04x16 - The Case of the Waylaid Wolf

[bunniefuu]

( noirish jazz theme playing )

( mellow theme playing )

( typewriter keys clacking )

( sighs )

You don't suppose
that clock's stuck, do you?

It's ticking away,
all right.

Slow but sure.

Slow is right.

Seems to me those hands
have been reading ten to

for the last hour.

Uh-oh.
Here comes trouble.

Miss, uh--
Miss Ferris, uh--

Yes, Mr. Albert.

I wonder, uh...

Do you have a dinner engagement
this evening?

That's not
an invitation.

I, uh, thought
if you hadn't,

Mr. Lamont, Jr. has some work
he'd like finished tonight.

Well, what's the matter with
that snooty secretary of his?

Junior taking her out to dinner?

Miss Elwood.

Pardon me.

Well, Miss Ferris?

No, I'm not going to be busy
and I'll be glad to.

Thank you.

Sucker.

( dials phone )

George Albert, Mr. Lamont.

It's all settled.
She'll do the work.

The "she," I take it,
is Miss Arlene Ferris?

Good.

I'll remember this, Albert.

Edith.

Edith, those Newcomb reports.

I've arranged for them

to be finished up
in the secretarial pool.

I said I was perfectly willing
to stay and do them.

Yes, I know.

But you've been working
pretty hard lately.

You can take a night off.

Thanks.

Albert?

Lamont Jr. again.

I think I'd better tell
that night security officer

that Miss Ferris
will be leaving late.

Can you give me
a description of her car?

Yeah, thanks.

( ominous theme playing )

( engine faltering )

Trouble?

Oh, Mr. Lamont.

I would think finishing up
that report for me

would be enough trouble
for one night, Miss Ferris.

I can't understand it.

It's never failed
to work before.

Well, it's a damp night,

maybe something
short-circuited.

Open the hood
and let me take a look.

Now try her.

( engine falters )

It's no use.

There's no spark, and
you'll run your battery down.

What can I do?

Well, I can think
of two things.

You either wait here until
the sun comes out tomorrow,

or, uh,
let me give you a lift home.

I can't ask you to do that,
Mr. Lamont.

I live way out in Westwood.

Now, that's a coincidence.

I just happen to be
going that way.

( ominous theme swells )

Night, Grimes.

Good night,
Mr. Lamont.

Relax, Miss Ferris.

I'm not gonna bite you,

despite
my sinister reputation.

Sinister?

Hasn't your friend
Madge Elwood

told you about me?

Well, she did say that
you were a bit of a wolf.

Heh. That's me.

A wolf in clothing made
from a bitter sheep.

And as a wolf,
I have a proposition.

How about dinner
before I take you home?

Well, I--
I really should get back.

No, now, look.

It's : ,

you're hungry
and so am I.

And besides,

I owe you something
for keeping you overtime.

Well, if it's a debt,
all right.

Good.

But there's
one complication.

Would you mind
if I dropped off those papers

you typed at the company's
beach house first?

A business associate of Dad's
is there waiting for them.

Well, how far is it?

South end of Malibu.

Twenty minutes more
at the most.

So, uh,

okay, Miss Ferris?

So okay, Mr. Lamont.

( ominous theme playing )

Come on in.

Maybe we can persuade
old Greerson

to have a drink with us.

Are you sure
he wouldn't mind?

Oh, I'm sure.

He likes pretty girls,
and so do I.

What about the papers?

Oh, yes, the papers.

We mustn't forget them.

Mr. Greerson?

Mr. Greerson.

Mr. Greerson?

Well, I guess
he hasn't arrived yet.

What's your martini formula,
Miss Ferris?

I don't know,
five to one, I guess.

Perfect.

You'll find ice, glasses
and the makings

over the sink
on the left side.

So practice your mathematics
while I check on Greerson.

Yes, but--
Don't worry.

We pay union
bartender scale here.

So go to work.

( rings )

Yell if there's anything
you can't find.

I will.

( rings )

Hello.
( indistinct speech )

Oh.

I told you I'd give it to you

when I got
plenty good and ready.

It's just that you promised

to return the $ ,
six weeks ago, Mr. Lamont,

and now we must have it.

Our bank has been
more than patient.

Perhaps his father.

Yes.

Even if we must get in touch

with your father in Europe.

You go to my father,
O.K.,

I'll see
you never get the money.

You gave it to me in cash,
remember?

You have no legal claim.

So get off my back.

When we loaned him the money,

he made such great promises.

Swore he would pay it back
the very next week.

Now I promise you.

I'll get it from him--

Promise is most given

when the least is said.

( rings )

Hello?

