02x03 - The Case of the Pint-Sized Client

[bunniefuu]

( noirish jazz theme playing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

Well, like they say,
here's mud in your eye.

It's good whiskey,
Anderson.

Thanks for the bottle.

How about it, Crowley?

Couldn't I let you know
tomorrow?

Tomorrow's too late.

I'm a three-time loser.

You gotta understand
my position.

They get me this time,
it's life.

You're right, Pop.

You said he wasn't
the man for us.

Let's get out of here.

No, wait.

How much would it pay?

Five hundred for your end.

( gulps )

Would-- Would you go ?

Okay, got yourself a deal,
Crowley.

One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven.

Half now and half
when you finish the job.

Frank,
you can trust me.

Yeah.

But I can't trust this.

( liquid gurgling )

You've played
the scene before, Crowley.

From now until tomorrow
afternoon at : ,

you're gonna stay sober.

And here's
the floor plan.

The Hargrove Finance Company
on South Burlington.

Hargrove Finance?

You know their motto:
"See us when you need money."

Well, that's just
what Pop and I had in mind.

( mysterious theme playing )

( rattling )

Well, they were supposed
to fix it last week.

You can hardly hear
yourself think, much less--

( gasps )

All right, everybody,
let's get with it.

If you cooperate,
nobody gets hurt.

Which one is Hays?

All right, Hays, you know
the combination to the safe.

Open it.

Give it a whirl, Pop.

( alarm ringing )

Who was it?

Got it.

Okay, Crowley,
let's go.

( door slams )
( screams )

( sobbing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

( upbeat theme playing )

You, uh, have a visitor
waiting to see you.

I think it's a client.

Well, didn't you--?

Blond or brunette?

Brunette.

All right, send her in.

Him.

Fourteen years old.

What?

You know:

Fourteen.

All right, Della, bring
the gentleman right on in.

( chuckles )

Mr. Mason,
this is Nicholas Renzi.

How do you do,
Mr. Renzi?

Hi.

Why don't I leave
you gentlemen alone,

and then you can talk
man-to-man?

All right.
All right.

All right, Nicky,
what can I do for you?

Well, I don't know.

I heard you were
the best lawyer in town,

and my grandfather says
to always go to the top

when you want results.

So I came
to ask you something.

Is "finders keepers"
according to Hoyle?

Well, if you mean,
"Is it legal?"

it depends on what you found
and where you found it.

I'm not saying
I found nothing.

I'm just supposing.

Well, just suppose
a few more details.

Well, what's
the difference?

Details.

You find something,

you ought to be able
to keep it.

Possession
is nine-tenths of the law.

Did you come here
to ask me about the law

or tell me about it?

Look, Mr. Mason,

suppose you find something
and return it.

Does the owner have
to give you a reward?

No.

You know something?

I don't think
the law is fair.

Well, it tries to be, Nicky.

If you'd be
a little more specific,

perhaps the law
could help you.

Now, just what is it
you found?

Well, thanks anyway,
Mr. Mason.

Just what do I owe you?

Well, since I haven't been able
to give you any advice,

there's no charge.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Would it be asking
too much of you to move?

Oh, excuse me,
Mrs. Anderson.

Do you have any idea
when Frank will be home?

Why don't you leave
your phone number

and I'll have him
call you?

Yeah, we'll wait,
if you don't mind.

Would it do me any good
if I did, huh?

Well, Sergeant Bender.

That's who it is.

Hope Iris made you feel
at home.

Oh, yeah,
I offered him

a nice, cold bottle
of strychnine.

( laughs )

You mustn't mind
my wife, sergeant.

She's always clowning.

What can I do for you?

Do you mind telling me
where you were

this afternoon
about : ?

This afternoon?
Let me think...

( snaps fingers )

At the track!
I had two winners.

Good for you.

You sure you weren't

watching them run
at Hargrove and Company?

Hey, I heard about that
driving home.

They had a holdup,
didn't they?

What do you know about it,
Anderson?

Has all the earmarks
of one of your jobs.

You know,
I could sue you for slander.

Or is it libel?

Wanna search the place?

Ah, you're too smart
to stash the stuff here.

