08x10 - The Case of the Reckless Rockhound

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

You're late, Pete.

Well, by the time a fella
finds a parking place,

he ought to have walked
to begin with.

Horses was better anyway.

Here's Reba's
safety-deposit key.

Like to ride back out with us?

No. If I'm going to get
that jalopy back,

got to t*nk up first.

You or the jalopy?

Well, I guess it is me,
Mr. Malone,

and not the jalopy
people call Reelin' Pete.

Can't disappoint the public,
now, can I?

Take it easy, Pete.

Always do.

One glass at a time.

Ready.

Sure beats me.

An armored car to bring
a shoe box out to some dame.

You're new with the
armored car company, aren't you?

Oh, Murphy, don't tell me
you've been through

this routine
for the old dame before.

Son, your company's paid
to guarantee delivery.

Of what, to whom and why
may worry the insurers,

but it's not a matter
for your personal concern.

Sorry. No offense meant.

None taken.

You ever eat a two-inch steak
pit-broiled in rock salt?

That's not fair, Mr. Malone.

I had an early breakfast.

Looks like you never read
about the town of Burgess.

About Reba Burgess
and the shoe box in the vault.

Doesn't ring any bells.

Well, we don't do this
very often,

but the few times we have,

Mrs. Burgess
has been very thankful.

That old, uh, dame
you were talking about

just happens to be one of

the sweetest women
that you'll ever meet.

And Mr. Malone wasn't kidding
about the steak.

(door opens)

Well, here we are, Reba.

Got a couple new boys here
this morning.

Morning, Mal.
Shall we go inside?

Sure.

Doggone, I forgot
your vault key again.

Well, I don't mind coming back
again this afternoon with it.

Maybe we could...

Just send someone out with it.

That'll be all right.

Cut the ribbon, Mal.

You're upset
about something, Reba.

What's wrong?

Seal the box, Mal.

Ribbons are getting tattered.

We'll need new ones soon.

Old ribbons to replace,

old wood to burn,
old wine to drink and...

old friends to trust, Reba.

Better get going, Mal.

I don't want you boys
to miss lunch.

(engine starts)

Mr. Malone, uh,
there's nothing the matter?

About Mrs. Burgess, I mean.

She looked kind of put out.

I don't know.

She's put out, and we're put on.

"Pit-broiled steak.”

Oh, sure.

I don't know--
four grown men and a truck

to give a woman a chance
to play games

with a ratty old shoe box.

That's what I call
being catered to.

And why not?

We'd cater to you, too,
if you used our vaults

to store a ratty old shoe box...

with $ million worth
of uncut diamonds inside of it.

It sure is good of you, Reba,

to set everything aside
to see me.

Your telegram sounded urgent.

Uh, it's been a long time,
hasn't it?

I suppose so.

Going to offer me a drink?

- Mr. Bascom.
- Hmm?

You closed down
my husband's company,

put half the town out of work,
and then disappeared.

You can hardly expect me
to be happy to see you again.

That's not quite the way
it happened.

You know it wasn't.

Al right.

My husband wasn't
a very good businessman.

But it k*lled him.

Broke his heart and k*lled him.

I suppose you know that.

You two were always off--
heaven alone knows where--

making interesting copy
for Sunday supplements.

As pinch-hitting manager
for the company,

I only did what I thought
was necessary.

I know.

You just don't bring back
very nice memories.

That's all.

You think I should have
behaved differently?

Taken other steps, perhaps?

Your wire said you
were returning to town,

you needed help.

No, not help, Reba.

Money.

I don't take any salary.

No profits since I
reopened the company.

I own very little personally.

Very little besides $ million
in negotiable instruments.

Little, shiny, uncut,
negotiable instruments.

I-I could let you have
a few thousand.

(laughs) A few thousand?

You know, you're as mixed-up
as your husband's books were.

Bascom, I warn you!

Yes?

How much?

Well, let me see.

Uh, Burgess Mining Company
must be worth...

$ million.

Roughly half of that.

A million dollars.

What are you talking about?

What half?

I have this document.

A document signed
by your late husband.

Uh, you can check it
if you like.

I have a photostatic copy,
of course.

But this document names me

a full partner
in Burgess Mining Company.

Probate court awarded
your husband's entire estate,

including the company,
to you as his sole survivor?

My husband d*ed without a will.

He had no family.

The company was his,
separate property

inherited from his father
before we were married.

And the diamonds?

They were mine alone.

Mr. Mason, there is no question
that the signature

on that agreement
is my husband's,

but wouldn't his death
invalidate a thing like that?

Well, there's a fairly standard
clause here.

