02x12 - The Case of the Shattered Dream

[bunniefuu]

( noirish jazz theme playing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

MAN:
Oh, Breel?

It's the th.

I know, Walker.
I haven't got the money.

None of it?

No.

Fifteen thousand dollars
is a lot of money.

My luck has been bad and--

You wouldn't use that.
You could k*ll a man.

Oh, I wouldn't say that.

Would you, Jerry?

It would be interesting
to find out.

Please, Mr. Walker,

you've got to give me
a chance.

I'll get you your money.

When?

Give me a week?

A couple of days, then?

Please,
you won't regret it.

All right.

You've got hours.

If I were you,
I'd make every minute count.

( mysterious theme playing )

( romantic music playing
over radio )

To the prodigal.

Well, Hans, been behaving
yourself lately?

Mm-hm.

I'm the soul of virtue.

No gambling?

No other complications?

I've been much too busy.

Irene, I've been
a tremendous success

as a diamond broker.

I was a fool
for so many years.

You, a fool?

I can't imagine you being
a fool, Hans.

Unless it would be
over a woman or a gamble.

A fool to be
a diamond cutter,

to work for a salary.

( chuckles )

Do you still have
your Pundit Dream,

the uncut diamond?

Mm-hm. I still have it.

Let me see it again,
darling, will you?

I think I may have
a buyer for it.

All right.

As a matter of fact,
I have it right here.

I was going to take it
to Schoenbeck in the morning

to see if he could
cut it for me.

HANS:
Like an old friend,
seeing it again.

I think I know every
little tricky grain in it.

Do you have
a buyer for it, Hans?

I think maybe, perhaps.

Yes.

How much?

I'll try
to get , , Irene.

Fifteen thousand?

Why, if the Dream's
cut properly, it's--

You know, it's a very
difficult stone, very risky.

Sure, it can be worth
, ,

but if it shatters
in cleavage,

it won't be worth being
swept up from the floor.

No, no, no, , ,
but safe, guaranteed.

How did you know
I needed money right now?

( chuckles )

( suspenseful theme playing )

HANS:
At least good carats
if it's a point.

Obviously, my dear, you can make
a most handsome profit.

Adolph, what do you think?

I have seen this stone before.

It is the Pundit's Dream,

a very difficult stone.

Virginia,
if properly cleaved,

it can bring
at least $ , .

With this one,
the risk is very great.

I wouldn't try to cleave it.
Too dangerous.

Everything seems
to be too dangerous

for you now, old man.

Hans, perhaps I shouldn't
take the risk.

Things are--

Well, things haven't been going
very well since father d*ed.

I have to run this business
all by myself, you know.

Listen, my dear,
there isn't really any risk.

I'll cleave it myself.

I've studied it very carefully.

We can get an opinion
from Schoenbeck or Hillary,

or whatever expert you want.

This is your chance
to make a big profit.

Yes, it is, isn't it?

Oh, it could solve
so many problems for me.

Just think, Adolph,

if I could sell this stone
for even $ , ...

You really think
it will work, Hans?

Darling, I promise you.

VIRGINIA:
Oh, I want to believe you.

HANS:
Then do.

Well, even if I did buy it,

I can't raise
the , right away.

How much can you get?

Oh, probably half.

HANS:
Well, that's splendid.

Fifteen thousand now,
fifteen thousand later on.

Miss Bedford will accept.

( chuckles )

You won't regret it,
darling.

( mysterious theme playing )

WOMAN:
That's a picture

of my husband, Hugo,
and my little girl Kathy,

taken two years ago
in Chicago, Mr. Mason.

Do you think that you'll
be able to help me?

Well, Mrs. Werner,

if your husband
disappeared months ago,

why have you waited until now
to try to find him?

But I have tried,
as much as I was able.

You see, Kathy and I inherited
a joint trust fund

of $ , from my father.

Hugo persuaded me
to let him invest

the fund
so the value could increase.

Now, what did he do
with the money?

Well, he gambled it
all away.

I didn't even know about it
until after he left me.

He said he was leaving
the town on business.

He's a diamond expert,
you see,

a cutter and broker.

Did you notify
the police?

That would have
meant scandal, Mr. Mason.

But you must have
made inquiries?

