04x15 - The Case of the Fickle Fortune

[bunniefuu]

( noirish jazz theme playing )

( mysterious theme playing )

( doorbell rings )

Yes?

I'm Mrs. Hollister.

I see.

Well, if you read the notice
here...

I was poor Augusta Bowdoin's
housekeeper

before she passed on.

Are you able to find everything
all right?

Oh, yes. I'll manage all right,
thank you.

Well, I know you people
are making an inventory.

And I was wondering about a vase
I was always very fond of.

Everything here will be taken
to the county warehouse

as soon as I finish
my investigation.

Well, yes, of course, but I--

That's where everything goes
in a case like this,

where somebody dies
and there's no will, no heirs.

Well, I thought I could be
of some help.

No, thank you, Mrs. Hollister.
I'm sorry.

Well, then...

( mysterious theme playing )

( grunts )

( mysterious theme continues )

( crickets chirping )

Hi.

Hi, honey.

Ralph, watch the eggs.

Honey, just wait till you see
what I found.

I was just starting to inventory
that old Bowdoin house

when out popped more money than
you ever saw in your life. Heh.

Money?
( door opens )

Hey, Charley.

( door closes )

Charley, how would you
like to see $ , ,

all tucked into
one little envelope?

Oh, Ralph.

What did you do, Ralphie,
rob a bank?

Now wait a minute. It isn't
my money, you understand.

As a matter of fact,
it isn't really spending money.

Well, then,
what on earth is it?

What do you mean,
it isn't really money?

Remember those
old greenbacks, darling?

Currency the government
called in years ago.

I guess big amounts like this
wouldn't be honored now

except under
special circumstances,

but I wanted you to see it

before I had to hand it over
to the county.

Ralph, you know

you're not supposed
to bring things home.

You could
get in trouble.

Oh, darling, what they don't
know down at the office

doesn't hurt them. Heh.

I just wanted to show you
what it looks like--

( ominous theme playing )

Well?

It's gone.

( dramatic theme playing )

It can't be.

I-I put it in there myself,

and I only stopped
at the grocery store.

A hundred and fifty
thousand dollars.

( whistles )

Oh, Ralph.
You fool.

( dramatic theme swells )

( mysterious theme playing )

MAN:
Well, well, would you look
at that.

Benjamin Franklin.

Liberty dressed as Columbia.

Look how much bigger these are

than the bills we have nowadays.

Heh. Yeah.

Of course, I nearly got
the scare of my life

when I hear they're only good
under special circumstances.

Well, there were
circumstances under which

even the Continentals were good
during the Revolution.

And I suppose that
Robert E. Lee

didn't mind taking his salary
in Confederate money.

( laughs )

Mr. Farrell, that--
That's just kidding, ain't it?

I mean, greenbacks
are still real dough.

Technically, I suppose so.

But, uh,
what was your purpose

in bringing all of this to me,
Mr. Nickels?

Oh, just call me
Charley.

See, I remembered
how you said

if I ran across anything
really valuable,

how'd you'd be interested
in hearing about it.

And it seemed to me
that $ , --

Well, I was referring
to objects of art.

Being in the export business,

I have a large market
open in that field.

But, uh-- Heh.
Old money hardly qualifies.

And where did you find this,
anyway?

Well, I-I'm walking past
the grocery store last night,

and I see my cousin's car.

He's the one that works
at the county.

Yes, well, never mind, Charley.
Maybe I'd just as soon not know.

( sighs )

There'd be all sorts
of risk attached

in getting this amount of money
exchanged.

But wouldn't it be worth it?

I mean,

even if we sold off for or
cents on the dollar.

Or if you gave me half?

You mean you'll do it?

( laughs )

How?

How, Mr. Farrell?

( light jazz music playing )

Hello, there.

Hello, Lloyd.

Norma, it's wonderful
seeing you again.

Won't you sit down?

I've been right at the same
telephone number.

Of course, I haven't been
just sitting,

waiting there
all the time, but--

I know, Norma.

I know how long
it's been.

One year.

Uh, two Gibsons,
please.

Yes, sir.

One with
a double onion.

Surely, sir.

That you remembered.

I remember a lot more
than that.

You, uh,
still work for the county?

Yes. Why?

Oh, I don't know.

Something reminded me of it.

Uh, a rather unusual
business opportunity

I happened to run into.

It happened to remind you
of me?

No. Just something I thought
I'd ask about, that's all.

It doesn't matter.

How is your mother?

It seems to me the last time
we saw each other

was when you just happened
to want to meet

some people I worked for.

I thought perhaps when
the phone rang this time--

Norma.