Edith?

Loring.

I'm at the Malibu place.

No, no , no. Not a party.

A business conference.

I want you to call me
on the phone in about an hour.

When I answer, you hang up.

Why?

Never mind why.

Just do it.

Now, there's
the most beautiful sight

I've seen all day.

Was that Mr. Greerson
who called?

No. Somebody else.
But I checked on Greerson.

He's supposed to be somewhere
between downtown LA and here.

For you.

And for me.

Well,
here's to Mr. Greerson,

and his delayed arrival.

( jazz music playing
over stereo )

FERRIS:
Oh, no more for me,
please.

I've had three,
and two's my limit.

And one more makes four,

which is exactly right
for a joyful o--

Occasion like this.

Here's hoping your car
breaks down every night.

Well, aren't you gonna
drink to that?

I think I better have
something to eat first.

And leave this for me
to finish all by myself?

Come on, honey, one more.

Then we'll discuss eating.

( phone rings )

Now, who could that be?

Mr. Greerson?

Why, sure.

Good old Greerson.

( ringing )

Hello?

Yes, this is Loring Lamont.

Where have you been,
Mr. Greerson?

I've been waiting
nearly an hour for you.

Well, it doesn't really matter.

Mix-ups will happen.

Sure.
I can get the papers to you

first thing in the morning.

Don't give it a thought.

Good night.

Crossed signals.

He's checked in at the
Beverly Sunset for the night.

Well, then, I guess
we'd better be going.

Are you kidding?

Now that we have the place
all to ourselves?

Come on, honey. One more,

and then we'll discuss what
the kitchen has to offer.

No drink and no kitchen.

I wouldn't have come here if--
Sit down, baby.

And don't try to pull that
Purity League act on me, honey.

You're of age.

So relax, baby. Relax.

Let me go.

Oh, no, you don't.

Stop it!

Stop.

Ungh!

( ominous theme playing )

( engine starts )

( engine revving )

( tense theme playing )

( grinding )

( dramatic theme playing )

MASON:
You actually struck him
with the car, Miss Ferris?

Either that, Mr. Mason,

or he fell when
he tried to jump clear.

You see,
I lost control of the car

when I pushed down
the accelerator.

I've never driven
a sports car before.

You didn't stop?

No.
I-- I was scared.

And mad.

I drove about five miles

and stopped
at a gas station.

I telephoned Madge
to ask her to--

Maybe I shouldn't
bring you into this, Madge.

Oh, why not?

Since I was the one
made you come to Mr. Mason.

She asked me
for Loring's address.

Why?

I wanted to leave the car there.

I didn't want him
to be able to accuse me

of having stolen it.

You had the address?

MADGE:
No.

I got it from George--

That is, George Albert,
the office manager.

And I, uh--

I called Arlene back
at the filling station.

Tell him what
you did, Arlene.

Well, I parked the car
at the apartment building,

in front of the fireplug.

After you did that?

I took a bus home.

In the morning
Madge took me to work.

I was expecting to be fired,

but Mr. Lamont never appeared.

And that started me worrying.

You mean, started me worrying.

Loring's vindictive.

Couldn't he have
her arrested for theft?

Or for, uh, hit-and-run driving?

Or as*ault and battery?

I suppose he could.

Della, is Paul still
in the outer office?

Yes, he's still waiting.
Ask him in, will you please?

Mm-hm.

This will be Mr. Paul Drake,

head of the
Drake Detective Agency.

Paul.

MASON:
Come in, Paul.

Paul Drake, this is Miss Ferris
and Miss Elwood.

How do you do?
Hello.

Here are those papers
I wanted you to have, Paul.

Oh, thanks.

I'm afraid
our lunch date is off.

Work?
Possibly.

I wanted you to help me
pin someone's ears back.

A playboy named Loring Lamont
gave Miss Ferris

a rather bad time
last night,

and he might try--
Uh, excuse me, Perry,

but is this
the Loring Lamont

whose father owns
Lamont Engineering Corporation?

Yes. Do you know him?

No, but I know about him.

And I'm afraid

somebody's already
pinned his ears back.

How do you mean?

Well, it just came over
the : news.

Loring Lamont
was found stabbed to death

in a beach house
near Malibu last night.

( dramatic theme playing )

( mysterious theme playing )

Lipstick.
Hm.

And on the cigarette butts.

I wonder whose car she took.

Hers or...? Or his?

MAN:
Grimes?

That's me, lieutenant.

Here's the record.

Mr. Lamont drove out

a little before
in his own car.

And you think he had
a young lady with him?

I'm sure he did.

But, like I told you
on the phone,

I don't know the name.

