09x18 - The Case of the Golfer's Gambit

[bunniefuu]

The drama is reaching its climax,
ladies and gentlemen.

It's the championship playoff round

and only one stroke separates
these two fine pros,

Chick Farley and Jimmy Harrell.

But there's more
to the drama than that.

It's the classic situation,
youth versus age,

teacher versus pupil,

for with that foot birdie putt,

young Jimmy Harrell
comes to the th tee

holding a one-stroke margin
over his boss, Chick Farley.

Chick's drives have been off all day.
If that kid beats him...

Alma, if that kid beats your husband,

well, as club manager, I'm impartial.

MAN [OVER RADIO]: Can you imagine
the pressure on young Jimmy Harrell

as he tees up his ball?

Only two holes away from the triumph
of his life over his boss, Chick Farley,

one of the great names in golf.

I don't know why we couldn't
be out there with the gallery.

You just hate to walk, Erwin.

And you ought to walk.
You're putting on weight again.

Is anybody
who is anybody out there? Nuh-uh.

Oh, Dina, just to follow Chick Farley
the pro around, an employee,

how would that look?

[GOLF CLUB SWINGS]

It's a beauty. Young Harrell hits it
right down the middle, yards.

Oh, Chick,

the greenskeeper says
one of his men accidentally dumped

a load of fill dirt over on the left,
in the draw.

Official, may we have a ruling on that,
please?

Giving advice, as I remember,
is a violation of Rule - .

- Carries a two-stroke penalty.
- Yes, but I was only--

MAN: I'm sorry, Mr. Harrell, he's right.
You're penalized two strokes.

[CROWD MURMURING]

Well, thanks to the official ruling,
after being one down

and practically locked out,

Chick Farley
has reversed the situation.

- What a lousy trick to pull.
- You're right, Erwin.

Chick's a lot of things,
but a gentleman he's not.

Chick Farley's no good for this club.

And if you're elected president
of Pine Hills,

you'll do something about him.

There went what would probably
be young Jimmy Harrell's

last chance to win or tie.

That disastrous two-stroke penalty
was too much to overcome.

If he sinks this one,
your husband's a big man again.

Sorry, Jimmy.
In my book, you're the winner.

Yeah, but not in the rule book
or the record book.

You can say that up to now

my greatest thrill was winning
the Women's Open when I was .

But today my husband's victory
takes precedence.

Mind stepping aside, ma'am?
I'd like to get a picture of Chick alone.

One more, Chick, please? Thanks.

- Congratulations, Chick.
- Thank you very much.

All right, fellas, see you in the bar
and it's on me.

Oh, uh, uh, Chick, uh, the accountant
at Hedrick Construction

said he gave you papers for me.
Where are they?

I'll need them to make my report
to the board.

Oh, we'd better have a little talk, Pat.

And then we'll decide who makes
what report to the board.

You see, uh,
I need bucks soon.

Maybe you could find it for me
and I could find your papers.

- Are you threatening blackmail?
- Oh, Pat, that's your word not mine.

[DOOR BUZZES]

Chick.
Oh, I've been calling all over for you.

Where have you been?
I've been worried.

Good evening, Alma. Chick asked me
to stop by. Some things to talk over.

Oh, come on in. He's--
Well, he's not here.

He must have gotten held up.

I haven't seen him
since this afternoon.

I can talk to him tomorrow.
There's no--

I don't want to interfere
with your evening.

No, he ought to be here any minute.
Come on in.

I've just been looking
over some old scrapbooks.

You'd get a kick out of them.

- Boy, was I a gawky kid.
- No, you weren't.

You were a beautiful girl.

You think so?

You know, Pat,

I think I'll start practicing again,
every day.

Then try out
some small tournaments

and get back in shape.

Alma,
Chick has some papers for me.

They're an accounting of the work
being done

on the new clubhouse wing.

Yellow pages
in a manila folder probably.

- Maybe they're in his desk?
- I don't know.

No key.

I might find one.

He sometimes leaves keys
in the pockets of his jackets.

Well, thanks anyway.

Alma, why don't you rest a while
until Chick gets home?

He'll be here any minute.

One thing about Chick,
he loves to go out with me.

- Good night. Thanks again.
- Good night, Pat.

This is the telegram I received
from the Tourney Association

concerning Mr. Farley,
the Pine Hills golf pro.

This, um...?

This is legal binding?

I know the association's counsel,
Mr. Patterson,

and I can assure you we'll have
a formal letter of confirmation

within the next day or two.

Thank you
for keeping this confidential.

Oh, and I'd appreciate it
if you wouldn't discuss it with anyone,

at least until after
the tournament banquet tonight.

- I'd like to keep it a secret, okay?
- Of course.