I wanted to see you.

I called you
because I can call you now.

Because I have the right to.

Because I finally got
my divorce.

( sighs )

I'm sorry, Lloyd.

What was the question
you wanted to ask?

Well, I just wondered
whether it was difficult

to get a name off
the county rolls, that's all.

The name of a pensioner.

What sort of name did you want?

Someone very old.
Someone who's going to die.

Now, where shall we
have dinner?

I know a beautiful
new steak place.

WOMAN:
Oh, for heaven's sake.

RALPH:
Mm?

Did you see this thing
about the old man

who d*ed the other day?

See who, dear?

The one who was
supposed to have been poor,

only he left $ , .

Don't I have enough trouble

that you have to read me
every story--?

But Ralph, the money
he left was in old bills.

Greenbacks.

"It was revealed today
that Josiah Ames, aged ,

"who passed away last night
at the Sunnydale Rest Home,

was by no means a pauper."

"A routine search
of the old man's effects

"disclosed $ ,
in very old currency

"commonly known as greenbacks,

"a type of money which has
long since been recalled

"by the United States Treasury.

"A handwritten will bequeathed
the out-of-date fortune

to Albert G. Keller, a longtime
resident of this city."

And, what was the amount
of old currency

you found in that house?

It totaled $ , .

Just , more
than the amount mentioned here.

Yes.

It's quite a difference,
of course, uh,

so it could be
just a coincidence.

But you don't really think
it is coincidence, do you?

Well, neither do I.

The trouble is,

most anybody could have gotten
that envelope out of my car.

I only stopped
at the grocery store and--

And I locked it.

Mr. Duncan, I take it
you haven't yet reported

either the discovery or loss
of the currency to anyone.

No, Mr. Mason.
That's why I'm here.

I kept intending to report it
all along.

O-only now,
I've got to do something.

You are aware of the fact
that when old currency is found

as part of an estate,

it, uh, automatically becomes
redeemable.

Yes, that's what I mean.

The money goes
through probate court,

and then the Treasury Department
redeems the old bills

with new currency
to pay the heirs.

Now, if this is
part of the money you found,

someone has played
a very neat trick.

They fixed it
so you can't prove your story,

can't even prove the money's the
same.

But I've got to.

I've got to tell the truth,
even if I lose my job.

I'll do whatever you advise,
Mr. Mason. Only, please help me.

Della.

Call Paul?

A little bundle
of clothes,

and a few books,

and an old footlocker.

That's all Mr. Ames owned.

Why, when we found that
he had written a will,

we all just laughed at the idea
of his even needing one.

Then the old gentleman
never mentioned his money?

This is a charity place,
Mr. Drake.

Miss Hamilton, who actually
found the greenbacks?

I did.

Clear in the bottom
of his footlocker.

First there was an old sweater,
then a newspaper,

then several big pictures
of his wife.

She's been dead
a long time,

He told me once--

Uh, did you count
the money yourself?

Well, there were
four of us there besides me.

We all counted.

It was $ , .

Didn't you know?

Miss Hamilton,
was there anything unusual

about Mr. Ames' death?

Did he die, uh, unexpectedly?

This is a terminal
rest home, Mr. Drake.

I first met Mr. Ames when
he came out here from Kansas.

Salina, Kansas, I believe.

That would be
about years ago.

Only, why do you ask,
Mr. Mason?

Are you representing
a relative of his?

No, Mr. Keller,
not a relative.

Yes, I always understood
he didn't have any.

Well, I certainly don't have
any secrets.

Ames opened a little repair shop
over on th Street.

I used to drop in and help him
with his books,

what little there was of them.

Sometimes we played chess.

Did Mr. Ames ever mention to you
that he had made out a will?

One in your favor?

No.

Oh, he did say several times
that he was grateful

that I dropped in on him,

and that someday he'd prove it.

Didn't you take him seriously?

Heh. Would you have, Mr. Mason,
under those circumstances?

I knew he meant well,
that's all.

He certainly never gave me
any indication

that he had any money.

Now, see here, Mason.

You perhaps have gathered

that I have quite a successful
accounting business here.

That does not mean, however,
that I'm not going to accept,

and thoroughly enjoy,
this windfall inheritance.

So if your client is planning
to contest Mr. Ames' will--

No, Mr. Keller.

No, I don't think my client
will contest the will.

Thank you.

You've been very helpful.

But if Paul said there's
nothing wrong at the rest home

where the old gentleman d*ed,

and if you had nothing but
a friendly chat with his heir--

Well, at least Mr. Keller's
story sounded convincing.

There has to be something
fraudulent somewhere.