FRANK:
Well...

if there's anything else
I can do for you gentlemen...

let me know.

I may take you up
on that.

( door slams )

So you're up
to your old tricks, huh?

Baby doll,
what are you saying?

What do you think
you're doing?

I asked you something, Iris.

I told you
the last time, Frank,

you ever get mixed up
in anything crooked,

I'd leave you.

I told you
I'd never let you go.

You remind me of my old man.

Always using his muscles.

( clangs )

( knocking on door )

Come in.

Oh, hello,
Mr. Kolichek.

Hello.

Mr. Renzi...

You know, I like Nicky.

Everybody likes Nicky.

Yes, he's a nice boy.

Fine boy.

That's why it's so hard.

What's so hard?

One thing I don't like.

A tattletale, you know?

But what can I do?

Some things,
parents got to know.

Or in this case,
a grandparent.

( buzzing )

It works! It works!

( laughs )

Just that one
little thing.

I knew I would get it,
I was sure.

Mr. Renzi.

I'm trying to tell you
something about Nicky.

That he's a fine boy?
Yes, I heard you.

You heard me.

But this you didn't hear:

Today, Nicky comes
into my emporium

and spends $ .

Fifty dollars?

I didn't think you knew.

I thought I should tell you.

Where would Nicky get $ ?

He found it.

Fifty dollars.

A young boy.

It's possible.

But I thought
you should know.

Thank you, Mr. Kolichek.
I'll talk to Nicky.

Won't you sit down?

I have some wine.
No, no. No, thanks.

I-- I have to get
back to the store.

I just thought
that you should--

Hey, Gramp.

Well, uh...

Well, goodbye,
Mr. Renzi.

What did he want?

Where did you get
that money, Nicky?

What money?

Don't lie to me, boy.

Mr. Kolichek told me.

The old blabbermouth.

He doesn't want you
to get into trouble.

Well, he ought to mind
his own business.

What is this, Nicky?

I found it
in the old shack.

All this money?
You found it?

You believe me,
don't you, Gramp?

I didn't steal it.

If you tell me,
I believe you.

But anyway, we must take it back
to the proper authorities.

I knew you'd say that.

Now, please,
no more arguments.

We take the money
to the police.

The $ you spent, well,

I'll find some way
to pay it back.

You won't have
to return your toys.

Toys?
Who buys toys?

All right,
baseball equipments, whatever.

You can keep it.

A coat?

But it's too big
for you, boy.

Much too big.

Is it--? Is it for me?

Last winter you were cold
and shivering all the time.

( knocking on door )

Oh, I'll get it,
Gramp.

I'm looking
for Anthony Renzi.

I am Anthony Renzi,
officer.

What is it--?
What is it you want?

Hey, uh, I think I found
what I'm looking for.

( dramatic theme playing )

We were just about
to take it to the police.

I told the officer.

That's the truth!
Honest!

Uh, get the, um...

Where were you
at yesterday afternoon?

Yesterday?

Home. I was home
all afternoon.
That's right.

I seen him when I come
home from school.

Yes, Nicky gets home every
afternoon shortly before .

Where were you last night
between : and midnight?

Again, home.

Alone?
I was there.

Anyone else?

No.

This belong to you?

GRAMP:
I have such a tool.

TRAGG:
It has your initials on it.

Oh, Nicky must've
left it in the shack.

He told you he pried
the boards loose

to get the money.
NICKY: Yeah.

I think
we'd better go inside.

What are you
gonna do to him?

That's all right, Nicky.

You stay here.
I'll be right back.

MAN ( over radio ):
Unit , are you - ?

MAN :
and .

That's, uh,
an eighth of a mile east

of the, uh,
Mission Valley overpass.

( gasps )

( dramatic theme playing )

TRAGG:
Do you know this man?
His name is Anderson.

Frank Anderson.

This'll--

( knocking on door )

Excuse me.

Hi, beautiful.
Hi, Paul.

Hello, Nicky.

Hello, Mr. Drake.

Anything new?
Plenty.

The police just searched
the Renzi flat again.

They had no right
to do that!

Why not, Nicky?

What's the matter, Paul?

They found another $ ,
of the holdup money

stashed in the kitchen.