And I appreciate your efforts.
Uh, if you'll just bill the club for your fee.

Well, thanks again.

Uh, Mr. Mason,
there's a friend of mine.

Well, this friend is being...
There's no basis for it,

but, well, he's being, uh, threatened
with blackmail in a sense.

Someone is holding some papers
that--

Well, they're not in any sense,
uh, incriminating,

but they could prove embarrassing.

Mr. Patterson, I'd advise your friend
to go directly to the police.

Well, it's not like that exactly,
it's, uh...

Well, thanks again.

MASON:
Uh, Mr. Patterson.

I hope your friend solves
his problem.

Well, that's better, Mr. Brandt,
but don't move your head,

and keep all the action
in your wrists.

I've made up my mind
I'm gonna break a .

Oh, my back's k*lling me.
I've had enough.

Oh, Jimmy,
have you seen Chick around?

- No, he didn't come in this morning.
- Didn't get home last night either.

Will you get a hold of Danny Bright?

Maybe Danny can round him up
and dry him out.

Sure, Mr. Patterson.
Same time tomorrow, Mr. Brandt?

Yeah.

You heard anything
from the Tourney Association?

Yes, and it's affirmative.

I hope our champ shows up
for his party tonight. I wouldn't miss it.

Danny will find him.

Chick Farley's in
for the surprise of his life.

[JAZZ MUSIC
PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

Hello, Hamilton.

- I wanna talk to you, Chick!
- Not now, kid.

I want you upstairs enjoying yourself
with the rest of the hoi polloi.

Hey, this is your night too, you know?
Second place is still in the money.

[CHUCKLES]

You're a marvel, Chick.

Doesn't make the slightest difference
to you how you won.

Why should it?

Big time golf
is a dog-eat-dog business.

Come on, Chick, better get dressed.
You're late already.

Well, be a good kid and, uh,
get my things together, will you?

I'll be with you in a minute.

Jimmy, I'm gonna give you
some free advice.

Now, you wanna play this game?
You've gotta be hard.

You've gotta know every trick,

and you gotta out think
the other guy.

You win with your rule book,
I'll keep playing golf.

And you'll keep on
coming in second.

I had you b*at on the th tee.

Only on the scorecard, kid,
but not up here.

If it hadn't been Rule - ,

you'd had lost yourself up
some other way.

But this time you've lost things up.
Now, you'd better look at this

and decide
how you're gonna take care of it.

My pro shop inventory.
There's a $ shortage.

Somebody has been selling golf clubs
and pocketing the money.

Well, now, uh,
this report is two weeks old.

How come you didn't report
the shortage when you found it?

I'll tell you why,
because of the tournament.

It was you I wanted to b*at
and I knew if I turned you in

they'd never let you play.

Now you'll have to make it up.

Uh-uh.

You pay it back.

Because, my friend,

you've got your neck stuck out so far
you can't pull it back.

I'm not the one
who had his hand in the till.

Aren't you? You knew about
the shortage and didn't report it.

Now, whose story
are they going to believe?

HARRELL:
Now, just a minute, Chick.

No, don't do it, Jimmy.

Come on.

Well, that's better.

Come on, I'll buy you a drink.

Danny, do you think you're ready
to take over Jimmy Harrell's job?

Chick, if I learned half
of what you taught me--

You'd know twice
as much as you do.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

- How did you find me, Danny?
- I called around.

Then I happened to remember that, uh,
bash at Rosalie's place.

- Ah, well, you can forget about that.
- You know me, boss.

I, uh, never heard of Rosalie.

Well, the conquering hero returns.

- Oh, come on, lay off, will you, Alma?
- Where were you?

Well, Dan, I'll see you later. Thanks.

- I said, where were you.
- Oh, come off it, will you, Alma?

I was having a couple of belts
with some of the visiting pros.

- The boys were living it up.
- Heh. The boys.

You were with her.

You know, Alma,
if you'd lay off the booze,

- you wouldn't get hallucinations.
- know.

I found one of her letters
in your pocket.

Stinking of her perfume.

"Chick, you devil."
You forget awfully quickly, don't you?

I was the one who got you this job
when the association disqualified you.

It was my money you used,
my name you traded on.

Alma,
I've had just about enough of you.

Well, why don't you leave me then?
Why don't you get out?

Because you have no place to go.

You wouldn't hold down this job
minutes without me and you know it.

Well, don't do me any favors
because I don't need you.

- I'm gonna start--
- Practicing again? Heh.

Spare me that baloney.

You know, Alma, you're no chicken.

You can't even walk holes,
much less play a tournament.

I'll show you!

I'll show you!