Why? Facts indicate that these
just aren't the same greenbacks

your client was worried about.

Right at the present time,

according to
the best authorities,

there are still a great number
of greenbacks

that have never been turned in
for redemption.

In fact, more than a third
of a billion dollars worth.

A third of
a billion dollars?

In old currency,

just lying around
one place or the other,

waiting to be picked up.

Well, then the whole thing

really could have been
a coincidence.

Poor Mr. Duncan.

( door opens )

( telephone rings )

( door closes )

Hello? Yes, this is Mr. Duncan.

What?

Whose house? Yes, but--

( tense theme playing )

Hey. Hey, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.

Don't hang up. Who is this?

( clicks )
Who--?

( mysterious theme swells )

( ringing )

Hello. May I speak to Mr. Mason,
please?

No, I'm sorry, Mr. Mason
has left for the day.

No, Miss Street has gone also.

But if you tell me what it is,
I can locate Mr. Mason for you.

This is Ralph Duncan.
Tell him I just got a call.

Somebody claims that
a man named Lloyd Farrell

knows all about the money.

Tell him I'm going there now.

Uh, could you speak
a little slower?

( clicks )
Uh, hello?

Mr. Duncan?

( suspenseful theme playing )

Here, wait a minute, you.

We had a complaint.

You just come
out of this house?

There's a man in there.

He's been m*rder*d.

( dramatic theme playing )

( tense theme playing )

Get all the prints
you can, sergeant.

Uh, the m*rder w*apon was
a sharp instrument of some kind.

Yes, sir.

Oh, that the ambulance?

Never mind. I'll get it.

( indistinct radio chatter )

Well, the counselor.

Oh, good evening, lieutenant.

DISPATCHER ( on radio ):
Correction. Unit , come in.

I suppose you're going to
tell me you have a client here.

You're always
very perceptive, lieutenant.

What's going on?

Well, I'm surprised
you had to ask that, Perry.

Usually you know
before I do.

RALPH:
Mr. Mason.

( indistinct radio chatter )

Hello, Mr. Duncan.

It's all right, officer.

Well, I guess this answers

the obvious question,
doesn't it?

I might have known you wouldn't
be lawyer to a corpse, Perry.

Oh, lieutenant.

Well, that's an exotic thing
to be k*lled by.

SERGEANT:
It was under the body.
There's, uh, something else.

Okay. Excuse me Perry.

Oh.

You'll vouch for
the continued presence

of Mr. Duncan here,
of course?

Now, why should that
be necessary?

Mr. Duncan has done nothing
wrong here that I know of.

Well, don't get
all worked up.

I'll need him downtown
for a statement, that's all.

After all, he was only found
here at the scene of the m*rder.

( indistinct radio chatter )

It's that man, Farrell.

He was dead
when I came here.

I got your message.

You said someone, uh,
called you about him.

Who was it, do you know?

No. Just a woman's voice.

She gave me Farrell's name,

said to ask him what happened
to the greenbacks,

and then hung up.

( crickets chirping )

How did you know Farrell,

know who he was?

I met him once,
about a year ago.

He wanted to talk
about the possibility

of buying
some of the art objects

that I've run across
in my investigations.

Art objects
like that unusual Kn*fe?

No. I never saw it before.

How did you happen to meet?
Was it just by chance?

It was having lunch, I think.

Charley introduced us.

Charley?

My cousin, Charley Nickels.

He's been staying with us
for some time now.

( door opens )

What do you you have there,
lieutenant?

Something you're not
interested in, Perry.

Money.

Some, uh, very big
and very old money.

I guess these greenbacks
might be what, uh, someone

was searching for in there.

Uh, wouldn't you think so?

I don't know.
How many are there?

Five thousand dollars worth.

That mean anything to you?

DISPATCHER:
Correction. Unit , come in.

Well, never mind.

Uh, now, if you'll excuse us,
counselor.

( mysterious theme playing )

Oh, I got your message,
Mr. Mason.

Hello, Mr. Nickels.

I appreciate
your coming in.

Well, anything I can do
to help old Ralph.

Uh, that goes
without saying.

Sit down, won't you?

I understand you knew
Lloyd Farrell.

Well, I only met him
a couple of times, that's all.

One of those times
was at a luncheon.

Ralph Duncan was there also.

Tell me, was having lunch
together your idea?

What? No, no.

Me, I'm only a middleman.

What do you mean, middleman?

Mr. Mason,
I want to help all I can,

so I've been trying to remember.

But see, at this lunch, I was
just doing a favor, that's all.

A girl who works
down at Ralph's office

thought it'd be a good idea
for him to meet Farrell.