Okay, but my grandfather
didn't do it.

I did.

That's the truth, honest!

I knew Gramp would want me
to give all the money back,

so I held out some
and hid it in the kitchen.

Well, that's just
how it happened, I swear!

You believe me,
don't you, Miss Street?

Of course, Nicky.

No, you don't.

I can tell.

And if you don't
believe me,

what chance has Gramp
got with the cops?

( somber theme playing )

Nicky...

( sobbing )

Oh, Nicky,
it's all right.

It's all right.

Nicky didn't mean

to do anything wrong,
Mr. Mason.

He just thought
he was being smart.

You know how this
will look to the court?

As though you hid
that $ , .

And the police have
an eyewitness

who claims
that you opened the safe

at Hargrove and Company.

Who say such a thing?
Let him say it to my face.

Remember the police lineup?

A Hargrove employee
named Lois Gilbert

identified you
as the man at the safe.

She's wrong!

Miss Gilbert says
even though you were wearing

a stocking over your face,

she's positive
about the identification.

We can't discount that,
Mr. Renzi.

She identified Anderson
down at the morgue

as the man
who slugged Hays.

He was wearing a mask
at the holdup too.

Anderson lived
in your neighborhood

about eight or nine years ago.

That's how he knew
about that abandoned house.

Do you recall meeting him
at that time,

even casually?

Never!

I can see by your face
it doesn't look good.

Well...

( sighs )

They have a lot
on their side.

But we have the truth
on our side.

( dramatic theme playing )

Oh! You are Mr. Perry Mason?

( vent rattling )
I'd like to see Mr. Hays.

There are some questions--
I beg your pardon?

I said, I'd like
to see Mr. Hays.

What was that?
Just a second, please.

Oh, this air conditioner.
Honestly.

( rattling stops )

( sighs )

There, that's better.

Now, what were you saying?

I'd like to see Mr. Hays
about the robbery.

Why, certainly.

It was just dreadful,
you know.

I never was so frightened
in my entire life,

but I was the one
who set off the alarm, you know.

You probably
read about it.

I'm Lois Gilbert,

and my picture was
in the papers.

Yes, I saw it.

Yes.

Uh, Mr. Hays,
this is Mr. Mason.

He's a lawyer.

He wants to ask you
about the robbery.

Oh, of course.

I represent Anthony Renzi.

I understand you people
identified him

in the police lineup.

I don't know
what you mean

by "we" people,
Mr. Mason.

I haven't,
and what's more,

neither did Mr. Koch.

Oh, but, Mr. Hays,
you were knocked out.

You never had a chance

to notice
this man's peculiarities.

What peculiarities,
Miss Gilbert?

There's nothing particularly
distinctive about my client.

He's an old man with no
pronounced characteristics.

And the man at the safe wore
a stocking over his face

that was bound
to distort his features.

Mr. Koch told the police

they looked like a character
out of a horror movie.

How could you possibly make
a positive identification?

Uh, well, uh...

The way he held his head
to one side, and, um--

And the way he shuffled
when he walked.

You couldn't be mistaken?

Oh, no.

That's the one they call Pop.

Even the voice.
There's no doubt about it.

I have an excellent ear.

What about the third member
of the group?

Would you be able
to recognize him?

You mean Riley?

Riley?
How'd you learn his name?

Oh, well,
when I set off the alarm,

one of the men got excited

and he called
the other man Riley.

Tell me something,
Miss Gilbert,

weren't you
a little excited yourself?

Nice meeting you,
Mr. Hays,

Mr. Koch.

( knocking on door )

Yeah?

Mrs. Anderson?
That's right.

My name's Paul Drake.

Bully for you.

( chuckles )

May I come in?
You're in.

What's the matter?

Don't you approve
of my widow's weeds?

Uh, I didn't say anything.

You looked.

Do you blame me?

I'm an entertainer.

This is what I work in.

And the show must go on,
is that it?

My husband didn't leave
any insurance.

Do you know
what a funeral costs?

I have an idea.

Then no cracks.

What are you, anyway?

Another cop
or a reporter?

I'm a private detective.

I'm working for a lawyer,
Perry Mason.

Oh, yeah.

