09x03 - The Case of the Candy Queen

[bunniefuu]

[ELEGANT JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]

[CHATTERING]

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

[CHATTERING]

A deal's a deal, Arnold,
in this business or any other.

Would you sell your candy for less if
another customer offered to pay more?

- If I'd given my word.
- Then you're some kind of a nut.

- You called for me, Mr. Arnold?
- Yes, Tony.

Mr. Purvis can't find his way out.
Show him.

I'm not some punk
you can shove around, Arnold.

- If you deal with another party--
- You scare me to death.

Carol, talk to him.

After he's out, take over.

I've got an appointment
in my place out back.

Let's go.

Harry, you and I have something
to discuss.

Nothing that I know about.

What do you want? I told you
we have nothing to say to one another.

- But--
ARNOLD: No chance.

CHESTER: Get in there, Arnold.
If you make a sound...

You're sure you know
how to use that thing, Chester?

I want that formula back, Arnold.
I've got to have it. Tonight.

Tonight? Why?

Because Claire has an appointment
with her lawyer.

She has to open her safe,
get out some documents,

and she'll see the formula's gone.

Oh, that's too bad.

I guess I'll have to
give it to you, then.

All right, get up.

Sit down over there.

Here.

Have some candy.

Hello, this is Harry Arnold.

Look, lady, what kind of games
are you trying to play?

Your punk boyfriend tried to use a g*n
on me to get your formula back.

I thought we had a deal.

But me no "buts."
I'll give you one hour.

Get over to my house
behind the Royal Beach with the cash,

or I'll sell to another buyer.

So it's my considered opinion
that all avenues of conciliation

should be explored before
bringing the matter into the courts.

Sincerely, et cetera,
et cetera, et cetera.

You know, Claire Armstrong's
usually punctual right to the minute.

It's : . She should be here.

- What is that?
- It's my dessert. Oh, want some?

Well, I'm glad to see you've
abandoned your w*r on calories.

Oh, heh, there are no calories in this.
Claire Armstrong sent it.

It's their "Eat Sweet and Thin"
assortment.

[PHONE RINGS]

Yes? Perry Mason's office.
Miss Armstrong? Where are you?

She's still at home.

Hello, Claire?

The papers terminating
the Purvis contract are ready.

We'll need the documents
from your safe.

Now, how soon can you be here?

No, no, we don't mind waiting.

Now, I'm not convinced
you're doing the right thing,

and before it's signed--

But, Claire,
Ed Purvis knows the business.

Mark Chester doesn't.

Just because you two
are getting married--

Oh.

Either we were disconnected
or she hung up.

A check?

Look, I told you before,

when I do business,
I like cash, just cash.

Now what are you trying to pull?

We'll see about you and this check.

Now, wait a minute. Wait--

[g*nshots]

[RINGS]

Hello?

No, no, Claire Armstrong isn't here yet,
but we are expecting her.

WOMAN [OVER PHONE]: Poisoned.
- What?

Is something wrong?

Tell Claire it's-- This is Wanda.

- Wanda Buren?
- Candy poisoned.

Poison?

- In the candy. Poison.
MASON: Keep talking, Wanda.

Homicide, please. Emergency.

Paul? It's urgent.
Can you come right down?

- Wanda, where are you?
- I'm home.

Where is home?

I'm sick.

- What's up?
- Yes, I'm holding.

Woman's been poisoned.
Perry has her on line two.

We need a tracer on her address.
Homicide's coming in on this line.

Yeah. Perry Mason's got
a poison victim on - .

Need a trace for the address.

- Any idea what condition she's in?
- Apparently, she's pretty far gone.

Oh, is that you Steve?

Keep talking, Wanda.
Please, you must keep talking.

Got it. She's listed.

Sick. Oh, so sick.

[LINE CLICKS]

- Cut off.
MASON: Well, let me have it, Paul.

She hung up, Steve.
But we have the address.

Yes, it's Royal Beach Road.

Her name is Wanda Buren.

Can you meet us there
and take care of the ambulance?

Right, Perry.
I'm about or minutes away,

but I'll have a car there in five.

Della, call Claire.

Tell her we're on our way to Wanda's.
She may wanna meet us there.

