Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 3, Episode 14 - The Case of the Prudent Prosecutor - full transcript

Let go of me, will you?

Go on. We've put up
with you long enough.

All I want to do is
talk to Mr. Leonard.

Hey. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Take it easy. You
all right, Mr. Pike?

No, I'm not all right.

I came here especially
to talk to you, Mr. Leonard.

Well, will you
stop pestering him

and let him finish the story?

Yeah, what
happened to the midget

when the ladder broke?



Hold on, you city boys.

Mr. Pike here

runs a mighty fancy gun club.

You just be nice to him,

he just might find you
a mallard or two, huh?

Oh. The ducks...
That reminds me.

Madison Square
Garden... I was promoting...

Mr. Leonard. I gotta
talk to you tonight.

Mr. Pike. You've got
nothing to say I'll listen to.

I'm a happy man.
You're not gonna spoil it.

Now, you go cause trouble
for somebody else, huh?

Dad blame it!
Why, you're noth...

Mr. Pike?

Is that you, Mr. Pike?



Hey, wait a minute.
That's blood.

What happened?

He's lucky he didn't
smash the bone.

Is that a gunshot wound?

What does Leonard
usually use, water pistols?

I saw the way he shoved you off

back there in the bar.

I'm sorry I couldn't
be any help.

Y-you don't have
to apologize, Hal.

Job's a job, I guess.

Even if you work for a
big gasbag like Leonard.

Your son's working
for him again, isn't he?

I see him over at the house.

No.

He never did.

Leonard's just a hired manager.

Nothing but a blowhard promoter.

And that's all he ever was.

All right. All right.

Anyway, his wife owns the ranch.

She's the only
reason I stick around.

That Denver Leonard

wouldn't know one end
of a horse from another.

Or a cow or a mallard,
or anything else outdoors.

Well, thank you, Hal.

I guess I can make it home
to the gun club, all right.

Mrs. Lopez can tend
to a scratch like this.

Tell me what happened, Mr. Pike.

Well, I guess he
thought he was just

shooting in the air.

Figured I was trying
to block his way maybe.

"Stand back, old man," he says.

"Don't pester me.

I'm warning you
for the last time!"

Then wham.

Felt like a
sledgehammer hit my leg.

Hal. You're dad-blamed,
I was so surprised

if I didn't stand there and
just watch him drive off.

What are you gonna do about it?

Suppose if I phoned
the sheriff's deputy,

he'd want to dig around
and find that bullet...

and maybe sort of compare
it with Leonard's gun?

For assault with
a deadly weapon,

you can put a man in
prison. Did you know that?

Yeah.

I guess I could.

All right. I'll help you do it.

Let's go.

Well, look who's here.

Hello, Jeff.

Uh, Mr. Burger. I, uh...

I wasn't expecting
any members out today.

Well, we only had a
couple hours of daylight,

but we got seven
canvasbacks, anyway.

Mrs. Lopez is fixing
us some supper

before we go back to town.

Well, I'm sorry. I had
some shopping to do

over in Palmdale. I'll go
tend to your birds for you, sir.

Now, wait just a minute. I
want you to meet my friends.

Gentlemen, you wouldn't
think to look at this old cactus,

but he's the father
of one of the finest

ice skaters in the world.

You remember young Fred Pike

on our last Olympic team?

That's his boy.

What happened to your leg?

Say, if you're Mr. Burger,
the district attorney,

- I think you ought to...
- Now, wait a minute.

Hold on there, Hal.

It's nothing to pester
these gentlemen with.

Huh?

You better get on back home.

I can tend to things myself.

Later on, maybe? Huh?

And, uh, much
obliged for your help.

Well, I... better see
how the supper's coming.

Excuse me, gents.

Jeff.

If there's anything
wrong, I wish you'd tell me.

Oh, it...

I-it's nothing, Mr. Burger.

Just a...

Just a piece of barbed
wire caught my calf.

That's all.

I hope you realize
that if you need help

anytime, I...

Oh, yes, sir. I know.

I know that.

It's not your son, is it?

What?

Well, I mean, since...

he's not able to skate anymore,

uh, how is Fred?

Has he found something
else to interest him?

Oh, sure.

He'll get straightened
around, all right, Mr. Burger.

Oh, Fred will be fine.

I'm sure of it, Jeff.

If he's anything like his old
man, he's gonna turn out fine.

Hey, Fred. You in...?

Oh, we're dancing.

Look, I'm a whirling
bird. I'm a cyclone.