He's defending the guy
who k*lled my husband.

Mason thinks he's innocent.

Oh...
That's all that matters.

What do you want here?

Do you know the names

of any of your husband's
close associates?

No.

Did he ever mention
a man named Riley?

No, no.
Are you sure, Mrs. Anderson?

This is very important.

No, I don't know.
I don't know.

He never mentioned
a man named Riley, no.

Well, who are some
of the men he--?

That's, uh,
pretty expensive confetti.

Oh, that's stage money.

Sure had me fool--

Is there anything else
I can do for you, Mr. Drake?

( sighs )
I don't think so.

Thanks a lot
for your help.

Mm-hm.

( door closes )

( sighs )

PAUL:
Well, I'd swear
that's what they were.

One hundred dollar bills
torn in half.

There must've been
at least five or six of them.

Oh, it couldn't be part
of the holdup money.

The police got all that.

( rings )

Yes, Gertie?

Just a minute.

There's an Eddie Merlin
outside to see you.

Oh, yeah, he's that
stool pigeon I told you about.

I'll take him
into my office.

Bring him in here.

Gertie, will you
send him in, please?

Well, if Eddie can't help us,
no one can.

He's the best songbird
in the business.

( knocking on door )

Hello, Eddie.

Eddie,
this is Mr. Perry Mason

and Miss Della Street.

How do you do?

Hello.

Likewise.
Come on, Eddie, sit down.

What's on your mind,
Mr. Drake?

What can you tell us
about Frank Anderson?

Let's go to your office.

You can trust them.

Frank Anderson?

PAUL:
Mm-hm.

Came from Chicago
about eight years ago.

Used to run
with the Willard mob there.

Was he ever mixed up
with a man named Riley?

Riley?

Uh... No.

You're not being
very helpful, Eddie.

Sorry, Mr. Drake.
That's how it goes.

Now, wait a minute.

That ring a bell?

What do you mean,
"Does that ring a bell"?

Well, that piece by itself
is no good.

Do you know anyone
that Anderson mistrusted

for one reason or another?

Mistrusted enough

not to pay him
until the job was done?

I don't think
I follow you.

I think you do.

Sometimes a fella
likes to lush it up.

A guy'd be nuts
to pay him in advance.

What kind of fella?

There were a lot of guys.

Name one.

Arthur Crowley.

Crowley?

C-R-O-W-L-E-Y?

Yeah.

Thanks.

You can go out
this way, Eddie.

Miss Gilbert did say
the man's name was Riley.

Riley, Crowley.
It's close enough.

You gotta
find him, Paul.

How many men do you
want me to put on it?

All you need.

( ominous theme playing )

Now, lieutenant,

I show you
this crowbar or jimmy,

which has previously been
marked for identification,

"People's Exhibit A."

Have you ever
seen it before?

Yes, I have.

When?

When I discovered
the body,

I found this instrument,
uh, lying beside it.

Your Honor,
I move that this crowbar,

previously marked
for identification

"People's Exhibit A,"
be accepted into evidence.

JUDGE:
It will be accepted
and given the same number

as the mark
for identification.

Concerning this crowbar,
lieutenant,

how are you able
to identify it?

Well, from the bloodstain
markings,

which have not
been removed.

Also you will notice initials
scratched on the handle: "A.R."

I call your attention now

to the search you made
of the defendant's rooms

and ask you to tell this court
what you found there.

Yes, I found
a couple of old safes,

some locks, tools,

and literature describing
how locks are made.

Uh, were the tools
marked in any way?

Yes, they all had the initials
A.R. etched on them.

BURGER:
The same marks that we found
on the m*rder w*apon?

TRAGG:
That's correct.

Lieutenant, did you make
a second visit

to the defendant's rooms
on August th?

Yes, I did.

For what purpose?

Well, we found, uh,
all the money

from the Hargrove robbery
except $ , .

BURGER:
And what was the result
of your second search?

TRAGG:
Well, we found $ ,
in a bag of flour

in the defendant's kitchen.

I see.

Thank you, lieutenant.

You may cross-examine.

MASON:
Now, lieutenant,

I take it you examined
the m*rder w*apon

for fingerprints?