[SIREN WAILING]

Well, it's minutes
since we left the office.

We're almost there.
Why'd she call you?

She knew Claire Armstrong
had an appointment with me.

She moved two weeks ago.
Nobody knows where.

Paul, get Della on the mobile phone.

She can ask Claire
for Wanda's new address.

We're checking with Sacramento.

She may have changed the address
on her driver's license.

What gives, Perry?

Al know is the girl said
she was poisoned and needed help.

- Who is she?
- Secretary of a client of mine.

Hi, Della. Perry wants--

I've been trying to get Claire
since you left, and there's no answer.

But when Perry talked to her,
Claire said she was home.

So keep trying, beautiful.

Della says Claire doesn't answer.
I told her to keep ringing.

Paul, Wanda has a phone.
We know that much.

Check with Information.

MAN [OVER RADIO]:
Sacramento reports

no operator's license
issued to Wanda Buren.

- We are now checking...
- What is it? Is someone hurt?

No, everything's under control, sir.

Now would you all please go back
to your homes? Thank you.

All right, folks, let's go.
Let's break it up, please.

It's all over.
Let's go inside, please. Thank you.

That's right, Wanda Buren.

Okay, I got it. Thank you.

Here's the address, chief.

It's a mile down the road.

[ENGINE STARTS]

[SIREN WAILING]

Here's the manager, lieutenant.

DRUMM: Quickly.
- Oh, I'm trying to find the right key.

I swear.

- Is she still alive?
DOCTOR: Pulse is up.

DRUMM: Poisoned?
DOCTOR: I don't know.

- Get the oxygen up here.
PAUL: I'll help you.

Get me some wet towels,
hot and cold.

Sergeant Brice, call the crime lab.

- I want prints, pictures, everything.
- Right.

Tell those people outside
to clear the hall.

Come on, lady. Don't just stand there.
Towels, please.

DRUMM:
Ah. Don't touch that, madam.

Uh, we don't want
anything disturbed.

I was only trying
to straighten the place up.

It's a mess.

- Where do you want the oxygen?
DOCTOR: Right over here, please.

Now, wait a minute, officers.

Push the right button
and open this up.

- Now, just a second, friend.
- I'm not your friend.

[ALARM RINGS]

MAN:
Raid! Raid! Raid!

I said, open it.

All right, hold it.
Everybody quiet down.

[WOMAN SCREAMS]

Now, which one of you
is Harry Arnold?

- He's not here.
- Where is he?

He had a business appointment
in the bungalow out back.

Check the bungalow.

- Lieutenant.
- Yeah?

Call for you.
Homicide at the Royal Beach.

Hmm. That dive?

That's all I need
to make my night complete.

Lieutenant Drumm. Yeah.

Who?

Okay. We're about a mile
from there right now.

We'll pick it up.

Two-bit gambler
named Harry Arnold was k*lled. Huh?

Caught her on the spot, huh? Good.
What's her name?

Claire Armstrong.

I did this to Mark, Perry.

I wanted him to stand
on his own two feet, to be a man,

to accept responsibility
before we were married.

I thought it was important.

And that's why you trusted him with
the combination of your personal safe?

Why you were ready
to let him run your business?

Claire,

how long have you known
Mark Chester?

Three months.

But that's long enough
to know someone, to love them.

Mark is the first man who was ever
interested in me as a woman.

I've been married
to a candy company.

I know how important
Mark Chester is to you,

but to blame yourself for driving him
to m*rder, well, that's sheer fantasy.

I didn't say
he m*rder*d Harry Arnold.

- But you think he did.
- No.

Oh, if you knew him,
if you really knew him...

- Oh, I don't know what I think.
- I know what I think.

You're not helping Mark
by trying to protect him,

and you are hurting yourself.

You're facing a charge for m*rder,
not double parking.

I didn't k*ll Harry Arnold.
You know that.

Claire, your g*n was
the m*rder w*apon.

You were caught leaving the scene.

Well, what am I gonna do?

You're going to go back
over everything

until we find some answers.

Tony Errol,
the manager at the Royal Beach,

said Harry Arnold
had your candy formula,

and you wanted it back.

But that formula is my company, Perry.
I couldn't let him sell it to anyone else.