[JAZZ MUSIC
PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

Ladies and gentlemen,

now that our honored guest
has arrived,

I can explain my presence
here at the front table.

Explain mine while you're at it.

Someone decided that
the presentation of this trophy

to the man who is undoubtedly
our club's best golfer

should be made by the man who
is undoubtedly our club's worst go.

That was really something, wasn't it?
An all-Pine Hills playoff.

Our two pros

coming in ahead of all the
golf professionals in the whole area.

It is my great pleasure
to present this trophy,

emblematic of the championship

of the Annual Pine Hills
Invitational Golf Tournament

to our own Chick Farley.

[CROWD APPLAUDS]

Thank you.

Thank you. I can't tell you
what a thrill it is accepting this.

But, Mr. District Attorney,
haven't you forgotten something?

Heh. Oh, yes, Mr. Farley. So I have.

The prize money. Here you are, sir.

Two thousand dollars in cash.
Would you care to count it?

Oh, no, Mr. Burger.
I think I can trust you.

[CROWD LAUGHS]

Now, I have an announcement
to make.

It seems that our happiest moments
must always have a touch of sadness.

Just when we begin to appreciate
a good friend, he leaves us.

He goes on to bigger
and better things.

Now, uh, this telegram came
this afternoon

from the Tourney Association,

"To be read to Chick Farley tonight.

Congratulations on your big win.

Happy to welcome you back
to the Pro Money Tour.

Know that you will win your share."

That's signed
by the National Chairman.

Chick, we hate to lose you
here at Pine Hills.

Good luck on the tour
from all the members of the club.

[CROWD APPLAUDING]

Chick, you're hurting me.

Now, you get in your car
and you go home.

But it'll look funny.

You're worried about how it'll look?
You weren't worried

when you were mouthing off,
making me look like an idiot.

- Chick, I'm sorry.
- Sure you're sorry.

You're a sorry lush.

I'm sick of you, your whimperings
and your posturings,

and your stupid trophies,
and scrapbooks, and blue ribbons.

I'm up to here with you.
Get out of my sight.

Chick!

- Pulled a fast one, didn't you, Pat?
- No, just a surprise for you, Chick.

Well, I've got a surprise for you.
We're gonna have a talk.

Fine with me. My office?

Okay, minutes.

You mind, Mr. Brandt?

Certainly.

Congratulations, Chick.

You've been wanting to kiss
Pine Hills goodbye, now you can.

- Dina, I got something to tell you.
- Go ahead.

Here, in the light
with plenty of company.

Ha, ha. Alone.

- Erwin's watching.
- Heh. Erwin.

I know what you have in mind, Chick,
and the answer is no.

I made the mistake
of meeting you once.

Not again.

Yeah, but I'm leaving here.
I'm going on tour.

And, Dina,
I wanna take you with me.

Leave my husband?

Leave everything to run
like a camp follower

from one golf course to another?
For what?

- You haven't got cents.
- But all I need is a stake.

I've got my prize money,

and I got a way tonight
to get more.

Then all I need is one big win
and I've got it made.

- Dina, I want you with me.
- You boob.

You karat boob.

I let you kiss me a few times,
that was for my ego.

I wrote you a couple of notes,
that was for the sheer danger of it.

But I wouldn't go with you
if you owned Fort Knox

and looked like Cary Grant.

You were just using me
for a little harmless fun,

behind the back
of that little runt you married.

You're coarse.

- And you're boring me.
- All right.

Suppose I have a little talk
with that husband of yours.

Suppose I tell him
that you lied to him more than once.

Suppose I tell him
where you were one day last week.

DINA: Don't even thr*aten to do that,
Chick.

Farley, you big slob.

Forcing yourself on a woman.
Hit woman, but run from a man.

You're a man? Ha, ha.

You'd better not raise your voice,
Erwin.

Someone might hear.

And then they won't
make you club president.

DINA:
Erwin. Erwin.

[CROWD GASPS THEN LAUGHS]

Erwin.

Well, now, there's no use
getting hot about it, Pat.

You went to a lot of trouble
to get rid of me.

Get my suspension lifted,
get me back in the big money,

and you didn't do all that
just because you like me.

No, you're mighty anxious
to get me out of here.

The only reason you're here
in the first place is because of Alma.

Alma's name, Alma's friends,
Alma's money.

And that's the only reason
you stayed here.

Well, Erwin Brandt and
I finally found a way to save her face.

- So take it and get out.
- And if I don't?

I'll ask the board of directors
to fire you,

for the same reasons you were
suspended from tourney play

on the grounds that you're
a four-flusher, a woman-chaser,

a cheat and a disgrace to the game.

Okay.

You probably rehearsed
that speech a dozen times

before you got the guts to say it.

