04x08 - The Case of the Provocative Protégé

[bunniefuu]

( noirish jazz theme playing )

( piano music playing)

David.

( piano music continues )

( music stops )

Why do you keep
torturing yourself?

I've compiled
the information you wanted.

DAVID:
Well?

( sighs )

You're broke.

There are so many ways
to be broke, Andrew.

You're broke
in all of them.

Finis, kaput,
hasta la vista.

I see.

Forty thousand dollars for
a partnership in this company.

If I hadn't had the accident,
and if I could still play,

still record...
If.

If you hadn't gone through
$ , in six months.

If you hadn't
paid out $ ,

to the Bend Jewelry Company
just the other day.

What was it,
something for your wife?

Well, that kind of extravagance
is finis too,

whether it's for Anita
or anybody else.

You've just got to realize

that your means of livelihood
is gone.

I'm supposed to see
the doctor at : .

The final consultation.

I talked to him minutes ago.

No good?

David, there's always hope.

New discoveries, new techniques.
Why, it's possible to take a--

To grow new bones,
new tendons?

A fact for you to face,
Andrew:

You're a business manager
for someone

who has nothing left
to manage.

There is something.
Donna, your protégé.

Your partner, Sturgis, tells me

he has an offer from
The Inn at Tahoe for her.

Four weeks at , a week.
Now, that's $ , .

It's out of the question.

Donna will be
a concert pianist.

David, you have $
left in your bank account.

One thing you must remember:

This will affect Anita
as much as it affects you.

( sighs )

( classical piano music
playing )

( rings )

Hello?

DAVID ( on phone ):
Donna?

I know you're there, Donna.

And I want to apologize.

A crippled old married man
like me,

more than years older
than you.

Enough years to have learned
a little sense.

It won't ever be the same
between us now, I know.

( piano music continues )

But I'm not ashamed.

Donna, the doctor said
there's no hope for me.

I'll never play again.

So you'll have to play
for both of us.

Donna?

You know that I love you.

( dramatic piano music playing )

( dramatic piano theme playing )

( somber theme playing )

I don't want it to make
a bit of difference, Donna.

All the plans my husband
made for you,

well, there's no reason
for them to be changed.

And-- And they won't be.

It would be terrible if you
had to give up your studies now.

It isn't fair to you.

Oh, nonsense, Donna.

As far as the money goes,

it's not going to be
too much of a strain on me.

Now, if you'd like, you can--

You can give up the cottage here
and-- And come and live with me.

I'm all alone
in the house now.

Anita, I've already spoken
to Mr. Sturgis.

To Eric? What about?

He told me what condition
the company is in.

I-if you're worried about
the money, Donna,

there's the insurance.

There is more than enough
for everything.

Now, here.

This is the spare key
to my front door.

You're more than welcome
to move in

just as soon as you like.

Oh, Donna, please, let's try
to keep on as it was.

Or almost as it was.

I don't know if I'm going
to go on with my studies.

I've had an offer
for a lot of money.

Oh, yes.

David said something
about that,

but, well,
that wouldn't be right.

I-it's not concert work.

David wouldn't
think of it.

I have to think of it.

It never occurred to me

you wouldn't want to go on
with your studies,

with what David wanted for you.

I can always come back to it.

Oh, no, Donna.

No, you get involved
with contracts

and itineraries and things.

If David were here,
he wouldn't let you.

But David isn't here.

( melancholy theme playing )

There are the keys.

We are bankrupt, Anita.

I'm closing
the company's office.

We'll sell whatever stock
is left

for the benefit
of the creditors.

Eric, what have you
been saying to Donna?

I told her
what I told David.

She's a beautiful girl.

And she's got
a pair of talented hands.

For the concert stage.

For saloons.

Ted Fielding heard her
switch some classical stuff

into rock and roll.

He offered her four weeks
at , a week.

That's $ , .

On a -percent
manager's contract,

which is what your husband
signed her to,

that comes to grand, Anita.

Five grand.

Donna hasn't made up her mind
what she wants to do.

Don't worry about Donna.

Anita,
you share Dave's contract,

as her manager.

I'll handle her.

All you have to do
is sign the release.