Well, uh,

could you identify her
if you saw her again?

I can identify her
for you now.

That's her car over there.
That two-tone job.

Been there all night.

Have a look at the registration
if you want to.

All right.
All right, sergeant.

That's Miss Ferris'
regular desk.

And, uh,
this is where

she would have done
the extra work

for Mr. Lamont last night?

I presume so.

At least, this is where
she started to do it.

TRAGG:
Was she, uh,

requested, or um,
did she volunteer?

She, um-- She volunteered.

And Mr. Lamont, uh,

stayed until
she was finished?

He must have.

If they went out together,
as you say.

You have no idea
where she is now?

All I know is,

she hasn't
come back from lunch.

SERGEANT:
There's nothing, lieutenant.

MASON:
Thank you, Miss Elwood.

I appreciate
you telephoning.

No. No,
I won't hesitate to call on you.

Bye.

Perry, I sure hope

you have Arlene Ferris
in a safe place,

Tragg is hot on her trail.

She's in Madge Elwood's
apartment.

I know what Tragg found
at the plant.

Miss Elwood just told me.

Yeah. But did you know
that he has Lamont Junior's car?

It was impounded
early this morning

for blocking a fireplug.

And there's a witness.

The man who lives
in the apartment below Lamont's

said he saw a woman
park the car and then walk away.

Not good.

First that guard
at the plant and now--

( knock on door )

Perry--

Oh, don't, uh, bother
to announce me, Della.

I'm, uh, sure Mr. Mason
is delighted to see me,

as always.

And, uh, Mr. Paul Drake too.

Socially?

As always, lieutenant--

Well, actually,
this is business.

I'm looking for a client
of yours named, uh,

Arlene Ferris.

Arlene Ferris?

The one who called you

from the Lamont Engineering
plant this morning,

and arranged
a noon appointment

for the purpose
of your defending her

against a m*rder
she committed.

You sound as though you had
a warrant for her arrest.

Why, no. No, no.

I, uh, merely thought the
three of us could get together

and have a nice,
friendly little talk.

Perhaps later, lieutenant.

Now.

Where is she?

Perhaps later, lieutenant.

Very well, Perry.

Later.

But, um...

by then
I'll have that warrant.

( door closes )

He seems pretty sure of himself.

Paul,

where can we contact
that parking witness?

Name's Jerome Henley.

Works at the Hi-Fi Studio,
Sunset Lane.

Just off the strip.

Della, call Madge Elwood
at the Lamont plant.

I'm gonna need her help.

Perry,

whatever
you're planning,

Tragg is undoubtedly
waiting downstairs

for you to lead him
directly to Arlene.

Maybe we can surprise him.

( cars zooming,
horns honking )

Mr. Henley?

Mr. Henley.

Oh? Yes?

You were recommended to us
as an expert on hi-fi.

( sound effects stop )

I like to think--

I like to think I am.

Are you a prospective?

Yes, we might be.

Oh. Well,

here we have
our finest assembly,

AM and FM tuner,

Featherlite a*t*matic changer,

six speakers in all,
discophonic, of course.

Of course.

Will you and the young lady
care for a demonstration?

Why, yes.

TRAGG:
Well, if you don't mind,

we'll postpone
the demonstration.

Mr. Henley.

Well, lieutenant.

I didn't realize
you were a hi-fi enthusiast.

I'm not.

Know this man?

Why, no.

He's Perry Mason,

an attorney
who specializes

in defending persons
accused of m*rder.

Oh?

I, uh, don't know
who the young lady is,

but I, uh, want you
to look at her very carefully.

Why, she's the--

TRAGG:
Uh, just a moment,

I-- I must warn you.

Mason may be trying
one of his tricks.

If, uh, a witness is going
to identify someone,

for instance the young woman

you saw park Loring Lamont's car

in front of the, uh,
fireplug last night.

Well, he might bring
that young lady

into your store.

You would notice her,
but, uh, only casually.

Well, I-- I did,
but now I--

TRAGG:
And, uh,
then on the witness stand,

when you identify her
under oath.

He might ask,

"Aren't you mistaken?"

Well, yes,
he could say that, but--

Henley, I don't want you
to be trapped.

Is she the one you saw
get out of Loring Lamont's car?

MASON:
Um, Henley.

Don't let him trap you.

She is.

She's the one I saw
get out of the car.

Of course,
she's dressed differently,

but that's her.

Miss Ferris,
I'm Lt. Tragg of Homicide.

I'm afraid I'll
have to ask you

to come down
to headquarters with me.

Lieutenant.

You're making a mistake.

This young woman
is not Arlene Ferris.