You had it all figured out, didn't you?
You and your buddy Brandt.

With one exception.

Those interesting transactions
between you

and Hedrick Construction
over the club addition.

- Now, wait a minute.
- And those deposits

in your personal account for, uh--
What were those amounts now?

- Forty thousand and, uh, , , right?
- I can explain those.

But I won't to you.
How low can you stoop?

Just as low as I have to
in order to win, Pat.

That's the name of the game.

Now, don't give me any ultimatums.

I'll make my own plans
without any help from you.

I'll decide if I stay or if I go.

Now, you want me out of here,
pay me off.

I need a stake,
money to get started, $ .

When I get it I'll leave, gladly,
not until.

Yeah?

Chick?

Uh, you know, uh, I'm for you
all the way, right?

I mean, you ask me anything,
anything at all, but, uh...

Well,
you got something on your mind,

go ahead, say it.

I'd like to know where I stand, Chick.

I mean, if you go on that tour,
where does that leave me?

Well, now where
do you think it leaves you?

Nowhere. That's why I was figuring
if, uh, you do go,

Jimmy Harrell
will probably get your job.

- So?
- So I was wondering

about the percent
of the prize.

That's the usual cut for the caddy

and, uh, it would be enough
to get me away,

pay for a start somewhere else.

Yes, well,
that's true in the usual case, Danny,

but ours isn't quite the usual case,
is it?

- Why not?
- Well, now, we both know why not.

Chick, I know a few things too,
you know?

The, uh, money you dropped,
the pro-shop shortage.

And you know just where you'd be
if I opened my mouth.

- Come on, Chick, that's not fair.
- Fair?

What's fair?
I think I've done pretty well by you.

So, uh, let's just keep it like that,
shall we?

WOMAN [ON PA]: Danny Bright.
Danny Bright, telephone, please.

Did you say something?

No, nothing.

Have you seen my husband?

No, Mrs. Brandt, not since I helped
him get dried off about an hour ago.

I was afraid he'd come down to...

- Danny, is Mr. Farley alone?
- Uh-huh.

Help me find my husband.

Look through the office wing for him,
please?

Sure, Mrs. Brandt.

[PHONE RINGING]

Hello?

This is Mr. Burger.

- Who? Chick?
- Yeah, I'm in the pro shop.

Well, I'm sorry
about calling you so late,

but, you see, I've got a case for you.

You see,
threats have been made against me.

Never mind about the time.

I run a big and a very busy office

but if you've had threats
against your life,

then the correct procedure is to come
into the office and file a complaint.

But I gotta tell you tonight, you see,
because I just found out that--

[GOLF CLUB THUDS]

What's going on there?
Is something wrong?

[OVER PHONE]:
Chick?

This is the District Attorney.
Put me through to police radio.

WOMAN [ON PA]: Phone call for
Danny Bright. Danny Bright, telephone.

[ENGINE REVS]

BRANDT:
Dina!

[DINA SIGHS]

DINA:
Erwin, I was worried sick about you.

I even sent Danny to look for you.
Where were you?

- Where were you? With that--
- I told you there wasn't anything.

[SIRENS WAILING]

- Erwin, what's wrong?
- Nothing.

I looked all over for you,
couldn't find you, I ran down...

Oh, never mind.
Let's get out of here, let's go home.

DELLA: Look what just came
in the mail, dollars.

"Contributed to Jimmy Harrell's
defense by his friends

among the Pine Hills members."

Female members
did the contributing,

according to the handwriting
and the perfumed stationery.

You aren't going to defend this Harrell,
just because some strangers?

I don't even know whether
he's been charged with the m*rder.

The paper only says he's being held.

- Then how did his friends know?
- I don't know, Della,

but it might be interesting
to find out.

Do you have any idea
which members of Pine Hills

might be putting up money
for his defense?

No, I don't,
and that's rather surprising.

You know
how fast word gets around.

If someone makes up a purse
or takes up a collection,

- everyone knows about it.
- But Harrell is well liked?

That's what makes
this case so tough for me, Perry.

Jimmy's been
like part of the Pine Hills family.

He was an orphan boy
started with us as a caddy,

worked his way up to caddy master.

Now he's assistant pro
and everybody likes him.

Well, Perry,
I guess I'll be seeing you around.

Are you going to defend Harrell,
Perry?

Steve, I haven't talked to him yet.

Well, if you do,
don't underestimate the DA.

As much as he likes
and admires that boy,

as soon as he gets him in front
of the bar, he'll be a total stranger.

Are you convinced Jimmy Harrell
is guilty?

Well, let me put it this way.

When I see an animal
that barks, chews bones,

scratches fleas and wags its tail,

I come to the conclusion
that he's a dog.

