer fellow, Mason.
I expect you know
that Howard Walters
spent some time at
my cabin in the Sierras.
Is that it? Is that
what you want?
How much did he tell you
about the money he'd stolen?
He didn't tell me
anything, Mr. Mason.
What about the
woman? His accomplice?
I don't know anything
about any woman.
Open up. Police.
Well, surprise. I
didn't expect you here.
I expected you, lieutenant.
Mr. Zachary Davis? Yes, sir?
You'll have to come
with me, Mr. Davis.
The district attorney's office
wants you for questioning.
Aren't you forgetting
something, lieutenant?
What? Money.
What money? I'd
guess most of the money
stolen from the
Taylor Maid offices.
Well, the first few
days, he was delirious.
He kept talkin' about this woman
he was supposed
to meet at the cabin.
She was supposed to
bring the money with her.
Did he mention the
name of this woman?
Yes, sir. Carol.
Just Carol? Uh, Carol Taylor.
They planned to kill her husband
and make it seem
like it was Walters
died in the plane.
It isn't true.
Now, why did you
follow Howard Walters
to Los Angeles, Mr. Davis?
Well, I'm gettin' a little
old, Mr. Prosecutor.
I guess I've seen so many
others stake a claim and get rich...
while mine always petered out.
I guess I figured this was
one claim I couldn't lose on.
Mm, go on.
Well, I was keeping
tabs on Walters.
And a little before 8 on
the night of the murder,
I spotted this woman, her...
bringing along a suitcase
to Walter's bungalow.
What happened then?
Uh, then I went back to my room.
Well, in a little while,
I heard this shot.
Well, it sounded like a
shot to me anyway, but...
But I wasn't gonna meddle
in anybody's business.
But then I got to thinki"
about that suitcase...
and Walters, and
the woman and all,
so I went to Walters' bungalow,
and there was no answer.
So I went in.
Well, he was dead all right,
and the suitcase was there...
so I took it.
Would you please point
to the woman that you saw
enter Howard Walters' room
at the Valley Vista Motel?
Her.
Let the record show
that the witness is pointing
at the defendant, Carol Taylor.
Thank you, Mr. Davis.
You may cross-examine,
Mr. Mason.
Mr. Davis...
haven't you made a
mistake in this story of yours?
Mistake?
Haven't you substituted
the name of Carol Taylor
for that of Janice Atkins.
I don't know any Janice Atkins.
But you paid her a visit
yesterday afternoon.
You must be mistaken.
No, I have the report
of a private detective.
Well... he must be mistaken.
According to his report...
you entered her apartment
house empty-handed...
you came out 35 minutes
later carrying a valise.
No, sir.
The detective further reported
that while you were in
Miss Atkins' apartment,
you were joined by...
Roger Porter.
No, sir.
Weren't you blackmailing
them, Mr. Davis?
I told you how I
found that money.
It is possible, Mr. Davis,
that by perjuring yourself,
you are also involving yourself
as an accessory after the fact.
Your Honor...
I protest.
Counsel's intimidating
this witness.
There seem to be
some discrepancies here,
Mr. Prosecutor.
Mr. Mason.
Do you, in fact, have
proof that the witness
called on this person
named Janice Atkins?
Yes, Your Honor.
If counsel has no objection,
I'd like Mr. Davis to step down
while I call Miss Janice
Atkins to the stand.
No objection, Your Honor.
Miss Atkins will come forward.
You may step down, Mr. Davis.
Raise your right hand.
Do you solemnly swear
the testimony you're about
to give shall be the truth,
the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth?
I do. State your name.
Janice Atkins.
Be seated, please.
Miss Atkins...
do you know the
previous witness,
Mr. Zachary Davis?
No.
Did he call on you yesterday
afternoon at your apartment?
No.
Now, you're under oath...
and the allegation has been made
that the witness
did call on you.
That one Roger
Porter joined you.
And that the witness departed
with a valise filled with money.
Maybe he saw somebody
else in my apartment house.
May I, Your Honor?
All right, counselor.
Now, the witness, Zachary Davis,
stated that he got that
valise from Howard Walters.
But Howard Walters did not
live at your apartment house.
All I know is he didn't
get any valise or...
Or any money from me.
Now, didn't Mr. Davis
blackmail you for that money?
No.
Uh, did you call the
defendant on the phone
and tell her she could get
evidence of the innocence
of her husband at
the Valley Vista Motel?
No.
And when she went
to that motel, did you,
or your accomplice,
Roger Porter,
plant $15,000 of
the stolen money
in the defendant's home?
No.
Fifteen thousand was found
in the defendant's home,
$100,000 was
found in the valise.
Leaving an undiscovered 15,000.
I don't know anything about it.
I must warn you, Miss Atkins,
that a search
warrant will be issued.
That your apartment
will be searched before
you have an
opportunity to return to it
and remove any
incriminating evidence.
I caution you as I
cautioned Mr. Davis.
That by perjuring yourself now,
even if you're not
guilty of murder,
you may be indicted as
an accessory after the fact.
Or did you really
kill Howard Walters,
the man with whom you conspired,
to rob and murder?
No, I didn't. You
didn't kill him?
No. But you did steal $130,000
from the Taylor
Maid safe? Mm, yes,
but I didn't conspire
to kill Andy Taylor.
I didn't know that was
part of Howard's plan.
And you did plant $15,000
in the defendant's home,
to make it appear
she was guilty?
Yes.
Yes, but I didn't kill Howard.
He did.
Roger did.
No. Don't do that to me, Janice.
Order! Order in the court.
If Your Honor please,
I think we may get
to the bottom of this
case if I'm allowed to finish
my cross-examination
of Zachary Davis.
Mr. Davis.
Well, you c...
Can't blame a fella
for trying to keep
his skirts clean.
So, okay, it was Janice Atkins
and Roger Porter all the time.
What about the
defendant, Carol Taylor?
She had nothing to do with it.
Uh, would you
explain to this court
why you perjured yourself?
Well, l-like I said, just
to keep my skirts clean.
How dirty are they?
Well, I, uh...
I admit I tried to
move in on all that money.
The, uh, first try for 500,
well...
that was just to test out
if I could make a
strike there at all.
I'd say your skirts are
dirtier than that, Mr. Davis.
But not as dirty
as theirs, though.
They killed
Walters, didn't they?
No.
Then who did? His wife?
No.
The young man's father?
Old man Taylor himself?
No.
You figure me.
It had to be you, Mr. Davis.
How's that?
From the evidence.
The sound of the
shot that killed Walters.
You said you heard
it in your room.
That's right. But you
weren't in your room.
Sure I was.
When the motel manager
knocked on your
door, you didn't answer.
At the time he heard the shot.
There's some mistake there.
Yours, Mr. Davis.
You called the
manager to your room
to keep him away
from Bungalow 1.
That was your mistake.
In not getting an answer
when he knocked on your door,
he put the lie to your alibi.
Well, I...
That's real tricky.
Real complicated and tricky.
Uh, I guess murder's like that.
No, sir.
Murder is usually very simple.
It's the getting away with it
that's real
complicated and tricky.
Mr. Mason, I want to thank you
for supporting my
daughter-in-law...
and for being patient
with my obstinate stupidity.
We all need to
learn a little tolerance
at one time or another.
It's unfortunate that
sometimes the learning comes...
after a man's death.
Yes.
I haven't had your
bill yet, Mr. Mason...
so, uh, I've left the
amount here blank.
You fill it out any
way you want to.
Well, thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Mason.
That's a...
That's a great idea.
Uh, why don't you just, uh...
fill my check out like that.
Uh, blank. Just sign it.
All right, Paul.