Now you say he got it
from your fiancé, Mark,

as security for his gambling loan.

The call came from Harry Arnold
just as I was leaving my office

to keep the appointment with you.

And that was the first time you knew
the formula had been taken?

Well, I was frantic.

I went to the safe
and found it was gone.

And then I called you
and said I'd be late.

You know,
I just remembered something.

That phone call from Harry Arnold,
it was very strange.

He spoke as if--
Well, as if we'd talked before.

So you checked the safe, called me,
then went to Arnold's place?

No one answered the door.

But, well, it was open,
and the lights were on,

so I walked on in.

There was a man lying on the floor.

He was dead.
I knew it must be Arnold.

And then I recognized the g*n
that was on the table.

It was my g*n.

There was only one way
it could have gotten there.

Mark?

He knew where I kept it in my office.

My only thought then
was that I had to protect him.

You didn't look for the formula?

No, I heard someone running
toward the office.

I picked up the g*n
and put it in my purse and ran out.

That's when the police grabbed me.

Oh, please, Perry,
you've got to find Mark.

You've got to help him.

Claire, you're the one
who needs help.

If Mark didn't k*ll Harry Arnold,
why has he run away?

And more important,

who did use your g*n
on Harry Arnold?

I can't believe it.
Why would anyone want to k*ll me?

Well, it's a good thing you remembered
Claire's appointment with Mr. Mason.

That call undoubtedly
saved your life.

And the poison was in the candy.

You and Claire Armstrong are cousins,
aren't you?

Yes, but we were brought up
like sisters by our grandmother.

Our parents d*ed together
in a hotel fire.

Then the formula,
the Candy Queen formula,

was left to you
by your grandmother?

Grandma make the candy
in the kitchen.

Claire and I used to sell it
when we were little girls.

Then when I was ,
I left to get married.

Grandma d*ed,
and Claire inherited the formula.

And that made her
the Candy Queen.

Neither of us had any idea
how valuable the formula

would turn out to be.

It wasn't till Ed Purvis came along.

He saw the possibilities,

and he built Candy Queen
into big business.

Now she's repaying him
by canceling his contract.

He's losing his job and Claire
all at once.

Is Ed Purvis in love with Claire?

Not really. He was...

He was just infatuated with her.

How can you be so sure?

Because when Mark came along,

Ed began to notice me right away,

and I certainly didn't encourage him.

Wanda,

where did you get the candy?

We all get samples
of any new assortment

and give our opinions on it
before it's put on the market.

No, wait, I see what you mean,
but it's impossible.

I can't imagine.
Who would wanna k*ll me?

Then you can't think of anyone
who would have a reason?

Yet someone you know
poisoned that box of candy.

MASON: Suppose, Mr. Purvis,
you wanted to poison someone.

PURVIS: Oh, wait just a minute.
- A hypothetical situation.

Whoever tried to k*ll Wanda Buren
put the poison in the sample candy.

How?

It couldn't have happened
in the plant.

Our production control
is too closely supervised.

Access to this area
is strictly controlled?

Yes. Selected personnel only.
No exceptions.

[PURVIS SCOFFS]

Of course, Mark Chester's been
an exception for the past few months.

I raised the roof about it,
but Claire wouldn't budge.

Is that what provoked your break
with Claire?

I didn't break with Claire.
She broke with me.

With thanks to dear Mark.

What a woman like her could see
in that chiseling, no-good little phony--

I gather from Claire
that you went to some pains

to make your feelings known?

Why shouldn't I?

Actually, didn't I owe it to her
after I found out about him?

Listen, Mr. Mason,

one night I was out entertaining
a couple of chain buyers.

We, uh, had some girls with us

from Carol Olin's Charm School,
you know, that model agency?

Well, anyway,
one of the girls suggested

that we drop in to the Royal Beach
for some action.

Well, the buyers went for it.

Well, and there we were in the joint.

One look at the girls and the maitre d'
let us right into the casino.

- I knew what that meant.
- What did it mean?

The girls were steerers
for the house.

You know, bring in a customer,
collect a piece of the action.

Well, anyway, guess who was there
with Carol Olin herself,

dropping a bundle at the dice table?