That's all that's necessary.

No, Eric.

( doorbell ringing)

How are you going to carry on
for yourself, Anita?

Where's your money
coming from?

What do you mean?

Well, th-there's the insurance.

What insurance?
( doorbell ringing )

Well, the $ , policy.

( door opens )

David told me
he'd taken it out.

We had it taken out.
( door closes )

Well, yes.

Business insurance.

But it's not collectible.

It's not collectible?
Why not?

Hello, Anita.

Andy, is this true?

About the insurance?

Yes.

You mean,
I don't get my money?

No, because it was su1c1de,
Anita.

The policy
isn't years old yet.

Our friend here would be
an expert on the matter.

As a surviving partner
in the business,

half would go to him.

Collis, maybe you can
convince her about Donna Ross.

She's our only asset now.

COLLIS:
She has a contract
with Anita and David

for personal management.

It was the intent
of the partnership

to lump all our assets
together.

Is that why you're
trying to get Anita

to sign over her rights to you?

STURGIS:
She's going to sign them over.

COLLIS:
Now, wait a minute, Sturgis.

You're not going to deal
with a bewildered widow.

I'm going to protect her,
just like I did David.

STURGIS:
Aren't you too late starting
to protect Anita?

Where was your protection
on that two-year su1c1de clause

in David's insurance?

Usually that clause
is for only one year.

Well, let's just say
I'm going to start right now.

Right, Anita?

Oh, Andy, I-I don't know.

STURGIS:
Well, so it isn't just
cut and dried.

Anita hasn't signed with you,
has she, Collis?

Oh, please, will you
leave me alone, both of you?

I-I don't know
what I want to do.

I don't know what to do
about Donna, either.

Please, Andy?

Certainly.

Shall we leave, Sturgis?

Anita, will you have dinner
with me tonight?

ANITA:
No, Eric. Thank you.

I-I'm sorry, Andy.

I just can't seem to think
right now.

If you and Eric will only
have patience with me...

Call you later,
Anita.

Thank you, Andy.

Goodbye, Anita.

Bye, Eric.

( cars start)

( doorbell rings)

Mrs. Carpenter?

Yes?

My name is Worthington.

Uh, but, uh...

You are the Mrs. Carpenter
who thinks

her husband committed
su1c1de last Thursday?

Thinks?

That's right.

He didn't, you understand.

He was m*rder*d.

( dramatic theme playing )

What's that?

What are you saying?

How do you know?

Oh. Oh, I know lots of things.

Say for, uh

a thousand dollars?

WORTHINGTON:
Of course,
my first duty is to the law,

being a law-abiding citizen,

but then it's,
um, risky,

if you understand me.

Where there's a m*rder,
there's a m*rder*r.

And a m*rder*r
can get angry.

Naturally, I don't wanna get
hurt by anybody who thinks,

"That George Worthington.
If he'd kept his mouth shut,

I wouldn't be
in trouble."

All right,
Worthington,

I'm familiar with
all the rationalizations

people use to escape their
responsibilities as citizens.

I agree with you
a hundred percent, Mr. Mason.

Well, Mr. Mason,
what do you think of his story?

I don't know, Mrs. Carpenter.

We'll just have to see.

Now, let's try to remember
some of this in detail.

Sure.

You were on the highway.

WORTHINGTON:
Right.

What was the height of the cliff
at that point?

I'd say about, uh,
feet.

That's where the car
was perched?

Right there,
right on the edge.

All right, go on.

Well, I looked up from, uh,
fixing the tire,

and I saw the car,

and there were
two people there.

Two people, one slumped
over the wheel,

and the other out of the car,
with the door open,

and looking down
at the bottom.

A man looking down
or a woman?

Couldn't tell.
Could've been either.

Anyway, I wasn't paying
much attention at the time.

Most of the person
was covered by the car.

Next time I looked up,

the car was being
pushed to the edge,

then it toppled over,
and started flying

through the air
till it hit the bottom.

Meanwhile, up there,
somebody, looking down,

then turning
and running away.

You still couldn't tell
whether it was a man or a woman?

No.

Now, how about
that $ , .