"The death of either partner
shall not dissolve the firm.

"The business shall be continued
by the surviving partner

"with the admission of the heir

of the deceased partner
in his stead.”

So, in theory,
Carl Bascom could sue

to have you declared trustee
for his half of the business.

Half?

Of the assets.

Of the profits
since the date of the agreement.

Half of all future profits--

if the agreement is valid,
of course.

Well, do you think it's valid?

Well, it's properly drawn,
properly signed.

Yes, it could be valid.

Suppose we make a thorough check

of the company books
and records.

There must be some notation
supporting or contradicting...

That won't be necessary.

May I have it back, please?

MASON: Mrs. Burgess,
there's no problem.

We can legally forestall action
by Bascom

until we learn exactly
what the situation was

at the time
of your husband's death.

I know all that I have to know.

May I have the agreement,
please?

Mrs. Burgess,
a situation like this

calls for much more
investigation.

Whatever the situation
calls for, I will do alone.

Good afternoon, Mr. Mason.

Miss Street.

Della.

(door closes)

Get hold of Paul Drake,
will you, please?

(door opens)

Hello, Bascom.

So you got
your old job back, hmm?

Foreman again.

That it, Kelly?

Get out of here
before I throw you out.

I'll tell you a secret,
uh, Kelly.

I'm really half owner
of this mine,

and when I take over,
my first official act

will be to fire you again.

You're what?

What are you guys doing in here?

Kelly, you let this bum in?

- No. -Well, we better
throw him out fast.

The boss is out front.

She's coming in.

Mr. Reelin' Pete,
you just lost your job, too.

I did who?

What are you...?

Reba.

You're late.

We can cut across
the mine property to my house.

BASCOM: Of course,
it's a lovely evening.

Well, gentlemen, we can, um,

pick up where we left off
some other time.

Reba.

Well, she's treating him
like he...

I'll be a...

Kelly, what's been
going on here?

They told me up at the house
that Reba was here.

Just left.

What's your big hurry,
Mr. Malone?

Bascom-- Carl Bascom.

I just found out
he's come back to town.

Well, if you're figuring

on surprising Reba
with that bad news,

she just walked out of here
with that man.

- What?! -KELLY: I just
found him in here alone

just before she showed up.

I don't know
what he was doing here.

- He was here alone?
- KELLY: Yeah.

Kelly, do you mind
if we check inside,

see if anything's
been disturbed or taken?

No. Come on.

(door creaks)

I wish Reba wouldn't leave
things lying around like...

Nothing disturbed around here
that I can see.

Maybe what he was looking for
he didn't find.

I wonder.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Bascom has finished checking
the vault, sir.

Thank you, Kinder.

I hope you found everything
in order.

Oh, old bills
and insurance stuff

still in there,
just the way I left them.

Why, I still have
a $ . balance, they tell me.

It's no business of the bank
where old customers go

or what they leave behind,
long as the charges are paid.

You have a good bank here,
Mal, a real good bank.

Now, one of these days,
real soon now,

we'll have to sit down,
you and I, and have a good talk.

I'll be in the market
for some properties,

investments, that sort of thing.

Yes, sir, you might be
just the man for me.

We try to be of service.

All right, take care
of yourself now.

Mm-hmm.

We'll be talking.

Why, they're lovely,
Mrs. Munger!

Absolutely... (sniffs)
lovely.

A good day to you.

Good day.

Oh, there was a big fuss,
all right.

Torchlight parades,

threats of the men
that Bascom had fired

pulling a sit-down strike
at the mines.

Man, this whole town
was up in arms. (laughs)

No wonder this guy Bascom
was so unpopular.

Here's mud in your eye, friend.

After he closed
down the mines, what happened?

He hung around a couple
of months, and up and left town.

Was that about the same time

that Jim Burgess had
his heart att*ck?

Well, it was the day before,
as I remember it.

Well, let me see.

It was a Friday or a Saturday.

Wait a minute.

Hey, Carl?

Hi. Hello, Pete.

What's on your mind?

Carl old friend, uh...

Hmm?

Was it Friday night,
or a Saturday night

that, uh, Jim Burgess d*ed?

Uh. Well, search me.

I wasn't here.

Uh...

Carl who?

Bascom.

Hey, well,
Burgess' Chief of Police.

How are you, Polek?

Ah, you're still nursing
that ulcer, I see, huh?

Oh, you mind if I join you?

Free country.

Hey, that-that stranger, uh,
sitting next to Reelin' Pete--

uh, don't happen to know
who he is, huh?

Name's Paul Drake.
Private detective.

Detective?

Yeah. Why?