I'm the fastest skates alive.

What do you watch it for, huh?

Here, I can hold that
better than you can.

You told me to bring that film.

I told you to bring it to
show it to the Culvers,

not to mope over it.

Look, kid. You just impress
this guy enough tonight,

and we're back in business.

Who cares about skates

when you can slosh
around in money, huh?

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, that's what you said when
you talked me into turning pro.

"Star in your own
ice show," you said.

"Dig your own gold mine."

Is it my fault you like
to drive cars too fast?

I lost my shirt too, you know.

Your wife's shirt.

And let's don't mix
things up, Leonard.

That show was busted
flat before my accident.

Look, kid, what's
eating your father?

He buttonholed me again
tonight on the way home.

Like that, uh... Who's
that old pest in the poem?

The Ancient Mariner.

He stabs you with his eyes,

he grabs your coattails...

He just saw a lot of
the publicity, that's all.

About us doing another ice show,

if we got a star.

And look, Leonard,

if this... This Culver
dame can't skate any better

than I think she can...

then I don't want
any part of it,

no matter how filthy
rich her husband is.

I suppose you told daddy

that you'd paid
some of your bills

by signing my name
to a check, huh?

That wasn't the way it
was, and you know it.

Besides, you owed
me a lot of back money.

I can still let the
bank holler forgery.

Unless, of course,

you want to talk to the guys

you made that check out to.

So you make up
your mind. Yes or no.

We need each other tonight.

Denver, darling.

Just a minute.

I just wanted to ask
a question, that's all.

Well...

what's the question?

How do I look?

Well, you didn't even say
anything about the house.

I don't know what
the Culvers will think

about the way we live.

Now, Joanie, honey.

I-I've just seen the
Culvers a couple of times,

but they're plain,
ordinary people.

Well, I'm putting them out

in the cottage beyond yours,

if that's all right. Mm-hm.

Oh, and I thought they
might like champagne.

Well, now. That ought
to make the Culvers

think they're right
in Shangri-la, huh?

Domain of the mighty wind.

The P.T. Barnum of the West.

Oh, but they do have to
be impressed, don't they?

I mean, if you're planning
some sort of business,

well, oh, this time it
just has to succeed.

Oh, darling.

Something ought to
succeed, don't you think?

Well, kiddo?

Don't mind me, Mrs. Leonard.

I'm just a... winter
sports bum who...

Who's your husband's partner.

You won't regret it, sir.

No, sir. You'll never regret it.

That young man certainly
has some good ideas.

Well, this should start
the ball rolling anyway.

"Tropical Ice" we thought we'd
call our revue, huh? Mm-hm.

I'm gonna make a
quick trip down to Cuba

to investigate
the possibilities.

Oh. You're gonna be mighty
proud of your wife, Mr. Culver.

Wait 'til you see
her spinning around

in those lights, huh?

Vita never had much of
a chance with the Follies.

Well, Fred tells me
that you may have

real talent, Mrs. Culver.

I showed him those motion
pictures of her on skates.

We have more of Lake Placid

on the machine
now, if you're ready.

Oh, yes. I do wanna
see the rest of those

before I go to bed.

Fifty thousand dollars.

The suckers there
are in this world, huh?

Dad-blame it.

Fred!

Fred, wait a minute!

Son!

What is...?

Well. If it's not the
old Ancient Mariner.

Hello, pop.

Where's that old
albatross of yours, huh?

Fred... I wanna
talk to you, son.

A man over in Palmdale today

asked me if you
were going to Cuba.

He said Leonard had
bought a couple of tickets...

Cuba?

Oh. No, no, Dad.

I'm supposed to stay here
and hold the sack, see?

But no, sir. That's not for me.

I'm not gonna hold
the sack anymore.

You hear me? Now, listen, son...

Let me go. Son, listen.

Let me go!

Hello?

Who's calling, please?

Jefferson Pike...
Oh, hello, Jeff.

Well, of course I
meant what I said.

What kind of help do you need?

Well, sir, it's about my son.

He's got to have
some advice. um...

I thought that maybe
someone not quite so close

to official things as you are...

Yes, I understand.

I'll be happy to call
anybody you want.

But Jeff...

do you need a criminal lawyer?

Oh, yes I do,
Mr. Burger. Please.

There's no trouble yet.

Fred's done nothing
really wrong, only...

well, uh, we can't
waste any time.

All right, I won't ask
you any more questions.

Whom do you have in mind?

Me?

