07x11 - The Case of the Bouncing Boomerang

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

♪♪

(cattle lowing)

(cattle lowing)

Eula.

Will.

Any sign of his
coming around yet?

Deaf, dumb and blind.

Jackass.

If you don't mind my saying so.

Why should I mind?

Hello, Will.

Grover.

You, uh,

thought anymore about
that L.A. proposition?

That price for a thousand acres?

No.

A thousand acres of what?

Rocks you can't even graze
three cows on?

Dirt so dry
you can't grow cactus?

(Eula sighs)

Keep on building your fireplace,
Grover Johnson.

Someday you'll be able
to open up

a nice little
concentration camp.

Eula,

I'm sorry my wedding present
never made you very happy.

Wedding present? Ha!

That's a laugh.

You know how he did it, Will?

Just five seconds
after we left the preacher,

he hands me a deed.

"To heaven,” he says.

And I thought I was gonna have
a real honeymoon in Las Vegas.

Now, Eula, you know
we had a couple of days...

Every penny,
every penny he spent,

every penny he ever owned
on this godforsaken pile...

Eula, you said you wanted
a simple life.

- Just the two of us...
- Oh, honey, honey, I'm sorry.

I know it's my fault.
It's all my fault.

Well, it's been
three years now and...

I've tried.

I've tried, haven't I?

Well, it just isn't gonna work.

Please, honey, listen to Will.

He's got a buyer on the hook.

Stop writing those-those
shilly-shally letters

to that man's lawyer,
and-and pick up a pen

and tell him we'll make a deal,
okay, honey?

Al right.

The price isn't right.

You got any other offers?

Anybody else with money enough
to buy a hunting lodge

this far away from nowhere?

Grover, you don't make a deal
with this guy's lawyer,

you are going
to lose this place.

What are you worried about?

The Willard Hupp Realty Company
holds the mortgage, don't it?

Oh, sure, sure,

and you only owe
another $ , .

I'm making my payments.

If I had a few more
head of cattle...

Grover, this land is going down,

not up, don't you see?

Another year and I won't even
be able to afford to foreclose.

It won't be worth , ,
or or , .

Grover, you will never
get another buyer.

Eula,
I don't understand you.

You say one thing,
and then another.

Don't you know we're not gonna
come out of this thing

with even a nickel?
Neither one of us.

Well, I'm not gonna
give this place away

for the kind of money
that guy's talking about.

I want to drive a little.
Anyplace.

I, I just want to get away
from here a few minutes.

(vehicle accelerating)

Parking here long, stranger?

Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am.

I seem to have
your path blocked.

Will y'all forgive me?

Sure, if you get that aircraft
carrier out of the way.

I'll just do that, ma'am.
Right away.

I've been fascinated by this
country, the natural beauty.

It's prettier than Texas.

(laughs)

(car door opens, closes,
engine starting)

Say, y'all wouldn't happen
to know

who owns this gorgeous
piece of property, would you?

Doggone, this sure is
fascinating country.

Well, that's the way I felt
when I bought it, Mr. Barclift.

Kind of land
I always wanted, too.

Good land, rugged land.

Not like that fancy stuff
them real estate people

trying to show me up north.

Then, uh, you are in the market?

Yes, ma'am.

That is if the right place
comes along.

Kind of like this place.

Course I don't suppose you
folks'll be busting a leg

trying to get rid of it.

Oh, well, Mr. Barclift,
you bring up a touchy subject

between me and my husband.

Well, how's that, Mrs. Johnson?

Well, Mr. Hupp here,

he's in real estate,
and an old friend.

And I'm afraid he's been
bringing offers

for the property

to my husband behind my back.

Well, as a matter of fact,

I do have four or five clients
who are anxious to put up

top money for a parcel of land
like this.

BARCLIFT: Would I stand a chance
at the bidding,

so to speak, Mr. Johnson?

If not, you might just as well
not show me

the rest of the place.

I'll show you around some more
if you want.

Fine.

Why don't we do this:

why don't you drive us back
to the house, me and Will,

and I'll cook up a big lunch
while Grover takes you on

the -cent tour.
How about that, hmm?

Oh, now, ma'am, I hate to impose
on you like that.

Oh, don't be silly.

I cook a full course lunch
every day, Mr. Barclift.

You finished?

Will you simmer down
to a boil, please?

Why I have to write up an offer
when you don't even know

if the man's gonna buy
beats me.

Will, he's been back here
three times.

For crying out loud, don't you
know a goer when you see one?

This guy is ready.

-(vehicle approaching)
- But what price do I put in?

How do I write up an offer
without putting in a price?!

Leave it blank.

(car doors open, close)

Evening, folks.

WILL:
Mr. Barclift.

Well, Mr. Barclift,
I guess you know now

why we need to part
with this property.

Well, doggone, ma'am, I wanted
to roam around all night,

'cept it got dark.

I tell you, these hot days
and cold nights,

a little hunk of heaven,
I say. Thank you.

Steak charred on the outside,
blood-rare on the inside?