Worthington, I want you
to identify where you were,

where the car was,
before you go to the police.

Sure.
Mr. Mason?

I'd like you to wait here,
Mrs. Carpenter.

I'm going to have
an investigator

trace your husband's activities
last Thursday afternoon.

Della?
Paul?

Right. Come on.

And he did not keep
his appointment with the doctor.

He left his place of business
at : ,

drove his own car
from the parking lot.

Was he alone?

Well,
so the attendant says.

Uh, by the way,
where's this guy Worthington?

I sent him down to headquarters.

That's why the police are here.

Perry,
I'm not an expert tracker,

but that car went over

as though it were coming
from Malibu and not from town.

Where is Carpenter's home?

In town. Westwood.

Huh. Wonder what he was doing
out here?

According to the coroner's jury,
he was committing su1c1de.

Well, if he was driving
from town, as you say,

he would've been heading
in this direction.

Unless, of course, he drove past
and then doubled back.

Mason? We just got a call,

asking you to stop in
at Lieutenant Tragg's office.

What's it look like?

Could someone have
pushed that car over?

Well, you wouldn't even
have to push it, Mason.

It slopes right there
where it went over.

All you'd have to do
is release the brake,

if you wanted
a one-way ride down.

Then a woman
could have done it?

If that's the way
it happened, sure.

But you don't know yet
how it happened.

I'll just make my report
to Lieutenant Tragg.

Fellas.

Well, you made a good try,
Perry.

I understand you're interested
in the widow

trying to get paid
on an insurance policy.

I'm also interested
when there's a possible homicide

instead of
an apparent su1c1de.

Oh, I don't believe that
you put Worthington up to it,

so it must've been
Anita Carpenter.

Put Worthington
up to what?

The barefaced prevarication.

He made up that whole story?

From A to izzard.

It was nice of you
to send him down too.

He gave one of
the vice-squad men

a chance to spot him
in the corridor.

Tell me about it, lieutenant.

Last Thursday,
a bookie joint on Figueroa

was raided about : ,

and the vice-squad man
recognized Worthington.

Recognized him as being at
the bookie's at : , Thursday?

And the car,
with Carpenter in it,

went over the cliff miles away

at : .

You lied, Worthington?

Oh, sorry, Mr. Mason.

Who put you up to it?

Nobody, nobody.

Why would anybody--?
Then why'd you do it?

I was just trying
to make a few bucks.

It just occurred to me.

That's why I didn't come
before today.

Only this morning
I figured I could maybe

pick up a dollar or two.

It just occurred to you

that some insurance
was involved?

Just spontaneously?

WORTHINGTON:
Yeah.

Hm. Illogical, huh?

That's what I meant, Perry.

And since I don't think
you put him up to it,

I'm going to have a talk
with your client.

All right, uh, Worthington,
you can go now.

And, uh, as I say,
I'm grateful to you

for sending him down anyway.

Why?

What did Sergeant Binns report?

He said a car might've been
sitting there

on the edge of the embankment,

so even if Worthington lied,

he made us think
in terms of m*rder.

( dramatic theme playing )

MASON:
As I understand it, he'd poured
his time and energy

into working with his protégé,
Miss Ross.

Yes.

So it would seem
he did have a purpose in life,

a reason for going on.

However, the financial condition
of this company

has been pretty bad,
hasn't it?

Is pretty bad.

But, uh,
the life insurance

names you as a beneficiary.

That's right. Half.

The other half,
Anita Carpenter.

If it weren't for
the su1c1de clause.

Yes.

So hiring someone to bring up
the question of m*rder

would be in order.

What are you getting at?

A man named Worthington.

I don't know anybody
by that name.

He was hired
to establish the fact

that David Carpenter
did not commit su1c1de,

but was m*rder*d.

Why are you
telling this to me?

Well, only you
and Mrs. Carpenter stood to gain

if David's death
was established as m*rder.

And Mrs. Carpenter
didn't hire Worthington.

All right.

I did.

You paid him
to go to the police?

Yes.

To the police.

When he went to Anita,
he was just going after

his own private
fringe benefits.

He told a remarkable story.

Did he?

