06x04 - The Case of the Double-Entry Mind

[bunniefuu]

Hi, Otto.

Hey, Andy.

- Where's your new partner?
- Oh, he'll be right back.

Say, Mama's been askin' for you.

That's two Thursday nights in a row now
you've missed.

Ah, your mother's patented wiener schnitzel,
but only the best.

Tell her I'm sorry, Otto.
I've been working hard, been very busy.

But not too busy
to wet-nurse a rookie, huh?

Well, after all, the guy's my cousin.

Okay, Lieutenant, sir.

It's Jimmy Anderson's first night riding
prowl car instead of pounding a b*at.

You want me to keep an eye on him, right?

What are you doing here?

Oh, uh, I had to see somebody,
so I just thought I'd--

Wish me luck on my first night, huh?

Thanks, Andy.

Come on, Otto.
We'll be late for assembly.

Okay, let's go.

Don't wait up for us, Daddy.
We might be late.

Is something wrong?

- Could be.
- [police radio chatter]

The gate's open,
and I don't see Pearce anyplace.

Pearce?

Ralph Pearce, night watchman.

When they got the payroll sitting
in the safe overnight, Pearce always--

[expl*si*n]

Let's go!

Come on! I said let's go!

Oh, I thought you'd left
for the night, Lieutenant.

Get your hat, Andy.

Homicide?

Downtown-- Wilson Plastics.

The safe was cracked, payroll stolen.

And, uh, they sh*t a policeman.

Your friend, Otto Norden.

What?

Sorry, Andy. He's dead.

What about the kid?

Officer James Anderson?

He's all right? He wasn't hurt?

Maybe better if he had been.

One of the plant executives drove up
just as the sh**ting started inside.

He saw Officer James Anderson outside...

running away.

[Man] Yes, I'd just driven up
and gotten out of my car

when I saw this officer running away
from the plant towards the street.

He stopped running when he saw me.

But according to the officer here,

you both heard the sh*ts
that came from inside the building.

Either way, suit yourself.

Well, we both ran in, found the empty safe,
the policeman dead.

The night watchman
was drugged and unconscious

in a cold room they use for storage
on the other side of the plant.

Well, thank you very much, Mr. Wilson.

I'll be in my aunt's office with the others.

Otto sent you around the back
while he went in the front?

- Yes.
- Just inside the back doorway,

- somebody hit you on the head?
- Yes.

Or was it like you told me before--
you tripped, fell, and bumped your head?

Yes. No.

I-I'm not sure, Andy.

Come on, now, what was it?
You tripped and fell or you were hit?

I don't know, Andy! I don't know.

Jimmy, I'm-- I'm only trying to help.

All right, now, you were out.

You came to-- sick, dizzy, mixed-up.

You started back to the squad car
looking for Otto.

That's when I saw that guy Wilson drive up
and when I heard the sh*ts inside.

I was never inside the plant,
and I wasn't running away, believe me!

Andy, about Otto.

- [door opens]
- You know I--

That other lieutenant-- Tragg, I think--
wants to see you, Lieutenant Anderson.

All right. Thanks.

Well, now, they tell me you went
and got yourself slugged on the head.

Knocked unconscious, huh?

Suppose we take a look at it.

The money chest lock is sh*t.

They blew it with nitro--
too much nitro, Lieutenant.

Made confetti out of everything inside.

The money, too?

Probably not.
It was inside the steel compartment.

- It wasn't hurt.
- [door opens]

But it was stolen.

Oh. This is Lieutenant Anderson,
homicide.

Mrs. Wilson, president of the company.

And you've met her nephew,
Dwight Wilson.

And Mr. Leland.

He is the company treasurer.

Well, Mr. Leland?

Records, books,
completely destroyed, of course.

We have microfilm copy duplicates--
which we didn't keep in the safe--

of most of the material,

so we shouldn't have too much trouble
reconstructing the ledgers, Carrie.

The money, Mr. Leland--
how much was stolen?

$ , in paper currency.

Oh, Doctor, our night watchman,
Pearce, how is he?

Apparently drugged and unconscious.

I sent him to the hospital
to have his stomach pumped.

- He'll be all right, Mrs. Wilson.
- Thank you.

And the young policeman
who was running away, is he all right?

- Fine.
- What about his head?

Must be hard as a rock.

You know, you'd almost think
he imagined he fell or was slugged.

There's just a scratch
and barely a bump on his head.

Well, if our company can help you
in any other way,

please don't hesitate to call on us,
Lieutenant.