- Mark Chester?
- In the flesh. I did some checking.

Carol was Chester's girlfriend
before Claire met him.

And it was pretty obvious to me
she still was.

You seem to know a lot
about Carol Olin.

Well, I, uh, met her at a party
and had a couple of dates with her.

Did you by chance
go to the Royal Beach with her?

PURVIS: Yes, as a matter of fact.
She took me there.

Say, look,
why am I being cross-examined?

MASON:
Sorry if it sounded that way.

Now, let's get back
to Carol and Chester.

You found out about them,

and you went to Claire
with what you knew?

Claire hit the ceiling,
but not at Mark Chester, at me.

That's when she had you draw up
the papers terminating my contract.

Now, Tony Errol told the police
you were in the Royal Beach last night

and that you had an argument
with Arnold just before he was k*lled.

You weren't still checking up
on Mark Chester?

No. No, I wasn't.

Harry Arnold was a cheap chiseler,
and I told him so to his face.

But if you're suggesting that
I had anything to do with his m*rder...

Did I suggest that?

[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]

WOMAN:
One, two, three, pivot.

One, two, three, pivot. Pivot.

One, two, three, pivot. Pivot.

One, two, three, pivot.

- One, two, three, pivot.
- Mr. Drake?

WOMAN: One, two, three, pivot.
- Mr. Drake?

I think we can talk
a little bit better in here.

WOMAN:
Pivot.

One, two, three, pivot.

One, two...

- You're a private detective?
- That's right.

I'm making an investigation
for Perry Mason

regarding Miss Claire Armstrong.

Should that mean something
to me?

Look, Miss Olin,
do we kid around for a while,

or do you wanna play it straight?

I'll let you call it.

- Straight.
- Good. That'll save us a lot of time.

Now, we know that
you were Mark Chester's girlfriend

and that you steered Mark
into Harry Arnold's casino.

What we wanna know is,
where's Mark now?

Even if I knew,
why should I tell you?

Again, you called it.

Because we need Mark's answers
to some questions.

If we don't have Mark, we'll have
to get the answers some other way,

such as subpoenaing witnesses
like yourself.

And in that case, it's just possible

that someone might bring up
your connection with Harry Arnold.

I think the police might be interested.

- The school's clean.
- I'll buy that.

But the school's reputation depends
on your reputation, doesn't it?

I get the picture.

Look, I'd help you if I could,
but I honestly don't know where he is.

Have you seen him
since the m*rder last week?

Yeah.

Yeah, Mark came over
to my place last night.

Harry Arnold had cleaned him out.

- He needed money.
- You gave it to him?

- Where was he going?
- I don't know.

Look, that's the whole bit.
That's everything I know.

It's not very much help.

I'll tell you what.

I've got a little more than an hour
to pick up a subpoena.

It's up to you to decide whether
it's for you or for Mark Chester.

If you happen to get a hunch,
you can reach me at Clay's Grill.

And if I don't hear from you,
I'll see you in court.

[DOOR CLOSES]

Mr. Purvis, please.

Hello, it's Carol.

Heh, well, you certainly had time
enough to talk to me

when you wanted
to get to Harry Arnold.

Look, all I know is a private detective
has been asking questions.

And there's only one way
he could have gotten to me:

through you.

Now, I'm giving you fair warning,
Purvis.

If they start putting the pressure
on me,

I'm gonna tell everything I know.

[DIALING PHONE]

It seems to me, Paul, my boy,
it's a sin and a shame

prosecuting that lady
for k*lling a crooked gambler.

And if you were the district attorney?

I'd pay her a bounty
like they do for wolves

or coyotes or other beasts of prey.

- Clay, I didn't know you were a loser.
- Never bet.

Except on the horses,
and only on my lucky day.

And what day is that?

St. Patrick's Day, what else?

Last March I bought myself
a beautiful green fedora

in honor of the occasion.

I sallied out as proud
as you could be,

and the wind lifted it
right off my head.

Doesn't exactly sound
like a lucky day.

Wait. A little Mexican boy
brought it back to me unharmed.

I tipped him liberally,
in my usual fashion,

went out to the track,

and who do you suppose
was entered in the fourth race?

I can't wait to hear.