Well, Hamilton,
you're not calling me...

Oh, yes, of course.

Yes. I could get out there
first thing in the morning.

Here, wait a minute.

Oh, I'm awake, all right.

Just startled at the idea
of you staying up so late

drumming up business for me.

Are you Mr. Mason?

Yes.

My dad left this note for you.

Says to wait here
for him, but I...

I guess it's probably
too late now.

What do you mean?

Well, they, uh...

They woke me when they called.

Dad's over at the Leonards' now.

Mr. Mason... they
said somebody...

Somebody killed Denver Leonard.

Fred? Fred, your
father's here already.

I think they're
looking for you too.

Yeah, I know. Uh, Mrs. Leonard.

This is Mr. Mason. Perry
Mason. He's a lawyer.

How do you do?

How do you do?

Oh, I'm so glad
you've got someone.

I-I don't know
what's gonna happen.

Mrs. Leonard, I, uh...

I'm awful sorry
about what happened.

Thank you, Fred.

Uh, Mrs. Leonard...
would you mind telling us

how it happened?

Well...

I don't really know.

He liked to stay out in that
cottage of his, you know.

The police say he's been dead

since 1 or 2:00.

He'd... been beaten
over the head.

But they don't even know
what kind of a weapon it was yet.

Well, what about the Culvers?

Weren't they in
that other cottage?

Oh, they went back to town.

He had that early appointment,

don't you remember?

No, I, uh...

I'm afraid I don't
remember anything

about last night...
Mrs. Leonard.

Well, it does look like

your footprint, Mr. Pike.

Even though the boy over here
hadn't seen you park your car.

All right, I was here.

Sure I was here.

In the neighborhood
of 1:00 to 1:30 he said.

He was on his own way to bed

after helping
out in the kitchen.

I wanted to see Leonard,

and I wanted to see him alone.

Why? Why, Mr. Pike?

So I could kill him, that's
why. What do you think?

Roger, bring your
notebook down here.

I didn't figure on
being seen, that's all.

Well...

those are my
fingerprints you're getting

off the door too, aren't you?

So why keep everybody
hanging around?

Mr. Pike.

You know your
constitutional rights.

And of course, you have been
warned that anything you say...

I'll just attend to
that, Mr. Mason.

Hello, son.

Uh, sergeant, take him in,

have him finish his statement.

You'd better go
along too, Mr. Pike.

Perry, you're, uh,
interfering with an officer...

in line of duty. Hm.

Lieutenant, I didn't know
that this was your territory.

Well, I happen to be here
by specific, uh, request.

And I think I have
enough authority

to send you on your way.

Well, now. Hello, lieutenant.

Hi, Perry. Glad to
see you got here.

You're glad that...

you got here?

Well, I, uh... Oh,
I've got to get in here.

Excuse me.

Well, Perry, you didn't exactly

stop my friend, Mr. Pike,

but you slowed him
down a little anyway.

At least he's now
taken the position

he won't do any more confessing

until they stop the
"dad-blame questions."

Hm.

You know, it just
doesn't seem likely

that he'd commit
a murder at 1:30,

and then make that call
to you afterwards at 2:00.

Don't you think he's just
trying to protect his son?

Well, he's a funny man, Pike.

He... was here last night,

there's no question about that.

And he does have a temper.

There's no question
about that either.

You, uh...

Do you believe he...?

He killed Leonard?

Perry, Jefferson Pike
saved my life once.

We were out on Marshes
Lake, up in Canada.

Our rubber boat got
flipped over in the wind,

and... one of the
oars caught my ankle.

Pike could have left
me in the duck blind

and gone for help.

But it was way below freezing.

So instead he carried
me three miles...

all the way to shore.

And in the course of
wading through that icy water,

he lost two toes.

That was 12 years ago.

I got him his job
here at the club.

Now you may try him for murder.

No, I...

I'll have to disqualify
myself. Uh...

remove myself from
any prosecution. It...

But it would still
be my responsibility.

And I suppose I have no right

to be talking to you this way.

Let alone suggesting that...

Perry, if Jefferson Pike is
arraigned for this crime...

and... if you can find

any merit in the case...

I'll defend him, Hamilton.

Even if he did save your life.

The police have asked
me just about everything

they can think of, Mr. Mason.

They ask what that, uh...

whirling thing was that
you were doing out there?

Heh. That's a camel spin.

I really can do it much better.

Oh, it looked pretty good to me.

Coffee?

Please. Please.

Three coffees, please.