Oh. Oh, it's not important.

Got it from his car license.

Pretty easy
to spot a bird like that

snooping around town.

Worked for some big time
L.A. lawyer.

Mrs. Burgess' lawyer.

Name of, uh,

Perry Mason.
Know him?

Oh, no, no,
I don't know him.

Want a drink?

Oh. Oh, some other time, yeah.

Excuse me.

Yeah, that's right.

I mean, now there's a-a lawyer
and a detective involved in it,

and I-I'm not gonna
stand still for it, you hear me?

Look, I'm not gonna stand
still for it!

I guess you knew Jim Burgess
keeled over with a heart att*ck.

Apparently, Carl Bascom
left town the day before.

Do you know where Bascom
has been since then, Paul?

Yeah, South America.
I just got a report on him.

Evidently, Bascom was pretty
flush when he arrived there.

But he's finally picked all
the fruit off the money tree,

and now he's pretty close
to being broke.

Well, stay on it.
Let me know if...

I sure will, Dorothy,
only, uh, later, okay?

Like I said, honey,
right now I'm broke.

(door handle rattling)

Hello. This is Paul Drake.

I wonder
if you could tell me, please,

who just moved into room ?

Carl Bascom.

Thank you very much.

BASCOM:
Mr. Malone?

Can I see you for a moment?

Well, well,
back so soon, Bascom?

I'd like to get back into
the safety deposit box again,

if-if you don't mind.

I'm rather in a hurry.

- Of course.
- Yeah.

Uh, sign the slip?

Oh.

(Malone sighs)

Mr. Malone?

Yes, uh, Jenkins?

One of the customers
is raising a fuss

about the charges
for some checks.

He just insists
on seeing you, sir.

I'll be right over.

Thank you. Thank you, sir.

Excuse me.

Kinder?

Yes, sir.

I want you to let Bascom
into the vault into his own box.

And make sure
that he isn't disturbed.

What?

I don't want anybody
or anything to disturb him

until he finishes his work
and has come outside.

Understand?

Yes, sir.

I'm going across the street
for a few minutes.

Uh, Bascom gone?

Yes, sir.
He left several minutes ago.

Emptied his box, apparently.

Mr. Malone, I'm rather disturbed
about something.

About what?

Well, when Mr. Bascom
left the vault,

and I went in to lock his box,

I stopped and talked
to Mrs. Munger for a minute.

When I came back out,
Bascom was still in the bank.

He was just straightening up
and walking away from your desk.

My desk?

Mr. Malone, you left the drawer
with the vault keys open.

I closed it.

Of course,
none of the keys were missing.

Nellie?

Get Reba Burgess
on the telephone. Hurry.

I couldn't find Reba,
Mr. Malone.

She just took off someplace.

But here, is this what you want?

Yes. Thanks, Pete.

Uh, I'll get it back to her.

Kinder?

Yes, sir.

Uh, go out and find
Chief of Police Polek for me.

Pol-Polek?

Yes, bring him back here. Fast.

- Hurry.
- Yes, sir.

Kinder said it's important.
What's up?

Why, nothing.
Nothing at all.

- But... But you said...
- Never mind what I said.

It was a mistake,
a misunderstanding.

And that's all?

Oh, I'm very sorry, Chief,
if I've disturbed you.

If you'll excuse me.

I knocked.

Yeah.

And the door just happened
to open.

(phone ringing)

Hello. Yeah?

I'll be right down.

Get the car ready.

Someone gave Bascom
a lift out to the Burgess mine

about an hour ago.

We might as well do our talking
in the car on the way. Let's go.

That's Bascom, all right.

KELLY: He must have fallen
into the sluice and drowned.

Well, drowned or no, he's dead.

(knocking)

Hi, Perry.
Welcome to Burgess.

Hello, Paul.

Thought maybe you'd have gone
straight out to see Reba.

Oh, at : in the morning,
I find it isn't so easy

to rent a car in this place.

Besides, I wanted
to find out what you have first.

Well, let's see.

Inside the late
Mr. Bascom's pocket

was discovered
a wet leather pouch,

four by eight inches in size.

A diamond pouch, perhaps?

DRAKE:
Mm-hmm.

And, uh, inside?

We haven't finished outside yet.

The wet leather pouch was neatly
and prettily tied

with an equally wet ribbon.

Ribbon?

DRAKE: Same kind of ribbon
a certain well-known attorney's

well-known client uses
to tie pretty little bows

on a shoe box
she keeps in a bank vault.

Inside the pouch, Paul?

Nothing.
Well, practically nothing.

Just traces of a sticky,
syrupy substance

my informant assures me
was sweet as sugar.