A little speed burner named
Hats Off.

- Who no doubt paid -to- .
- Nah. He never left the gate.

- And the winner was?
- Sombrero.

The portents were all there.

It was merely a matter
of proper interpretation.

[CHUCKLES]

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

I've been talking to Carol. Ahem.

- Looks like you got her kind of upset.
- Oh?

When I left, I thought she was cool,

composed and completely devoid
of information.

Court opened this morning.

- She'll make us a charming witness.
- A subpoena for Carol?

Mm-hm.

TONY: Don't serve it.
- Any reason why I shouldn't?

Maybe.

The guy you're looking for happened
to drop something to Carol.

He asked about a fella
used to run a private game

at a cabin up in Rosita Canyon.

Great spot. Never a raid.
Shuttered this time of year.

- There's a chance.
- What's the address?

- We got a deal?
- First let's see if Mark's there.

And now, lieutenant,
I call your attention to state's exhibit A.

Are you able
to recognize this w*apon

as the one used
to m*rder the decedent, Harry Arnold?

Yes, this is the w*apon that was used
that fired the two sh*ts.

One in the heart
and one in the abdomen.

Were the police able to raise
any fingerprints on this w*apon?

DRUMM:
No, sir.

BURGER: Were you able to establish
the ownership of the w*apon?

DRUMM: Yes. It's registered
to the defendant, Claire Armstrong.

Thank you, lieutenant.

Your witness.

- No questions.
- Very well.

You may step down, lieutenant.

Call your next witness, Mr. Burger.

BURGER:
The state calls Mr. Edward Purvis.

Now, Mr. Purvis, referring to
the so-called Candy Queen formula,

which was allegedly given
to the decedent, Harry Arnold,

would it be possible for you to put
a monetary value on that formula?

Well, we have a $ million business,
and it's growing bigger every year.

A lot of people try
to duplicate our candy. They can't.

We use our own blend of substitutes
for the basic ingredients.

This process retains
the rich creamy taste

yet practically eliminates
the high-calorie content.

Then it would be correct to say
that your process is similar in value

to the secret formulas
of certain soft drinks and perfumes?

That's it exactly, yes.
It's worth a fortune.

BURGER:
Thank you, Mr. Purvis.

Your explanation
has been most helpful, sir.

Paul is on the phone. It's urgent.

Mr. Mason, will you cross-examine?

If it please the court,

I have a phone call
that has a vital bearing on this case.

- If I might be excused?
JUDGE: Very well.

Court will adjourn
until : this afternoon.

Yes, Paul?

- Where are you?
- Up in Rosita Canyon.

We found our man,
thanks to Tony Errol.

Does Chester know
you've spotted him?

Heh. From what I could see
through a cabin window,

he doesn't even know it's daytime.

He's passed out on the couch,

and there are a bunch
of empty gin bottles lying around.

I came down the hill to get my car.

I'm on the way back up
to the cabin now.

I'll try and wake him up and get him
talkative by the time you get here.

- Claire's lawyer?
- I'm Perry Mason, Mark.

CHESTER:
What do you want from me?

Your testimony for her defense.

I told your friend here
I can't do anything but hurt her.

Claire's g*n k*lled Harry Arnold.

She says she found him dead
and the g*n beside him.

Now, you knew
where she kept that g*n.

- Did you take it?
- I didn't k*ll him.

I just used it to thr*aten him
to get Claire's formula back.

All that happened was
he took the g*n away from me.

What happened after that?

Telephoned Claire.

I went to her office to try to stop her,
but she'd already gone.

So I drove back to Harry Arnold's.

[SIGHS]

I---

I can't testify to what I saw there,
Mr. Mason.

What did you see?

Claire standing
over Harry Arnold's body

with the g*n in her hand.

Can you understand
what that did to me?

The only woman in the whole world
who didn't want something,

who'd tried to give me a break.

- And I'd driven her to m*rder.
- You're sure Claire k*lled him?

- Didn't she?
- Mark, with your testimony,

we can establish reasonable doubt,
possibly a good deal more.

Now, when you drove back,
when you walked to the bungalow,

did you hear any sh*ts?

No.

I hadn't thought of that before.

That's strange.