- So?
- So when a man with a strong motive

is caught leaving the m*rder room

with the m*rder w*apon,
what conclusion would you draw?

Yes, it was my club,
but I didn't use it to k*ll Chick.

I've been going over
the police report.

You couldn't have done a much better
job of building a case against yourself,

if you'd wanted them
to arrest you.

Over and above the friction resulting
from the tournament,

there was a fight in the pro shop
with two witnesses.

And the shortage in the inventory,
the police know about that.

They think Farley had discovered it

and was calling
the District Attorney to report it.

Jimmy,
those things are all circumstantial

and might be explained away,

but one thing can't be.

You were caught leaving the scene.

Now, why were you there?

To knuckle under.

Farley was responsible
for that shortage

but I'd have had a heck
of a time proving it.

So I went down to tell Chick

I'd use my second prize money
to make up the shortage myself.

- And he refused?
- I never got a chance to tell him.

He was already dead.

When I recognized my wedge,

I picked it up
and there were the police.

Do you want me to defend you?

I understand there's nobody better,
Mr. Mason.

I'm afraid I can't afford you.

You can afford me.

Why, it's her writing.

The same one that wrote me before.
Signed herself Rosalind.

What was the occasion before?

When the tournament
was announced,

she sent me the bucks
for the entry fee.

Weren't you curious?
Didn't you try to find out who she was?

You bet I was curious
but try to find out?

In a club job like mine,
with all those kooky dames around,

you learn to be so careful.

Mr. Mason, even though Chick and me
had an argument the other night,

I gave him my word,

I wouldn't say where he was
the day he didn't show up for work.

Danny, Chick Farley
doesn't need protection now,

but Jimmy Harrell needs
whatever help he can get.

Now, you found your boss and
brought him back here for the banquet.

Where was he?

There's no use making
Mrs. Farley feel wo--

- I mean--
- I know what you mean.

You have my promise
I won't tell her a thing about it.

He was at Rosalie's.

It's a place
on Hampton Court off the Strip,

you know, parties, booze, girls.

WOMAN [ON PA]: Mr. Perry Mason
wanted in switchboard office.

Mr. Perry Mason, please.

Thanks, Danny.

- This is the entire membership?
- Yes, sir, past and present.

- One moment, please.
- My name is Mason.

Oh, yes, sir.
This gentleman wanted you.

- What do you have, Paul?
- Absolutely nothing.

No Rosalind no Rosemarie,
no Rose or Rosie,

not on the club roster.

And no handwriting
to match your note.

Another thing. If you can find
any Pine Hills members

who were approached to contribute
to the Harrell defense fund,

I'll, uh, turn in my license.

Apparently one member
put up the legal fees by herself.

Or himself
and maybe he or she isn't a member,

just a friend of Jimmy's.

I know where you can find
a friend of Chick Farley's,

and her name's Rosalie.

You're the first detective
ever visited here who wasn't in a hurry.

Well, haste makes waste.

Rosalie, I can truthfully say that rarely
has my work ever been so rewarding.

You know,

sometimes, the way you talk maybe,
you remind me of Chick.

I take it that's a compliment.

Well, he was a devil.

He could charm the paper
right off the wall.

You know, we don't have
any credit cards around here

but Chick was on the tab
for nearly , ,

and, uh, don't ask me
why I let him get away with it.

- I guess now you have to write it off.
- Oh, no, he paid it finally.

A couple of weeks
before he got himself k*lled.

He walked in one night,
counted it out in cash.

Then he hid it all around this room.

Made us hunt for it.

Like a game.

Oh, he was a bird.

It's a shame that he couldn't stay
that last night he was here.

If he only hadn't made
it to that banquet.

- How'd you get him out?
- That kid Danny came for him.

Anyone come here
with Chick in the past?

Not usually. Just Danny
a couple of times for dinner,

a couple of drinks, card game.

But I cut that out.

Oh? Why?

Because I don't like having kids
like Danny around.

There's not a soul that works
for me who's got a record.

I run a straight place.

Hey, uh, let me freshen that drink.

Well, like I say, it was a little tough
getting Rosalie to talk.

I'll bet it was.

From the whiff I got
when you walked in,

it must have been tough just to stay
in that room with all that perfume.

Oh, it's, uh, all in a day's work.

Oh, here's something else
for you to whiff at.

A letter I picked up
in Jimmy Harrell's apartment.

Since, uh, you're the perfume expert?

That's it.
The same perfume from Rosalind.

Well, we still have the same problem,
who is she?

Could she be one of the girls
in Farley's life?

This letter and the package from
Rosalind, both have a local postmark.

Now, Paul, it's up to you.