Doggone, this little lady
sure does know how

to read a man's thoughts.

Hickory-smoked steer beef
and these surroundings,

what else could a man ask for?

Which puts me in mind,

what is the asking price
on this spread?

I tell you, Mr. Barclift,
we're turning down an offer

from a man in Los Angeles
who wants to give us...

Dear, why don't you put
the steaks on?

You do them so much better
than I do.

Please, honey?

Charred blood-rare
and heavy on the smoke for me.

And what was that figure

Mr. Johnson said
you turned down?

Mmm, $ , , Will?

Or was it $ , ?
I never did know.

Uh, $ , , I guess it was.

$ , ?

I can't possibly go that high.

Well, then I guess we stay here.

Doggone,
I want this layout, too.

That kind of puts a crimp
in my plans.

What do you intend to do
with the property, Mr. Barclift?

Well, I just intend living
on the property,

realizing a boyhood dream.

What's a few extra thousand
to realize a boyhood dream?

Guess you got something there
all right, Mrs. Johnson.

Which puts me in mind

to what my dear old sainted
daddy used to say:

"Son," he said,
"man don't live forever,

but it ain't no good being the
richest one in the cemetery.”

(both chuckle)

$ , .

You know, maybe I ought
to pay some heed.

Maybe I could go that high.

(coughs)

We turned that down,
Mr. Barclift, remember?

Doggone, I've been driving so
many hard bargains all my life,

it's just second nature to me.

But honestly, on my sainted
daddy's grave,

$ , 's as high as I can go.

EULA:
I wrote down on a piece of paper

what you really think
is a fair price, Mr. Barclift.

If I don't know really know
what's going on

in that tycoon's brain of yours.

What's this?

Offer to buy the property.
Am I right?

Isn't that really the top figure
you set for yourself?

No, little lady,

that is not the top figure
I set for myself.

I set $ , .

But I'll tell you what I'll do.

If we can arrange the financing,
doggone, I'll stretch a point

and buy that boyhood dream
of mine.

- For $ , ?
- For $ , .

$ , ?

For a piece of property your
client almost bought for--

what was it- $ , ?

-$ , .
-I don't get it.

Fifty-odd thousand is all the
place is worth, if that much.

What did you find out
about this $ , buyer?

Well, he's known in some
of the best places in the West

and he shows signs
of having money.

But he's here, he's there,
he's everywhere.

He just doesn't seem
to have any roots,

if you know what I mean.

You mean, you don't see a man
like Mr. Barclift making good

a $ , purchase?

Not a chance.

What do I write to Mr. Avadon?

He was so anxious that you
purchased the property

before he got back
from Europe, Perry.

Don't write our client
anything, Della.

But if there's even a chance

of this Barclift deal
going through,

and Mr. Johnson says he thinks

it will go through
any time, so...

Della, this Texan is just giving
these people a show job.

Search me why.

I think Paul's right, Della.

DRAKE:
He'll never sign anything.

There you are, sir.

And now my last little ol'
John Henry on this check.

Well, sir, Mr. Barclift,
I certainly want to thank you.

In all my years in real estate,

I have never known a deal
to go through so fast.

Well, I must say thanks
to the Johnsons here

for taking my promissory note
for the balance.

And to you, too, sir,

for waiting a little
on your commission.

We know what we're doing.

And this $ , down I think

is gonna keep us happy
a moment or two.

And don't forget, sir,
we have a pair of mortgages

on this property that will make
sure you kick in with the rest

-soon enough.
-(laughter)

Well, I don't think y'all
got anything to worry about.

Only now I must say I'm the
proud owner of one of the most

most beautiful slices
of the good Lord's Earth.

And I'm out to buy you all
a celebration.

Well, I think the bar
at the hotel's pretty nice,

but it seems to me that we're
the ones that should...

No, no, it's my party.
I absolutely insist.

Come on, boys,
we'll have a good one.

(laughs)

I should have my head examined,
fooling around with the help.

Isn't that why you phoned me,
asked me to rush out here?

He catches you making passes,

you'll get
your head handed to you.

Come on, now, baby,
he's nothing.

You're passing up
a genuine Texas oil millionaire.

What about the dentist?

Oh, the dentist.

I still feel like I have
a horseshoe in my mouth.

(Eula chuckles)

Horseshoe's good luck;
let's see it.

Oh, don't worry,
I got the extra bridge.

I paid for it, I want to see it.

Beautiful.

Now, come on, Eula,
why did you want to see me?

(footfalls approaching)

Hi, Mr. Barclift.
Glad you came out.

Soon as I find Les, maybe we can
check the stock over today.

I saw Les about a half hour ago
out by the barn.

I'll be right out,
Grover, right with you.

Any time.

(door closes)

I'll meet you in town
this evening.

We can be in Arizona
before morning.

We can what?

You mean you two have already
found a body so soon?

Mm-hmm.

The hills back of Flagstaff--

some old prospector,
friend of Grover's.