It was her idea,
not mine.

Who is the girl?

Uh, her name's Norma Brooks.

Old friend of yours?

No. No, not at all.

In fact, I only talked to her
sometimes

when I picked up my cousin
at work.

Mr. Nickels,

why did this girl want Farrell
and Duncan to meet, do you know?

She thought they'd have
things in common, I-I guess.

What kind of things?

I don't know.

Heh. Come to think of it,

I don't know what
Mr. Farrell's business was.

Import and export.

And from what I can find out,
he was doing very well at it.

There is, however, a rumor
to the effect that Farrell

may have been dabbling
in a profitable sideline.

Disposing stolen goods?

Mm. How'd you know?

I didn't.

But if it's true, it would
account for a few enemies

who might have
wished him dead.

Check.

What about his friends?
Intimate friends?

Well, if you mean the ladies,
Farrell had his share.

Here, I got a list.

Norma Brooks on it?

Perry, why do I go to
all the trouble of digging--?

Heh-heh.
Paul, you're doing fine.

Now, I'd like you to go
to the Bowdoin house.

Better take your camera with
you.

Okay.
What's the idea?

I'd like you to check
that old currency

right straight through.

Where and how it was hidden,
where and how it was found,

where and how it was stolen
from Duncan's car.

There's a link there,
somewhere.

On second thought,
I'll meet you out there.

Say, in about
an hour and a half.

All right.

It just might be here.

This is Mr. Duncan's
caseload file.

Bates, Benson,

Bowdoin.

Here it is.

The estate
of Augusta Bowdoin.

I'm surprised.

I thought this one
had already gone to probate.

It should have by now.

Has, um, someone else
been assigned to this case?

Besides Mr. Duncan?
Mm-hm.

No, I'm sure not.

Then no one has been
out there since?

That's right.

I suppose that's the key
to the Bowdoin house?

Shall I ask the supervisor
if it's all right

for you to look at
this material?

Shall we, um--?
Shall we talk in there?

I was hoping to avoid
any red tape,

and I thought perhaps
you could tell me

if there were any money
mentioned in there.

Money? I don't think so.

Mr. Mason,

they haven't actually accused
Mr. Duncan of anything,

have they?

The newspaper said he was
just being questioned.

I thought if we looked into
that particular estate,

we might find answers
to some questions

and forestall any further
embarrassment to Mr. Duncan,

that's all.

I-- I wondered why I was--

I wondered why you asked for me.

Well, you are his secretary.

Oh, no.

Ralph-- Ralph didn't have
a regular secretary.

I work in lots of
other departments.

How long had you known
Lloyd Farrell?

What?

Yes, I knew Lloyd.

We were rather good friends
at one time in fact.

Why did you ask Charley Nickels
to bring them together?

Lloyd and Ralph?

Lloyd asked me to arrange it.

For what purpose, Miss Brooks?

He wanted to find out
how he could bid on--

On the unclaimed effects
from some of the estates.

Did it occur to you
that Lloyd Farrell

might have wanted to transact
some illegal business

with Duncan?

That wasn't it at all.

Who told you that?

Now, you said
that you and Lloyd Farrell

were good friends at one time.

Please, Mr. Mason.

It's very personal.

His death came as a great
shock to you, didn't it?

Lloyd Farrell wasn't always
very nice.

I knew that.

But I'd never known
anyone like him.

I couldn't help myself.

( sobs quietly )

Regardless of what he was like,

do you honestly think
that Ralph Duncan

could have m*rder*d him?

Oh, no.

You know...

if no one else
has been there at the house,

I'd like to take a look at it.

Would it help Mr. Duncan?

( mysterious theme playing )

Hi, Perry. All set.

Paul Drake.
Miss Brooks.

How do you do, Miss Brooks?
How do you do?

Now I think we can verify

what Duncan found
in there, all right.

And one thing:
In checking the case files,

Miss Brooks said that some woman
by the name of Hollister

called their office
several times

asking about greenbacks.

Some busybody
housekeeper.

Ah, Perry, there's
also a busy woman

named Della Street
who called.

Excuse us.

Just in case you're trying to
tie the whole thing together

and trace the same money
all the way through.

The message?

Della got the handwriting
report on Mr. Ames' will.

They compared it with some
letters the old man had written.

And it's the real thing.
No forgery there at all.

Hence, no fraud.

Now, you still wanna go
chasing some phony clue?

Personally, I think
your client's lying--

Ralph Duncan told me
the truth. I'm sure of it.

Now let's go.
All right.

( ominous theme playing )

It's perfectly all right
to go in.