Next, you'll be saying
you're not Perry Mason.

Come along,
Miss Ferris.

They say that Tragg
was fit to be tied

when he found
he had the wrong woman.

I'm afraid all we've gained
is a little time,

and we're gonna
sacrifice that

waiting to hear
from Arlene Ferris.

( knock on door )

Yes, Della?
She's here, Perry.

With George Albert.

You'd better wait, Paul.

DELLA:
Come in, won't you?

Sit down, please.

It's all right, Della.

I've been hoping to hear
from you, Miss Ferris.

But you were supposed to phone,
not come in person.

The police have been
watching this office.

They might still
be watching.

Well, I'm sorry,

but, you see, I called George,

and he insisted
on talking to you.

We can trust George,
Mr. Mason.

He's sort of
engaged to Madge.

Madge Elwood called you
for Lamont's address?

Yes, that's right.

Look, Mason, I'm not too happy

about Madge being
so mixed up in this.

At the moment

she's completely unmixed,
Mr. Albert.

It's Arlene
you should be worried about.

Oh, I am, of course.

Miss Ferris,

do you remember anything more

about the telephone call
Lamont received

when you were in the kitchen?

Well, he did say something

about giving something
when he got good and ready.

His voice got very loud
and he became angry,

and he said,

"You tell my father, O.K.,

and I'll see that
you never get the money."

And then
his voice got lower,

and I couldn't hear
any more.

"O.K."?

He called the person "O.K."?

Yes.

You said you wanted to help,
Mr. Albert.

Yes, of course.

I'd like you to take Arlene
to Miss Elwood's apartment.

Won't be but a short time

till I know exactly
what she's up against.

Della.
Mm-hmm.

Will you show them
to the service elevator?

Perry, that name, O.K.,
it rings a bell somewhere.

Yeah, here it is.

The caretaker at
the Lamont Malibu beach house.

His name is Oolong Kim.

Yes.

My name is Oolong Kim.

And who are you, sir?

My name is Mason,
I'm an attorney.

Perry Mason.

I've heard of you, sir.

What can I do for you?

I'd like to, uh, look around,
if I may.

I think it is all right,
if you are careful.

The police said
nothing was to be disturbed.

This way, please.

Thank you.

I'm Mrs. Kim.

He was lying there.

You the housekeeper here,
Mrs. Kim?

Yes.

How long have you
and O.K. worked here?

O.K.?

Isn't that what the people
call your husband?

Well, people call
my husband Oolong

or Mr. Kim.

We have worked for
Mr. Lamont, Sr.,

for two and a half years.

Will you tell me
why you asked

if Mr. Kim
is called O.K.?

Well, it seems that last night,

Lamont Jr. had a quarrel
with someone over the phone.

Someone he called O.K.

Would you have any idea
who that might be, Mrs. Kim?

Perhaps Orvel Kingman.

And who is he?

I don't know, but Mr. Lamont--

That is Mr. Lamont, Jr.

--has been making payments to
him ever since I've worked here.

Payments?

His checkbook, Mr. Mason.

He has me put the household
bills in it each month.

Orvel Kingman, $ , .

Then . $ .

What are these payments for,
do you know, Mrs. Kim?

No, sir, I don't.

Blackmail, perhaps?

Perhaps Mr. Kingman
will be able to tell you.

Perhaps.

( doorbell rings )

Yes?

Shut the door, Al.

Okay.

I'll close the door.

KINGMAN:
All right, counselor,

what do you want with me?

More to the point,

who are you
and what do you want?

Kingman.

Orvel Kingman.

Now, why all the nosing around

into my affairs
by your man Drake?

Mr. Drake had instructions
to check on you,

find out who you were.

You don't know who I am?

Should I?

I believe the guy's
on the level.

I'm a commission man.

Bookie to you.

Biggest
west of Las Vegas.

Oh, I see.

See? See what?

Oh, stub entries

in Loring Lamont's checkbook.

Sixteen hundred, , , .

KINGMAN:
Sure.

He was a lousy judge of
horseflesh, as the saying goes.

Hey, wait a minute.

You figuring me
for a patsy?

Kingman, if I'm figuring you
for a patsy, you deserve it.

Lamont was overheard
on the phone last night

threatening to send
somebody to jail.

Somebody he called O.K.

Al, what do people call me?

Odds.

Odds Kingman.

People have never
called you just, uh, O.K.?

Never.

Ask anybody.

( phone rings )

Excuse me.

Yes?

Well, go ahead, Paul.

Perry, Tragg just arrested
Arlene Ferris

in Madge Elwood's apartment.

Yes, he had a warrant.