He just passed away,
the body's still in the shack,

nobody knows a thing.

Even the Indian who found him
is not gonna...

Well, now, wait a minute,
wait a minute.

I mean, what about this guy--
his size, his shape?

- Unless he's... -Listen, when
that beautiful extra bridgework

of yours is found
in the wreckage...

Darling, don't worry
so much, hmm?

(footfalls approaching)

Les, Grover's looking for you.

That so?

Say, I sure hope y'all stay on
and work for me.

Yes, sir, I do.

BARCLIFT:
Body's in there?

EULA:
Mm-hmm, make you nervous?

Here, have a belt first.

Thanks.

Ah.

(clattering)

Listen.

What's the matter?

I thought I heard something
in the shack.

Don't be ridiculous.

Come on,
help me with the gasoline.

There's somebody in there,
somebody alive.

You're seeing things.

You know it, too,
don't you, Eula?

I thought you told me
that the man

we're supposed to use
was already dead.

Did I?

Well, don't worry about it.

He'll be dead soon enough.

He what?

Oh, no, Eula, I don't want
to have anything to do

with any k*lling.

So it's a dirty word.
So what?

Eula, listen to me.

Eula, you listen.

I've pulled every sort
of con game there is in my life.

Sure, I've been a big,
rich Texan for you, too,

but I've done a good job,
haven't I?

I even had a tooth jerked out

so I could have bridgework
that could be matched,

so you could put it
in some poor...

You've been paid, haven't you?

But not m*rder.

I won't have any part of it.

Stay away from me,
stay where you are.

Eula...

th-that bridgework wasn't a gag.

Not just so it'd be in my mouth.

Honey, come down here quick.

Eula, you're not gonna
put me in this car.

You're not gonna put me
in this car, not me!

You're not going
to put me in here.

Eula-- my wife-- she, uh...

she just won't get off...

(sighs)

Well, trouble is
that I love her so much,

and sometimes
she's so wonderful, but...

Well, I guess what
I'm trying to say is that...

I've just got to sell
my place, Mr. Mason.

But you've already sold it.

Sure, but Barclift's dead now.

I just told you about
his accident last week

out in Arizona.

Death doesn't stop a land sale
from going through, Mr. Johnson.

That's what Will Hupp says, too.

DRAKE:
Did Will Hupp also tell you

that Barclift was nothing but
a small-time land swindler?

Swindler?

"Chance of a Lifetime

"to buy in California.

Small down payment,
only a few dollars a month.”

I've got more.

The police in Flagstaff
found a batch of 'em.

They must've been thrown out
of the trunk of Barclift's car

as it rolled over.

I..

I wondered why Barclift
didn't want to

-give us much cash at the start.
- DRAKE: You ask me,

he never intended to make
another payment.

All Barclift wanted was
to have title to the property

for a short while.

He could make a quick k*lling
and take off,

with you holding the bag.

Whatever Barclift intended to do

is water under the bridge now.

Point is, when he d*ed,

the title to that property
passed to his estate.

So it's the estate
that owes the balance

of the $ , .

If Barclift had
any surviving heirs,

it's conceivable--
though not likely--

they might decide
to pick up the deal.

Heirs?

No, I understand the man
didn't even leave a will.

Didn't have any relatives.

What about the $ ,
you did collect from him?

Oh, that all went for
title clearance, escrow fees,

a little advance
to Will Hupp, I guess.

Mr. Mason...

Eula doesn't know I'm here.

S-She's all raw nerves
these days,

like a b*mb ready to explode,

ever since Barclift d*ed.

I suppose it's 'cause,
for a while there,

it looked like we were
gonna be rich,

and now we're gonna
be poor again.

Anyway, I figured maybe I could
save something for her

if your client was still...

But I just explained.

The place is no longer
yours to sell.

The property belongs to
Barclift's estate.

But if nobody makes
any more payments...

Well, the public administrator
will probably enter into it.

Might be escheatment.

Anyway, there'd have to be
a foreclosure

before the property could
revert to you and Mr. Hupp

as the mortgage holders.

Yeah.

I suppose that'd take forever.

Mm, not necessarily.

If someone who
understands these things

does a little pushing here,
a little expediting there.

Mr. Mason, I'd like to live
on a place like that forever,

but, well...

it's half Eula's, and if I could
make her happy somehow...

Mr. Johnson,

my client is not only wealthy,

but he's also
a little eccentric.

He's had his heart
set on your place,

and I was rash enough to assure
him I could get it for him.

Well, couldn't you...

I mean, Mr. Mason,
could you, maybe...

That's what I'm saying.

I don't think there'd be
any conflict of interest

if I help you
get what you want, too.

(cattle lowing)

If you worked
like you were supposed to,

instead of hanging
around underfoot

like some creepy cat
every time I turn around.

I do what your husband
tells me to.

(Eula sighs)

Mostly.

- Les Gilpin, I...
- He's back, you know.

What?

Not in the house.

He wanted to check the mare.

She's almost ready to foal.