TRAGG: Yes, I did.
MASON: Were there any?

TRAGG:
No, none at all.

Then this must've
been the result

of someone deliberately
wiping the fingerprints

off the m*rder w*apon,
wouldn't you say?

Seems logical.

And does it also
seem logical

that a man would wipe
his fingerprints

off an instrument
to avoid detection

and then leave
that instrument lying there

when it had
his own initials on it?

We'll object to that,
Your Honor.

Calls for a conclusion
of the witness.

I'll withdraw
the question.

No further cross-examination.

Witness may stand down.

If it please the court,

my next witness is
a friend of the defendant,

and therefore may be hostile.

I respectfully request latitude
in questioning him.

We'll wait
until the situation arises.

Call your witness.

I call Mr. Joseph Kolichek
to the stand, please.

Mr. Kolichek,
on the th day of last month,

two days before the robbery
of Hargrove and Company,

did you visit
the defendant at his home?

Yes.

And did you at that time
have a conversation with him

on the subject of money?

We had such
a conversation, yes.

Would you please
tell this court

what was said
during that conversation?

Mr. Renzi told me
he expected soon

a lot of money.

He would buy me
a big present.

He would send
his grandson Nicky

to a fine school.

But you must
understand that--

I understand.

The defendant said
he was going to receive

a large sum of money soon.

Did he say how soon?

A couple of days.

So on the th
of last month,

two days before the robbery,

the defendant said
he was gonna get

a large sum of money
in a couple of days.

Yes.

Thank you,
Mr. Kolichek.

That's all.

Your witness.

Mr. Kolichek,

how often did Mr. Renzi
say to you

that he expected
a lot of money?

Uh, hundreds of times.

Ever since I've met him.
For years.

For years.

And each time,
did he say

he was expecting the money
in a few days?

Always.

He was going
to get rich quick.

He believed it.

Did he tell you
where the money was coming from?

Of course.

His invention.

Thank you, Mr. Kolichek.
That will be all.

And what happened then,
Miss Gilbert?

Well, the gunman asked

for the combination
to the safe.

Now, Mr. Hays
is the only one

who knows
the combination,

and he refused
to give it to him.

So then the gunman
turned to his partner,

the one he called Pop,

and said,
"Give it a whirl, Pop."

Those were
his exact words?

Yes.

Is the man
he addressed as Pop

in this courtroom?

Yes. Him.

BURGER:
Let the record show

that the witness
pointed to the defendant.

Thank you, Miss Gilbert.
Your witness.

Now, Miss Gilbert,

I have here a copy
of the daily paper

dated the morning
after the robbery.

I ask you to look at it

and identify this photograph
on the front page.

Why, it's a picture of me.

Yes, it is.

I notice in this picture
that you're not wearing glasses,

but right now you are.

Do you remember if you were
wearing your glasses

at the time of the robbery?

Uh... Yes, I was.

Are you sure?

Uh, well, it really
doesn't matter, Mr. Mason.

I can see perfectly well
either way.

Can you?

Would you be good enough

to remove your glasses,
Miss Gilbert?

( sighs )
Really.

Now, Miss Gilbert,
will you read that sign

at the back
of the courtroom?

GILBERT:
"No smoking by order
of fire commissioner."

Miss Gilbert, in addition

to identifying the man
by sight,

you also claim
to have heard his voice?

I certainly did.

Miss Gilbert, do you remember
my visiting your office

the day after
you identified the defendant?

Yes, very clearly.

You seem to recall everything
quite clearly, Miss Gilbert.

Quite clearly,
Mr. Mason.

Do you remember what time
you left your home that morning?

Ten past .

And how did you travel?
By bus.

What time did you get the bus?
: .

Was the bus crowded?

Yes, it was.

Do you remember
the temperature?

It was hot.

When you arrived at your office,
was it cooler?

Much.

Then the air conditioner
was working?

Well, of course!

I thought you said
it was broken?

( sighs )

It was just making
an awful noise.

But the air conditioner itself
wasn't affected.

Oh, now, you know yourself,
Mr. Mason,

that when
you called on me,

you had to repeat
your questions.

But it was cool,
wasn't it?

Yes, it was.

Thank you, Miss Gilbert.