A very convincing story,

except that he couldn't
possibly have seen

any part of what had happened.

So I heard.

I read the papers
this morning.

How do you suppose, then,
he knew just what to say?

Came so close
to what actually happened?

You've just saved me
$ , , Mason.

I have?

Out, Georgie.

You see, Georgie and I were in
the middle of a conversation

when you came along,
Mason.

I didn't want you
to see him, of course,

so I had him
wait in there.

Hello, Mr. Mason.

STURGIS:
Did you hear what he said,
Georgie?

He wanted to know
how you could tell a story

about the accident which was
so near what actually happened,

when you were in a bookie joint
on the other side of town.

I heard.
You see, Mason,

Georgie said all he had to do
was to go back to the police,

say I hired him and told him
exactly what to say.

The inference being

that since it had actually
happened the way he told it,

I was the m*rder*r.

And for a little bit of money,

he'd stick to what he told
the police,

which would protect you.

That's right:
$ , worth.

But now the blackmail
is no good, Georgie.

I just confessed to Mason
that I hired you,

but not that I told you
what to say.

Who did tell you Georgie?

You did.

Heh. You told me.

( door closes )

( tense theme playing )

Did you, Mr. Sturgis?

No.

When I hired him,

I told him
only to make up a story.

( tense theme swells )

( mysterious theme playing )

( piano music playing )

That's beautiful.

( music stops )

I don't quite place it.

Beethoven, isn't it?

Who are you?

My name is Mason,
Perry Mason.

You have a wonderful gift.

No wonder David Carpenter
was enamored of you.

Enamored?

Of your musical ability,
Miss Ross.

What do you want,
Mr. Mason?

I'm trying to find out
whether David k*lled himself

or whether he was k*lled.

Oh.

Mrs. Carpenter gave me
your address.

I don't know how
I can help you.

Did you, um--?

Did you see David
last Thursday?

No.

Did you speak to him?

Yes, he-- He telephoned.

What time?

In the afternoon.

One o'clock? Two o'clock?

A little bit later,
I think.

Perhaps about : .

Just before
he left his office.

Did he say
he was going home?

No, not that I remember.

Perhaps he was going
for a drive,

and wanted you to join him?

No.

Perhaps he just wanted
to talk to you.

He did come out
this way.

The car went over
the cliff in a manner

indicating he'd come
from this direction,

not from town.

Were you at home all afternoon
last Thursday?

Yes. Mr. Mason--

If he had wanted
to go for a drive,

is there any reason
he wouldn't have taken his wife?

No, why should there be?

I don't understand
what you're getting at.

A man finds out he'll never play
the piano again.

He doesn't tell his wife.
He tells another woman.

You, Miss Ross?

Mr. Mason, you're implying
that David and I--

That Mr. Carpenter and I--

You're very
attractive.

You've been thrown into
intimate contact with a man

whose whole life,

after a tragic accident,

could have been devoted to you.

David must have seen in you
his hope for the future.

Had he made love to you?

Was he in love
with you?

No. No. No.

Did Mrs. Carpenter know?

( footsteps)

The door was open.
Forgive me, counselor.

The reason you're not getting
any answers

is because you're asking
the questions

from the wrong point of view.

Who is it?
What do you want?

This is Lieutenant Tragg
of, uh, Homicide.

The question should be, um,

"Were you in love
with David Carpenter?"

Did he make all kinds
of promises to you?

Did he promise to get a divorce
and marry you?

And then, did he renege
on his promises

and leave you high and dry?

It seems as though
you aren't asking

the right questions, either,
lieutenant.

Well, whatever
the right questions are,

I've got a better chance
of getting the right answers

down at headquarters.

Lieutenant,
do you have a warrant?

Yes.

( dramatic theme playing )

She couldn't have.

She couldn't have done it.

I don't see how
they could have arrested her.

Well, I don't know
all the evidence against her,

Mrs. Carpenter, but the police
don't arrest people

without reason.

Yes, but she's only a girl.

She's only years old.

Murders have been committed
by girls a lot younger.

Do you think she k*lled David?

Well, I don't know
whether she did or didn't.

I don't even know
if a m*rder has been committed.