Thank you, Mr. Morrell.

Ohm come in, Steve, come in.

Detective Toland, burglary.

This is Mr. Arthur Morrell,
vice-president of Wilson Plastics.

Mr. Morrell.

I understand you've been to the hospital
to see our night watchman.

- How is he?
- Pearce is fine, sir.

He was released this morning.
He's going back to work tonight.

Check his story?

Yes. Had lunch about midnight.
Started feeling sick.

Passed out in the cold room
before he could get to a phone--

somewhere around : , he thinks.

And the safe was blown up and robbed
a little after in the morning.

These professional crooks really have
everything figured out, don't they?

Not the fact that Otto Norden
was going to show up.

They sh*t him.

Well, there's no need
to detain you any longer, Mr. Morrell.

If we need you, we'll get in touch.
And thank you very much for your help.

Not at all. Lieutenant. Mr. Toland.

Professional crooks? Sure.

The pros haven't used nitro in years.

And two ounces of the stuff?

Oh, no.
This was strictly amateur night in Dixie.

Hmm. Or an inside job.

Well, I promised I'd take Mrs. Wilson
around to see Mama Norden.

- Thanks, Steve.
- Andy?

The department's internal security
already has this,

so you might as well, for what it's worth.

Has what?

Well, three days ago,

I investigated a reported burglary
at a chemical analysis plant.

Real funny one.

Someone swiped some liquid detergent,

a bottle of new perfume they were testing
called Naughty Lady,

some other cockeyed odds and ends,
and, uh, two ounces of nitro.

The same amount used at Wilson Plastics.

One other thing.

The thief was seen--

not his face, but what he was wearing.

Andy, a uniformed policeman
was seen leaving that place.

This chemical lab that was burgled--
whose b*at was it on?

The kid who was transferred
to the squad cars two days later--

Officer James Anderson.

"Dedication above and beyond
the call of duty."

The department's highest decoration,
the Cross of Valor,

to Officer Otto Norden.

When the chief handed it to me,
he said--

It's all right, Mama Norden, it's all right.

Otto d*ed the way he would have wanted to--
a good policeman doing his job.

Ja, Andy, he was a good policeman.

He was always so proud of that.

Well, that's certainly something
for you to be proud of, Mrs. Norden.

Otto is dead.

Andy, he's dead.

Why all the tears?

It's not every woman
who has two things to be proud of--

a son who was a hero

and the finest wiener schnitzel
this side of Vienna.

Oh, the wiener schnitzel!

Oh, every Thursday, he would come.

He's like my son.

Both my sons-- it was such fun.

Put that back, Andy.

I'm going to make for Mrs. Wilson
some tea.

- Mama.
- Excuse--

Mama, wait.

Oh, that's a present!

That's the last present Otto gave me.

That's only a few days ago.

That's a perfume, a fine perfume.

Look.

Naughty Lady.

Naughty.

Mama, this is important.

Where did Otto get this perfume?

Oh, I don't know.

Oh, yeah, he said his partner--
What's his name?

Jimmy-- Jimmy gave it to him.

Did you give that perfume to Otto?

No, I didn't.

That burglary on your b*at

before you got yourself transferred
to the squad car detail--

- what do you know about it?
- Nothing.

Look at me when I talk to you.

Did you take that perfume
from the chemical lab and give it to--

Hey, your badge-- where is it?

The Chief has it.
He took it when he suspended me.

I've been ordered to face
a Board of Rights hearing in five days.

Oh.

I'm-- I'm sorry, Jimmy. I didn't know.

I don't know what to do.

Andy, I'll need somebody on the force
to act as my representative,

- to help me with--
- Help you?

Act as my counsel at the hearing.

I know Otto was a close friend

and Mrs. Norden's
been like a mother to you, but--

Jimmy, I--

Well... you're my cousin.

I see.

It's not like when I was a kid
and you got me out of trouble.

I didn't say that.

Never mind. You don't have to.

You just leave it hang all over your face
like a big sign, just like the rest of them.

Andy, why don't you just
come right out and say it?

You think I ran out on Otto, don't you?

- No, Jimmy.
- On account of me, he's dead.

That's what you think, isn't it?
Well, let me tell you something.

You just forget I asked you to help me.
You just forget it.

I'll take care of myself.

Jimmy!

[door opens]

Mrs. Wilson is expecting me.

Mrs. Wilson?

Yes, Fleta?

Lieutenant Anderson is here.