The charge?

First-degree m*rder.

( dramatic theme playing )

CHAMBERLIN:
Now, doctor,

as the coroner's physician

who examined the body
of the deceased,

Loring Lamont,
on the night in question,

would you tell the court,

what time, in your opinion,
death occurred?

DOCTOR:
Between the hours
of and p.m.

Wednesday,
January the th.

And the cause of death?

A massive
heart hemorrhage,

due to the organ's,
uh, penetration

by a stiletto-type
instrument,

uh, via the back muscles

and the posterior rib cage.

CHAMBERLIN:
Could you put that into
layman's language, doctor?

Yes.

He was stabbed in the back.

It was almost :
when I found him.

I was late that morning.

And I went to the garden
for my husband,

and we called the police.

I see.

Now, Mrs. Kim,

I show you
this antique Italian dagger,

already placed in evidence

as having been
found near the body.

Do you recognize it?

It's been in the beach house
ever since I worked there.

They used it
as a letter opener,

both Loring Jr.
and his father.

Then it is your contention
that the defendant,

in order to corroborate
her story

of a deliberate attempt
made by the deceased

to lure her
to his beach house,

and to make
improper advances,

planted evidence near the scene
and in her apartment

sometime after the m*rder?

Yes, Your Honor.

Indistinguishable footprints
and slide marks

beside the muddy road
near the beach house

and, uh,
this mud-stained, uh, dress

in her apartment.

Well, what makes you believe
she planted these things?

Well, a part
of Miss Ferris' story

is that the deceased
followed her along the road,

up the muddy bank.

Yet the deceased's shoes
were as immaculate

as though they'd just come
from a store window.

CHAMBERLIN:
Lieutenant,
did you institute a search

for the so-called
muddy clothes and shoes?

Yes, sir.

Negative.

No trace of any clothes
of any kind,

in or around the beach house.

CHAMBERLIN:
No change of clothes,

even if he'd wanted
to change them?

TRAGG:
No, no, sir.

CHAMBERLIN:
Now, in her statement,
the defendant asserted

she had no idea why
her car wouldn't start,

the night she encountered
Mr. Lamont

in the company parking lot.

Now, did you examine this car

to find out why it wouldn't
start, sergeant?

Yes, I did.

I found the rotor missing
from the distributor.

Did you subsequently
discover this missing rotor?

Yes, sir.

In the glove compartment
of the defendant's car.

CHAMBERLIN:
Thank you. Cross-examine.

No questions.

JUDGE:
You may step down, sergeant.

Then as the security guard
on the night in question,

you checked out the deceased,
Loring Lamont?

Yep.

In that
white sports car of his.

Ten to , it was.

Was Mr. Lamont
alone in the car?

Nope.

Young lady was with him.

Mr. Grimes,
do you see that young lady

anyplace in this courtroom?

Yup.

Sitting right over there.

Arlene Ferris.

CHAMBERLIN:
When did you first notice

Mr. Lamont's sports car
parked by the fireplug?

About a minute
before I tagged it.

Uh, seven after .

CHAMBERLIN:
Was anyone in the car?

No, not then.

Or when I came back
a few minutes later

to tag a double-parked car.

Thank you.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

No questions.

Now, Mr. Henley,

you just positively identified
the defendant

as the woman who parked
Loring Lamont's car

by a fire plug in front
of his apartment building.

Yes, sir.

Did you not,
in your hi-fi store,

several days ago,

make an equally positive
identification

of another woman, who supposedly
parked his car there?

I did,
but I was wrong.

I feel I was tricked.

Tricked?

How, Mr. Henley?

Lieutenant Tragg
seemed so eager

to have me identify
the woman with you.

And there was
a marked resemblance.

Well I-- I just feel
I was tricked.

MASON:
Then you made your first
identification simply because

Lieutenant Tragg
seemed to be so eager

to have you identify
the woman who was with me.

Yes.

Look at the defendant,
Mr. Henley,

Are you sure you're not
being tricked again?

Yes.

Absolutely sure?

Yes.

Look at the defendant,
Mr. Henley.

Not at me,
at the defendant.

Now, are you sure

the defendant is the woman
who parked Loring Lamont's car

by that fireplug?

Are you as sure as you were

when you
identified Madge Elwood

as having
parked his car there?

I-- I don't know.

Which girl it was it,
Mr. Henley?

Arlene Ferris
or Madge Elwood?

Actually, you don't know
which one it was, do you?

No.

No further questions.

Right, thanks.

Well, it doesn't look good.

Orvel Kingman's gone south,
and I mean south,

for an indefinite stay

to study
racetrack conditions in Brazil.