Have the authorities decided

whether Bascom's death was
accidental, or suicidal, or...?

Homicidal.

m*rder, Perry,
only it wasn't by drowning.

Bascom was sh*t,
and then dumped in the sluice.

I hesitate to ask
if there's something more.

There is.

The m*rder g*n appears to be one
belonging to Reba Burgess.

Past time to open the doors.

Wait till Mr. Malone comes out.

He and Mrs. Burgess
are in the vault,

checking over
her safe deposit box.

I always thought Bascom
would end up dead someday.

No good. Never was.

But he was always
so polite to me.

Ha! Ha. Let me tell you.

Did you want to see me,
Mr. Jenkins, Mrs. Munger?

Oh. It's past opening.
Shall I have Murphy unlock?

In just a moment.

Are those reports finished,
Mrs. Munger?

Almost, sir.

Are your diamonds secure,
Mrs. Burgess?

Why shouldn't they be?

Of course, you'd know
if somebody tampered

with the ribbons
on that shoe box, wouldn't you?

Oh, yes, yes, I'd notice.

I guess, actually,
there really isn't any reason

why you shouldn't return
to Los Angeles now,

is there, Mr. Mason?

Apparently, you wish I would.

(laughing): Oh, no. No, I...
I merely thought...

Like I said, Mr. Mason,
thanks for coming.

But just because
someone takes my g*n

and sh**t somebody with it
doesn't mean

that, uh, I need a lawyer
hanging around to say

it wasn't me.

Reba's never had any trouble

standing up for herself,
Mr. Mason.

Besides, that stupid Bascom
getting himself k*lled

has solved
all my financial problems.

Yes, I agree, if you feel paying
Bascom's earnings to his heirs

is preferable to paying him.

I don't think
he had any family, any heirs.

But you don't know,
do you, Mrs. Burgess?

Suppose there are heirs,
what then?

Under the partnership agreement

they have the same right
as Mrs. Burgess.

They could sue
for half the business,

even force liquidation.

Well, there must be
some other way.

If there are heirs.

That's right, Mr. Malone.

Of course Mrs. Burgess could
always buy out their interest,

if necessary.

- Buy out with what?
- Reba.

With your fortune in diamonds.

I assume that two keys
are required

to open your bank's
safety deposit boxes.

One bank key,
and one customer's key.

That's just it.
They were sure that...

Bascom was in the mine shack
that night, searching the place.

I heard Mr. Malone telling
Murphy, our bank guard.

What else did you hear
Mr. Malone say?

That that's when Bascom could
have taken Reba Burgess's key.

There was wax on it,
Mr. Malone said,

like somebody had taken
an impression.

You know,
to have a duplicate made.

That's very interesting,
Mr. Kinder.

I hope this helps Mrs. Burgess,
Mr. Mason.

But I'd appreciate it if you
wouldn't mention my coming here

and talking to you.

At least not to Mr. Malone.

I, uh, I don't think
he'd understand it.

No, perhaps he wouldn't.

Well, bye, Mr. Kinder,

and thank you.

Sure, sure.

Well, the bill's paid,
and I just checked you out,

but you've only got about
minutes to catch the plane.

- Well, cancel it.
- Huh?

Check us into this room again,
at least for tonight.

But why? If Reba Burgess insists

she won't let you
represent her?

Well, I can still give her
some free advice.

Mrs. Burgess, I'm sorry
that my attitude

seems to annoy you.

Believe me, I'm...

not trying to press my services.

It's nothing personal,
Mr. Mason.

It's just that I just don't need
a lawyer right now, that's all.

(knocking)

Mrs. Burgess...

Reba excuse me for butting in.

And as for you, Chief Polek,

I'm think I've given you

all the information and help
that I possibly can.

I'm sorry, ma'am,

but I have a warrant here
ordering your arrest

for the m*rder of Carl Bascom.

Comparison tests proved the
b*llet that k*lled Carl Bascom

was fired from that p*stol.

The p*stol registered
to the defendant, Reba Burgess.

Sergeant,

where did you find this g*n
on the night of the m*rder?

Objection, Your Honor. m*rder
has not been established.

Well, then, on the night
Bascom was k*lled.

Same objection, Your Honor.

Carl Bascom's death could've
been accidental or suicidal.

All right!

All right.
On the night that Bascom...

Now, Mr. Clark,

will you permit me time to rule
on Mr. Mason's objections?

Sorry, Your Honor.

Sustained.

CLARK: On the night
that Carl Bascom...

d*ed...

where was this g*n found?

I found the g*n

at the foot
of the Burgess Mining Company's

number two sluice.