Well, yes, I did.

And I have reason to believe
that he's here,

here in Los Angeles
right now.

Mrs. Werner,

why do you want to find
your husband now?

Oh, I don't want anything
for myself,

but he's got to pay back

the money that he stole
from my child.

Well, first,
we'll have to locate him

before we take
any legal action.

I'll put the Drake
Detective Agency on it.

Oh, uh, Mr. Mason,
I, uh...

I'm not prepared
to pay you right now.

I thought that
if I could find him,

uh, maybe I can arrange--

Yes, it's-- It's all right,
Mrs. Werner.

We'll work it out.

You can be reached
at your hotel?

Yes. Thank you very much,
Mr. Mason.

Goodbye.

Bye.

Bye.

Did you notice the perfume
she was wearing?

Mm-hm.

Eternity,

$ a half ounce.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Seven-high straight.

Well, ha-ha.

That cleans me out
for tonight.

I'd like to get
back at you,

if you'd advance me
a little credit.

For just till tomorrow.

I'll have more cash then.

We'll have a game tomorrow.

I dropped $ ,
here tonight!

Breel, Jerry Morrow
was asking about you.

( ominous theme playing )

You know Morrow.
Walker's boy?

( rings )

Hello?

( over phone ):
Virginia, this is Hans.

Oh, is anything wrong?

No, nothing personally,
my dear.

I've just had an urgent call
from Miss Bedford.

She's got to have
the rest of the money

for the Pundit Dream
right away.

Oh, but you said I didn't have
to pay it for days.

Hans, I-I can't possibly borrow
any more from the bank.

How 'bout Schoenbeck?

He's an old friend
of your father's.

Ask him, Virginia.

Well...

all right, dear.

I'll call him
first thing tomorrow.

Bless you, darling.
You've saved my life.

Very dangerous. Very.

Is this yours, Breel?

Yes.

You recommend cleaving,

not sawing?
Yes.

Yes, I do.

And you, Adolph?

I recommend nothing.

I think
it is disaster.

It's probably
the best approach, Breel.

Then you recommend cleaving,
like that?

If it must be done, yes.

Will you lend me $ ,
on it, Mr. Schoenbeck?

No, Miss Trent.
No?

But I'll buy
a half interest in it,

right now,
for $ , .

Virginia, no.

Don't give it away.

It could be worth
practically nothing too.

Schoenbeck,
if I cleave it now,

will you lend her
the money?

If it is successful.

All right.

Let's set it up.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( shattering )

( ominous theme playing )

I don't know
any other kind of gambling

where you can lose
so quickly.

We had to try.

A hundred thousand dollars
one moment,

chips and splinters
the next.

Oh, Hans,
what can we do?

HANS:
They're worth something.

A few thousand,
anyway.

I'll take them downtown.

Hans.

Well, Mrs. Werner?

It's Hugo.

Calls himself
Hans Breel these days.

No, wait.
Wait, I must talk to him.

I'm sorry.

Are-- Are we going
to follow him?

Don't have to.

He lives at
the Prescott Apartments.

Now, Mrs. Werner, I'm gonna
drive you to your hotel.

You're to wait there
till Mr. Mason calls you.

You understand,
Mrs. Werner?

Those are
Mr. Mason's orders.

Yes, I understand.

Okay.

( engine starts )

Well, try to call again,
will you, Gertie?

Thank you.

What else
did you find out, Paul?

Well, this Hugo Werner
or Hans Breel,

whatever he calls himself
these days,

quite a character.

Man about town,
lover, gambler.
And?

And he works out of,
uh, Trent and Company,

a swank jeweler
on Wilshire.

And his gambling's got him
in pretty deep

with a character
named Bill Walker.

He owes him a bundle.

( phone rings )

Hello?

Oh, is this Mr. Breel's
message service again?

Well, this is
the Perry Mason office, and--

Oh, he did.

Well, thank you very much.

He got your message
over an hour ago.

And hasn't answered
the call.

What about Mrs. Werner?

No word from her either.

That's funny.

Paul, are you sure you told her?
( phone rings )

Yes, Gertie.

Oh, put him on.

Mr. Breel.

Mr. Breel,
this is Perry Mason.