Have him wait a moment, please.

Call Howard Duncan and ask him
to bring that time clock with him.

And then show both gentlemen in.

After all that's happened--
robbery, m*rder--

is this the time to bring it up again?

I thought the issue was settled, Arthur.

We are not buying out Hillman Plastics
or any other company.

You're wrong, Carrie.

We have a $ -million defense contract,
ours for the asking, if we buy out Hillman.

The answer was no before, it'll be no
again tonight at the board meeting.

You, your nephew, and Jerel Leland
against Duncan and me.

Always to against progress.

Well, you'd better have the great
Mr. Perry Mason here tonight.

Our company attorney? Why?

I'm going to make my proposal once more.

If it is voted down again,
I'm handing in my resignation.

You better do some thinking
about that, Carrie.

Come in, gentlemen.

Lieutenant, Mr. Duncan
is our general manager.

I asked him to bring the recording
time clock that Pearce carried.

Thank you. Mr. Duncan,
would you unlock it for me,

check the recording disk,

and see what was the last time Pearce punched
in on his clock that night?

Certainly. Glad to, Lieutenant.

Just a moment, Mr. Duncan.

I don't know whether the lab
can check this out or not,

but that sure looks like a fresh
b*llet crease to me.

But I don't understand.

Officer Otto Norden fired one sh*t
before he was k*lled.

Wait a minute.

If that sh*t hit this case,

then Pearce wasn't unconscious
on the other side of the plant.

Pearce must've been present.

He must've seen who robbed the safe.

That or Pearce did it himself,

not realizing the policeman's b*llet
struck this case...

and tipped off the fact that he was lying.

This is Ralph Pearce's place.

Just a second, fellas.

I'd like to see that search warrant
you said you had.

Did Mr. Pearce go to work
tonight as usual?

Uh-huh.

Just like I told the cop
that was here earlier.

Yeah, this looks okay.
You can go ahead and search.

This other policeman looking for Pearce,
did he tell you his name?

Yeah.

That's funny.

It's just like yours-- Anderson.

Well, call me if you need anything.

About $ , , I'd say, Lieutenant.

Half the money that was stolen,
Mr. Duncan.

What about the serial numbers, Steve?

They check.
This is part of the robbery money.

There's no question of it.

One partner's share, maybe.

Let's go pick up Pearce.

These are my figures and analysis
of the diversification plan

involving the purchase of Hillman Plastics.

Hear, hear.

I now advise, as I have in the past,
against the move.

Just as Mrs. Wilson
would expect you to do.

If I'm consistent, Mr. Morrell, so are you.

This matter has come up repeatedly,
and with the same result--

a to vote against purchase.

However, if you insist
on wasting time and voting again,

despite the obvious meaning
of the figures I quoted, why, I can't--

I don't care what the figures signify.
It's expand or die.

I say again, there's no alternative.

We must diversify.

But, Arthur, in terms of profits, of a
reasonable return on invested capital,

well, I must reiterate Mrs. Wilson's basic
concern, which I confess I share.

All right, Jerel. That's enough.

I think we've just about
talked this thing into the ground.

Unless there are any objections,
I'm going to call for a vote.

Carrie Wilson-- no.

Arthur Morrell?

Yes.

Jerel Leland?

No.

I assume, Arthur, that you have
Howard Duncan's proxy.

I do. Howard Duncan votes yes.

Dwight Wilson?

If it's not too much trouble, nephew,

would you give us your usual
negative vote?

I vote yes.

What?

[knock on door]

Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt you,
but this is urgent.

We can't find Ralph Pearce in the plant.

- Now, if any of you hap--
- [g*nsh*t]

[g*nsh*t]

What was that sh**ting?

Toland, I think.
Sounded like he was chasing--

It's Ralph Pearce, the night watchman.

It looks like he's been strangled to death.

Since this Board of Rights hearing
is not a criminal proceeding,

a finding of guilt
does not require conviction

in the minds of the board members

to a moral certainty
or beyond a reasonable doubt.

A finding of guilty based on
a preponderance of evidence is sufficient.

The accused will raise his right hand.

What's taking them so long?

You don't make snap decisions

when you've got a man's career,
his future, in your hands.

Come off it, Andy.
I was picked as a sacrificial goat

before we even walked into that room.

The fraternity of the police department--
cops gotta stick together.

Oh, sure.

Stick together against what?

The press-- and don't forget the public.

Oh, no. Must give the public
its little bone to chew.