Mr. Leonard was going to
star you in a new ice show,

wasn't he?

Oh, well. That wasn't anything

very definite yet.

Hm, I don't know, $50,000
seems pretty definite to me.

When was the last time
you saw Denver Leonard?

You mean last night?

About 12:45.

Who else was there?

Oh, everyone.

Except Asa. He's my husband.

He went back to the
guest cottage earlier.

Hates to miss his sleep.

So that left you and Fred Pike

and Mr. and Mrs.
Leonard still at the house?

Mm-hm.

And then the champagne was gone,

and Fred left.

So we all said good night.

You went all the way out

to the, uh, guest cottage alone?

Mr. Leonard showed me the way.

I see.

After escorting you,

I suppose he went
to his little place there.

That, um...

cottage/study,
whatever he called it.

Mr. Mason. Don't
ask me to explain

other people's
living arrangements.

But then you were
the last person

to see Denver Leonard
alive, weren't you?

I don't know. Was I?

What happened after
he left you at 12:45?

I went straight inside.

And I went right to bed

without even putting up my hair.

And until 6:00 this morning,

I neither saw or heard
anything more important

than Asa's snoring.

Well...

Look, Mr. Mason, believe me,

I think that this murder
is a terrible thing, but...

I feel very sorry

for all the people involved.

But it doesn't effect us.

We'd barely met those people.

In other words, you'd say...

there was nothing personal
between you and Mr. Leonard?

Absolutely nothing.

But how can I help you?

Didn't my wife explain
that I was asleep?

Mr. Culver...

I gather you've made most
of your money in real estate.

Why should that
possibly concern you?

Well, I wanted your opinion
on the Leonard place.

It seems, uh, rather elaborate.

It was dark when we arrived.

I had no chance to
look around, I'm afraid.

My investigator
tells me the property

belongs to Mrs. Leonard.

Although the title
isn't exactly clear.

Apparently...

Mrs. Leonard owes
more than she owns.

Is that so?

The problem stems from her
husband's various schemes,

including their first ice show,

which went bankrupt
through mishandling,

or perhaps, uh, dishonesty.

Mr. Mason. Why do
you tell me all this?

Mr. Culver. You're
a businessman.

Now, why would you give
a... check to Mr. Leonard?

A check for $50,000,

completely unsecured in any way?

I'd hate to be asked
that question in court...

I'll admit.

You see...

my wife is considerably
younger than I am.

And when I persuaded her to
marry me, several years ago,

she had hopes of a career.

She still has those hopes.

And you thought you'd
help her by financing a show

produced by a man
with a reputation?

Mr. Mason, my wife
can't skate for sour apples.

Oh, I'm sure you
know that by now.

So I wouldn't have
cared if Denver Leonard

had just pocketed that money...

if it helped get all
this out of her system.

I love Vita.

Very much.

I wouldn't want her to be hurt.

Well, for some time now,

Denver Leonard's had a
hold on my son, Mr. Mason.

Oh, Fred's a good boy.

Only, after his accident,

he sort of went to
pieces for a while.

Now, he don't know
I know this, but...

well, there's even a
bad check he wrote once.

M-Mr. Pike...

Fred is gonna have
to tell these things

if you don't.

Well... I sure haven't done

everything right in my time.

Oh, I even had a
cockeyed, wild notion

on how to stop Leonard.

How to pry him loose from Fred.

Uh...

Well, never mind that.

And then later... Fred came back

so drunk, he
couldn't hardly talk. I...

I just saw red, that's all.

And, um...

you went over to
the Leonards at 1:30?

Well, there wasn't much to it.

Door to the cottage was open.

So I just walked right in.

Place was an awful mess.

A mess?

Well, it looked like
there had been a fight.

Oh, I fumbled around a bit...

'cause the lights
weren't on, but...

But there was
plenty of moonlight.

Then I...

I saw Leonard lying
there on the floor.

Dead?

No. No, I could
hear him breathing.

You, um...

You thought Fred had
had the fight with him?

What happened next?

Well, I... I finally
figured I'd better stop

doing things wrong...

for a change.

So I... I just turned around,

and I walked right out
of there, fast as I could.

But I wouldn't have
gone back home

and called Mr. Burger if I
thought that man was dead.

Now, dad-blame
it, that's the truth,

and that's all there is.

And I ain't gonna
budge from that.

Perry, may I see you
a moment, please?

I'll be right back, Mr. Pike.

I was told to inform you

when this case seemed to be
about ready for an indictment.