But, as far as I can find out,

he was telling you the truth
about the name O.K.

Nobody ever calls him that.

Second, Oolong Kim
and his wife Frances

are having
money problems.

Oh?

There's a second trust deed
on their home,

due and payable.

Now they're being socked
with default payments,

penalties and so on.

They could lose the home.

What about the O.K.
as far as he's concerned?

Couldn't find out
anything there.

The Kims stick
pretty much to themselves.

But at least none of the
tradespeople who deal with him

ever call him O.K.

Hungry, Paul?

Dinner's ready.

Perry?

I've been thinking
about those muddy clothes.

They couldn't have
just disappeared.

Do you suppose it's possible
that the m*rder*r,

for some reason,
could have--?

Could have changed
Lamont's clothes?

Try telling that to a jury.

The m*rder*r, knowing Lamont,

would get himself all dirty
chasing Arlene,

brought out clean shoes,
socks and trousers

from Lamont's own wardrobe

and dressed
the corpse with them.

What else
have you got?

The saga of Lamont's car.

After your client left it
parked blocking a fireplug,

it was tagged.

About ten minutes later, the
same officer came back again,

found another car
double-parked there,

so he tagged that one too.

Then at : ,
Lamont's car was tagged again

by another officer,

and an hour later it was
impounded by the police.

That's quite a history.

What about phone calls
from the beach house?

If Arlene's story is true,

Lamont certainly would have
called someone

to come out and get him.

He didn't.

The phone company keeps records

of all long-distance calls
to the Malibu area.

And there was only one.

At : to his secretary,
Edith Bristol.

( knock on door )

Come in.

Miss Bristol, this is
Perry Mason, the attorney.

He'd like to talk to you
for a moment.

Won't you have a seat,
please?

Thank you.

( door closes )

As you probably know,
Miss Bristol,

I'm defending Arlene Ferris.

My investigators
have come across

a phone call
made from the beach house.

Made to you at :
on the night of the m*rder.

The police have already
asked me that, Mr. Mason.

And what did you tell them?

That Mr. Lamont, Jr. called me,

and instructed me
to call him back

in about an hour
and then hang up.

Hang up?

Yes.

He said he was
in a business conference.

I suppose
he was using my call

as an excuse to break away.

And did you call back?

Yes, about : , : .

Did, uh, he say
anything beyond hello?

Well, he pretended he was
talking to a Mr. Greerson,

a business acquaintance.

Said he was sorry
about being late.

I hung up then.

Is that the last
you heard from him?

Well...yes.

I have the feeling
you did hear something else.

If not from Mr. Lamont,
perhaps a third party?

Who was it?

Madge.

MASON:
Madge Elwood?

What did she have to say?

Oh, nothing really.

Except she wanted to know
if I had a key

to Mr. Lamont's apartment.

I said I didn't have one.

And she said she was sorry that
she bothered me and hung up.

Albert,

did, uh, Miss Elwood

tell you about
calling Miss Bristol?

No.

Do you know why she wanted
the key to Lamont's apartment?

No, I don't know.

MASON:
Well, there's something odd
going on here.

I'm going to find out
what it is.

( ominous theme playing )

Why wouldn't
Madge have told us

about going out there?

Lamont had
a business appointment

with a man named Greerson.

Either for that night
or early the next morning.

What's that got to do with it?

Well,
suppose after Arlene telephoned,

Madge saw a chance
to ingratiate herself

with Lamont
by taking him his car

and some clean clothes.

So she tries to get his
apartment keys

from Edith Bristol.

Not necessarily.

The key could've been
on his key ring in the car.

Anyway,
she got clothes and his car,

and drove out
to the beach house.

That's just what happened.

Those two parking violations
should have told me that.

The first ticket

must have been removed
from the windshield.

I don't quite follow that,
Perry.

At the beach house,

after he'd put on
the clean clothes,

let's say that

Lamont tried to force his
attentions on Madge,

Just as he had on Arlene.

That's when Madge stabbed him.

Oh, I'm beginning to see it now.

Then Madge drove the car
back to town

and parked it in front
of the fireplug again.

Where it got the second ticket.

So it was really Madge
that Jerome Henley saw.

And that's where,

in trying to outfox
Lieutenant Tragg,

I outfoxed myself.

You know, there were no dirty
clothes in Lamont's car,

so Madge must have
transferred them to her car

and taken them with her.

Mm-mm.

So, what happened to the clothes
becomes a big question now.

WOMAN:
You won't find Madge Elwood
here, I don't expect.

Some fella
come by late yesterday.

I heard 'em talking about
going to Las Vegas.