MAN:
I'm sorry I could not return
your call sooner.

What can I do for you,
Mr. Mason?

Well, actually,
it's rather difficult

to discuss on the telephone.

Perhaps you could drop by
my office?

I'm sorry,
that is out of the question.

Well, suppose I come by
to see you.

Tonight?

Yes, tonight.

But it's almost : now.

I can be there
in half an hour.

You cannot give me an idea
of what this is all about?

No, I'm sorry, Mr. Breel.

I'll see you at .

( suspenseful theme playing )

( doorbell buzzing )

( sniffs )

Yeah, gunpowder.

Paul.
Hm?

( exhales )

( sniffs )

Perry--
I smell that too.

It's called Eternity.
Sarah Werner uses it.

Eternity, huh?

That can be as long as it takes
to squeeze a trigger.

Better find her, Paul,
the sooner the better.

Okay.
Let's get out of here.

See you later, Perry.

Oh, uh...

May I use your phone?

Yes.

I'd like
to report a m*rder.

( doorbell buzzing )

Oh. Come in.

What time is it?

Quarter to .

I found Mrs. Werner
at the bus depot.

She was waiting
for the : to Chicago.

Sit down, Mrs. Werner.

Where were you
early last night?

Out.

Obviously.

Out where?

Walking.

Up the stairs
to your husband's apartment?

Or did you ride
the elevator?

You don't understand.

MASON:
I'd like to understand.

I'd like to understand
why you didn't call us

and tell us what you'd done.

I asked her that.

I can explain it.

I did go for a walk.

A long walk.

And then I...

Then I went
to Hugo's apartment.

I rang the bell,
and there was no answer.

I thought he was out.

And then just--

Just before leaving, I...

I turned the doorknob.

The door was open.

( sobbing ):
And I went in.

Go on, Mrs. Werner.

He was dead.

Th-there was a b*rned smell
in the room,

and there was a g*n
on the floor.

What time was this?

I don't know.
I don't know what time it was.

What about the g*n?

Did you touch it?

No, I...

I'm-- I'm afraid of g*ns.

Then did you leave?

Yes.

You closed the apartment door
when you left?

Yes.

Completely closed it?

Yes.

Then you decided
to run away.

How much evidence
do you think you left

in your husband's apartment
last night?

But I didn't leave any.

Didn't you touch anything?

The doorknob,
the table,

any of half a dozen
other objects in the room?

But--?

But how would they know
that they're my fingerprints?

Mrs. Werner,

you're the wife
of a m*rder*d man.

Don't you realize the police are
going to investigate you,

whether you're here in Chicago
or at the North Pole?

I didn't know.

I--

What shall I do,
Mr. Mason?

Did you k*ll your husband?

I don't want a shake
of the head,

I want you to look at me
and say it out loud.

No.

No, no, no, no, I didn't.

I loved him, I--

I know that--

That he took my money, and--
And he walked out on me.

But his gambling was
a sickness.

He just couldn't help himself.

I loved him.

Please,

what shall I do,
Mr. Mason?

I think you'd better call
the police.

The police?

Well, if they prefer
any charges against you,

we'll rush them
into an early hearing

and then try
to take them off balance.

The phone is right there,
Mrs. Werner.

( somber theme playing )

What's their number?

( knocking on door )

What is it, Jack?

There's a Paul Drake outside.
He wants to talk to Mr. Walker.

He's a private detective.

He does a lot of work
for Perry Mason.

Tell him I'm not here.

Oh, um, wait a minute.

Tell him I'm not here,
but, uh,

Mr. Morrow will talk
to him.

You play this hand.

I'll kibitz.

( knocking on door )

Uh, Mr. Morrow?

That's me.

PAUL:
I understand you work
for a Mr. Walker.

I'm very anxious
to get in touch with him.

You can't.
He's in Vegas.

He was in town yesterday.

That was
in the morning.

He left in the afternoon
on the : flight.

( sighs )

What's wrong, buster?

I'm just trying to remember
where I know you from.

You don't know me
from Adam.

I think Mr. Mason
would like to talk to you.

No, thanks. Come on, boys.
Let's play cards.

Hey, Drake.

I think I'll take you up
on that invitation.

I've always been curious
about this Mason fellow.