No further questions.

You may stand down.

( ominous theme playing )

Well, there's no mistake
about it, Mr. Burger.

I had two different
lock experts

look at this so-called
invention of Renzi's.

Does it work?

( groans )

( chuckles )

Apparently
his interest in safes

is more criminal
than academic.

( phone buzzes )

Yeah?
Just a second.

For you.

Tragg speaking.

Hi, lieutenant.
This is Eddie Merlin.

I got a little tip for you.

Talk to Sergeant Whittaker.

I did. He told me
to talk to you.

I know who was
in on the job with Anderson

at Hargrove and Company.

Yeah.

It was Arthur Crowley.

Sure, I'm sure!

But, Iris, Frank promised me
the other half of these bills.

I've gotta have 'em.

I'm hot, the police
are looking for me.

I wish them luck,
Crowley.

I only hope
when they get you,

they sweat you real good.

You don't understand.
I understand.

My husband's dead
and you got the crust

to come here for money.

I'm entitled to it.
Sue me.

I'm not kidding,
Iris.

Look, you crumb,
stay away from me.

I want my dough.

So help me,
you take another step

and I'll let you have it.

( phone buzzes )

Hello?

Uh, yeah,
I'd be glad to see him.

Send him up.

If you know what's good for you,
Crowley, you'll clear out.

Was that the cops?

Why don't you
stick around and see?

( tense theme playing )

Mr. Hays, you were present
in the office

at the time of the robbery?

Yes, sir, I was.

But at that time,

and later
at the police lineup,

you were unable
to identify the defendant.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

I refused to make
an identification

until I was certain.

But have you since then

given the matter
some more thought?

I have.

And do you feel
the same way now?

I feel the same way about
not making an identification

unless I was certain.

But now I am certain.

I now can recognize the man
who was referred to as Pop.

Is that man
in this courtroom?

He is.

Would you mind pointing
to him, please, sir?

He's the defendant,
Anthony Renzi.

Would you explain
to this court

what caused you
to change your mind

in this matter?

Well, during the course
of the robbery,

one of the gunmen
hit me with his p*stol

and knocked me out.

For a while after that,

I was sort of
in a state of shock.

But later on,
I began to recall

something very familiar
about the man.

And you now recognize him?

I recognize him as the man
who visited our office

a few weeks
before the robbery.

He visited your office?

HAYS: Yes, sir.
BURGER: What did he want?

He came to my desk
and asked for information

about opening an account.

I gave it to him.

I was never there.

He's mixing me up
with the other fellow.

I know.

Mr. Hays, how many people
in your office

have the combination
to the safe?

I'm the only one who has
the combination to the safe.

That's done, of course,
for reasons of safety.

And could anyone else
possibly get that combination?

Absolutely not.

I see.

I have no further questions,
Mr. Hays.

Thank you very much, sir.

Your witness, counselor.

Mr. Mason, are you ready
to cross-examine?

If the court please,

this testimony comes
as a complete surprise.

May we request the privilege

of deferring cross-examination
of this witness?

Mr. Burger,
have you any objections?

No, Your Honor.

I'm most happy
to give the defense counsel

all possible latitude.

You may step down.

I call as my next witness
Arthur Crowley.

( indistinct whispering )

So you did know
Frank Anderson,

the deceased?

Well, yeah, I--
I knew him.

Would you describe
to the court, please,

what happened
on the day of July th,

the day before the robbery?

Well, like I said,

he came to my place,
and he had a guy with him.

Do you see
this guy here?

Well, yeah.

He was the defendant,

Pop Renzi.

BURGER:
I see.

What did Anderson
say to you?

Well, he asked me
to go along on a heist,

and I told him to forget it.

I told him
I was a three-time loser

and he was crazy
even to come and see me.

So you took no part
in the robbery at all?

No, sir, I did not.

BURGER:
Well, did Anderson
say anything else to you

about this so-called heist?

Well, he told me
I was a fool to pass it up.

He-- He said he had
a great safe man.

Did he volunteer the name
of this great safe man?

Yeah.

He pointed at him.

And he said Pop Renzi.

That's all.

Your witness.

You-- You've talked
about a conversation

between yourself
and a man named Anderson.