She went in this, uh,
fella's car?

Must have.

Hers is still here.

Well,
I gotta fix breakfast.

Close the door when you go,
will you?

Thank you.

What fella, Perry?

Perhaps George Albert.

He'd better
be in court this morning.

Wouldn't have left things
in here, too risky.

Perry, look.

Well, looks like
we hit the jackpot, Della.

MAN'S VOICE:
Well, Mr. Mason.

You see, lieutenant?

I knew he was going
to plant something

to try to clear
his client.

( dramatic theme playing )

CHAMBERLIN:
Your Honor,

the people's case
would be completed

if it weren't for a certain
matter that concerns me gravely,

not just as prosecutor,

but as a member
of the legal profession.

I have reason to feel
that an attempt has been made

in this case
to fabricate evidence.

And I wish
to present testimony

in order to prepare a record
that may be used

for the purpose
of impeachment.

JUDGE:
Very well, Mr. Chamberlin.

You may call
your first witness.

I call Lieutenant Tragg
to the stand.

You mean Mr. Mason
and his secretary

were inside the garage?

Yes, Your Honor.

What was Mr. Mason
doing at that moment?

Well, he was holding a shoe
over a cardboard packing case.

You mean he was putting
that shoe into the case,

don't you, lieutenant?

Well, it looked as though
he were about to.

If the court please,

I object to the question
on the ground

that it's viciously misleading
and suggestive.

Furthermore, this witness
is not a mind reader.

Your Honor, as an expert
criminal investigator,

Lieutenant Tragg is entitled
to express his opinion.

If it is an opinion
and not an actual fact.

Nevertheless, I am going
to sustain the objection,

Mr. Chamberlin.

But in view of the seriousness
of this, Mr. Mason,

may I express the hope
that you will help,

rather than hinder, the court
at arriving at the truth?

I intend to help in every way
I possibly can, Your Honor.

Very well.

You may proceed,
Mr. Chamberlin.

Now, lieutenant, I ask you

to examine this shoe
and these trousers,

both of which have already
been identified

as the property
of the deceased, Loring Lamont.

Yes, they're from
the packing case.

And those are my
identifying tags on them.

If it please the court,

I would like to have these
trousers and this shoe,

and also this shoe,
which Mr. Mason

had already put into
that packing case,

as people's exhibits
J, K and L.

The defense has no objection,
Your Honor.

JUDGE:
Have them so marked.

I'm afraid I've struck out
so far, Perry.

Madge Elwood is not
in Las Vegas,

at least not
under her own name,

and there's
no trace of her here.

JUDGE:
Your witness, Mr. Mason.

The defense has no questions
of Lieutenant Tragg.

Your Honor, at this time
I had hoped

to question Madge Elwood,

but apparently
she cannot be found.

However, with the court's
permission

I would like to recall
Mr. George Albert,

who I believe can supply us
with the same information.

JUDGE:
Very well.

You may step down, lieutenant.

Call George Albert to the stand.

JUDGE:
I remind you,
you are still under oath.

Yes, sir. I know.

Now, Mr. Albert,

on the night
of Lamont's death,

did you receive a telephone call
from Madge Elwood,

requesting
Lamont's town address?

Yes.

But didn't she know
his address?

Hadn't she, in fact, been
to his apartment in the past?

In the far past.

She didn't know his new address.
He had moved recently.

But you knew it.

That's right.

Did you know a man
by the name of Greerson?

Yes, he's a client
of our firm.

Did you know that Lamont
had an appointment

with Mr. Greerson
on the evening of the m*rder?

It was the following morning.

I see.

And you also knew,

because Madge Elwood
had told you,

that Lamont had had a struggle
on the muddy ground

just outside
his Malibu beach house.

And was then stranded
inside the house

because he had
no clean clothing

to change to.

Yes.

Now, I ask you, Mr. Albert,

whether or not you decided
to play the Good Samaritan

by going to Lamont's apartment

and getting some
clean clothing for him,

and then,
by driving his sports car

out to the beach house for him?

No.

You did not?

No.

Did Madge Elwood?

No.

Well, I don't know.
How could I know?

How many times did Miss Elwood
call you that night?

Just that time.

Don't perjure yourself twice,
Mr. Albert.

Didn't she call you
the second time to tell you

that she was driving Lamont's
car out to the beach house

so he wouldn't
be stranded there?

All right, yes.

Now, after that call,
what did you do, Mr. Albert?

Did you also go
to the beach house?

No.

Why would I go to
the beach house?

Because Madge was driving
Lamont's car.

You were to follow,

bring her home
in your car.

Didn't you get there first,
Mr. Albert?