All right, I'll call him

and tell him
to meet us at the office.

Where were we?

Your bet.

Oh.

Now, I think
there's a couple of things

that ought to go
on the record, Mr. Mason.

Like the $ ,
that Hans Breel owed Walker?

No, almost anyone in Vegas
could have told you that.

Then what things,
Mr. Morrow?

Well, that about ten days ago,
a woman came to see Mr. Walker.

She showed him
a picture.

What kind of picture?

Of a man and a little girl.

This woman asked
if Mr. Walker had seen the man.

She called him Hugo Werner.

What did Mr. Walker
tell her?

He told her that he didn't know
anyone named Hugo Werner.

I see.

She said something about

making sure she got
some money from him

if she had to follow him to
the end of the Earth to get it.

Does this interest you,
Mr. Mason?

Yes, it does.

Now, Mr. Walker
doesn't like

to get messed up
in an affair like this,

but he doesn't have to go
blabbing to the police either.

Just like you don't have to poke
into the business

we had with Hans Breel.

Tell me something,
Mr. Morrow.

Sure.

How do you stand
with the money Breel owed you?

We've written it off.

When you asked him for it,

did he say where
he hoped to get it?

He said some gal had
an uncut diamond

that he was going to sell
and make some money with.

Just, uh, some girl?
He didn't mention any name?

It wasn't
our business.

Thank you,
Mr. Morrow.

That's okay, counselor,

I like to make friends
when it doesn't hurt.

You never know when you're
gonna need one in a hurry,

especially a good lawyer.

( door closes )

Why so preoccupied, Paul?

One of the guys
in that poker game.

Nah, it couldn't
have been Bill Walker.

They wouldn't lie to me
right to my face.

Did he say the : plane
to Las Vegas?

Yeah, I'll check
the flights.

Oh, that, uh,
girl with the uncut diamond

that Morrow mentioned,
her name's, uh, Irene Bedford.

She lives at West Serrano,
apartment -B.

Wonder if she'll mind
my calling on her

before breakfast.

Probably.

I am going to bed.
Good night.

I think you should,
but before you do, uh,

will you check
on these for me?

Good morning.

( mysterious theme playing )

So that's it, Mr. Mason.

I signed Hans' contract,

and he sold the Pundit Dream
to Virginia Trent for $ , .

As you can see, he was to get
ten percent of the sale price.

I'm afraid you're wrong,
Miss Bedford.

This contract actually

assigned title
of your diamond to Breel.

He agreed to pay you
percent of all proceeds

he might derive from any sale,
not to exceed $ , .

Isn't that
what I just said?

No.

Breel could have sold
the diamond for any sum

and still have paid you
only $ , .

What if he did sell it
for more?

I guess there's a price
on everything.

Even love.

He was
a compulsive gambler.

I understand that,
night before last,

he lost $ ,
in a poker game.

Fifteen thousand dollars?

Where would Hans
get money like that?

You mean, it was mine?

You mean, Virginia Trent
paid him the $ , ,

and he lied to me
about her not being able

to pay for days?

One would think
you're hearing this

for the first time,
Miss Bedford.

When do you think
I would have heard it?

Let's go see
Virginia Trent.

Oh, uh, will you be long?

Two and a half minutes.

Time me.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Fifteen thousand?

Yes, that's what
Hans told me.

VIRGINIA:
You know what happened
to the Pundit Dream?

It shattered.

That's tough luck,
but it doesn't affect me.

Now, look, you're not
trying to renege?

Oh, no.

No, it was a firm deal.

Only it was for , .

Hans said he couldn't
get it for less.

Hans told me he couldn't
get more than .

VIRGINIA:
Why, I already
gave him , .

He said you needed
the balance right away.

That's why he took a chance
and cleaved the stone.

Only--

Well, I'm sorry,
Miss Bedford,

but it's going to be
a long time

before I can pay you
the rest of the money.

I didn't even get
the first part of it.

I can't ask you
for the balance.

I'm afraid Hans didn't
always tell the truth.

Did you know
he was married?

Yes, I knew.

Did you see him last night?

No.

Some unidentified person went

to his apartment last night,
after he'd been sh*t,

and apparently left
the door open upon leaving.