Will you defend her, Mr. Mason?

How do you know
she wants me to defend her?

Of course she does,
I'll speak to her.

You understand
if I do represent her,

it severs my responsibilities
to you.

What does that mean?

My primary concern would be
to exonerate her.

And that could be rough
on innocent bystanders.

I've only loved two people
on earth, Mr. Mason.

David, my husband,
I've lost him.

Donna, the daughter I never had.

I don't want to lose her.

( intercom beeps)

Yes, Della?

DELLA:
Mr. Andrew Collis is here.

Yes, please.

Would you, um, bring him in,
please?

Mr. Mason,

I'm sorry to barge in like this,
but I just saw Donna.

Yes?

I told her you wanted
Mr. Mason to represent her.

ANITA:
Yes, I think he will.

Won't you, Mr. Mason?

I'm afraid you're too late.

She's already hired
another lawyer.

ANITA:
Did she say who?

COLLIS:
No. She just said
she wanted someone

she could afford
to pay for herself.

She, uh, doesn't want
any more charity.

( tense theme playing )

Anything wrong,
Mr. Mason?

Um, no, the, uh,
sandwich was fine.

I'm through with it.
Thank you, Alice.

MASON:
California State Penal Code,
Section ,

dealing in competency
as evidence when witness u--

Ah, let's get back with this.

California State Penal Code,
Section ,

dealing in competency
as evidence

when witness unable
to attend.

Subject to objection.

Depositions taken
under the commission

may be read in evidence
by either--

Uh, incidentally, Mrs. Carpenter
was in this morning

while you
were in court.

Oh?

She's been after Donna

to ask you to represent her.

And she's
convinced Donna

that while her attorney
is terribly earnest,

he's terribly young
and inexperienced,

and in terribly
over his head.

I think the parting
was mutually agreeable.

They've come to a parting?

Donna discharged him.

And-- And he said,
how could he possibly

represent a client
who was holding something back.

Poor Donna. She must be
very embarrassed.

Probably doesn't know how to
ask you to be her attorney now.

( tense piano theme playing )

DELLA:
What are you doing?

MASON:
I just remembered the title

to a beautiful
Beethoven overture.

I'd like to make
a telephone call, please.

To my attorney,
Mr. Mason.

( dramatic theme playing )

We will prove
that the defendant,

Donna Lenore Ross,

with malice aforethought,

did put to death her benefactor,
David Carpenter,

at approximately :
on the afternoon

of August this year.

Because of
thwarted love,

tangled emotions
and frustrated ambitions.

We will prove that this young
woman is emotionally immature.

She mistook affection,
goodness,

unstinting generosity
for love and passion,

and that this mistake led her
to make impossible demands

and eventually,
to m*rder.

Death was caused by severe
crushing internal injuries.

Could these injuries
have been sustained

as a result of a car falling
over a -foot cliff?

Yes, sir. Exactly.

Now, doctor,
I ask you to examine

this photograph
of the decedent's head.

It shows the severe lacerations,
the head injury,

and the tiny slivers
of glass.

Would you please explain?

DOCTOR:
Well, decedent was struck
on the head by an instrument

that was associated
in some way with glass.

At first it was believed to be
from the windshield,

but thenwe found it was not.

I show you this flashlight
and ask if you can identify it.

Yes, sir.
It is marked.

Could the head injury have
been administered with this?

Yes, sir, it could.

The lens glass matched
the slivers

found in the head wound.

I ask this photograph be marked
as State's Exhibit Number One,

and this flashlight
as State's Exhibit Number Two.

Mr. Mason?

No objection.

Now, doctor,

did your autopsy reveal
when this blow was struck?

That is,
in relation to death?

Well, it was struck
prior to death.

It caused unconsciousness.

LAWYER:
That would eliminate
the possibility of su1c1de,

would it not, doctor?
DOCTOR: Yes, sir.

It would have been impossible
for decedent

to inflict that flashlight wound
on himself,

and then have driven the car
over the cliff.

LAWYER:
Thank you.

Now, the fragments of glass

found in the decedent's
hair and scalp

were found to match
the fragments of glass

from this flashlight,

and you then had
laboratory tests made

of the blood and hair
found on the flashlight?