Can you tell us
what Pop Renzi said?

He didn't say nothing.

Not one single word?
No.

Mr. Crowley,
you referred to yourself

as a three-time loser.

Now, undoubtedly,
you've taken the witness stand

in criminal actions before,
have you not?

Yeah, I've been
a witness before, sure.

Well, have you
on these occasions

ever incriminated
anyone else?

I never put the finger
on anyone in my life.

But this occasion
is different.

Is that because you know

the defendant
is not part of a mob

and you're not afraid of him?

No, it's because
I'm out on parole.

I gotta cooperate
with the police

if I wanna stay out.

You know that.

I know you seem to be
consorting with known criminals.

I can't help it
if Anderson looked me up.

I told him I wouldn't have
nothing to do with him,

and I didn't.

But you did talk
to Anderson?

Well, I had to.

I-- I couldn't slam
the door in his face.

Your Honor, may I have
a moment to confer?

Yes, yes, of course.

( speaking indistinctly )

Mrs. Anderson,
is there anything

you'd like to tell me
about this man Crowley?

You're knocking
on the wrong door, counselor.

But any case,
you're being very helpful.

What are you trying to pull?

Recognize this,
Mr. Crowley?

You mean,
those torn bills?

I mean, these torn bills.

I recognize
they're torn.

Will you testify
to this court

that you
did not go up

to Frank Anderson's
apartment

at a time subsequent
to the robbery?

CROWLEY:
I didn't see
Frank Anderson.

MASON:
I didn't ask you
if you saw Frank Anderson.

I asked you if you went up
to Frank Anderson's apartment.

Yeah, I went up there.

And did you have several
torn $ bills with you?

Yeah, but that had
nothing to do

with this robbery.

Then what did it
have to do with?

Well, Frank--

Frank asked me to hold on
to those torn bills

for a couple of days.

MASON:
Have you any idea
where the money came from?

CROWLEY:
No, he-- He just asked me
to do him a favor, that's all.

What favor?

Well, to-- To--
To hold those torn bills.

You mean, he was willing
to trust you for favors?

Sure he was.

Then why did he tear
the bills in half?

Well, I-- I don't know.

That-- That was just
Frank's way.

MASON:
You were willing
to do him a favor,

but you refused
to do anything wrong,

is that it?

CROWLEY:
That's it.

You must be aware

that association
with known criminals

is a violation
of your parole.

Is that wrong,
Mr. Crowley?

I have no further questions,
Your Honor.

I would suggest
to the prosecution

that the testimony
of this witness be re-examined

and his contradictions

brought to the attention
of the parole board.

And then I, uh--

Then I was employed
for the next five years

by the Haines
Protection Company,

manufacturers of, uh,

time lock safes
and alarm systems.

And then after that,
my present employment.

MASON:
If it please the court,

defense will stipulate
Mr. Cagle

is a qualified expert
in his field.

Very well.
Proceed, Mr. Burger.

Thank you,
Your Honor.

Now, Mr. Cagle,
you've examined

the lock on the safe
in the office

of the Hargrove
Finance Company?

Yes, sir, I have.

It operates
on a dial combination.

Would it be possible
to open that lock

without knowing
the combination?

Mm, well, I would say
that if the lock was set,

it would take someone

with a great deal
of experience

experimenting
on a similar type lock.

A great deal of experience
on a similar type of lock?

Yes, sir, that's right.

I now show you
this exact duplicate

of the safe
located in the office

of the Hargrove Finance Company.

With the court's permission,

I would like to ask you
to step down

and examine the lock
on this safe.

Permission
is granted.

How long would it take you
to open this lock

without knowing
the combination?

Well, with luck,

sometimes it could be done
in less than a minute.

But it could also
take hours.

Let's take a couple of minutes
and see how your luck is.

I object,
Your Honor,

on the grounds that
this is not the best evidence.

If Mr. Burger
is attempting to prove

that the safe
at the Hargrove Company office

can be opened by an expert,

I submit
that we must use the safe

at the Hargrove Company office
for this experiment.

But this safe is identical
with the one

at the Hargrove Company office.

Nevertheless,
each safe is known

to have its own character
and present its own problems.