ADOLPH:
Liebchen?

Have you seen
the papers?

Do you know, uh--?

Do you work here?

Yes.

VIRGINIA:
This is Adolph Van Beers,
Mr. Mason,

a very old friend
and worker.

Mr. Van Beers, why didn't you
say something last night

about knowing Hans?

What was there to say?

Hans was dead.

You were calling the police.

I did not sh**t him,
Mr. Mason.

So, what was there to say?

( ominous theme playing )

Gonna try a case?

Oh.

Hi, Perry.
Hi, Paul.

Just been
to police headquarters.

Any luck?

Well, they've just
booked Sarah Werner

for the m*rder
of her husband.

Have they?

Apparently, they've established
her at the scene at the time.

And they've got
a piece of a motive,

what with the money angle,
and then checking back

on Hans Breel,
alias Hugo Werner,

alias two
or three other names.

Are you sure
they don't have something more?

They moved pretty fast.

They may have.

And if I sound cryptic,
so did Lieutenant Tragg.

Well, what did Tragg say
that sounded so cryptic?

Well, as near
as I can remember,

quote:

"The police were looking
for Sarah Werner

even before they knew
she was in town."

Unquote.

( dramatic theme playing )

Would you tell us the cause
of death, please, doctor?

Death was caused by
a mm b*llet through the heart.

And the time of death,
sir?

Between : and : p.m.,
April th.

Thank you, doctor.

Your witness.

Doctor, may I ask if death

might have occurred
at a quarter of ten?

No, sir.

How 'bout : ?
No, sir.

As a matter of fact,
there's only one chance

in ,
it was after : .

The area of extreme probability
was between : and : .

Thank you, doctor,
that's all.

Well, the fingerprints

of the defendant,
Mrs. Sarah Werner,

were found on a magazine rack
near the body.

Thank you, lieutenant.

Cross-examine.

Those were
the only fingerprints

you found of the defendant
in the room, lieutenant?

Yes, sir.

Other places where fingerprints
would normally be found

had been wiped clean.

Thank you, lieutenant.

You may step down,
lieutenant.

And I've been a, uh,
diamond importer and wholesaler

for nearly years.

I have offices in Amsterdam,

New York
and here in Los Angeles.

Defense recognizes
the witness

is a qualified expert
in the diamond trade.

Thank you, counselor.

Now, Mr. David,
would you tell us, please,

what transpired in your office
on the evening of April th?

Well, I was working late,
and, uh, about half past ,

a woman knocked
at my front door.

I let her in.

She had an uncut diamond
to sell me.

BURGER:
And now, Mr. David,

I ask you to look around
this courtroom

and tell us if you recognize
the woman

that tried to sell you
that stone.

Yes. That's she.

BURGER:
Let the record show

that the witness is pointing
to the defendant, Sarah Werner.

Now we know what Tragg meant
when he sounded cryptic.

Cross-examine.

MASON:
No questions.

You may step down.

So I examined the Pundit Dream
and gave my opinion.

I said it would be
very dangerous

to try to cleave the stone.

Now, let's proceed
very carefully, Mr. Schoenbeck.

After you examined the stone,
what happened?

SCHOENBECK:
Well, there were a few words

with Adolph and Virginia,

and then Hans--
I beg your pardon.

Hugo Werner said
he would cleave it.

He said he had studied it and
knew he would not shatter it.

And this is the same stone

that you had just finished
examining,

the Pundit Dream?

SCHOENBECK:
Yes.

BURGER:
All right,
what happened then?

SCHOENBECK:
He set everything up
and struck the stone.

BURGER:
And then?

The stone shattered
into fragments.

BURGER:
Now, Mr. Schoenbeck,

you have been qualified here
as an expert.

There was no mistaking
the Pundit Dream

when you examined it,
was there?

No, I could not mistake it.

I show you now
this uncut diamond,

marked in evidence,
which has been identified here

by the expert,
Lawrence David,

as having been presented
to him by the defendant.

I ask if you recognize this?

Recognize it?

Why, that is--

That is--
Go on, Mr. Schoenbeck.

It's the Pundit Dream.

BURGER:
Whole, in one piece,
not shattered.

SCHOENBECK:
Yes, but I saw it!