Yes, the blood is the same
type as the decedent's,

and the hairs the same type,

in, uh, appearance
and structure,

as the decedent's.

Now, did you have, uh,

this flashlight
tested for fingerprints?

The only clear
and identifiable prints

were those of the deceased
and of the defendant.

LAWYER:
Did you have a fingerprint
examination made

of the interior
of the decedent's car?

Yes, sir. We found several
of the defendant's prints.

What else did you find in
the decedent's car, lieutenant?

Well, in a, uh,
waste container--

Uh, yes, sir.

A cleansing tissue
smeared with lipstick.

Now, I show you this lipstick,

and I ask if you can
identify it?

Yes, sir. This was found
in the defendant's handbag

at the time of the arrest.

LAWYER:
Did you have a comparison test
made between this lipstick

and this
lipstick-smeared tissue?

Yes. We tested the make,
the composition and the color.

They were the same
all right.

I ask these items be placed
in evidence as follows:

Lipstick A and Tissue B,

as State's Exhibits
Seven and Eight.

Now, where do you live,
Mr. Gracie?

Sunset Canyon Lane.

Do you know the defendant,
Donna Ross?

Oh, yes. She lives
down the road from me.

And did you know the deceased,
David Carpenter?

The pianist fellow?
Sure, and his wife too.

They used to come
to visit Miss Ross.

Did you ever see Mr. Carpenter
visit Miss Ross alone?

Oh, yes, most of the time.
He was teaching her.

Now, Mr. Gracie, would you
describe what you saw

on the afternoon of Thursday,
August the th?

Well, Mr. Carpenter,
he came to see Miss Ross.

Go on, Mr. Gracie.

Well, from my house usually
I hear the piano practicing

from Miss Ross' cottage.

It's really wonderful,
even the exercises and scales.

Did you hear this piano
on the afternoon

of Thursday, August the th?

GRACIE:
Uh, no, sir.

And, uh, what did you do,
Mr. Gracie?

Well, after a little while,
I went down to say hello.

Go on.

Well, there's nothing
to go on about.

Before I got there, I saw
Mr. Carpenter's car driving off

and Miss Ross crying,
looking after him.

Then she ran to her car, got in,

and drove off
after Mr. Carpenter.

Thank you, Mr. Gracie.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Gracie, did you observe
anyone else visiting Miss Ross

on the afternoon
of Thursday, August th?

Oh, no, sir.

Oh. Could someone
have paid her a visit

without your being aware of it?

Yes, I-I-I don't keep
that strict a lookout.

Now, did you recognize
Mr. David Carpenter

as his car was driving away?

Recognize him? Oh, I guess so.

Well, your words were

that you saw Mr. Carpenter's
car driving off,

but you did not say
Mr. Carpenter was driving it.

Well, you know,
I-I don't recollect seeing him,

just the car disappearing.

Thank you, Mr. Gracie.
That'll be all.

LAWYER:
How long did your husband

tutor the defendant,
Mrs. Carpenter?

For more than three years,
since her parents died.

Now, was there ever
any hint or suggestion

that this teacher-pupil
relationship changed

during the last six months?

No.

Now, Mrs. Carpenter,

as a hostile witness,
you still must answer

to the best of your ability.

That's what
I've been doing.

Then did your husband
ever speak of Miss Ross

in a romantic way?

Now, perhaps suggest that she'd
grown into a very lovely woman?

That would be a hint
or a suggestion.

No.

LAWYER:
Were there many occasions
when they were alone

in Miss Ross' cottage?

ANITA:
Only while she practiced.

Nights?

No.
Never?

No. No, never. Not alone.

Perhaps they kept secrets
from you, Mrs. Carpenter.

I show you
this diamond bracelet.

Do you recognize it?

No.

LAWYER:
You never saw it before?

ANITA:
No.

It was purchased
by your husband

just three days
prior to his death.

Oh, yes, now I remember.

He said he was going to
get me one for my birthday.

Your birthday is April
of next year, Mrs. Carpenter.

I-I mean my anniversary.

Six months ago?