Throw a policeman into the arena
and let the cop-hating public devour him.

You think everybody hates policemen.

Oh, no, not everybody, Andy.

Their wives and mothers, kids, they're
all just crazy about the underpaid fools.

Jimmy, you didn't have to attend
this hearing personally, you know?

You could have just walked away
from the department.

Be honest with yourself.

Why are you even here?

Because you're a policeman.

What else would you want to be?

The accused will rise.

Guilty as charged.

They dismissed him from the force.

I'm sorry, Jimmy.

Never mind that hearing business, Andy.

We hoped it wouldn't,

but five minutes ago, evidence turned up
that clinched the case.

James Anderson,
I have a warrant for your arrest

for the m*rder of Ralph Pearce.

This hearing transcript
of Jimmy's dismissal,

everything I've heard about the case,
Andy--

it seems conclusive that the robbery
must've been tied in with the m*rder.

Andy, if there was ever a case

where a police officer's hand
was caught in the till,

this has got to be it.

I agree with you, Paul.

There was a policeman involved in that theft,
all right, but which policeman?

You don't mean Otto Norden,
the policeman who was k*lled?

Yes, Perry, I'm afraid I do.

[Della] But he was k*lled
trying to stop the robbery.

What robbery?

That phony, obviously planned
performance at Wilson Plastics?

Who was the brave Otto Norden
protecting the payroll from?

The night watchman?

Remember, we found that stolen money
hidden under Pearce's mattress.

Only half of it.

But why do you paint Otto
into that picture?

The perfume, the stolen nitro.

Remember, the witness never
saw a face, only a uniform.

Well, Otto Norden wore a uniform, all right,

but so did Jimmy Anderson,
and it was his b*at.

Jimmy knew nothing about Wilson Plastics
or its night watchman or its payroll.

- But Otto did?
- Yes.

And Otto sent Jimmy around to the rear

where the waiting night watchman
knocked him out.

That's the way I figure it.

Now, suppose Pearce
had already blown the safe.

He and Otto argue over the money.

Pearce sh*t Otto,
stashed the money away somewhere,

drank that drugged coffee,
and waited for the police to come.

Neat package, Andy.

But it leaves
one large question unanswered.

Forgetting why for the moment,
just tell me who k*lled Pearce.

Well, his death may have had
nothing at all to do with the robbery.

Or with your cousin Jimmy?

Come on, Andy, get off it.

If Otto Norden was mixed up
in that robbery,

there must've been a motive
and evidence of such.

Now, have you spoken to Mrs. Norden

concerning the possibility
of her son's involvement?

No.

Perry, she's been--

well, she's been practically
like my mother, too.

All she's got left is the memory
of a dead hero

and a mantelpiece
full of citations and medals.

I'd rather cut off my arm than hurt her.

And what would you rather do

in place of allowing your cousin
to be convicted of m*rder?

That's why I'm here, Perry.

I'd like you to defend the kid.

All right, Andy.

But what about you?

Will you defend him?

If I find evidence involving him, I'll--

I'll put him into the gas chamber myself.

I know going back to that plant

was the kind of stupid stunt
only a fool rookie would pull, but...

Mr. Mason, I didn't k*ll him.

Ralph Pearce was dead when I
stumbled over his body in that cold room.

Then I heard Detective Toland coming,
and I ran.

Now that's the truth.

The police report indicates

that Pearce had been searched
from head to toe after he was k*lled.

Were you responsible?

No, I never searched him.
Why would I do that?

Why were you in the plant
in the first place?

Well, I wanted to clear myself,

and I couldn't be caught there investigating.

I'd been trying to figure out when
and how his lunch got drugged that night.

I'd already found out he had his lunch
fixed at a small restaurant.

He'd pick it up every night,
take it to the plant,

put it in his locker where he kept it
locked till he went for it at midnight.

His coffee could've been drugged
in the restaurant.

Someone in the plant
could've gotten into his locker.

Or he drugged it himself.

Knowing the police would drive by
looking for him,

he was taking a big chance,

unless one of those cops
was his accomplice.

Jimmy, you were one of those cops.

I know.

And I know that Mrs. Norden says
I gave Otto that perfume,

but, Mr. Mason, I never saw that perfume.

And I never stole that nitro
from that chemical lab.

So, if you weren't the one,
then it had to be Otto Norden.

It had to be Otto, Mr. Mason.

You knew my Otto, Mr. Mason?