The best and possibly the only way
to help Jim Harrell is to find Rosalind.

And the cause of death,
Lieutenant Drumm?

According to the
medical examiner's report,

a depressed skull fracture

and massive subdural hematoma
caused by a powerful blow to the head

from behind.

BURGER:
And delivered by this golf club.

A sand iron or sand wedge,

identified as belonging
to the defendant.

Is that correct?

DRUMM: The lab report makes
positive identification, Mr. Burger.

I quote, "The blade fits exactly
in the wound in the skull.

Hair, blood smears all match up.”

Now, lieutenant,
you used the term "a powerful blow."

Wouldn't that indicate strong wrists
like those,

for example,
of a professional golfer?

Objection, Your Honor.

Whatever strengths
or weaknesses may be involved here

have nothing whatever to do
with a professional golfer's ability.

It requires a high degree
or skill to hit a golf ball properly,

but any layman can use a club
to hit someone over the head.

- Very effectively.
JUDGE: Objection sustained.

The clerk will strike the
District Attorney's last remarks.

For purposes of this hearing,
Your Honor,

I have no more questions
of this witness.

JUDGE: Mr. Mason?
MASON: No questions.

Of your own knowledge,

and on the basis
of your own observation,

can you testify that
the relationship between the defendant

- and the decedent was strained?
- Yes, sir.

You seem pretty sure about that,
Mr. Bright, why?

Well, because of the rumble
they got into earlier that night

when Mr. Farley slugged him.

Harrell grabbed a golf club and would
have gone after Farley right then but--

- Objection.
- Sustained.

BURGER: What happened, Mr. Bright,
after the defendant picked up the club?

Well, I stayed out of it,
I was in the office

and I watched through the door.
But, uh, Mr. Brandt came in

and stopped them before he could--

- Objection.
JUDGE: Sustained.

Your Honor, at this time
with the court's permission,

I should like to turn
over the conduct of this case

to my able assistant, Mr. Bill Vincent.

Your Honor, the state calls
Mr. Hamilton Burger.

Mr. Burger, would you please
tell the court about the phone call

you received the night of the m*rder.

I was in bed asleep
when the phone rang.

I switched on my light,
answered the phone,

and I noted by my bedside clock
that the time was exactly : .

VINCENT:
And the phone call was from?

The phone call was from
Mr. Chick Farley, the decedent.

He said that
he had a case for my office.

What sort of case, Mr. Burger.

Apparently someone had threatened
his life, Your Honor.

He was about to explain when
suddenly I heard a blow struck.

Then the phone went dead.

And then I heard a click as someone,
most undoubtedly the m*rder*r,

hung it up.

And then what did you do?

Well, first I called the police,

then I jotted down
the exact time of the phone call

and the substance
of our conversation.

VINCENT:
Mr. Mason?

As I understand it, Mr. Burger,

the decedent was never able to explain
what he meant by a case for you.

On the contrary, Mr. Mason,
he said he'd been threatened.

I don't understand, Mr. Burger.

Did he or did he not say his life
had been threatened?

Or maybe he didn't say that,
not in so many words.

You testified the decedent
was about to explain.

Mr. Mason, we mustn't consider that
phone call to me as an isolated fact.

We must consider it
in relation to the testimony

we just heard about the argument
that night

between the defendant
and Chick Farley.

We must put two and two together.

Let's not put two and two together,
Mr. Burger.

Let's stick to the facts.

And the facts are that the decedent
made no direct reference

or inference to the defendant.

Yes, I suppose that's true.

But I still believe it's perfectly clear

that when he said
he had a case for my office

and then said he'd been threatened--

But the thr*at could have come
from almost anyone. Isn't that correct?

A man or a woman?
Anyone who had a motive?

I suppose that's right, Mr. Mason.
You keep asking me questions

and then not giving me a chance
to answer them.

So your only relevant testimony

is that concerning the exact
time of the m*rder

and what Farley actually said.

The rest is inconsequential
and immaterial.

Not at all, sir.

I still believe there's a clear relationship
between what was said to me

that night on the phone
and the defendant's previous behavior.

That's all I have, Your Honor.

Yes, sir,

there was a considerable shortage
in the stock room of the pro shop.

It was Harrell's--

The defendant's job to take inventory
the middle of the month.

He hadn't reported the shortage,

and naturally Farley concluded
that Jimmy was responsible.

BURGER:
That's all I have, Mr. Patterson.

Take the witness, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Patterson,
it has been established

that earlier that evening Mr. Farley
was carrying $ , in cash,

the prize for winning the tournament.

- Yes, sir.
- It wasn't found on his body

or in the pro shop.

I wonder if by any chance he might
have given it to you for safekeeping?