Now, come, Mrs. Carpenter,
did your husband

tell you he intended
to give this to you?

Yes, yes.
Of course he did.

Then why was it found
in the cottage of the defendant,

Miss Donna Ross?

Your Honor, I ask this bracelet
be placed in evidence

as State's Exhibit Number .

JUDGE:
Mr. Mason?

No objection,
Your Honor.

And I would like
a transcript

of this witness's testimony
for future study.

I have no more questions.

Mr. Mason?

No questions.

LAWYER:
Call Andrew Collis.

Now, Mr. Collis,
what was the state

of Mr. Carpenter's finances
on the st of this year?

His bank balance
was close to $ , .

As his business manager,

would you please
tell the jury what happened

to caused this balance
to shrink to $ ?

Well,
several things happened.

What, Mr. Collis?

Well, there was the car.

Oh? What car?

Miss Ross' new car.
He bought it for her.

LAWYER:
Anything else?

Well, the cottage.

Oh, what about the cottage?

He bought that outright
for her.

He put that in her name?

Yes.

I see. Anything else?

Well, there was
the $ -a-month allowance.

I see. Now, what about
that bracelet?

Did he say for whom
he bought that?

No.

Well, didn't you ask him?

Yes, I asked him
if he'd bought it for Anita.

His wife.
And what did he say?

He didn't say
he'd bought it for her.

Thank you.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Collis,

when did the subject
of the bracelet come up?

That afternoon, Thursday,
in his office.

And the time?

Around : .

What else did you discuss
at that time?

His finances and Donna.

And whether he would
allow her to accept

a commercial engagement
at Lake Tahoe.

Yes.

And what was your, uh,

position in that discussion?

That the money
would be most welcome.

His position?

That she should continue
with her concert training.

Mr. Collis,
when did you become

David Carpenter's
business manager?

More than ten years ago.

Was he married
at that time?

No.

Did you know Mrs. Carpenter
before they were married?

Well, yes.

Now isn't it true
that without the possibility

of Donna Ross taking up
the financial slack,

you would be without a job?

( sighs )

Well, Mr. Collis?

Well, I--

I guess you might say
I would be.

There was nothing left
to manage.

Now, Mr. Collis,

did you speak with
David Carpenter's doctor

about, uh, : the afternoon
of Thursday, August th?

Yes, I did.

And he told you
that a consultation of doctors

confirmed the diagnosis

that David would never play
the concert piano again?

Yes.

Now, did you give
that information

to David Carpenter?

Yes.

And after you left
David Carpenter's office

that afternoon,
where did you go?

I had some account work to do.
I went back to my own office.

Can your secretary
corroborate that?

I don't have any secretary.
I don't see what that--

I suggest,
Mr. Collis,

that you did not go
to your office that afternoon.

I suggest that instead,
you went to see Anita Carpenter

and told her about David's hand.

I didn't see her
until later that night,

where David's body was found.

Are you in love with
Anita Carpenter, Mr. Collis?

What?

MASON:
I said,

are you in love
with Anita Carpenter?

Haven't you been in love
with her for years?

Objection, Your Honor.

The question is incompetent,
irrelevant and immaterial.

And it's improper. It's not
related to direct examination.

I'll withdraw
the question.

I'm finished
with the witness.

The, um, court is recessed
until, uh, : this afternoon.

And I would remind the jury
that it's their duty

not to converse with
or to be addressed by

any other person
on any subject of this trial.

( ominous theme playing )

And now I think you understand
why you should have told me

what happened
between you and David,

instead of letting me guess.
Yes.

Well, I'd like not to do
any more guessing.

It has almost all been told
in the courtroom.

The gifts?

I-I didn't want them.

What about the bracelet?

He left it on the mantel
without telling me.

I didn't even know
he had left it there

until the police
found it later.

The flashlight,
the fingerprints?

I've used his car
so many times,

and the flashlight too.

And the tissue with the lipstick
smeared on it?

He kissed me.

You mean, he made advances
to you and you rejected him.

I didn't know how
to handle it, Mr. Mason.

I'd idolized him.

He was always
David Carpenter,

a wonderful man.

What do you do when--?