Please understand, Mrs. Norden,
as attorney for Andy's cousin,

it's necessary for me to find out what I can
about everyone involved in this case.

That Jimmy is a bad boy.
He's no good. He ran away.

If it wasn't for him--

So I'll answer what questions I can.

Concerning that bottle of perfume--

did Otto actually say
that Jimmy gave it to him?

Well, he said something about his partner.

Can't remember exactly the words,
but that's what he said.

Isn't it possible, Mrs. Norden,
that you might have misunderstood him?

That you were mistaken?

It's also possible that I am a liar.

I didn't say that.

You didn't have to say it, Mr. Mason.

I know about the robbery with the perfume.

I know it was a man
in a policeman's uniform

who took the perfume and the stuff
to blow up Mrs. Wilson's safe.

I know also that the place that was robbed
was on the young Anderson's b*at.

b*at or not, Jimmy wasn't the only
uniformed policeman in Los Angeles.

You are calling my Otto a thief.

Am I, Mrs. Norden?

Or are you?

My Otto was no crook!

He was a policeman!

A good policeman!

What are you trying to do?

Destroy his name?

Take away all I have left in the world?

That Jimmy Anderson, he is the one!

He k*lled the watchman.
He k*lled my Otto!

Go back to your k*ller!
I don't want to talk about him!

You're bad! You're both bad,
trying to hurt my Otto!

[sobbing]

Jimmy Anderson is fighting for his life.

He's just a scared kid.
I'm trying to help him.

Don't you understand, Mrs. Norden?

Jimmy is not guilty.

So who is guilty? My Otto?

My Otto got out of the grave
to k*ll that man?

We're talking about the perfume,
talking about the robbery.

So why should he steal?

I'm sorry, Mrs. Norden.

[door opens, closes]

Ohh.

Mrs. Wilson, gentlemen.

You said you wanted to see us.
Well, here we are, Perry.

Would you tell us why you want to see us,
that is, if it isn't too much trouble?

No trouble at all, Mr. Morrell.

You see, I believe one of you
m*rder*d Ralph Pearce.

You're out of your mind.

[Mason]
That's been said before, many times.

Mr. Mason, I thought that James Anderson
was under arrest for Pearce's m*rder.

He is.

The night Pearce was m*rder*d,

those of us here in this room
were the only ones in the plant.

Aside from Pearce and James Anderson.

That's right.
Pearce went on duty at .

We met in this room at .

At the time James Anderson arrived
and stumbled onto Pearce,

Pearce was already dead.

So, if young Anderson
is telling the truth-- if--

then one of us k*lled Pearce
before we met at .

[Mason]
That would be correct.

[Duncan] What time
did James Anderson enter the building?

At approximately a quarter of .

Then you're wrong, Mr. Mason.

It would've been physically impossible
for any one of us to have k*lled Pearce.

Why?

- Well--
- Go ahead and tell him, Mr. Duncan.

He'll find out in court anyway.

The last time Pearce punched in
on his rounds was in the cold room at : .

We were all in here from :
until the body was found,

and not one of us left this room.

The only other person in the plant
was Officer James Anderson.

There's more, Perry.

We found the rest of the money
that was stolen from the safe.

Where?

Hidden in Jimmy's apartment.

It is the state's contention, Your Honor,

that the accused, James Anderson,

and the deceaced night watchman
Ralph Pearce

jointly planned and ex*cuted
a $ , robbery

of the premises and the safe
of the Wilson Plastics Company,

during which robbery police officer
Otto Norden was feloniously slain.

And we will show that
when the police investigation

threatened to reveal the complicity
of the night watchman in this robbery,

and through him
the complicity of the defendant,

James Anderson m*rder*d Ralph Pearce.

Yes, I personally checked

the serial numbers of the currency
the police showed me.

With what result, Mr. Leland?

The $ , recovered by the police

was the identical $ ,
to that stolen from our safe.

I see. Thank you, sir.
I think that'll be all.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Leland, would you say
that the decedent, Ralph Pearce,

was a good night watchman?

Your Honor, I object to that question.

That calls for an opinion
and a conclusion of the witness.

As attorney for his company, you should
know that he's not plant superintendent.

He's company treasurer.

Objection sustained.

All right, Mr. Leland,

as company treasurer,
can you tell us whether or not

the night watchman Mr. Pearce
was covered by a bond?

Yes, Mr. Mason, most emphatically so.

We'd be derelict indeed
in not paying to have him bonded.

Was there any trouble
in having him bonded?