I'm sure there's nothing
of any value in here.

( ominous theme continues )

( ominous theme swells )

( rattling noises )

Well, hello, Perry.

You looking for something?

Never mind, sergeant.

Just talk to that young lady
outside there, if you will.

Uh, come in. Come in.

I, uh, think I've found
the place

where that,
uh, money came from.

That $ , in greenbacks,
you remember?

Never underestimate
the efficiency of the law.

Heh. Your client
probably looted

quite a number of places
like this, Perry.

He did the stealing
and Farrell did the fencing.

It's all simple enough.

I wouldn't be too sure.
Oh, no?

Well, here.

Just, uh, look what else
Duncan took from this place.

I, uh, found the box
in a drawer here.

That, um, fancy Kn*fe.

The m*rder w*apon,
remember?

Wouldn't you say it fits?

Fits well enough
to, uh, charge Duncan

with m*rder
in the first degree?

( dramatic theme playing )

MAN:
The wound was inflicted in
the lower-left thoracic cavity

between the fourth
and fifth ribs.

The blade barely managed
to penetrate the left ventricle.

And the time of death,
doctor?

Between : and :
in the evening.

Thank you, doctor. Counselor?

No questions.

Mrs. Hollister,

some time after
Mrs. Bowdoin's death,

you visited her house.

Would you tell us why?

Well, on the day
she d*ed,

I'd found an old bill
under Mrs. Bowdoin's desk.

Uh, an old greenback,
they're called.

And I figured
that if there was

a lot of money
hidden around there,

somebody might steal it.

And when Mr. Duncan refused you
admission to the house,

did you then make any attempt
to find out whether or not

he had reported or turned in
any hidden money to his office?

MASON:
Object, Your Honor.

Other than the conjectures
of this witness,

there's been no tangible
evidence before this court

that any money's existed
in that house.

The prosecution certainly
intends to prove, Your Honor,

that there was a lot more money
in the Bowdoin house

than that single bill
that Mrs. Hollister found there.

We will connect the money with
the decedent, in order to prove

that it was a violent argument
over the disposal

of just that money,

which was in fact the motive
for this m*rder.

Subject to that condition,
I'll overrule the objection.

The witness may answer
the question.

Well, when I tried to reach
Mr. Duncan at his office,

he'd never call back.

And then,
when I tried to talk

to anybody else in the office
about the money,

they'd just say
there wasn't any.

Thank you, Mrs. Hollister.
That'll be all.

Cross-examine.

Now, Mrs. Hollister,
you seem to have been

both persistent and curious
about that money. Why?

Well, I don't see anything
wrong with that, do you?

I mean, after all,
money is money.

But you inferred
that you'd called

the public administrator's
office a great many times.

Now, how many telephone
inquiries did you actually make?

Hmm. Let's see.
Once was a Tuesday afternoon.

Then...

Well, I'm sure I called
Mr. Duncan once after that.

So in reality you tried
to reach him only twice.

All right.

Now, a moment ago you identified
this Kn*fe for Mr. Burger,

as having been a possession
of Mrs. Bowdoin's, as something

you'd seen in the course
of your housekeeping there.

That's right.

You see, the old lady had lots
of things around like that.

Her husband, her dead husband
was in the Army once,

and he was a colonel and they
were in the Philippines,

and, you know--

Mrs. Hollister,

exactly when did you last see
this Kn*fe in the Bowdoin house?

Um...

I guess it was when I was
dusting those old cases.

Maybe about a year ago.

Now, you certainly cannot swear
that this Kn*fe

has been in that house
during the last year, can you?

Mmm. No, I...

No further questions.

Where was this package
of old currency

in the amount of $ , found?

In the safe
in Mr. Farrell's desk.

Well, now, sergeant,

you testified that an envelope
from the Excel Travel Agency

was also found in that safe.

Was this air-flight ticket
enclosed in that envelope?

It was. A single ticket
for a flight to Tokyo,

made out to Lloyd Farrell.

BURGER:
A single ticket
for a flight to Tokyo.

And was that flight scheduled
for the day after the m*rder?

Yes, sir. It was.

Thank you, sergeant.

If it please the court,

I should like
this package of money,

and this air-flight ticket
accepted in evidence

and marked for the people,
Exhibits D and E.

Mr. Mason?

Defense has no objection

to either the money
or the flight ticket

being introduced
in evidence, Your Honor.

Very well, counselor,
you may cross-examine.

I have no questions
of the witness.

BURGER:
Albert Keller to the stand,
please.

BURGER:
So your firm handled
the auditing and tax records

for Mr. Farrell for almost
five years, is that correct?