I saw him lift
the hammer and strike.

It is the Pundit Dream.

But that doesn't seem
very logical,

does it, Mr. Schoenbeck?

I mean, you can't take
a diamond

and shatter it and then put it
back together again, can you?

No, that's impossible.

Well, let's retrace
our steps then

and see if we can solve
this mystery.

After you had examined
the diamond,

what did you do with it?

I gave it back to him.

And then?

Then we talked,

and Hans set up
the cleaving operation.

He had the diamond
and then--

He must have switched stones.

MASON:
Just a moment.

Your Honor, I move
to strike out the words,

"he must have switched stones"

as not being responsive
to the question,

as being a conclusion
of the witness.

I ask the court
to caution the witness

not to volunteer statements.

Objection sustained.

The reporter will strike
the witness' last answer.

I can understand your sense
of excitement, Mr. Schoenbeck,

and your unfamiliarity
with court procedure.

Please, limit your answers
to the questions asked.

Yes, Your Honor,
but that's--

That will be all,
Mr. Schoenbeck.

Thank you very much.
Your witness.

Mr. Schoenbeck,
what happened

to the fragments
of the shattered diamond?

SCHOENBECK:
Hans put them in a bag

and said he would take them
downtown to a dealer.

Now, you said something
about words

between you, Virginia
and Adolph.

Would you please explain
who Adolph is?

Adolph Van Beers.

He's a diamond cutter
from Holland.

He came here to this country
with Virginia's father,

August Trent,
long before Virginia was born.

Some years ago, Adolph cleaved

the Emerson Star diamond
for Mr. Trent.

He shattered it.

It cost Mr. Trent
a small fortune.

Adolph has been
g*n-shy ever since.

g*n-shy?

Well, you know,

afraid to cleave
a large stone.

He's lost his nerve,
like a flyer after an accident.

And also he has
a terrible guilt complex.

He's a mass
of neurosis.

You, uh-- You seem to have
a slight accent, Mr. Schoenbeck.

Are you from Holland also?
Yes, sir.

Have I seen you before?
No.

I seem to have heard
your voice before.

Have I ever talked to you
on the telephone?

No.

Didn't you telephone me
on the night of the m*rder,

identify yourself as Hans Breel
and make the statement--?

No. No, sir.

I did not telephone you

on that night
or any other night.

Thank you.
That'll be all.

You may step down,
Mr. Schoenbeck.

Miss Bedford, you were
acquainted with the deceased,

known to you
as Hans Breel,

on a personal as well
as a business basis?

Yes, sir.

As a matter of fact,
you knew him well enough

to authorize him to dispose
of your uncut diamond

called the Pundit Dream?
Yes.

You knew he was a married man?

Oh, yes.

And did you know
to whom he was married?

You mean,
here in the United States

or in Amsterdam
before he came here?

BURGER:
His marriage
in the United States

was not his first marriage?

IRENE:
Oh, no.

And as a matter of fact,
he was still married

to his first wife
when he came to this country

and married the defendant
in this case?

IRENE:
That's right.

He said he told her
when he left her in Chicago.

No. No, he never did.
I didn't know.

I didn't know, Mr. Mason.

BURGER:
If it please the court,

I should like to submit
these photostatic documents.

A marriage license
and certificate,

received from Amsterdam,
Holland, issued to Piet Verlan,

alias Piet Hofer,
alias Hugo Werner,

alias Hans Breel,

and ask that they be marked
in evidence for the people.

Cross-examine.

Miss Bedford,

in a conversation
you had with me

the day after the m*rder,

did we not discuss the fact
that Hans Breel

had tricked you
into signing a contract

which permitted him
to sell the Pundit diamond

for any sum he wished,

but that he was obligated
to pay you

not more than $ , ?

Yes, you saw the contract
and pointed out to me

that I had practically
given him

power of attorney
in the diamond.

And then we found out that
he sold the stone for $ , ?

Yes.

And that you hadn't received
a penny of that money?

Not then.

Not then?

You mean, you have since?

Yes, I got a check in the mail
yesterday morning for $ , .

I had to sign an endorsement
and a bill of sale

to Virginia Trent.

Miss Trent paid you
this money?

Oh, I don't know.
It wasn't her check.