- Why didn't I hear a sh*t?
- Come back with us, Mark.

Turn yourself in voluntarily.

It'll do Claire a lot more good that way
than if the police pick you up.

And they will.

After all she tried to do for you,
don't you owe her that much?

- What should I say?
- Just tell the truth.

The exact truth.

All right.

Let me get cleaned up.

This guy's a weak sister, Perry.

I wouldn't trust him
as far as I could throw this cabin.

And you had been instructed
by Harry Arnold himself

to extend credit to Mark Chester
on the gambling tables?

That's right.

- How much did this credit amount to?
- Oh, about G's.

Forty thousand dollars
without security?

TONY:
Well, he had the formula.

You mean the Candy Queen formula

that Mark Chester took
from Claire Armstrong's safe?

Yeah, that's right.

Mr. Arnold took it as a marker
for the G's.

If you can tell us
of your own knowledge, Mr. Errol,

would you mind
explaining to this court

how in the world
your late employer

ever expected to collect a gambling
debt secured in that fashion?

TONY: Well, if this Chester
didn't come up with the money,

he'd hit up the Candy Queen herself.

I see. Cross-examine.

Mr. Errol,

I'm a novice when it comes
to gambling operations.

I wonder if you could fill me in
a little.

How do you feel
about extending credit to players?

That's bad.

It lets a guy take a bath and get in
over his head, and it hurts business.

Word gets around,
it scares off the little sh**t

and brings on the cops.

Little sh**t.

You mean a patron
who wins or loses a few dollars?

Yeah, yeah.
They're our bread and butter.

You see, you can't live on high rollers.
You gotta have volume.

You make out, you know,
on the percentages.

Then as casino manager,
what was your reaction

when Harry Arnold told you to extend
$ , credit to Mark Chester?

I figured he was setting him up.

- For what?
- He wanted that formula.

MASON:
Why?

Why would a nightclub owner
operating an illegal gambling casino

be so anxious to get hold
of a candy recipe?

How would he even know about it
or appreciate its value?

TONY:
Somebody must've told him.

MASON:
No further questions.

Your Honor, the state calls
Mr. Mark Chester to the stand.

Mark, thank you for coming back.
It took a lot of courage.

BAILIFF:
One moment, please.

Raise your right hand.

- You swear that the statements...?
- It'll be all right now.

- He knew I needed him.
CHESTER: I do.

BAILIFF:
State your name.

So you had lost all this money
gambling in Harry Arnold's casino,

and you wanted a chance
to get even,

and then Harry Arnold offered
to extend you credit.

- On what condition, Mr. Chester?
- He wanted me to give him a marker.

Something he could hold
for security.

Now, were you the one who suggested
giving him the Candy Queen formula?

CHESTER:
No, sir. That was Mr. Arnold's idea.

At the time,
I didn't even know about the formula

- or where it was.
- But Harry Arnold knew about it.

He also told you
where it could be found.

That's right,
in Claire's personal safe.

A safe to which only you
and she had the combination?

- Yes, sir.
-I think that'll be all, Mr. Chester.

One further question, sir.

On the night of the m*rder,

were you in
the Royal Beach Gambling Casino?

- No, sir.
BURGER: Were you in the bungalow

of Harry Arnold
behind the Royal Beach Casino?

CHESTER:
No, sir.

BURGER:
At no time that night in either place?

- No, sir.
- That'll be all.

Perry, what's he doing?
He was there. He had to be.

He admitted to us he was there.
I knew it. I knew it all along.

Well, well.

So you weren't anywhere near
the Royal Beach

the night of the m*rder, is that right?

- Yes, sir.
MASON: How fortunate.

Then you couldn't have taken
the defendant's g*n

and gone there
to thr*aten Harry Arnold

- in order to retrieve the formula?
- No, sir.

So Harry Arnold couldn't have taken
Claire's g*n away from you,

then called Claire to tell her
what was happening?

- No.
- What kind of a man are you?

Do you wanna put Claire Armstrong
in the gas chamber?

Your Honor, I object.
Counsel has no right.

Mr. Mason, this kind of badgering
of a witness is inexcusable.

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

I have only one more question
of this witness.

Isn't it true that only this afternoon,

in the presence of Paul Drake
and myself, you stated...