It was buried in about
three feet of tailings,

concealed under a muddy refuse

that wouldn't ordinarily
be touched again.

Yes, Mrs. Burgess
showed me a copy

of the partnership agreement
that Bascom had given her.

She wanted me to check
her figures

on how much was involved,

how much
she might be liable for,

what Bascom's share
would be worth,

in other words, if the
partnership were valid.

And you helped her with that
information, Mr. Kelly?

Yes, I told her,
a half interest.

A legitimate half interest...

might come to a matter
of a million dollars or more.

CLARK: What was the defendant's
reaction to all this?

She was upset.

Upset, Mr. Kelly?

KELLY:
You've got to understand.

For a long time,
the Burgess Mining Company

didn't seem to exist
for anything

but to pay for Jim Burgess
traipsing around the world.

Things just
kept running downhill.

When Bascom shut down
the company for Burgess,

he claimed it was either that,

or eat up every bit
of the outfit's reserve.

But then...

after Burgess d*ed,
his widow took over?

Yes, she took over the company,

got it operating the way
it should have done,

but never had.

I guess, in a way,

it was sort of a substitute

for losing her husband,

her whole life.

And then Carl Bascom reappeared

threatening that life?

As a partner, Bascom
could exercise his right

to a cash buyout
of his interest.

It would've been the end
of the company,

at least as far as Mrs. Burgess
was concerned.

Was that the only way
that she could have

bought Bascom out?
With company money?

No, I explained to her,

she could have made a deal
with Bascom...

given him some of that
million dollars in diamonds

she had in the vault,
and maybe...

CLARK:
Thank you, Mr. Kelly.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

I understand, Mr. Kelly,

that you operate the mining
company for Mrs. Burgess?

Under her direction, yes.

Including the supervision of the
company's books and records?

KELLY:
Yes, sir.

Did you also supervise
the books and records

when the decedent, Carl Bascom,
was in charge of the company,

on those occasions

when the Burgesses
were traveling?

No, I had nothing to do
with the books at that time.

Then you wouldn't know,
personally,

whether there had ever been
a record of the partnership

between Bascom and Mr. Burgess?

KELLY: I doubt if anyone
will ever know that.

MASON:
Why not, Mr. Kelly?

We had a fire
in the office one night.

MASON:
When was that?

KELLY: Couple of days
after Mr. Burgess d*ed.

MASON:
Were the records destroyed?

KELLY:
Some were.

I imagine that made

operating the company
even more difficult.

I don't know how she did it,

Mrs. Burgess personally
reorganized everything,

got me in to help her
as Superintendent,

and things have been running
like clockwork ever since.

Couldn't Carl Bascom
have helped in recreating

the missing records?

No, he left town.
Left the country, I guess,

-the day before Jim's death.
- When when was the first time

you saw Bascom
after he returned?

Down at the mine shack,

when he claimed he was waiting
to meet Mrs. Burgess.

Why do you say
"claimed,” Mr. Kelly?

From what I saw,

from what Reelin' Pete
and I both saw,

I had a feeling maybe...

Bascom was looking
for something.

Objection, Your Honor!

Counsel is eliciting nothing
but opinions and conclusions

from this witness!

Sustained.

I have no further questions.

JUDGE:
Mr. Clark?

No redirect.
I call Reelin'...

Mr. Peter Bridewell
to the stand.

Sure, sure. He made out like
he was waiting for Reba,

but mark my words, mister,

Kelly was right.

Bascom was looking
for something in that shack.

That wasn't my question.

I guess, I...

did forget
what it was you did ask me.

I asked you whether you knew
for a fact

that the defendant,
Reba Burgess,

had made an appointment
to meet the decedent,

Carl Bascom,
on the night in question?

Yes, yes, she said she was
supposed to meet him...

All right. All right.

Now she said it, and he said it.

The two of them met,
they left the shack together,

headed for her house, talking,

but you are still skeptical?

Well, I don't know whether
I'm what you said I was,

"skeptical,” or not,
but I sure doubt it.

But she did keep her appointment
to see Carl Bascom?

But it don't make sense.

Ever since that man
came back into this town,

Reba, she's been different.

And Bascom?

When he walked out
of that shack with her,

he looked like he owned the
whole world, and Reba Burgess.

I wanted to jam my fist
down his throat!

But you didn't?

No, but I fixed him anyway.

Bascom came into the bar

where I was talking to that
detective fellow, Paul Drake.

I called Bascom over,
I asked him a question.

Man...

like he'd seen a ghost,
that Bascom.

He scooted away from us
scared as anything.

Frightened is the only word
I can think of, sir.