He wasn't due back
till tomorrow.

How'd you know to pick him up?

He called from downstate
last night.

I answered the phone.

You weren't home.

He said they'd be
getting in this morning,

for me to come get 'em.

"They"?

Some friends came up with him.

Somebody named Perry Mason,
some lawyer,

and a guy named Drake,
a detective.

(phone ringing)

Now what was it that you...

Yes, yes,
the coat I wrote you about.

I wanted to be sure the mink was
properly matched for my length.

Well, of course
I'm going to buy it!

I may buy the ermine stole
you had advertised, too,

and if you don't think
I'm going to pay cash...

Yes.

Well, that's better.

Well, I'm very busy right now.

I-I'll be in San Francisco
in a week or two

to do lots and lots
of shopping.

No, I-I'd rather
you didn't write.

All right, thank you.
Good-bye.

(sighs)

What about liquor?
Did he drink much?

Some.

Did you ever see him drunk?

Don't think so, no.

Eula?

Yes?

It rains, it pours.

Another stranger
asking questions.

Another?

I told you, those friends
of your husband's,

that lawyer and detective?

Now this one.

Hmm.

He's asking questions, too.

Is that so?

About that man
named Nelson Barclift,

and his accident.

Uh, did this man say who he is?

Name's Jefferies,
that's all I know.

Oh.

Questions,
everybody with questions.

This morning, it was him.

Who?

WILL:
That man who just drove up.

"Did Nelson Barclift ever have
fainting spells?” he said.

"Did he complain of headaches?

Was he in good health?"

As if I'd ever known the man

more than a few days
before the accident.

And now it's you, Mr. Mason.
Well, I tell you...

I'm only trying to expedite
matters for Mr. Johnson.

And for my client, of course.

Oh, and that'd be
a really wonderful thing

for me, too, Mr. Mason.

Don't think I wouldn't
like to get off this hook.

And in a hurry.

Um...

Mr. Mason, uh...

after I get rid of
a customer inside there,

why don't you and I just
meet someplace and, uh...

All right, Mr. Hupp.

Whatever you say.

I'm sorry to be so long.

Now, uh, where were we?

You say your name is Weplo?

That's right.
Sidney Weplo.

When I saw the story
in the newspaper about

Nelson Barclift's death, ll...

Of course, of course, of course.

You came right over here
the minute you heard about

that beautiful acreage
he bought in our neighborhood.

Well, Mr. Weplo,
it's called the Johnson place.

And it's right next to
the National Forest.

MAN: Mr. Mason?

Mr. Mason.

I was just gonna call you
at the hotel.

I have the public
administrator's file

on Nelson Barclift for you now,

if you want to take
a look at it.

Well, thanks, Sheriff.

Uh, we've just been over
to Willard Hupp's office.

Oh, well, then you met
that man, uh... Weplo.

Weplo?

SHERIFF:
Yes, Sidney Weplo.

Some sort of relative,
I believe, uh,

of Nelson Barclift, that is.

A cousin, I gather.

Well, gentlemen, if you want to
take a look at that file.

Uh, just me, Sheriff.

Mr. Drake has some work to do.

That I have.

Why don't you stay in town,
if you like, Les.

Wait a minute, ma'am.
You forgot your purse.

For the last time, why do
we have to see Will today?

He just called, I told you.
I don't know anything about it,

-but if Will...
- Oh, you never know anything

about anything.

I have a headache.

I told you
I wasn't feeling well.

Eula darling,
I just want you to be happy.

- That's all I'm doing...
- Oh, pick me some daisies.

Well, well, well,

here we all are all together.

Mr. and Mrs. Grover Johnson,

meet Mr. Weplo.

And, Eula, you will
never guess who he is.

Here we've been thinking
all along that

Nelson Barclift
didn't have any relatives.

Well, Grover, shake hand
with Mr. Barclift's cousin.

- GROVER: Howdy, Mr. Weplo.
- WEPLO: Howdy.

Folks,
I was deeply disturbed when

I heard about Nelson's accident.

Of course, ll...

I don't know how close you folks
were to him but...

(patting back)

Terrible tragedy.

Such a dynamic man.

Nelson Barclift was
a man aware of potentials,

of business fundamentals.

My, my.

Well, now the reason for
this little get-together,

uh, I haven't had time to go
into the details

of your property
with Mr. Weplo yet, Grover,

but he does know
that his late cousin

acquired title to your ranch.

Now as Mr. Barclift's
only living heir,

I'm sure that
he may be anxious to...

to, uh, well, take over
the purchase

to, to...

Hello, Mr. Hupp, Mr. Johnson.

This is Mrs. Johnson?
How do you do?

Your name is Weplo, I believe.

I'm Perry Mason.
This is Paul Drake.

Mr. Mason, ...

I told you I would come over
to the hotel later.

Of course, of course.

But, Mr. Weplo,
something the sheriff

wanted to give you and forgot.

I said I wouldn't mind
dropping by.

Taken while they were
out skeet sh**ting.