That's all. No further questions.

After all Claire did for him.
How could he do that to her?

- How could any man?
- Man?

You use the term loosely, beautiful.
You can smell a rat like that.

I knew it when we picked Mark up
at the cabin.

DELLA:
Well, what can we do for her now?

What can anybody do?

Well, I don't know
what you're going to do,

but I know what I'm going to do.

- What's that?
- I'll have a piece of candy.

That is, if there's any left
of your Candy Queen assortment.

Are you sure you wouldn't rather
have a roast-beef sandwich?

Rare, on rye?

Candy.

- Anything you'd like me to do, Perry?
- Oh, yes, there is, Paul.

If you hurry, you can make it
to the closest Candy Queen shop.

This is the assortment I want.

Well.

This looks like a good one.

You're right, Della.
Claire's candy is delicious.

Ah, let's see.

Opera cream. Excellent.

Now, Mr. Purvis, I believe
you told Mr. Burger and the court

that your promotional ideas
and endeavors

were what made Claire Armstrong's
company what it is today.

- Is that correct?
- Well, yes, that's about it.

When I first met Claire,
all she had was her formula

and a little candy store
about the size of a phone booth.

Would you say, then,
that the Candy Queen success story

was a - blend
of Claire's low-calorie formula

and your merchandising ability?

I think that might be
a fair estimate, yes.

And wouldn't $ ,
be a pretty cheap price

for the return of the formula?

If you had to buy it back
from someone, yes.

How much did you offer for it,
Mr. Purvis?

- Now, just a minute.
- Your Honor, I object.

During my direct examination
of this witness,

no mention was made at any time
of any such offer.

How can counsel now--?

Your Honor, in view of the statements
made by Mr. Chester,

the defense contends
that the involvement of Mark Chester

with the decedent and the subsequent
passing over of the formula

was a carefully engineered plot
by a third party.

If so, evidence of this is of the utmost
importance to the defense of my client.

Do you feel you could substantiate
such allegations?

- Yes, Your Honor.
- Very well.

I'm going to let him continue,
Mr. Burger.

Yes, Your Honor.

Now, then, Mr. Purvis.

We've heard testimony

that Harry Arnold disliked
extending credit to his customers.

Yet along comes Mark Chester,

and credit is extended to him
for $ , .

Doesn't that seem strange?

I don't know anything
about how Harry Arnold did business.

Really? All right, now.

Mark Chester has testified
that it was Harry Arnold

who suggested Claire Armstrong's
formula be used as security.

He even told Chester
where to find it.

How would Harry Arnold,
a gambler, know that?

- How should I know?
- Only one person could have told him.

The only person who had a reason.
You, Mr. Purvis.

I? Now, what reason would I have?

You were being fired
by Claire Armstrong.

But with her formula, you could walk
into any candy company in the world--

No.

A lady friend arranged for you
to meet Harry Arnold, didn't she?

PURVIS: Yes, I, uh--
I did arrange to get to Harry Arnold.

I told him about the formula
and that I'd buy it from him.

- But not for the reason you say.
- What was your reason?

Because Candy Queen
was as much my company as Claire's.

Because she was kicking everything
down the drain for both of us

for a cheap, gutless little parasite.

Well, I had to do something,
Mr. Mason.

I had to show him up to her
for what he was before it was too late.

Before she married him.

So you made an arrangement
with Harry Arnold

to get the formula for you?

Only to bring it in
and throw it on Claire's desk

and tell her how I'd gotten it. But--

But what, Mr. Purvis?

But Harry Arnold ratted on the deal.

He knew how much money I had,

but he thought he could get more
from Claire.

So I called the police.

I thought that if they raided him
and closed him up

before he could deal with Claire,
then I might still get it from him.

And that's the truth, all of it.

I only hope...

I wouldn't hurt Claire for all the...

[PURVIS SIGHS]

No further questions.

Mr. Burger.

No. No questions, Your Honor.

Witness may step down.

Your Honor,
there is one aspect of this affair

that hasn't been dealt with.

This is more than a m*rder case.

It also involves the attempted m*rder
of Wanda Buren.