When Carl Bascom hurried out
of the bank that last time

he was a frightened man.

Mr. Kinder, from your position,

aside from the decedent,

did you see anyone else
go into the vault

while the decedent was there?

KINDER:
No, sir, he was alone.

As a matter of fact,

Carl Bascom
was the last customer

to enter the vault
between then

and the time
we locked it up for the day.

And were you present
on a later day

when Mrs. Burgess's
safe deposit box was opened

pursuant to a court order?

Yes, sir, I was.

Would you tell the court

exactly what you witnessed

at the time that box
was officially opened?

Well, Mrs. Burgess' old shoe box
was still there,

but the sealed ribbon
that secured it

had been torn away,

and the box
was completely empty.

CLARK: We have heard
testimony suggesting

that a duplicate of Mrs.
Burgess' safe deposit key

might have been made
from a wax impression.

Now you said...

that Bascom
was in that vault alone,

on the afternoon
preceding his m*rder?

Yes, sir.

Would you say that he was
in there long enough

to have opened and emptied not
only his own safety deposit box,

but Mrs. Burgess's, as well?

Now, understand, Mr. Kinder,

I am not asking you to testify

this is what happened,

only whether or not
he was in there long enough

to have done
such a series of acts.

JUDGE:
Mr. Mason,

do you wish to object to the
question in its present form?

An obviously
loaded hypothetical question?

I'm sure Your Honor
will give such testimony

the probative weight
it deserves.

No, the witness may answer
the question as stated.

All right, Mr. Kinder.

Mr. Bascom
was in there long enough

to have emptied
both safe deposit boxes.

CLARK:
Thank you, Mr. Kinder.

Your witness.

Did you tell anyone that you
suspected Bascom of theft?

I told you.

No one else?

Well, a few minutes
after Bascom left the bank,

Reba Burgess phoned

about something else, and...

Well, I...

Yes, I told Mrs. Burgess.

Finding out that Drake

was a detective who worked
for Mrs. Burgess' lawyer

scared Bascom.

No question of it.

From then on,
I kept a pretty close watch.

Bascom was getting
more and more jumpy.

Finally he made
a plane reservation

back to South America,

as we can show.

Also he bought a briefcase
with a lock on it.

Obviously
he needed something safe

to carry the diamonds in,
SO...

Just tell us what
the police actually know

about that briefcase.

Well, later,

at the hotel,
a bellboy saw Bascom

close and lock all his bags.

Then Bascom left.

He came back about half an hour
later to pick them up.

Instead, he came running down
to the lobby, all excited,

wanting to know
who had been to his room,

and who had tampered
with his briefcase.

Then he ran out of the hotel,

and tore off
in the direction of the mine.

Who had been to his room?

In the half hour
that Bascom was gone,

someone claiming to have
an appointment with Bascom,

someone highly respected
in this town,

was given a key to his room,
to wait for him there.

A few minutes later,
this person came down,

returned the key, and left.

And who was that person?

Reba Burgess.

I was a young anthropologist
just out of college.

I stumbled across those diamonds
of mine in an African cave.

It was shortly after that

that I met and married Jim.

He wasn't the least bit
interested

in the value of the diamonds,

only in the fact
that I had found them.

My husband was the most
amazing man.

He risked his life in
the wildest parts of the world

to find things
no one else had found.

In the Mato Grosso,

he found a river bed
with gold nuggets

as big as golf balls
exposed in the gravel.

All you had to do was stoop down
and pick them up.

But he wouldn't stoop?

Can you understand
a man like that?

A man whose only satisfaction
was not in having,

merely in finding something?

We were always away on trips.

Carl Bascom kept writing,
warning Jim

that the mining company was
in trouble.

And Jim finally listened
when he said

that the government was about
to become involved.

Government?

After we got back to town
that last time,

Bascom showed Jim where
the accounts were mixed up.

Where $ , in tax funds,
marked paid,

had never been received
by the government.

That's a prison offense.

Yes. Jim was all upset,
naturally.

He hadn't been well,
but he did tell me

that Bascom was helping him
with a plan to fix everything.

I never did find out
what it was,

because I had to go
to San Francisco for a few days.

And when I got back,

Bascom had already walked out
and left Jim.

When I got to the office,

I found Jim dead
from a heart att*ck.

MASON:
Your company records don't show

a tax delinquency.

No. Nor how Jim
juggled the accounts,

how he desperately tried
to cover up his mistakes,

only making things worse
than they were.

I saw to it that none of that
was left in the records.

The little fire in the office?

I fixed
what I could in the books,

and what I couldn't fix,
I b*rned.