That is correct.

Well, then why did you suddenly
terminate your services

during last January?

I became convinced
that Farrell was engaged

in selling stolen goods.

BURGER:
Really? What made you think
such a thing?

KELLER:
There were just too many items
which he had for sale

that didn't appear
in his records.

And he didn't supply
any data

to indicate
the original purchase.

I see.

I show you now
this antique music box,

already identified
by the police officers

as having been found
in the m*rder room.

I ask you if this is
one of the items

to which you have
referenced?

KELLER:
Farrell said he paid $
for that music box.

The check for it
was made out to cash.

When I asked him
who the seller was,

he told me it was
none of my business.

BURGER:
Thank you, Mr. Keller.
That'll be all. Your witness.

I note in Mr. Farrell's records

occasional mention of payment
for your services.

You received $ a year from
Mr. Farrell, is that correct?

It was my general retainer, yes.

Isn't that rather
a low payment

for the work you did
on his accounts?

Well, his wasn't exactly what
you'd call a large business.

But you prepared tax returns
for Mr. Farrell last year

on a declared income
of $ , .

Now, do you call that
a small business, Mr. Keller?

My fees are flexible,
of course.

Apparently so.

Now, you may have heard
testimony here

regarding certain old currency.

Isn't it true that you
recently inherited

quite a fortune
in such currency?

KELLER:
I did.

From a dear friend.

Well, don't you think it
a coincidence

that you inherited
the same sort of currency

as that found
not far from the body

of your more recent friend,
Mr. Farrell?

I object, Your Honor.

That's a completely
improper question.

We are not concerned
with what the witness thinks.

Sustained.

No further questions.

I must warn you
for the last time, Mr. Nickels.

By your continued reluctance
to testify,

you are being considered
a hostile witness

and consequently, the prosecutor
may ask leading questions.

You will answer
to the best of your ability

under pain of contempt of court.

Yes, sir, but I already said
I'm like a family chauffeur.

I pick Ralph up at the office
lots of nights.

Yes, but did you pick him up
on the night of the m*rder?

Well, sure.

BURGER:
Did Duncan come running
out of his office building

at about five minutes
after p.m. on that night?

CHARLEY:
Yes, sir.

BURGER:
Did he tell you to drive him
as fast as you could

to the Farrell house?

CHARLEY:
That's right.

And did your cousin
give you any reason

for wanting to go there?

H-he said it was, uh,
something about some money.

He was gonna get it back.

BURGER:
And after driving him
to Farrell's house,

and watching him enter,

did you then wait for him
to come out again?

No, no, I didn't wait.

You didn't wait? Why not?

'Cause he told me to go,
that's why.

Hmph. He didn't want me
to stick around.

You mean he didn't want you
to wait for him

while he was
in the decedent's house?

That's what I said, isn't it?

Yeah. You certainly did.
Your witness.

He said Helen
had dinner waiting,

so I told him to go
and tell her I'd be late.

Didn't want him hanging around
getting involved.

No questions.

BURGER:
Miss Norma Brooks to the stand.

Miss Brooks, in typing
Mr. Duncan's reports,

did you see anything
whatsoever to indicate

that he found any money
in the Bowdoin house?

No. No, he didn't say
anything about any money.

I show you this music box.
I ask you if you recognize it.

( music box playing )

No, I don't believe so.

About a year ago,
Miss Brooks,

your office conducted
an inventory

of the estate
of one David Mannox.

Do you remember that?

The name sounds familiar.

And shortly thereafter,
the police were notified

by a neighbor
that a valuable music box

had apparently disappeared
from the Mannox home

during the period
of the inventory.

Do you remember that?

Oh, yes, I-- I--

I remember some discussion
about that in the office.

Now, Miss Brooks,
the valuable music box

that disappeared
from the home of David Mannox

was readily identifiable
because it had a plate

engraved with the family name
"Mannox", located on the bottom.

And this box,

which was found
in Lloyd Farrell's home

by the police
after his m*rder,

this music box also has
a plate on the bottom,

engraved with the name
of "Mannox".

Miss Brooks,
who in your office

conducted the inventory
of the Mannox estate?

It was Mr. Duncan.

BURGER:
Thank you, Miss Brooks.

Thank you very much.
Your witness.

JUDGE:
Mr. Mason it's almost : .

If you have no objection to
postponing cross-examination...

No objection,
Your Honor.

Court will recess
until : tomorrow morning.

Perry, I've got some more

on Farrell's flight ticket
to Tokyo.

So do I. Something else came up
in the testimony this afternoon.

We'll talk about it
while we're driving.

We're going someplace?