Uh, excuse me, sir. I...

My name's Hal
Kirkwood. I'm the foreman

out at the Leonard ranch.

I wonder if you'd tell
Mr. Pike that I'm sorry,

but I had to show 'em
where to find that bullet.

Bullet?

Well, Mr. Leonard shot
Pike in the leg, Perry.

Our doctor noticed
that, of course.

Oh, but I guess that Pike's

told you all about that by now.

Well, they kept
asking me about it.

I sure didn't want
'em to think that bullet

had anything to do with
things at the time of the murder.

Then Pike would
really be in hot water.

Uh, they'll need,
uh, your signature

on that statement,
Mr. Kirkwood, if you please.

We, uh...

have the murder
weapon, Perry. Oh.

Twelve-gauge shotgun.

Shotgun?

Leonard's.

It was used as a club.

The victim's blood and
hair were on the butt end.

And on the barrel,
where he gripped it...

the fingerprints of your client:

Mr. Pike.

Now, dad-blame it,
let's have the whole truth.

Be seated, folks.

If the court please...

I'm Darrel Teshman,
the special prosecutor

appointed by the
Attorney General

for this hearing.

Since Mr. Burger has
asked, for personal reasons,

that he and his office
be, uh, disqualified...

I'm appearing here
to prosecute this case.

All right, Mr. Teshman,
you may proceed.

Thank you, Your Honor.

There were three
fractures in the skull.

One in the frontal bone,

and the other two on top,
back of the coronal suture.

And were these injuries
matched in any way

by the blunt instrument
which the police showed you?

That is, the shotgun
with its scarred stock,

its unusual toe plate.

Uh, they matched exactly.

There is no doubt that was
the weapon which caused death.

Thank you, doctor.

Cross-examine.

Uh, doctor, regarding the
blow on the top of the head...

isn't that rather
an unusual place

to be struck by such
an unwieldy weapon?

Not if the victim
had already fallen.

Then it's possible
all of those blows

were inflicted after
the victim had fallen?

Quite possible.

Could the deathblows have
been inflicted by a woman?

A normally strong

and an athletic woman, yes.

Yes, of course.

Thank you,
doctor. That'll be all.

There were no other
fingerprints on the barrel.

Only the deceased's,
Mr. Leonard's,

and the defendant's.

And just exactly where
was this murder gun found?

About a mile from
the Leonard house.

It was thrown off the
road, under a pile of junk.

Is this road the one
a person would take

when driving back
from Mr. Leonard's place

to Mr. Pike's gun club?

Yes, it is.

Cross-examine.

Lieutenant, uh, this
road you just mentioned...

is it also a road a
person would take

to, uh, reach the
highway into town?

Yes, sir.

Now, lieutenant...

did you find any
evidence whatsoever

to indicate that this gun,

which belonged to Mr. Leonard,

was actually in
Mr. Leonard's room

prior to the time of his death?

Yes. There were
some used patches,

a rod and, uh, cleaning
oil on a little table there.

I see.

Now, if we're to adopt
the line of thinking

that... Mr. Leonard
might have been

cleaning this gun that night...

and he might
have left it there...

propped up, uh,
next to the material

that you've just described
as being on the table,

and that, uh...

then a person might
have entered that room

in the dark, we'll say...

So I suppose there
are a number of ways

a man's fingerprints
could arrive on a gun,

aren't there, lieutenant?

Your Honor. I object.

Objection sustained.

I have no further questions.

And after you said good night
to your husband, Mrs. Leonard?

I went out to the kitchen.

That was a little after 12:30.

What did you do then?

I washed dishes.

We had a boy helping us,

but he wasn't experienced.

You're referring now
to, uh, Pedro Guitterez?

Yes. He dried the dishes.

Then I let him go.

It was exactly 1:30.

After that, I went to bed.

Your room is in the
main house there?

Yes.

Now... Mrs. Leonard...

you have testified that
there was bad feeling

between your husband
and the defendant,

Jefferson Pike.

And that it was in
some way related

to your husband's
partnership with Pike's son.

And that this bad feeling
had increased rather bitterly

during the past year or so.

Please.

I just don't know
any more than that.

That's all, Mrs. Leonard.

Thank you.

Concerning your guests
that evening, Mrs. Leonard.

You'd say that Mr. Culver
left the party at 11?

About then.

Uh, what about Fred Pike?

You stated that he'd been
drinking rather heavily.

Yes.

Fred left a little after 12:30.