Whose check was it?

Adolph Van Beers'.

MASON:
No further questions.

Court adjourned until : .

Burger prepared
this case in a hurry,

but he built it
like a battleship.

We're in the process
of being sunk.

I'm sorry, Mr. Mason.
I lied to you.

The reason
I took that stone--

I know why you took it, Sarah.
You took it for your daughter.

That's why you tried
to run away.

Yes.

Thank you
for understanding.

Well, Paul?

Come on,
let's have lunch.

( dramatic theme playing )

( mellow theme playing )

I know you folks are
in a hurry,

so I brought
your beverages first.

Are you having the tea,
Miss Street?

Mm-hm. Thank you.

And the coffee's mine.

And, uh, also the check.

Will there
be anything else?

We have some very nice
strawberry shortcake.

Mm--

No, thanks.

Paul, are you--?
Are you sure of those facts?

Positive.

Jerry Morrow's boss,

William Walker, has been
in town the entire time.

He didn't go back
to Las Vegas?

Nope, and I'd call him
a prime suspect

except for one thing:

he was in the poker game
at the time of the m*rder,

and he's got seven witnesses,
including Jerry Morrow.

Look, I-- I know you
checked them thoroughly, Paul,

but did either of them
leave the room

for any length of time?

Nope, not even
to telephone.

There was no phone in the room,
and nobody left the room.

Not even at :
when someone called you

at the office
and said he was Hans Breel.

Well, then, that phone call
was obviously an attempt

to establish
a false time of death.

Right.

Uh, Morrow's been
very helpful, Paul.

However, we'll still keep
an eye on him.

It's, um, been nice
having lunch with you,

but it's time to get
back to the courtroom.

It is the Pundit's Dream.

Now, it's been proven
that the stone the defendant

tried to sell to Lawrence David
on the night of the m*rder

was the Pundit Dream.

Do you now corroborate

the previous testimony
of the expert

that this is that stone?

Yes.

Then, the diamond

or paste
or fused-glass fake

that Hans Breel struck
with a chisel and hammer

could not have been
the Pundit Dream, could it?

Obviously,
it could not have been.

Thank you, sir.
Your witness.

Now, Mr. Van Beers,
isn't it true

that because you became g*n-shy
and refused to take chances,

Miss Trent had to look elsewhere
for a diamond cutter?

Yes.

I...

She hired Hans
because of me.

Where do you live,
Mr. Van Beers?

At East Avenue H,
in Fernwood.

Did Mr. Breel live
at the same address?

Yes, when he came to work
at Trent's,

I got him the apartment.

On the same floor as yours?

Yes.

Now, after Breel shattered
the stone

you thought was
the Pundit Dream,

did you attempt
to speak to him again?

No, I didn't.

Oh, come, now, Mr. Van Beers.

You mean to say,
you didn't even cross the hall

to ask him why his calculations
with the stone had gone wrong?

Yes, I did go
to his apartment.

What time was that?

Around half-past .

All right, Mr. Mason.

I k*lled him.

I k*lled him

because I couldn't stand
what he had done to Virginia.

She had trusted him.

She had put her life,
her future, in his hands.

He had betrayed her.

BURGER:
Your Honor,

in view of the sudden turn
this case has taken--

Excuse me, Mr. Burger.

If Your Honor please,
I would like to continue

my cross-examination
of this witness.

You may continue, Mr. Mason.

Thank you. Mr. Burger?

Thank you.

Now, Mr. Van Beers,

when you went
into Breel's apartment

was the door closed?

Yes, the door was closed.

And while you were
in his apartment,

did you telephone me?

Yes.

Will you tell me how you knew
I had called him?

He had written a note
with your phone number on it

that he got
from his message service.

And when you left his apartment,
did you close the door?

No. I left it
open a little.

But Mrs. Werner found the door
closed and left it closed.

I found it open,
so you must have been there

after Mrs. Werner
and before me.

Well,

yes, I guess, uh...

I guess I was there
after she was there.

But Mrs. Werner
found her husband dead.

She took the diamond
from his pocket,

so he must have been dead
when you arrived.

Oh, oh, no!

And all those things
you told the police

to throw them off the trail.