Just a little snapshot,
that's all,

of the sheriff
and your cousin Barclift.

Little older, little heavier,

but that's the Nelson
I'll always remember.

Mr. Mason,
thank the sheriff for me.

(moans)

GROVER:
What is it?

I'm not feeling very well.

- Could we, uh...
- Oh, sure, sure.

Will you excuse us?

Let's talk about it later,
Will.

Now you just
take it easy, darling.

And, Mr. Weplo,
I assume you're here

to take over the thousand acres
Mr. Barclift purchased.

Well, that's quite a bit
of property.

I don't know if I'd want
to take it over but...

You're right.

A $ , piece of property
is quite an estate.

Did you say $ , ?

That is of course
if you'd be prepared

to take over the payments.

Payments?

The $ , in promissory note
still due.

And while you're thinking
that one over,

tell me, Mr. Weplo,
how's your wife?

Oh, my wife, she's...

DRAKE:
She's dead, isn't she?

Your wife d*ed two years ago.

Your wife, Mr. Weplo,
was Barclift's cousin, not you.

Now look here,
I've never claimed to be

an heir of Barclift's.

I'm only here asking questions.

I haven't even
talked to a lawyer yet.

I understand, Mr. Weplo.

And of course, you must realize

I'm only here
to expedite matters,

to eliminate
any misunderstandings.

Well, see you later, gentlemen.

What's the matter, boys,
my tie on crooked or something?

My name is Perry Mason.
I'm an attorney.

And this is Mr. Paul Drake.

Attorney for whom?

If you have a moment,
I'll be glad to explain.

Your name is Jefferies,
I believe.

Just explain why Drake here
has been following me,

that's all.

Oh, now look here,
Mr. Jefferies,

when anyone dies
who owns property,

there always seems to be
a gathering.

A gathering like flies
or like vultures?

I didn't say either one
but, uh...

Never mind, Mr. Mason, I won't
ask you which one you are,

but you want to know
which one I am, right?

Right.

You see, my only interest here

is in clearing the air
around a land deal which...

Sure, I know. Me, I'm just
a working stiff, too.

Statewide Mutual.

- Insurance?
- Investigator.

What the heck have you been
snooping around for?

Well, I've been trying
to save my company some money.

I wired them a full report
two hours ago.

I figured they'd better make
the final decision.

You mean Nelson Barclift
had life insurance?

I mean exactly that.

As far as I could find out,

he was nothing more than
a peanut promoter of some kind.

Half crook, maybe, but at least
his premiums were paid.

And there you are,
somebody gets rich.

Who's his beneficiary?

There aren't any.

The money goes to his estate,
I guess.

How much money?

$ , .

It's too bad you sort of wasted
your time, Mr. Mason.

I mean, you know,
not getting the Johnson place

for your client and all.

Oh, a loser means a winner.

That insurance goes
to the estate.

And the estate will have to pay
the Johnsons $ , .

Yeah, for something not even
worth one quarter that much.

Hmm.

Does Grover know about it yet?

We drove out to the house,
but no one was home.

Staying the night
out at Will Hupp's maybe.

They do that sometimes.

Come on, I'll drive you out.

I'd kind of like to see
that Eula's expression

when she hears how rich
she's going to be.

WILL (distant):
Sheriff! Sheriff!

Sheriff!

(panting) I ran all the way down
to your office looking for you.

In the house, in the house!
He's k*lling her!

Eula? Eula?!

She... she's dead!

Yes, sir, Nelson Barclift had
a $ , insurance policy

on his life.

In the event of his death,
it was payable to his estate.

When was this policy taken out?

Well, approximately
six months ago.

Mr. Jefferies,
as chief investigator

for your insurance company,
I take it

you thoroughly checked out
this claim.

I did.

The police and coroner felt
there was no question

that this was
an accidental death.

And certainly none that the
deceased was the insured.

Certainly none, Mr. Jefferies?

Well, in accidents
of this nature,

particularly where
there's fire,

we do our own investigating,
too.

Barclift had some dental work,
for instance,

a single tooth missing.

Well, we found not only
a fixed bridge in his mouth

that matched with the records
of some work

he had done four years ago,

but there was also a spare
bridge among his effects.

PROSECUTOR: And so you
recommended the claim be paid.

No, I did not.

At least not right away.

Barclift was so obviously
nothing more than

a small-time con man,
a land promoter of some sort,

but unfortunately, his life
insurance was in perfect order.

We had no choice
but to pay the $ , .

Thank you, Mr. Jefferies.

- Your witness, Mr. Mason.
- No questions.

Fighting one minute,
kissing the next.

That was the Johnsons.

What did they fight about?

How he'd taken some money
he had before he was married

and just wasted it
on worthless dirt and rock.

And him always apologizing.

And her hollering back how

he'd buried her
a million miles from nowhere.

In three years, didn't he
ever let her leave the ranch?

Oh, uh, once a year or so,

she'd run off to San Francisco.

He'd fret and fume,
get ready to start after her,

but she'd always come back.