Mrs. Leonard...

why did you allow him
to drive home alone

in that condition?

As a matter of fact,

I did say something to Denver.

But he and Mrs. Culver
just laughed at me.

They said Fred would
be all right, and...

No further questions.

After Mr. Leonard
left you at your door,

did you notice what
direction he took, Mrs. Culver?

Yes, he went right to his room

in the cottage across the way.

He told me so.

Oh, but you stated that, uh...

after you went inside,
you didn't hear anything

from the direction
of that cottage.

Well, I was asleep
within a few minutes.

Well, now, Mrs. Culver...

when Mr. Leonard left you,
do you recall what he said?

Well, yes, of course.

He said good night,

and he said he was going
hunting in the morning.

Thank you.

Your witness, counselor.

No questions.

You clearly saw
Mr. Pike leave his car

and walk toward the cottage?

Yes. Very fast, like he is mad.

What then?

Well, I'm all through my work.

I go home. I walk down the road.

As you walked down the road,

did you see anyone else?

Across the field,
past the stables,

I see a flashlight over there.

The foreman, I think.

Mr. Kirkwood,
walking by the barn.

Did anyone pass
you? Any automobiles?

No. No. Mr. Pike
live the other way.

Oh, now, what do
you mean by that?

Five, six minutes after I leave,

I hear Mr. Pike's
truck drive away.

Hear?

Didn't you see it?

Didn't you look back?

If you could see a
flashlight at that distance...

surely you could see headlights.

No, sir.

No lights.

Mr. Pike drive without lights.

Drive away very quick.

Then this, uh, Pike came
busting up to Mr. Leonard,

where we were
standing at the bar.

That was about,
uh, 7 in the evening.

Did Mr. Pike say
anything to you personally?

Heh, he sure did.

He said, "Get out of
my way, dad-blame you."

Well, I hadn't done anything
to him, but he was sore.

And, uh, then when Mr. Leonard
started brushing him off,

why... well, he
was still persistent.

Did Mr. Pike say anything
else to you personally?

"Let me at that
Leonard," he said.

"Let me at him, or...
Or he'll be sorry."

Well... then I helped
him up off the sand

over to his truck.

See, the leg wasn't
really hurt very much, so...

we went back to the
gun club, like I told you.

Oh, did Mr. Pike state clearly

his intentions to
you at this time?

Oh, sure.

Soon as his temper
blew down a little bit.

That's when he talked
about using that bullet

to put Denver Leonard in prison.

Your witness, counselor.

Mr. Kirkwood, whose idea was it

that Mr. Leonard
could be put in prison

for assault, uh, with
a deadly weapon?

Heh. I don't know.

Maybe Pike said it
first, or maybe it was me.

And, uh, what
happened to the idea?

Well, I guess he got
cold feet when he saw

the district attorney was
out there himself. He...

Now, um, concerning
the bullet, Mr. Kirkwood.

The next day you were the one

who showed the police
where to look for it,

is that correct?

Yes, sir.

How long did it take to locate?

Well, they...

They thought they were
gonna have to use...

you know, screens and things,

but it was right there,

exactly where Mr. Pike
told me it happened.

So... oh, it took a couple
minutes to find it, I guess.

And suppose I told
you that Mr. Pike himself

hadn't been so successful.

Huh?

Suppose I told you that
Mr. Pike had spent over an hour

on his hands and knees
looking for that bullet

in exactly that same spot.

Well...

sand like that, maybe
it's a matter of luck.

Suppose I were to
ask you, Mr. Kirkwood...

did you drop that bullet
there for the police to find?

Did what?

No.

What are you talking about?

How would I have any bullet?

Perhaps by having
found it the night before.

Now, I'll ask you the
question once more...

Now, wait a minute.
Wait a minute!

Will the court please
instruct this witness...?

All right!

Maybe I did.

Yes, sir.

But I didn't do
anything wrong...

Why did you do
it, Mr. Kirkwood...?

Well, I had to put the thing
back where it belonged.

Well, you understood my
question better than that.

Why did you take the
bullet in the first place?

Now, look, I did not
do anything with it.

I was just going to, that's all.

I kept that bullet in
my... Why, Mr. Kirkwood?

Because if Pike was not
gonna see Denver Leonard

slapped in jail, I was.

I wouldn't get chicken-hearted.
Not with a chance like that.

I would bust that man
into kingdom come.

Do you have any
idea what it's like

to work for a man like that?

To see the way he
treats his own wife?

To see him... cheat and steal?