Well, if you think
I'm gonna ask this court

to waste its time
by reconvening

at the Hargrove Company office,
I'd rather dispense

with the whole demonstration
altogether.

And I would prefer that you
allow the court to determine

when its time is being wasted.

If Your Honor please,

the defense is now most anxious
to accept Mr. Burger's offer

to demonstrate
how simply the safe

at the Hargrove Company office
can be opened by an expert.

Your Honor, the prosecution
could complete its case

in just a matter
of minutes.

I think Mr. Mason
has every right

to insist upon his point.

Moreover,
it is the court's feeling

that time is never wasted
in the pursuance of justice.

This court, therefore,
will adjourn

and reconvene in the offices
of the Hargrove Finance Company

for the purpose
of taking further testimony.

( gavel bangs )

( dramatic theme playing )

TRAGG:
Forty-seven seconds,
Your Honor.

I guess luck was
on my side.

In other words,
it could have taken much longer?

Oh, yes.

Would you say,
Mr. Cagle,

that this represented
the average time

or less
than the average?

I'm afraid I couldn't
answer that, Your Honor.

Since the average time
is so important, Your Honor,

I suggest we have Mr. Cagle
go through the operation again

to determine how long
it would take the second time.

If it please the court,
I think I've proved my point.

It seems hardly necessary

to go through
the whole experiment again.

Oh, I think we can spare
the minute it will take.

Go ahead, Mr. Cagle.

BURGER:
All right, Mr. Cagle,
I'll tell you when.

( lock rattling )

BURGER:
Now.

( rattling )

Who turned that on?

I did.

That's ridiculous, Mr. Mason.
Turn it off.

If Your Honor please,

defense was
under the impression

that this experiment
was intended to be

an exact-conditions test.

And according to
Miss Gilbert's sworn testimony,

this air conditioner was on

and functioning
in exactly this manner

during the entire holdup.

Is that not correct,
Miss Gilbert?

Yes, it is.

Well, in that case,
Mr. Cagle,

I suppose you'll have to proceed
under the prevailing conditions.

That's impossible.

How do you know
until you try?

All right, Mr. Cagle.

BURGER:
Now.

It's impossible
to hear a thing

under these circumstances,
Your Honor.

Would you say
under these conditions

that neither you nor anyone else
could possibly open this safe

if he did not know
the combination?

Completely
impossible.

( rattling stops )

Now, Mr. Hays, you testified
that after the robbery,

you subsequently remembered

having seen the defendant,
Anthony Renzi,

in this office
when he attempted

to open an account
with you?

Is that correct?

That's right.

At that time,
did you give the defendant,

Anthony Renzi,
the combination to this safe?

Of course not!

But you just heard Mr. Cagle.

Without knowing the combination,
no one could open the safe

while the air conditioner
was on.

Yet you testified
you alone had the combination.

Next you'll be saying
I k*lled Frank Anderson.

I'm saying that now.

You k*lled Frank Anderson

because you thought
he'd double-crossed you

when you found the money
was missing at that old house.

How did you feel
when you learned

the money had been taken
by a -year-old boy?

How did you feel
when you learned

that you had committed
robbery and m*rder

and all for absolutely nothing,
Mr. Hays?

How did you feel?

You don't believe that,
do you, Mr. Mason?

( ominous theme playing )

( upbeat theme playing )

There you are.

Oop.
( laughs )

Here.

Thank you.

( door opens )

NICKY:
Gramp!

Oh, Nicky, Nicky, Nicky.

Gee, Gramp, Miss Street
says it's all over.

You're not
in trouble anymore.

That's right, Nick.

But how can I ever repay
Mr. Mason?

That I don't know.

Well, I'm gonna
take care of it, Gramp.

I told Miss Street
I'm gonna get a job.

( chuckles )

Do you know how long
it would take to p--

Pay for the services
of a man like Mr. Mason?

Not long...

if you perfect your invention.

Ah!
But it will be perfected!

That I promise.

It will work.

Well, then you'll both
have a lot of money.

Well, yeah, but when?

In a few days, Nicky.
A few days.

( laughs )

( laughs )

( upbeat theme playing )

( noirish jazz theme playing )