PROSECUTOR:
And what would happen then?

Start right in kissing again.

Those were the only times
I ever heard him agree to sell.

PROSECUTOR:
Now you specifically heard him

agree to sell the ranch?

GILPIN: If they could
figure out some way

to make real dough by selling.

Of course, when the Texan
showed up, that was it.

PROSECUTOR: By the Texan,
you mean Nelson Barclift?

Yeah. They really went
to work on him good,

especially Eula.

How so, Mr. Gilpin?

Oh, I saw them one day,
her and Barclift, kissing.

And I heard what she said.

PROSECUTOR:
And what was that?

GILPIN: She pushed herself away
from him and she said, uh,

"I should have
my head examined,

fooling around with the help.”

PROSECUTOR: Now go on,
Mr. Gilpin, what else?

"He finds out
your making passes,

you'll get your head
handed to you."”

And then what?

And then he came in,

Mr. Johnson, the defendant.

Now suppose we get down
to the evening of the m*rder.

The Johnsons were
your houseguests, Mr. Hupp?

That's right.
Eula wasn't feeling well,

so I asked them to stay over.

And that wasn't
the first time either.

Now, chronologically,
would you tell the court

what happened that night.

Well, started with them
having a fight, like I said.

Eula wasn't feeling well,
she was nervous as a cat.

We're all old friends,
so I figured

the best thing for me to do
was get scarce,

so I ducked out
to the tavern for a drink.

Well, I'd been there
for maybe minutes,

but in comes Grover.

He said he needed a drink.

Well, now that worried me

because Grover's not much
for liquor, you know?

Did he say anything to you
at the tavern?

Not at first, he didn't.

Not a blame thing.

Just sat there, watched the TV,
drank two whole drinks,

then he started shaking
his head and mumbling.

I remember his words exactly.

He said, "Excuse me, Will,
I better get back to Eula.

I better get back
and make sure

everything's going
to be all right.”

- And then?
- Then he left.

And you?

Hung around
for a little bit longer,

maybe ten or minutes.

I figured maybe things would be
a little bit smoother by then.

But...

when I got up
on the front porch,

I heard this kind
of awful gasping,

choking sound
coming from inside.

It was Eula
trying to say something.

Then there was this thud.

I- mean,

like she was falling, maybe.

PROSECUTOR:
But did you hear anyone else?

WILL:
Well, yes.

Only, I didn't hear Eula
anymore.

There was this little
scuffing sound

and then he started sobbing,

like crying almost.

He was trying to talk to her.

By him, you mean the defendant.

Grover, yes, he...

he said,
"Eula, I didn't mean it.

"You're just scared,
that's all.

Eula, I can't let you spoil
everything,” he said.

"Eula, no.

Eula, Eula, don't die.”

That's when I lit off
that front porch

looking for help,
when he said, "Don't die.”

"Eula,” he was saying.
"Eula."

Still holding her body there
in his arms.

You could see
the bruise marks on her throat

where she'd been choked.

You could see the blood
on her head

where it had smashed
into the corner

of the fireplace hearth
and k*lled her.

Yes, when we arrived,

Grover Johnson
was still pleading,

but, uh, Eula was already dead.

You went back to Hupp's house.

From the tavern? Yeah.

But not right away.

When I got out in the street,
I felt a little dizzy.

I'm not used to drinking.

...thought I'd better
walk it off for a little while.

For how long?

Oh, I- don't know how long.

Look, all I know is that
when I walked in that house,

she was already lying there
on the floor.

Now I didn't choke her.

I didn't throw her down.

But you were pleading with her.

Well, that's when I saw
she was dead.

Look, I don't know what I said.

But I swear I didn't say

any of those things
Will Hupp told about.

Will was lying!

I hope not.

You hope what?

That Hupp wasn't lying.

Perry, is this some kind
of a joke?

I was never more serious, Paul.

This business makes sense

only if Hupp was telling the
complete and unvarnished truth.

Sure don't understand that.

That's probably because
you have a toothache.

I have a what?

Let's see...

Friday night,

only tomorrow morning
in his office probably.

You'll have to scramble

if you're going to get
to that dentist.

Mmm, yeah, Mr. Barclift
came in to see me,

oh, I'd say, uh,
six to eight weeks ago.

But all he wanted
was a spare pontic.

- A spare what?
- A false tooth.

He had one missing, right here.

But he was already wearing
a bridge, of course.

Nice-looking porcelain job.

Porcelain cap to hold it in.

But wasn't it a fixed bridge?

That's right.

Well, then,
why would he need a spare?

Well, that's not at all unusual.

Lots of people get
concerned about

breaking a bridge,
or losing it.

His great concern, as I recall,

was the fact that
he spent all his time

out on the cattle ranches,
and he was afraid

he couldn't count on
the local veterinarian

to fill that hole in his mouth.

-(chuckles)
- Oh.

Oh.

Well, I'm sorry if that's not
the answer you wanted,

but I think I've told the
authorities everything...