Sunnydale Rest Home.

Della, we'll meet you
back at the office.

DELLA:
All right, Perry.

Then, outside of his pension,

Mr. Ames had
no other source of income?

He certainly didn't report any
on his monthly affidavits.

Here, let me show you.

You see,
in order to stay here,

a patient must sign these
statements of eligibility

to qualify for his checks
from the county.

Any luck?

Nope. Nobody here recognizes
any of the people.

Miss Hamilton,

have you ever been
someone's last hope?

Oh, what for?

Here are photographs
of six different people.

Have you ever seen
any one of them before?

This one.

Are you absolutely positive,
Miss Hamilton?

This person came to see Mr. Ames

at least twice
that I can remember.

I can look it up for you
on my daily reports.

( dramatic theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

MASON:
Miss Brooks,

does your work give you
access to the records

of county pensioners who are
placed in terminal rest homes?

Well, yes, sometimes.

You ever have occasion
to personally contact

any of these elderly people?

No, of course not.

The monthly forms they sign
are sent through the mails.

Always?

I have here the sworn statement
of a nurse, Ann Hamilton,

that on two different occasions

you went to
the Sunnydale Rest Home

to visit an elderly pensioner
named Josiah Ames.

The date of your first visit
was on September st.

Is that when you placed $ ,
in old currency

in Mr. Ames footlocker?

I object to that, Your Honor.

There's been no possible
groundwork laid

for such a question.

It's irrelevant
and immaterial.

Overruled.

Answer the question, witness.

Yes, I put the money there.

A week later, you went back
to the rest home

and prevailed upon
a very old and tired Mr. Ames

to write a holographic will.

Just a few simple words,

leaving all his earthly
belongings to one Albert Keller.

How did you get Mr. Ames
to do that?

Did you convince the old man the
will was also county procedure?

All right...

I did it.

Lloyd said there'd be
so much money.

We'd go away together.

I loved him so much.

Enough to have k*lled him

when you learned
he was going away without you?

He wasn't.

Miss Brooks, didn't you hear it
stated in this court

that the travel agency
sent Lloyd Farrell

a single airplane ticket?

I don't care.

I didn't k*ll him.

How did Farrell come into
possession of that old money?

Were you the one who obtained it
for him?

No!

Ask him.

Ask Charley Nickels.

( clears throat )

Well, I saw my cousin's car
parked there

in the grocery store lot.

You had a spare key
to that car?

Yeah. I let myself in.

I was gonna wait for Ralph
and go home with him.

And when you discovered
that old currency

in his attaché case?

Mm. It looked like
a million dollars worth.

I grabbed the manila envelope
and hid it under my jacket.

I walked home fast
and b*at Ralph there.

Then you later
took the money to Farrell.

Now, why to him?

Oh, I don't know. I--

I'd heard about him, I guess.

Hadn't you had business dealings
with Farrell before?

Such as selling him an expensive
music box you'd stolen

from another estate
your cousin once investigated?

CHARLEY:
No.

What about this Kn*fe,
Mr. Nickels?

Didn't you steal this Kn*fe
from the Bowdoin estate

and sell it to the decedent?

Okay. Okay.

I-I-I took the music box
and the Kn*fe.

But I didn't know
Ralph would be blamed.

MASON:
When you took the money
to Farrell,

did he tell you
how he intended disposing of it?

No, he didn't.

When was it you found out, then,
that a will had been arranged,

that an heir was gonna
get all that money?

But I didn't find out.
I didn't--

I didn't know anything
about heirs.

If it please the court,

Mr. Mason is not only
out of order

in pursuing the details
of this lesser crime,

it seems to me he is doing
his own client a disservice.

He's just introduced
testimony here

to prove that it was
Duncan indeed

who took the money
from the Bowdoin home.

And he's raised the monetary
value of the motivation

which surely drove this
defendant to commit the m*rder,

from $ ,
all the way to $ , .

The prosecution is most grateful
to Mr. Mason

for this assistance.

But I think
this line of interrogation

has gone quite far enough.

I am touched, Your Honor,

by Mr. Burger's solicitude
for my client.

But he has actually brought out
the best reason

for allowing me
to pursue this matter

at least one step further.

I would like,
with the court's permission,

to recall
Mr. Albert Keller.

Again I'll ask you,
Mr. Keller,

why were you chosen
to inherit that money? Why?

Oh, I don't have to answer that.

On grounds of self-incrimination
in a m*rder?

I didn't k*ll Farrell.

All right, I'll rephrase
my previous question.

What was to be your share
of the inheritance?

None of it.

I didn't want any part
of that rotten money.