To ruin a perfectly good ranch?

If you could s...

I'm sorry, sir.

Kingdom come.

I have no more questions.

You may step down.

Gentlemen, I have
a regular calendar

which begins at 9:15,

but I should be through by 10.

Therefore, we will
continue this hearing

until 10:00 Monday morning.

Court's adjourned.

I'll talk to you shortly.

Perry... they're still saving

a lot of their physical
evidence, aren't they?

They've already shown
more than enough

for a hearing, Della. Take
a look at Burger. He knows.

Now, listen, we've got a
lot to do, and in a hurry.

Mm-hm.

You take care of things here,
I'll go get the car. Mm-hm.

Miss, wait, please.

Oh, I won't hurt
anything, Pedro.

But this is the place
where he was killed.

I know, but Mr. Mason
talked to the police.

Go on, Della!

Make some noise now!

Uh, jump up and
down, will you, please?

Jump up and down.

What are you doing?

We didn't wanna disturb
you, Mrs. Leonard.

Excuse me.

That's enough, Della!

I...

I just wondered if
you'd like a cup of tea.

Let's get Della.

Perry, could you come
in a minute, please?

Uh, Mrs. Leonard, would
you mind if I ask you,

is this the jacket

your husband was
wearing that night?

Yes, I guess it is.

Only earlier, in the house.

He wasn't wearing it when...

When they found him.

I'll hang it up.

My alarm went off at 5:30 a.m.

We were gone by 6.

Did anyone get
up to see you off?

No. No, I'd particularly
asked Mrs. Leonard not to.

Cross-examine.

Now, Mr. Culver...

you stated that you
weren't quite certain

of the time you fell
asleep that night.

Is anyone ever quite
certain of such a thing?

Yet you were able to
recall your wife's testimony,

saying that, uh, when
she came in at 12:30...

Or, uh, was it 12:45?

Your Honor...

may I ask the
court's indulgence,

and request that
the court reporter

uh, read back the one or
two questions regarding time?

Very well.

Mr. Culver had just told
of his leaving the house.

"Question:

"Did you then go to the
guest cottage to retire?

"Answer: I did.

"Question: At what
time did you retire?

"Answer: I didn't
look at my watch,

but it was 11 when
I left the house."

And the one after that, please.

"Question: You have
heard Mrs. Culver testify

"that she came in at
12:45 and went to bed.

"Did you see or hear her?

"Answer: No, I did not.

"Question: So you
were asleep by 12:45?

Answer: She said I
was asleep then, yes."

Uh, thank you, that's enough.

Uh, Mr. Culver...

you never quite
answered those questions.

So now I ask, did you
leave the house at 11:00,

and then go directly
to the cottage,

and then directly
to bed and to sleep?

Well, in my wife's testimony...

Just answer the
question yes or no, please.

But I'm not sure I understand...

Mr. Culver...

are you trying to avoid
perjuring yourself?

Is that it?

Your Honor, I object.

The counselor is
browbeating the witness.

Overruled. Answer the
questions, Mr. Culver.

I'll ask a simpler
one, Mr. Culver.

Now, do you usually
sleep with the window shut?

What? No, of course not.

Then before you
went to bed that night,

you opened the
windows, is that right?

Yes. I suppose so.

Now, isn't it true that if
you had opened the window,

sounds from across the way
would've been quite clear?

The alleged fight, the murder,

people coming and going?

Yet your wife insisted she
heard absolutely nothing.

Vita was asleep.

You saw her asleep?

Well, no, I didn't
quite mean that.

Oh, I'm sure you didn't.

Now, we'd like the
truth, Mr. Culver.

Were you in bed,

or as a matter of fact,
even in that cottage at all,

when she came in at 12:45?

I don't remember.

You don't remember?

I mean... I don't
have to answer that.

On grounds of
self-incrimination?

No!

I didn't kill him. I don't
know anything about it.

Mr. Culver...

do you recall
confirming to me that...

your wife's only interest
in being at the Leonards'

was in ice skating?

Yes.

Did your wife plan to go
to Cuba in the near future?

No.

It was only Leonard
who spoke of going.

Were you aware of the fact
that during the two weeks

prior to the murder...

your wife had been
taking certain inoculations

given usually only to travelers.

Uh, that is, shots for
typhoid and yellow fever?

No. That's not true.

It can't be.

I'm prepared to introduce

more exact
testimony, Mr. Culver.

Now, tell me something else.