Doctor,

when you identified the spare
bridge that you made,

did they also show you the one
that was found in his mouth?

The four year old one?

Yes, the insurance company
was curious about that, too.

But there was no
mistake about it.

It was the identical
formation I copied that...

How many years did you say?

Four.

He had the original made
in Sacramento, I believe,

four years ago.

No, no, Mr. Drake,
that's not right.

Well, how come?

Well, with porcelain,
you-you can tell.

That original bridge of his...

well, it was practically
brand-new.

Not more than six months old,
I'm sure of it.

Doctor, you just struck a nerve.

We contend that
the three of them,

Grover Johnson, Eula Johnson
and Nelson Barclift,

conspired to defraud
an insurance company

of $ , .

Now, the extra denture
suggests that someone else,

other than Nelson Barclift,

may have been planned
as the occupant

of the wrecked car in Arizona.

But three conspirators
became two conspirators

when Barclift himself
was pulled from the wreckage.

Accident?

m*rder? Who knows?

But we do know

that two conspirators
became one too many

when, in his own words,

Grover Johnson told his wife,

"I can't let you
spoil everything."”

Your Honor, the prosecution
moves that the defendant,

Grover Johnson, be bound
over to Superior Court

for trial on a charge of m*rder.

Mr. Mason?

If the court please,

we should like to present
a defense at this time.

According to the transcript,

you testified that the decedent,

Eula Johnson, said, "He... he
finds out you're making passes,

you'll get your head
handed to you."”

That is what you said.

What Eula said.

Of course.

You went on to say,
"Then he came in.”

Mr. Johnson, the defendant.

That's right,
that's exactly what I said.

Is that exactly what you meant?

What?

He finds out?

He came in?

Mr. Gilpin...

...was it your intent that
the court accept both "hes"

as referring to the same person?

Why, sure, to Grover.
Who else?

Suppose after Mrs. Johnson
had said, "he finds out,”

I walked into that room.

Your testimony would still be,
"He finds out... he came in.”

But would you claim both "hes"
referred to Perry Mason?

Of course not.

Obviously, from what
you overheard,

Nelson Barclift and Eula Johnson
were conspirators.

The "he" Eula Johnson mentioned,
also obviously,

was a third conspirator.

But why did you believe
that Grover Johnson

was the third conspirator?

I guess I didn't know it
for a fact, no, sir.

Now let me get my position
clear here.

I have never claimed to be
an heir of Nelson Barclift.

I didn't even say I was
a direct relative.

But you did come to town with
the idea that you might, uh,

somehow benefit from Barclift's
death, is that right?

Well, yes, I suppose.

I knew he didn't have
any other relatives, so...

I think the court understands
your position, Mr. Weplo.

Now tell us:

when was the last time
you saw Barclift?

He dropped by the place
to visit the wife, once,

oh, five or six years ago.

I guess that's the last
we really ever knew of him.

Did you or your wife
ever have reason

to try to locate him
after that time?

Well, there was a letter,
uh, we received last year

asking his whereabouts.

Asking him to testify
as a witness

to somebody hurt
in a revolving door.

In Sacramento, I believe it was.

Sacramento?

This letter was to your wife,
I take it?

Yes.

I answered
saying that she had just d*ed,

and that there wasn't
any more family.

As far as I knew,

Nelson Barclift
just plain disappeared.

I see.

Now, Mr. Weplo...

do you recall my showing you

a picture of the local sheriff
and Nelson Barclift,

-taken together?
- Yes.

Do you recall identifying
the man with the sheriff

as Nelson Barclift?

Well, yeah, sure,
that's what I said.

But you were lying,
of course, weren't you?

No. I mean,
I knew who the sheriff was.

And I certainly had no reason
to believe that the other man

in the picture wasn't Nelson.

Why not, Mr. Weplo?

Now let me ask you again:

When was the last time
you saw Barclift?

I never met my wife's cousin.

I'm afraid I never laid eyes
on Barclift in my life.

So...

the other guy was...

could've been anybody else.

Yes.

I am the treasurer of
the West Guild Credit Union,

and as such, yes,

I did grant a loan
for $ four years ago

to a Mr. Nelson Barclift.

Were you sure that he was really
Mr. Nelson Barclift?

Of course.

He had every credential.

A real person, all right.

I'm not good
at remembering faces.

I couldn't tell you what
he looked like, for instance.

MASON: But can you tell us
what happened to that loan?

Never was paid.

Got a job in South America
someplace.

We tried to contact him,
but no luck.

We tried other places, too.

It looked like Mr. Barclift had
just completely disappeared.

I had an idea that
he was probably dead.

Nobody even had
a record of that.

Thank you, Mr. Morgan.

Uh, just one more question.

Why did you loan him $
four years ago?

He wanted to get
his teeth fixed.

He'd had one knocked out.

Needed a bridge.

He got one from some dentist
over there in Sacramento.