I don't specifically recall,
but I shouldn't imagine so.

You see, Mr. Mason, Ralph Pearce
was a former Los Angeles policeman.

I also know he left the police department
involuntarily,

that he'd been asked to resign.

Perhaps the bonding company
was aware of that fact

and accordingly increased their rates.

I can't answer without checking the records
of the bonding company.

Didn't your own company
keep such records?

Naturally, Mr. Mason, of course,

but we lost those specific records,
I'm sure,

when the nitroglycerine expl*si*n
that opened the safe

also destroyed the contents of the safe.

Including the list of serial numbers
of the stolen money?

Yes, that list was destroyed,
as a matter of fact.

Then how could you give the police the list
of serial numbers of the stolen money?

There were microfilm records
of about % of the safe's contents--

microfilm records
not involved in the expl*si*n.

Including, most fortuitously, microfilm copy

that we had made
of that serial number list.

No further questions.

To your knowledge, Lieutenant,
did the defendant, James Anderson,

know the decedent, Ralph Pearce,
prior to the robbery at Wilson Plastics?

Yes, sir, I know that recently,

when Jimmy Anderson
was at the police academy,

one of his instructors was Ralph Pearce.

He was still on the force at that time.

Now, Lieutenant Tragg,
I show you this certified copy

of a police department assignment order.

I ask you in what manner this assignment
order refers to the defendant.

Yes, sir, this order transferred officer
James Anderson, the defendant,

from the b*at to the prowl car detail

and assigned him
to Officer Otto Norden's car.

A prowl car whose customary patrol area
included the Wilson Plastics plant,

where the former instructor of the defendant

was now employed as a night watchman,
is that correct?

- Yes, sir.
- And now, Lieutenant,

I understand that another homicide officer,
Lieutenant Anderson,

recovered one half of the money
stolen in that robbery

and that you yourself
recovered the other half.

Would you tell us, please,
exactly where you found that money?

Yes, sir. Under some clothes
in a suitcase inside a closet

in the apartment
of the defendant, James Anderson.

Death was caused by traumatic asphyxia
induced by means of manual strangulation.

Then the m*rder*r used his hands, Doctor?

No, most likely his forearm--

clamping the victim's throat
while the assailant stood behind him.

All right, Doctor.

Now one last question. Would you
estimate the time of death for me?

Oh, in my opinion, decedent
was m*rder*d between : and : .

Thank you, Doctor. That'll be all.
Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Doctor, in a situation where a body is
discovered reasonably soon after death,

what in your examination permits you
to determine the time of death?

Oh, I'd say such factors
as the temperature of the corpse,

the degree of lividity
or postmortem markings on the body,

and, of course, the degree of rigor mortis.

By temperature you mean
that if a body is warm, death was recent,

and if a body is cold,
death was further removed in time?

Precisely.

What was the condition
of Ralph Pearce's body

when you examined it a little after : ?

Cold.

Wouldn't that indicate
that he'd been k*lled before ?

Ordinarily, yes.

But in this case, Mr. Mason,
if you didn't know,

decedent was slain in a refrigerated room,

a factor which would considerably
accelerate the lowering of temperature.

Now, in this matter of lividity, I gather
the markings were barely discernable,

leading you to a conclusion
that death was recent?

Yes.

I believe, Doctor, that rigor mortis
was the third factor you mentioned.

Now, was rigor mortis marked
in your examination of the decedent?

Very much so.

Wouldn't that indicate
that death had occurred before --

at : , at , at : ?

Perhaps even as early as : ?

It could, conceivably, yes.

- But not in this case.
- And why not?

If a person dies quietly,
without muscular activity,

rigor mortis is slow and gradual.

But a person being strangled from behind,
struggling for his life,

has abnormal muscular activity.

Bringing on more rapid rigor mortis?

In situations like this, we have had cases
of instantaneous rigor mortis.

Is it not also a medical fact, Doctor,

that cold can hasten
the onset of rigor mortis?

Yes.

And didn't you point out carefully to me
a few moments ago, Doctor,

that the body of Ralph Pearce
had been found in a refrigerated room?

Why, uh, why, yes.

Doctor, without a postmortem examination,
how would you fix the time of death?

Oh, I'd say you could do it roughly based
on the time the body was discovered

and time decedent was last known
to have been alive.

Obviously, death occurred
between those times.

You examined the body at : .

When was the decedent
last known to be alive?

At , when he punched in
on the time clock.

Oh, you know about the time clock?

Of course.