No, I didn't.

Having arrived there first,
didn't you then k*ll Mr. Lamont?

No.

Did you arrive there after
Miss Elwood had k*lled Lamont?

I decline to answer.

You decline?

On what grounds?

On the grounds
that I cannot be compelled

to testify about my wife.

Your wife?

Madge Elwood and I were married
in Las Vegas last night.

( crowd murmuring )

Your Honor,

it must be clearly apparent

that an attempt
is being made here

not to fabricate,
but to suppress evidence.

Miss Elwood, or rather
Mrs. Albert unavailable,

her husband refusing
to testify.

Under the circumstances,

I would like to I recall
one other witness.

Mr. Chamberlin?

I have no objection,
Your Honor.

The state is most interested
in these developments.

Very well, Mr. Mason.

I would like to recall
Oolong Kim.

JUDGE:
Oolong Kim to the stand, please.

MASON:
Now, Mr. Kim,

a telephone call
was made to the deceased

at about half-past
or minutes past

on the night of his m*rder.

Enough of the conversation
was overheard

to indicate that the person who
telephoned made certain demands.

And that that person
was called O.K.

Yes, sir.

Your name is Oolong Kim.

Your initials are O.K.

Now, I suggest, Mr. Kim, that
despite your wife's denials,

you were that person.

Yes, sir, I was.

Mr. Lamont Jr. was the
only one that called me that.

What were you demanding of him?

Money.

Loaned to him
to pay his gambling debts

and which he owed
my wife and me.

MASON:
He refused?

KIM:
Yes, sir.

He had promised it
many times.

MASON:
Then what did you do?

My wife and I talked.

The situation was acute.

But we did not
act in haste.

It was much later when
my wife and I drove

to the Lamont beach house

to make another appeal.

How much later?

We reached there

a little after half-past .

And you saw Lamont?

No, Mr. Mason.

We came up the back way.

A car was behind the house.

We drove away.

We thought then
we'd speak to him

when he didn't
have company.

MASON:
You recognize the car?

No.

But I can recall it.

An inexpensive two-door sedan?

Why, no.

It was
a red convertible.

Red convertible?

Are you sure of that?
Of course.

My wife saw it too.

Thank you, Mr. Kim.

Your Honor,

still present
in the courtroom

is the officer
who testified

as to having placed
the first ticket

on Loring Lamont's car.

I would like to ask him
one or two questions.

Questions which may help bring
this case to a conclusion.

JUDGE:
Very well, call Officer Lyons
to the stand.

MAN:
Officer Peter Lyons
to the stand.

JUDGE:
You may step down, Mr. Kim.

Now, Officer Lyons,

you testified that
you tagged Loring Lamont's car

on the night of his m*rder.

Yes.

For parking in front of
a fireplug.

That was, uh,
seven minutes after .

MASON:
Now, isn't it true that in about
ten minutes you came back

to see if his car was still
parked in front of the fireplug?

LYONS:
Yes, and it still was.

You issued another ticket
at that time?

Yes, but for another car that I
found double-parked

a few feet away.

MASON:
Can you describe this other car
that was double-parked?

LYONS:
A red convertible.

MASON:
And the registered owner?

LYONS:
I don't remember the name.

It's in the record though.
I can get it for you.

I don't think that will
be necessary, thank you.

Don't leave, Miss Bristol.

It was my car.

I guess I knew
it would all come out.

No matter how I tried
to change the evidence.

I left my car there,

while I got Loring's clothes.

And then I took them out
to the beach house.

But after Loring changed,

he told me
that he was taking my car

to find Arlene Ferris.

He said I could hitchhike home

for all he cared.

That he was through with me.

He was drunk

and vicious.

He hit me and tried to choke me.

I managed to twist away
from him.

And I picked up the stiletto

and struck out with it.

I was only trying
to defend myself.

Right, Gertie,
thank you.

Well, I found out

why Lamont picked on Edith
to make that telephone call.

It was his charming way

of letting her know
he was through with her.

Seeing another woman?
Uh-huh.

Then later she called him again,
wanting an explanation.

Of course, that was after
his adventure in the mud.

Well, even then she took him
the clean clothes.

She must have been very much
in love with him, Paul.

Only there's one thing
I don't understand.

Madge's Las Vegas marriage.
What was all that?

Well,

Madge was afraid that
Albert might have k*lled Lamont.

Albert was afraid
that she might have.

So they were just trying
to protect each other.

Comedy of errors.

Uh, just errors, Della,
no comedy.

As Perry would say,

m*rder is never funny.

Okay, boss.

Okay.

( both laugh )

( noirish jazz theme playing )