The telephone call to me,
the fingerprints, the door,

even the $ , you sent
to Miss Bedford.

They weren't to protect you

because you didn't k*ll
Hans Breel.

No, I tell you,
I did it!

Adolph, no, you mustn't!
He's trying to protect me!

Order! There will be order
in this courtroom.

Young lady,
what's the meaning of this?

If it please the court,

I think I can clarify
the situation

if I'm correct in assuming
that Mr. Burger intends

to call Virginia Trent
as his next witness.

I certainly do so intend.

Now if you will permit,
Mr. Burger,

and with the permission
of the court,

I should like first
to recall Miss Irene Bedford.

Mr. Burger?

I have no objections,
Your Honor.

You may step down.

Miss Bedford to the stand.

You realize you're still
under oath, Miss Bedford?

Of course.

Now I'd just like to clear up
a few points.

Did Hans Breel telephone you
on the afternoon of the m*rder

to tell you he had shattered
the Pundit Dream?

No.

That's odd.
It is?

Well, Breel was
in dire need of money,

so he devised this scheme.

He would make it seem as though
he had shattered the stone.

Virginia would get hurt,
you would get hurt,

and he would keep
the real diamond

without anyone knowing it.

Neat trick, wasn't it?

Fascinating.

But you had to know
the stone was shattered,

so it would have been illogical
for him not to have called you.

He didn't call.

Hm.

Uh, do you, uh--? Do you recall
showing me the contract

between yourself
and the deceased?

Yes, you were nice enough
to interpret it for me.

In matters like that,
I'm a complete innocent.

Now in your testimony earlier,

you talked about giving Breel
virtual power of attorney

in the diamond.

Yes, you pointed that out to me.

But I never used the phrase
"power of attorney."

Who did?

I can't remember.

Another attorney?

Yes.

When did you see him?

It must have been
some time that day,

the day Hans was k*lled.

Why?

Something must have prompted you

to see an attorney,
Miss Bedford.

Was it after Hans called

and told you
he'd shattered the stone?

Yes.

Then the attorney verified
the fact that

whatever Hans wanted to do,
he could do,

and you had no recourse?

Yes.

Then you went
to Hans' apartment?

No.

Aren't you lying again,
Miss Bedford?

He had double-crossed you.

First, out of $ , ,

then out of the balance

after he shattered the stone,
so you went to his apartment.

No, I knew about the stone.
I knew he had switched stones!

Hans told me!

Told you when?
When I saw him.

At his apartment?

Yes!

I didn't k*ll him.

I knew that if I admitted
speaking to him

or going to his apartment,
you'd suspect me.

I didn't k*ll him.

He told me about the diamond

and how he could get rid of it
in another city

and how much more money
we could get for it.

Then why did you accept
the $ , check

from Adolph Van Beers?

What?

The check
he sent you yesterday?

Why would you have signed
a bill of sale

if knowing the diamond
was intact?

You wouldn't have.

When you faced Breel
with that g*n,

why didn't you take
the diamond away from him?

It was there in his pocket.

If, as you say,
he had told you about it,

why didn't you take
the diamond away from him?

You're trying to trip me up!

No, Miss Bedford,
you tripped yourself up.

You're so tangled
in lies,

I don't believe you know
the truth from fiction.

I hated him!

He wanted to get rid of me!

Besides lying and cheating,
he wanted to get rid of me!

You--

You were still in love
with him?

Oh, y-yes.

That's why I k*lled him.

That's why I k*lled him!

( tense theme playing )

It's of no use.

There's too much risk.

I haven't cleaved a stone
in so many years.

Please, Adolph, if you don't
cleave the Pundit Dream,

no one else will.

But, liebchen,
one needs a firm hand,

a sharp eye.

Other things measure
a man's stature, Mr. Van Beers.

Important things like dignity,
self-respect, courage,

a mind that's not filled
with doubt.

Virginia wants that for you
above all else.

Even if you fail.

( panting )

Perfect!

They should be worth
$ , to $ , each.

So, Adolph, you have not lost
the master's touch.

Congratulations.

Oh!

Well, you won't make expenses
on this case, Perry, but...

it's dividends like that
that make it all worthwhile.

( dramatic theme playing )

( noirish jazz theme playing )