Did you know about it when you made
your postmortem examination?

Did you know about it when you made your
conclusions concerning the time of death?

Yes, I was tol--

Yes.

Yes, I knew.

Thank you, Doctor.
No further questions.

You then obtained a search warrant
and went through Ralph Pearce's rooms.

What did you find?

$ , , half of the $ ,
that had been stolen.

And then you proceeded to Wilson Plastics
plant to arrest Ralph Pearce.

Was he there?

He was there, all right-- m*rder*d.

What else did the police find at that plant?

Detective Toland saw a man,
unrecognizable,

fleeing from the scene of the death,
attempting to run out of the plant.

Detective Toland yelled at the man to stop,
fired a couple of sh*ts,

but the man got away.

However, we heard testimony here

from a driver of a delivery truck
who heard those sh*ts

and who was later able to identify that man

who ran from the scene of the crime,
isn't that so?

Yes, sir.

Our investigation proved that man
was the... defendant.

I think that'll be all, Lieutenant.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

No questions.

[judge]
The witness is excused.

Your Honor, as the court knows,
in a preliminary hearing,

it is only incumbent on the prosecution
to show reasonable grounds to believe,

first, that a crime was committed,

and second, that the accused
is the person who committed that crime.

I'm sure that learned counsel in his defense
will provide us with a performance

which includes his usual
calculated confusion of the facts.

But at the moment, Your Honor,

I feel more than certain that we have
presented an unshakable prima-facie case.

Therefore, the state rests and moves
that the defendant be bound over.

Mr. Mason, you may proceed
with your defense at this time.

Your Honor,

we have no defense
to present at this time.

Contracts and check
for the purchase of Hillman Plastics.

Been ready and unsigned
for more than a week.

We have stalled this thing
more than long enough.

Jerel, sign, please.

Mr. Mason said he was coming right over.

I-- I think it's no more
than common courtesy to--

I could take it to court for relief

and force compliance
with board-approved action.

Is that what you want?

Sign.

When he finishes, you sign, Carrie.

I don't think you ought to do that, Carrie.

Oh, our eminent counsel.

More new allegations, Mr. Mason?

Facts, not allegations.

A shortage in the company books
of $ , .

What?

Do you know about this, Jerel?

Yes, Mrs. Wilson.

I notified Mr. Mason

when the auditors informed me
of the seeming discrepancy.

Unfortunately,
there were not microfilm copies

of all the records destroyed in the robbery.

Now, until we re-create the books
step-by-step from supporting documents,

well, we can't be sure there is a shortage.

You said facts-- plural.

The Security Exchange Commission

has withheld approval
of the Hillman Plastics deal--

its purchase and transfer of stock.

That's impossible.
I don't believe it!

If the Angel Gabriel appeared before you
on Judgment Day, Mr. Morrell,

I think you'd ask to see his union card.

On the day before the vote
to buy Hillman Plastics,

someone bought large blocks
of Hillman stock cheap.

Two days later, after the prospective
purchase had been announced,

the stock went up points.

That same someone then sold his stock
for a profit of over $ , .

You-- You changed your vote.

You knew this was going to happen.

No, Aunt Carrie.

I swear, I didn't buy a single share
of Hillman stock.

Tell her, please!

I didn't buy that stock, did I?

I don't know, Mr. Wilson.

The only clues we have
as to the identity of the purchaser

are a post-office box number
and the name J. Smith.

Unfortunately,
we don't know who J. Smith is.

All of which raises the interesting question
of exactly why the safe was robbed.

Why?

$ , seems to me
to be a lot of "why," Mr. Mason.

The safe was blown up
to destroy certain records,

not for the purposes of stealing money.

Ralph Pearce was k*lled
because he knew the truth.

All right, Della.

The day of the robbery,
was a package delivered here?

Yes.

Just after Otto left for work.

That package, Mrs. Norden--
is it still here?

Why do you ask?
What was in that package?

It may have contained half the money
stolen from the safe.

But it was delivered here
before the safe was robbed.

No.

No, I told you before.

My Otto was good. He was not bad.

He would have nothing to do
with such things!

Mrs. Norden, I'm not so sure
Otto was really involved, either.

But if my theory is right,
there's one person who is sure of it.

- Who? Who is that?
- The m*rder*r.

I don't understand. I can't--

Is that package still here
in this apartment?

No.

The next day, after Otto was k*lled,
I looked for the package.

It was gone.