To your knowledge, has
your wife used a lipstick

uh, the shade of which
is called "Latin Flame"?

Your Honor, I object.

This entire line of questioning

is incompetent,
irrelevant and immaterial.

Oh, sit down and be quiet.

Objection overruled.

Good.

Proceed, counselor.

Mr. Culver...
concerning that lipstick...

But I don't know.

I haven't the slightest idea.

Would it surprise you to learn
that lipstick of such a shade

was found on Mr. Leonard's
pocket handkerchief?

The handkerchief he
was carrying that night?

Now, Mr. Culver...

obviously, either you
or your wife is lying.

Stop it!

Stop, I'll tell you!

I'll tell you everything.

He wasn't there.

He wasn't even in the room.

I can't stand it anymore.

He's the one who's lying.

He knew about us.

He knew about Leonard
and I. He must have.

He wasn't even in
the room, I tell you.

Vita, please. Be quiet.

Uh, Your Honor...

in the interest of justice,

I would like to
recall Mrs. Culver

to the witness stand.

Oh, I doubt if prosecution
have any objection, hm?

Not under the
circumstances, Your Honor.

No, w-wait. Please, I...

I'll have more to explain.

I-I went out for a walk.

I... I couldn't sleep.

I wanted to have a look
at the place anyway, so...

I found a flashlight
in a mackinaw,

and I went out
for quite a while.

Down the road...

back up past the
horse pastures...

down by the barn.

I saw a truck leaving.

That must have been Mr. Pike.

When I came back...

my wife seemed to be asleep.

The next day, she
didn't say anything.

So I thought I'd just
have to keep quiet.

Please, that...
That's all I know.

You'll take the stand
again, Mrs. Culver.

And I wanna remind you
that you're still under oath.

You step down, sir.

Uh...

Now, what was it you
wanted to tell us, Mrs. Culver?

I'm not sure now.

It's just that I've
been so frightened.

Was it that when you
went into the cottage,

your husband wasn't there?

It was after 12:45.

Mr. Leonard and I...

stood outside for a while.

And then you became
afraid of what your husband

might have seen?

I didn't know where he was.

But I really didn't
hear anything...

except a truck that came
and went around 1:30.

And then finally
Asa came in, and...

I pretended to be asleep.

Did you think
that... your husband

might have been
with Mr. Leonard?

The next morning, when
you heard about the murder,

did you think your husband
might've been the one

who fought with Mr. Leonard?

Did you think he was the one

who stood in the
shadow watching,

while Mr. Pike arrived?

Because the...

murderer must have
seen Mr. Pike leave

his fingerprints on this
gun, don't you think?

Mrs. Culver,
after Mr. Pike left,

was it then that your husband...

picked up this weapon,

and using it as
a brutal club...?

Oh, I don't know!

You don't have to
blab all that, lady!

Mr. Mason knows who saw Pike

leave his fingerprints
on that gun.

He's been aiming
at me all along.

I killed Leonard.

I killed the big gasbag.

You know, Perry, I wonder how...

I wonder how involved
that Culver woman

was with Leonard. Thanks, Jeff.

She was gonna go
traveling with him.

For a while anyway.

Heh. Yeah, with her
husband's money.

Oh, hold on there.

Maybe she just
wanted to make certain

that Leonard really would
put her in that ice show.

Oh, I feel sorry for her.

Bird like him mixes
people up, you know.

Well, take even
Hal Kirkwood now.

He got so boiling
mad at Leonard,

and so unhappy about
the way he treated the Mrs.

And ruined her ranch...

well, that's why he
killed him, you know.

Well, that's not entirely

what he admitted
later on, Mr. Pike.

There was also a
question of money involved.

Blackmail money.

You see, if he'd just wanted

to get even with Leonard,

he would have left
that bullet in the sand,

where it was, for
the police to find.

Incidentally, Perry, I'm
glad you caught that point.

Now, Kirkwood
thought that Leonard

really had shot you, remember?

Oh, yeah.

So, what he did was,

dig up that bullet and
then try to sell it to Leonard.

Leonard wouldn't have known
what Hal was talking about.

He... He must have thought
he was off in the head.

Hey, Dad. I'm ready to go.

Well, at least some
things work out.

Fred's on his way up to Tahoe.

A pretty good job
up there, I hear.

Anyway, he's squaring
up that check business

on his own, Mr. Burger.

I just want you to know that.

Hurry up, Dad. I gotta go!

All right. Good
riddance, dad-blame it.

You know, I think
I won this case.