Look, everything was in
such a mess.

How did you get
the company going?

I mean, the tax funds alone--
$ , .

Your diamonds?

Ten pouches.

$ , worth
of uncut diamonds in each pouch.

That's where
the tax money came from.

Where the rest of the money
came from--

took over nine pouches
quietly disposed of,

before the company was
in the black.

But all that publicity of yours.

The million dollars worth
of diamonds in the shoe box.

(laughs)

Made good Sunday
supplement reading,

and helped establish
my personal credit at the bank.

But I saw the pictures--

you, the shoe box,

the open pouch of diamonds.

Remember the pouch found
on Bascom's body?

No diamonds,
but a sweet, sticky residue.

Here. Look in the bag.

Rock candy.

Just crystallized sugar.

Go on, Reba.

When did you take
the tenth pouch?

A few days ago.

When Bascom showed up,
saying he needed money.

After I saw
the partnership agreement,

I realized
it wasn't nearly enough.

But then,
Bascom got very nervous.

Finally, the day before
he was k*lled,

he said he'd settle
for less than $ , .

Did you pay him?

No. I was going to.

I raised the cash,
but I never saw him again.

DRAKE:
What about the diamond pouch

that was found in his pocket?

REBA:
It was the last one.

I'd stuffed it, so I could
put it back in the vault.

Bascom must have found it

while he was waiting
for me in the shack

the night he was k*lled,
because...

it wasn't there
when I looked later.

You also looked in his luggage

at the hotel
for the other nine pouches.

Now, you knew they were empty.

Why did you risk
going to Bascom's room?

I had to... because of the bank.

Over a period of time,

Mal Malone's bank has made me
loans for my payroll.

Made me loans

(voice breaking):
on fraudulent security.

Mal Malone.

The one man that I wanted
to hurt the least,

I hurt the most.

(crying):
Oh, what have I done to him?

I wonder what he's done to you.

Well, let me think.

When Kinder got back to the bank
with the Chief of Police,

I had already opened
Reba Burgess's

safety deposit box
in the vault.

And found?

An empty shoe box.

How long was this after
Carl Bascom had left the vault?

Well, I can't be sure.

...I'd been called out
of the bank for ten,

, possibly as long
as minutes.

Thank you.

No further questions.

Mr. Malone,

obviously, Mrs. Burgess's safety
deposit box had been robbed.

Now, the, uh, Chief of Police
was there,

but you didn't report
the theft to him?

No, sir, I didn't.

Mr. Malone,
the partnership agreement

between Jim Burgess and Bascom

contained a standard clause
providing

that conviction for a felony

of either partner would dissolve
the partnership,

and all rights
of the convicted partner would

revert to the other.

Now, uh... you know
of that clause?

Mrs. Burgess had showed it
to me, yes.

MASON: Now, Mr. Malone,
tell us truthfully

why you negligently make it easy
for Bascom to take the key

to Mrs. Burgess's
safety deposit box.

Were you hoping
Bascom would be caught

with the contents?

Be charged with a felony,
in other words?

Why, I'm not quite sure
I understand the question.

Did you hope he'd be blamed

for what you already knew
was missing

from that box?

I refuse to answer on the
grounds of self-incrimination.

(loud, overlapping chatter)

(gavel taps)

Yes, of course, you do.

As a banking official involved
in occasional loans

to Mrs. Burgess, you could
scarcely admit to knowledge

of the true value
of her security,

now, could you?
Why did you change your mind?

When you opened
the box that day,

did you find something
you didn't expect?

What?

Perhaps a note warning
that if the theft were reported,

the ancient truth

about Jim Burgess
would be made public?

MALONE:
What? What ancient truth?

I knew Jim Burgess.
He was an honest man.

Isn't it possible
that Burgess was once tricked

into thinking he was responsible

for his company's
financial troubles?

Perhaps even tricked
into forming a partnership

with a man who offered
to alleviate those troubles?

By a man who was quite capable
of juggling the books,

even capable of using
company money as his own?

Well, I'll admit Jim wasn't much
of a businessman,

but I never really knew
what actually happened

between Jim and Carl Bascom.

MASON:
Because it was then

that Burgess d*ed, and
Bascom left for South America.

MALONE:
Well, the other way around.

Bascom, uh, left--

it was the day before Jim d*ed.

Are you sure?

You know, no one in this case
seems to be quite sure of that.

...don't really...

Mr. Malone,
haven't you wondered

about Bascom's strange behavior
since then?

Staying so long in South America

when elsewhere he had
a valid partnership agreement

worth a million dollars?

Elsewhere?