Well, then the m*rder*r took it
while you were out

and later on planted it
in Jimmy Anderson's apartment.

That's why all the money's been found.

Someone wanted certain records
in the safe destroyed.

They made a deal with Pearce.

The payoff for doing the job
was the money in the safe.

[Paul] $ , -- half delivered here
and half found in Pearce's room.

Which means that the person
who engineered the whole job

didn't keep a cent of that money.

However, Pearce had discovered
a strip of microfilm missing.

It was a copy of the records
that had been destroyed,

so he went after it, stole it,

and then tried to shake down the man
who had hired him for more money.

For which effort, Pearce was k*lled.

Now the question is,
did the m*rder*r get the microfilm back?

We know Pearce's body was searched.

We know the film wasn't found elsewhere.

So unless he does have the film,
the m*rder*r must be getting fairly panicky.

Yes, well, why are you telling me all this?

If the m*rder*r believed that your son
was Pearce's accomplice,

then he might also believe that Pearce
contacted you after Otto's death.

How would he believe a thing like that?

He would...
if you made it convincing enough.

You mean you want...

the m*rder*r to think that I--

That you know where Pearce hid the film.

You can do it over the phone,
Mrs. Norden.

This is the number, and this is
what Mr. Mason wants you to say.

You don't know all this.

You don't know for sure.
You only think this is what happened.

If it didn't, Mrs. Norden,

then either Jimmy is a thief,
or your son was a thief.

Would you get me the number, please?

Here.

This-- This is Erna Norden.

I know who J. Smith is,
and I know where the film is.

Pearce called me.

He hid it where no one else
would think of looking for it.

If I tell the police,
they'll know about-- about Otto.

I don't want that.

I don't ever want that.

So take it...

in-- in the cold room.

[Mason]
You don't have to look further.

We found it earlier and left it there
before I had Mrs. Norden call you.

Missing microfilm that proves
you embezzled $ , from the company.

That microfilm could send you to jail,

just as Ralph Pearce
was sent to his death.

I swear I didn't k*ll him.

How could I? I was at that meeting.

So was I. So was everyone connected
with the company from : on.

But Pearce was k*lled before : .

Pearce was k*lled
before that meeting even started.

Then one of the people at the meeting--

But Mrs. Norden called me.

Her second call was made to you.

But her first call was made to a man

who gave himself an alibi
by tampering with that time clock.

You, Mr. Leland.

Him!

He blackmailed me, Mr. Mason.

That's why I changed my vote.

He threatened to send me to jail
if I didn't vote to buy Hillman Plastics.

A sale which would have
made him $ , .

The name you used was J. Smith,
was it not?

You knew that in court, didn't you?

And you knew the actual time Ralph Pearce was
k*lled when you questioned the doctor.

Yes.

And I knew something you didn't know--

the truth about Otto Norden.

That he was never Pearce's accomplice
in that robbery.

You couldn't prove any of it.

Not even Perry Mason could prove it.

No, I couldn't prove it, Mr. Leland.

But you could.

And you have.

So?

Now you know everything.

Just the two of you.

I'm afraid not, Mr. Leland.

Well, what are you gonna do
with that g*n?

[whimpering]

[knock on door]

Mr. Mason, come in.

What did you find, Mr. Mason?

I just left headquarters.

Between Leland's confession
and our own investigation,

everything is just about explained.

Even the perfume?

It was stolen by a man in uniform,
but it wasn't Jimmy, and it wasn't Otto.

It was Otto's former partner
on the police force,

a man who had kept his uniform--
Ralph Pearce.

Well, apparently Pearce hated your son.

He blamed Otto for his having
been tossed off the police force,

planned to frame him for that phony robbery.

That explains the money, too.

After Pearce k*lled your son,

he stole the money back from this apartment
and planted it on Jimmy.

Oh, poor Jimmy.

I guess he still hoped to blame the robbery
on a policeman.

Then my Otto--

Until you could tell me for sure,
I couldn't even look at this.

Your son earned his decoration.

[knock on door]

[Andy]
Hey, anybody home?

Come in!

Oh, Andy, it's so good to see you!

Good to see me?

You sound surprised, Mama Norden.

Weren't you expecting me?

Expecting you?

Well, it's Thursday.
Wiener schnitzel night!

Oh, Andy, I didn't even shop today.

We shopped for you.

Mrs. Norden, please,
it-- it means a great deal to me.

Please don't say no.

Officer Jimmy Anderson,
if you eat my food,

you have to call me Mama Norden.