No, sir, he didn't.

Then that's all
I have for the moment.

JUDGE: You may stand down,
but you remain subject to recall.

Court will recess
until : this afternoon.

Uh, one moment, Mr. Patterson.

I didn't broach one subject because it
involved an attorney-client relationship.

The blackmail matter we discussed
in relation to your friend?

Oh, that.
Well, that didn't amount to anything.

That was a confidential
personal matter.

It has no bearing on this case,
Mr. Mason.

- You have the answers already, Paul?
- Not to the questions in your note.

- My office is working on those now.
- But he does have one answer.

- I found Rosalind.
- How did you manage that?

The postmarks on the letter
and package

were both from the same substation.

So I took a list of the members
who live in the area,

and eliminated them one by one.

- Your guests, ma'am.
ROSALIND: Come in, folks.

Don't mind, Arnold.
He's playing butler today.

Mrs. Hedrick,
Ms. Della Street, Mr. Perry Mason.

- Della, Perry, this is Rosalind.
- Come in, all of you. Come in.

- Have a seat, Della.
- Thank you.

- Fellas.
- Thank you.

- Well, well.
- That.

I haven't been able to play
since my accident.

I broke my hip a year ago.

The doc says it won't be long now,

so I'm sharpening up
my putting stroke.

Then, uh, I assume
you're interested in golf?

Charter members of Pine Hills,
J.B. and me.

Paul, you're not keeping
your eye on the ball.

I'd like to learn how to play golf.
It must be wonderful exercise.

Never mind playing golf.

Girl like you ought to be out hunting
for a bachelor.

Speaking of bachelors,
Mrs. Hedrick,

did you pay Jimmy Harrell's entry fee

and send me the money
for his defense?

Guilty.

You signed them, Rosalind. Why?

I didn't want Jimmy to know
where the money came from.

- I make a practice of anonymity.
- But why did you do it?

Why not, Perry?
I've known the boy a long time.

He's honest, works hard,
behaves himself,

and has the time to treat an old lady
as if she's still alive.

Besides,
I never could stand Chick Farley.

I wanted him beaten.

Mrs. Hedrick,
Farley was k*lled after midnight.

Yet your letter was in my office
the next morning in the first mail.

Now, do you keep that
kind of money in the house?

Sure do. J.B. didn't trust banks.

Ever since the big depression of ' ,
I feel the same way.

But immobilized as you are,

how could you have known
so quickly about the m*rder?

When I called the club, they told me.

- Who told you?
- Danny Bright.

Do you remember the time,
Mrs. Hedrick?

Between midnight and , I think.
Arnold had the day off.

Danny had promised to drive
a houseguest of mine to the airport.

When he didn't come,
I had them page him at the club.

Danny told me about the m*rder,

and then I understood
why he couldn't leave.

How did you find out
Jimmy Harrell was in trouble?

I called the club back
and asked for him.

Instead they put a policeman
on the line

and he told me
that Jimmy was under arrest.

Then you wrote the note
and sent me the money?

Had my friend post it on her way
to the airport in a taxi.

Mrs. Hedrick, I have some questions
about Mr. Patterson,

your connection with the club
and Mr. Brandt.

Now, would be willing
to give us a deposition?

If it'll help Jimmy,
I'd even stop lying about my golf score.

Paul, I'm due back in court

but I'd like you to go out to Pine Hills,
to the practice room,

take a look at Rosalind's golf bag,
and while you're there,

see if you can get a copy
of the telephone switchboard log.

Don't you think the old girl's
telling the truth?

I don't know. I really don't know.

But I am curious about her calling
the club the night of the m*rder.

If she called.

Now, Mr. Bright,
perhaps you can clear up

what appears to be a
slight discrepancy in your story.

According to Mr. Burger's testimony,

he received the call
from Mr. Farley at exactly : ,

and after Mr. Burger's call

the police department radio
dispatched a prowl car.

The officers discovered
the body at : .

Now, did you hear Mrs. Hedrick's
deposition read into the record?

Yes, sir.

She claims to have spoken to you
by telephone on the night in question.

She said you told her
that Farley had been m*rder*d.

That's right. I was supposed
to do an errand for her but--

- How did you know?
- Know what?

According to this copy
of the Pine Hills telephone log,

you were paged
and answered the phone at : .

So I repeat, Mr. Bright,
how could you tell Mrs. Hedrick

that Farley had been m*rder*d

four minutes before the
police discovered the body?

- I called back later.
MASON: No, you didn't, Mr. Bright.

If necessary, I can have Mrs. Hedrick
testify that she spoke to you only once.

There's only one circumstance
in which you could have given

Mrs. Hedrick that information,
isn't there?