Your Honor,
for purposes of this hearing,

the state has studiously
avoided mentioning

the case that Mr. Mason
now refers to,

because there is absolutely
no evidence to support his allegation

that one matter is related
to the other.

With the court's permission,
I believe I can connect the two.

JUDGE: Very well.
Call your witness, Mr. Mason.

MASON:
Now, Wanda, it's our contention

that whoever tried to k*ll you
with the poisoned chocolates

also succeeded in k*lling Harry Arnold
that same evening.

Now, do you know of anyone
who had reason to wish you dead?

No. No.

Some who didn't like me,
but for anyone to wanna m*rder me...

MASON:
With your cooperation,

I think we might be able
to identify the poisoner.

- Will you help us?
- If I can.

Good. Wanda, what did you think
when your cousin, Claire,

told you she was
releasing Ed Purvis?

I thought it was terrible.

A man like that, all he'd done for her.

Why, he's worth ten Mark Chesters.

Wanda, I have here

a box of chocolates
identical to the one you received

the day Harry Arnold was k*lled.

Now, this is very important.

I want you to try
to remember the order

in which you ate those pieces
of candy that night.

Well, I seem to remember

I think the first one was, uh,
an opera cream.

An opera cream. Now, let's see.
Would that be this one?

- Yes, it looks like it.
- Just take a small bite.

You don't have to eat it all.

You know, if you had inherited
your grandmother's formula

instead of Claire, then it might
have been you and Ed Purvis

who built the company.

You'd have been the Candy Queen.

Funny how things
work out sometimes.

Opera cream?

- Yes.
- Good.

Now, what was the next piece
you ate?

It might have been a lemon jelly.

Now, which one would you say
is lemon jelly?

Were you right?

No, that's chocolate mocha.

Well, one out of two. That's not bad.

Now try this one.

Something wrong with it, Wanda?

Yes, it's bitter, isn't it?

That's one of the pieces
I filled with veronal.

You knew it tasted bad immediately,

yet you've tried to tell this court
that you ate five pieces of candy

filled with veronal,
one right after the other,

and you didn't realize
they'd been poisoned?

- No.
MASON: Then what did happen?

Didn't you take the veronal yourself
after you called my office

- thinking Claire would be there?
- No.

You doctored the remaining candy
with veronal.

It's not true. I didn't even know him.

-I had no reason.
- But you did know him.

When Harry Arnold
called the defendant

on the night of his m*rder,

he indicated
that he'd talked to her before.

Now, he hadn't.

He'd talked to you.
You posing as Claire.

And when you went to his bungalow
to pick up the formula,

you just couldn't bring off
the impersonation.

He saw her picture
on the box of candy.

You were about to lose everything:

Ed Purvis, a chance at the formula
you believed was yours,

even the security of your job.

All of it would have been lost as soon
as Harry Arnold notified your cousin.

The check.
He wouldn't take the check.

The defendant's g*n was there.

Harry Arnold had taken it away
from Mark Chester.

How could you possibly know--?

MASON:
You made one mistake, Wanda.

When you made the call to my office
from Harry Arnold's,

you hung up the phone.

But when we found you at home,
unconscious,

the phone was off the hook.

The formula was mine too,
just as much as hers.

Ed cared for me. I know he did.

He didn't say it, but I know he did.

We could have gone away
someplace together.

Why should she always
have everything?

You've got it all again,
haven't you, Claire?

Like always, you've got it all.

I hate you.

I hate you!

I hate you.

MAN [OVER PA]:
All visitors ashore, last call.

Bon voyage, Claire.

- Have a wonderful cruise.
- Thank you, Della.

Two whole weeks.
Time to forget everything.

Well, don't forget
you still have a business.

Since Paul found your formula
in Wanda's apartment.

Oh, I'm sorry he didn't make it
for a goodbye drink.

I wanted to thank him.

I drew up an extension
on Ed Purvis' contract.

Would you like to sign it?

What'll I tell Ed?

Just give him this.

All right.

- Hey, we've got to run.
- Thank you both so much for coming.

- Well, you finally made it after all.
- Yeah, by bribing my way aboard.

- Oh, this is for you.
- Oh, thank you, Paul.

Not a box of candy.

Paul, how did you know?
It's exactly what I needed.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]