Yes, I read the affidavit from
the dentist in Sacramento,

and I don't care if he does say
it looks like his work,

if it does fit his die,

the bridge I matched,

the bridge I saw in
Mr. Barclift's mouth,

just couldn't have been
more than six months old.

No, sir, our insurance company
had no full dental record.

Only what we've heard here
about the man's bridges.

Well, as an expert in these
matters, Mr. Jefferies,

don't you think it's possible
that we're actually dealing here

with not just two dental
bridges, but three?

Not two dentists, but three?

Well, I'd say that's
a possibility, yes.

And would you also say
that it's possible

that the Nelson Barclift
who was in Sacramento

four years ago, and then
went to South America,

was not the same person
who took out life insurance

from your company and then d*ed
near Flagstaff, Arizona?

Well, if I agree, I'll have
to admit that we were taken.

But yes, every insurance
company in the world

has been hooked on a false
identification now and then.

I'm sure the prosecutor
will have no objection

if we clarify this matter.

Now why, Mr. Jefferies, would
there be three dentists?

Well, I suppose what
you're suggesting

is that the last Barclift
was an imposter, a con man.

- Right?
- Exactly.

He and Eula Johnson,
and some third person,

conspired to swindle
your insurance company.

But to do that, the imposter
would have to find

a real identity to assume.

Isn't that correct?

JEFFERIES:
Yes, sir, it is.

You certainly can't take out
an insurance policy on hot air.

You've got to have been born
someplace, grew up someplace,

and all the rest
for the record, you know.

So the conspirators found that

a real person named Barclift had
disappeared several years ago.

They found out about
his bridgework.

What next?

There would be a third dentist.

The con man would have to get
a crooked technician, maybe,

somebody who could pull a tooth

and match the real
Barclift's bridge.

That would be the clincher
on tying up his new identity.

But what about the spare bridge

that Dr. Lewis made
just recently?

JEFFERIES: Well, I suppose that
would be to fool the con man.

The other two were planning
on k*lling him, weren't they?

In other words,

as an investigator
familiar with such cases,

this all doesn't seem so
very complicated to you.

Mr. Mason, as an investigator,

all I can say is, it worked.

We got taken.

If Grover Johnson
hadn't k*lled his wife,

none of this ever would
have been discovered.

Now, just a moment,
Mr. Jefferies.

You're not an expert
on who k*lled Eula.

I'm sorry.
I stand corrected.

For that, we'll have to talk
to Mr. Willard Hupp.

But I heard him, I tell you.

He said, "Eula, don't die!

- Eula, don't..."
- He was sobbing, you said.

Yes, he... Grover was.

MASON: Had you ever heard
Grover Johnson crying?

Sobbing?

Well, no, but...

So how would you know what
his voice would sound like

at a time like that?

The things he was saying!

Grover loved her.
He didn't want her to die.

And do you think
another conspirator

would have wanted her to die?

I don't follow.

Mr. Hupp, Eula Johnson
was going to receive

a huge amount of money.

If someone else working with her

planned that whole swindle,

how could he ever get one penny
if Eula were dead?

Well, Grover was going
to get half of that money.

Don't you think half of $ ,

is worth pulling a swindle for?

Well, sure, I...

All right, Mr. Mason.

I'll admit maybe
I shouldn't have sworn

it was Grover's voice I heard.

Maybe it could have been
somebody else in there with her.

Thank you for changing
your testimony, Mr. Hupp.

Well, now, that doesn't
mean I was lying,

and don't you turn around and
try to hang this thing on me.

I didn't have anything
to do with it.

Of course you didn't, Mr. Hupp.

You wouldn't have known how to
swindle an insurance company.

You wouldn't have known
how to get a policy approved

for your con man accomplice
with his phony identity.

You wouldn't have even known
what identity to pick.

Where did you get the name
Barclift, Mr. Jefferies?

Was it that revolving door
accident

four years ago in Sacramento?

Yeah, it was... it was
in a medical building

where Barclift
just left his dentist.

We... we carried the insurance
on that building, and...

he was the only witness
to a woman's accident.

But I never could locate him.

Even after years of looking.

MASON: So when you met
unhappy Eula Johnson

in $San Francisco,

you developed an idea for

a perfect insurance swindle.

Eula didn't realize

how perfectly it was working.

She kept getting
more and more scared.

Hysterical.

That night when
I went over there, ll...

--I tried to quiet her.

I didn't mean to k*ll her.

But-but she...

she pulled away from me, and...

Her-her head...

her head...

GROVER:
Ah, Mr. Mason.

I thought we'd already
said good-bye to you.

Oh, I phoned, asked him to stop
by before we leave, Paul.

Grover, I talked to my
other client on the phone,

the one in Los Angeles.

GROVER:
That so?

Yes, and he'd still like
to buy the place.

That is, if you'd be
willing to go partners,

stay up here
and run it for him.

I'm sure we could work that out.

I thought it'd bother me,
staying there,

you know... Eula and all.

Ah, poor little thing.

Not her fault.

Why did she have to keep
running away to San Francisco?

(theme song playing)