You had to know that
Farley was dead before the police did.

Now, isn't that so?
How did you know?

Well, I suppose I should
have mentioned this earlier

but you see
I've got a juvenile record,

and somebody paid me
to keep quiet.

MASON: Who paid you?
BRIGHT: She did.

I caught her in the room.
She gave me a thousand dollars.

Mrs. Erwin Brandt.

Chick had threatened
to tell lies about me

because I wouldn't
go away with him.

Because I laughed at him.

There was never anything
between Chick Farley and me,

but he was going to tell
my husband otherwise,

and I went down there
to talk with him.

Mr. Bright has testified that he caught
you coming out of the practice room.

Would you tell the court
what you were doing there?

- Why were you in that room?
- Because I k*lled him.

[CROWD MURMURING]

JUDGE:
Order.

Then if you committed the m*rder,

you should be able to tell us
where you hid the money.

- Money?
- The money you took from Farley.

He was carrying the prize money,

but it wasn't on his person
when the police found him.

So if you k*lled him, you took it.

Where is it now?

I don't know.

You must tell the truth, Mrs. Brandt.

And isn't the truth
that you did not k*ll Chick Farley,

but that you came in,
found him dead

and thought someone else
had k*lled him?

Thought your husband,
Erwin Brandt, had k*lled him?

Why did you go to that room
to see Chick Farley, Mr. Brandt?

Well, he had told Pat Patterson
that he'd leave for $ , ,

so I came to tell him that I'd give him a
check the next morning if he'd resign.

Why were you willing
to pay $ , to get rid of him?

Because he was a disgrace
to the club and to the game,

and he had embarrassed my wife.

Did Farley accept your proposition?

His wife came in.

She was crying,

and he told me he'd think over my offer
and call me the next morning.

- Then you left?
- I left him with his wife.

Mrs. Farley,

will you tell the court
what happened between you

and your husband
when Mr. Erwin Brandt left you alone?

I begged. That's all, Mr. Mason.

I begged him not to leave me.

After all that's been
said about him here,

I suppose you can't believe that,
but I did.

And you know what he said?

He called me a lush.

That's the last thing
he ever said to me.

Then I ran away.

- He was alive when you left?
- Yes.

[DOOR OPENS]

MASON:
Uh, no further questions at this time.

Mr. Burger?

You were right, Perry,
it was in Rosalind's golf bag.

JUDGE: Mr. Burger,
do you intend to question the witness?

No, Your Honor, not at this time.

Your Honor,
there is only one witness

who can testify
as to which of the three,

Dina Brandt, Erwin Brandt,
or Alma Farley have told the truth.

I'd like to recall Mr. Danny Bright.

JUDGE:
The witness may stand down.

Mr. Bright, you are still under oath.

We have several people

who had the opportunity to k*ll Farley
besides the defendant,

but none of them can account
satisfactorily for the money

Farley was carrying.

- Can you help us?
- How?

Well, suppose
you were in that position.

Where would you hide it?

Possibly in the golf bag of a member
who never played golf?

Like Mrs. Hedrick
with her broken hip?

Yeah, Harrell was the assistant pro.
He'd know which bag.

But so would you, wouldn't you?

Yet if it were Jimmy Harrell,
how could he get out of the room

without being discovered
by Dina Brandt,

and then get back in,
in order to be caught by the police?

Look, I told you my story.

But you did not tell us about your
violating parole in Massachusetts.

Could that be what Farley
was trying to tell the District Attorney?

No. No, you're wrong.

It's the only reasonable explanation
you had to m*rder Farley,

and then hide the money
in Mrs. Hedrick's golf bag.

Knowing Mr. Burger
would call the police,

you didn't want to be caught
with the money on you.

I caught her like I told you.

After you ducked out
of the practice room,

hid in the pro shop while Mrs. Brandt
went in and found the body.

Then you pretended
to catch her coming out,

giving you an almost perfect alibi.

Don't you see, Danny?

It had to be you.

ROSALIND:
Paul, you're doing it all wrong.

Perry,
what did I tell you about putting?

- Hold your head perfectly still.
DELLA: And keep your eye on the ball.

ROSALIND:
Right.

You know, you made it rather difficult
on Pat Patterson,

donating that addition to the club,

and making him swear
to keep it secret.

I know.
It was just an old woman's whim.

I told him how sorry I was
for making him look so bad in court.

When I get through
giving you lessons, Della,

you'll be able to spot
both these fellows ten strokes.

Now, just a minute.
Who's the pro of this club anyway?

You are, but I was playing golf

when you were still playing
Kick the Can.

Okay, but you leave the teaching to me
or I'll sue.

I happen to know
a pretty good lawyer.