Farrell was going to get it
all back,

as soon as it was made good
in probate court.

( crowd murmuring )

( judge tapping on desk )

Then why did you allow your name
to be used

in turning bad currency
into good?

It's all gonna come out now,
anyway.

I-- I wrote a couple of checks
once on Farrell's account,

and altered the balance.

Only he found out about it,
and kept a photostated record.

For years he held it
over my head.

On the night of the m*rder,

was that what
you were searching for

in Mr. Farrell's house?

Was that to be your payment
for helping him this time?

He'd promised he'd let me
have it before he went to Japan.

But once more he refused,
so you k*lled him for it?

No!

Didn't you k*ll him

and then ransack the house,
Mr. Keller?

No, listen to me. Farrell was
already dead when I got there.

The door was still open.
The-- The lights were on.

The-- Tobacco was burning in
an ashtray beside the telephone.

MASON:
By the telephone?
What time was that?

I don't know,
a little after : .

That was the only reason

I searched for the evidence
against me

so the police wouldn't find it.

Only I-- It wasn't in his desk.

And I couldn't get
into the safe.

And then I heard a car
drive up outside,

so I ran out the back way.

Did you see the person
in that car, Mr. Keller?

Yes. I saw a man walking
toward the house.

I wanted to tell before, but...

if all this came out,
my reputation--

Who did you see walking
toward the house,

after you'd seen
Mr. Farrell's dead body?

It was him. The defendant.

( crowd murmuring )

All right, counselor.

Uh, Your Honor,

before I move for dismissal of
the charges against my client,

there one a matter this witness
might well clarify.

Please continue, Mr. Mason.

The burning tobacco
you just mentioned, Mr. Keller,

was it the sort that might have
been tapped from a pipe?

No.

No, uh, it was-- It was, uh,

from stubbing out a cigarette.

Just a few shreds.

And the cigarette itself
wasn't there?

No.

Now, we have heard here
that fingerprints

had been removed
from the m*rder w*apon

and perhaps the telephone.

But why would a m*rder*r remove
the stub of a burnt cigarette?

Unless perhaps there was
something incriminating on it?

An unusual brand name, perhaps?

Or lipstick?

Hasn't it occurred to you,
Mr. Keller,

that the person who was there
just before you

might have been a woman?

KELLER:
I-- I can't recall whether
there was anything else.

Like, uh, perfume?

Uh, let me think.

I wasn't there.

I didn't do it, I told you!

I didn't k*ll him! I didn't!

( crowd murmuring )

Order. Order.

Bailiff.

Your Honor,
it would seem unlikely

that the woman who must have
used that telephone

on the night of the m*rder
to call the defendant

a few moments after ,

was someone Mr. Duncan
knew personally,

or he surely would have
recognized her voice.

And yet that murderess must have
known him.

Must have been watching him,
in fact, and for some time.

Who else would have realized
that a jeweled Kn*fe

from the Bowdoin estate
would point to Ralph Duncan,

just as that old currency
pointed to him?

Who else would have frantically
called Duncan

to come to the scene
of a m*rder

that she herself
had just committed,

come and be caught
for her crime?

That money was mine.

I found it first.

I worked hard
for Mrs. Bowdoin,

and then she went and d*ed,

and they come along
and took it all away.

Oh, yes, I know what they did,
all right.

I saw it all.

First that man there
and then that little man

who stole it out of his car.

And then that awful Mr. Farrell.

He said he wouldn't give me
any of it.

He only laughed at me.

He said terrible things.

He said he'd have me arrested.

And when I screamed at him, he--

( sniffles )

He slapped me!

( sobbing )

Oh, I wish I'd never
seen a greenback

in all this dirty life.

( dramatic theme playing )

So she followed
that package of money

from Duncan to Charley
to Farrell.

And finally, she went to Farrell
and demanded her share.

You wonder how she had the nerve
to do a thing like that.

Heh. Oh, Mrs. Hollister had
the nerve, all right,

or rather the gall.

She practically made a living
by hiring out as a housekeeper

to old people
and robbing 'em blind.

According to Mrs. Hollister,
she had no idea

how much money
was really involved.

And Mr. Farrell, apparently,
had no idea how little

Mrs. Hollister would have
taken for her share.

The irony of it is that
$ out of all that money

would have saved
his life and hers.

Well, what happens
to all that money now?

Uh, w-who will get it?

Well, since there are
no heirs,

all that money
goes to the state.

And as a conscientious taxpayer,

I guess I should be glad
about that.

As a salaried public employee,
I am glad.

( all chuckle )

We're all glad, Hamilton.

( noirish jazz theme playing )