Then he returned

to attract everyone's attention
by his extreme nervousness.

His fear of investigators.

Mr. Malone, can you explain why
Bascom would have been willing

to sell that partnership

for less than a $ , ?

No. No, I can't.

Is there an explanation
for his behavior?

Unless he did not leave
the day before Jim Burgess d*ed.

Unless Jim Burgess had
discovered something

that resulted in a fight
and his heart att*ck.

A death which the courts
and Bascom could look upon

only as m*rder.

(loud crowd chatter)

(gavel bangs)

Now...

perhaps you can't answer that,
Mr. Malone.

But you can tell us,
from your own memory,

of those days
when you last saw Mr. Bascom.

Oh. Well, uh, that was the day
before Jim d*ed.

Like I told you, Mr. Mason,

Bascom came into the bank
all excited

and, uh, had something to put
in the safety deposit box.

MASON: Something for which
he never came back?

MALONE:
Yes.

MASON:
Did you ever see that something?

MALONE: Well, it was a piece
of paper, a folded paper.

Approximately the size
of the partnership agreement?

Yes, it could have been.

He merely put the folded paper
into his safety deposit box?

No. He asked for
a-a bank envelope,

signed his name to it,
and then...

When was the next time
Carl Bascom came into your bank

to go into
his safety deposit box?

Just a few days ago.

And that was after he'd shown

Reba Burgess
the partnership agreement?

After she had shown it to you?

Yes.

In that bank envelope

with Carl Bascom's name
handwritten

on the outside?

But... but that's... that's...

Impossible?

Yes, Mr. Malone,
that's impossible.

Unless someone else took
that agreement

from the bank vault for him.

Unless Bascom had an accomplice.

Someone who persuaded Bascom
to return,

persuaded him
that it was now safe to return.

MALONE:
But the bank vault.

That agreement was in...

MASON:
Oh, yes.

Bascom's accomplice had
to be a man with access to the

safety deposit boxes
at your bank.

But I'm the only one
with that authority...

Oh, no, I didn't do it.

Look here, Mason.

Perhaps Bascom's accomplice
never realized

how frightened Bascom was
about Jim Burgess's death.

Never realized
how quickly Bascom might panic.

But he must have realized it

when that telephone call came
from the bank in Sacramento.

The what?!

The bank to which Reba Burgess
quietly went

to raise money
for Bascom's payoff.

Now, I have a deposition
stating that they called

to verify her credit.

Called your bank, Mr. Malone.

But I never talked to them.

I never talked to them!

No, of course you didn't.

But Mr. Kinder did.

Mr. Kinder, who illegally opened
the safety deposit box,

found that agreement
and brought Bascom back.

But you never
completely trusted him

to share his gains with you,
now, did you Mr. Kinder?

I..

I took the wax impression

when I returned
Mrs. Burgess's key,

just to be safe.

(laughs, sniffles)

To be safe.

To be sure.

Well, I was sure, all right.

Carl Bascom didn't empty
that shoe box.

I did.

After he left the vault.

After he admitted that he was
going to sell out cheap and run.

(laughs)

I took those pouches,
and he was gonna get blamed.

But then... later,

I opened the pouches,

and then I found him
at the mine.

Even after...
I took the g*n from the desk,

and pointed it at him,

even then, he wouldn't tell me
where the real diamonds were.

It isn't fair.

There-There wasn't anything
in those pouches but candy.

Just pieces of candy!

Mal... what happens now
with your bank and me?

Nothing.

Well, won't you be in trouble?

Mr. Mason, what do you think
the best procedure would be?

Should I surrender myself,

and admit to everyone
that I lied about...?

Oh, I don't know.
What do you think, Paul?

I say she surrenders.

MASON:
Della?

Right away.

That makes it unanimous.

Reba Burgess,
we hereby order you

to surrender yourself
at once to Mal Malone.

REBA:
What?

Do you think for one moment
that I'd allow my bank

to become involved with any kind
of loans to you

when you had no collateral?

But, I... I did get the loans.

My diamonds were the security.

Excuse me, but we have
some packing to do.

Explain it to her,
won't you, Mr. Malone?

Bye, Reba.

Good-bye.

Bye.

Mal, don't tease me.

Oh, for Pete's sake, Reba.

I knew all about that rock candy
in the shoe box

right from the start.

But the loans
you kept arranging for me.

Well, I'm not exactly
a poor man, you know.

I... I, uh,

merely arranged
for the collateral

personally, that's all.

Now, don't look at me that way.

You wanted to keep a secret,

and the least thing
I could do was...

Oh, Reba, for Pete's sake.

Mal.

(theme song playing)