When suddenly you find that

someone's thinking of you
in a way--

I-in a way--

You became frightened.

And so lost.

So suddenly
all muddled up.

I didn't know
what to say to him.

He was such a sensitive man.

I couldn't hurt him.

And then I think
he understood that--

That I didn't think
of him that way.

I didn't love him
that way.

Why the devil have you been
holding all this back,

keeping it secret?

Because I didn't want
to hurt Mrs. Carpenter.

You didn't want what?

I didn't want to hurt
Mrs. Carpenter.

( somber theme playing )

Then on the day you received
this bona fide offer

from The Inn at Lake Tahoe,

you told the defendant
about it?

That's right.

All right, go on,
Mr. Sturgis.

Well, she didn't throw me
out of her house.

What do you mean?

Well, she knew
what the score was

with David's bank account,

and she contemplated
the idea of sacrificing her art

for the almighty buck,
without too much strain.

She knew that David Carpenter's
funds were low?

Sure she did.
It was no secret.

Now, did you also tell
your partner, Mr. Carpenter,

about this offer?

Several times.

And his position?

Negative.
Art for art's sake.

Then there was a definite
point of difference

between Mr. Carpenter
and the defendant?

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Sturgis,
did you also discuss

the Lake Tahoe offer
with Mrs. Carpenter?

I may have.

MASON:
Did you?

Yes.

What was her feeling
in the matter?

Well, she really
didn't know.

Didn't she tell you
she believed that Miss Ross

should keep on
with her serious studies?

Yes, I guess
she did say that.

What was your response to that?

Objection, Your Honor.
Question is incompetent,

immaterial and irrelevant,
and improper.

It goes into matters
not part of direct examination.

Mr. Mason, you are going
rather far afield.

I intend to connect up
all these matters, Your Honor.

On your assurance
that you will connect them up,

I will overrule the objection.

Now, I'll be blunt,
Mr. Sturgis.

Did you thr*aten Mrs. Carpenter
in any way

when she told you
that she was against

Miss Ross accepting
the Lake Tahoe offer?

No.

What do you mean
"thr*aten"?

Do you know a man by the name
of George Worthington?

STURGIS:
Yes.

MASON:
Did you hire Mr. Worthington

to make a statement
to the police?

STURGIS:
Yes.

Will you please
tell this jury

exactly what
you said to him.

I-- Well, it was
after David died.

I told Worthington to make up
a story to fit the facts

so it would
look like m*rder.

Why did you want it
to look like m*rder?

Your Honor.

Never mind, counselor.

I want to hear this now.

Well, Mr. Sturgis?

Why did you want it to look
like m*rder and not su1c1de?

( sighs )

Well, there was
an insurance policy.

It would pay off
for m*rder or accident,

but not su1c1de.

She shared in it too.
Anita. Mrs. Carpenter.

Yes. Let's get back
to Mrs. Carpenter.

Didn't you thr*aten her
by saying you would accuse her

of telling George Worthington

exactly how the m*rder
or accident took place?

And what you wanted
for your silence

was the managerial contract
for Donna Ross?

N-no. Uh, that's not true.

You did not want
the managerial contract?

Uh, well, that's true,
but I did not--

You did not stand to gain
through David Carpenter's death?

No, you're twisting--

Wasn't it you who told
George Worthington

exactly how that car
went over the cliff?

No, no.

Your Honor, I--
I ask the court's indulgence.

I know this is
unusual procedure,

but I would now like to
cross-examine Anita Carpenter.

Mr. Chamberlin?

Your Honor,

counsel was offered opportunity
to cross-examine Mrs. Carpenter

at the proper time.

I don't see why procedure
should be violated in this way.

Is, um, this part

of the connecting-up process
too, Mr. Mason?

It is, Your Honor.

Then I will permit you
to continue.

Mrs. Carpenter
to the stand, please.

You may step down,
Mr. Sturgis.

You are still under oath,
Mrs. Carpenter.

Yes.

I am going to ask you,
Mrs. Carpenter,

if the sum and substance

of my charges against
Eric Sturgis is correct.

He was trying to blackmail you,
was he not?

Yes.

Now, about Andrew Collis.

He also wanted to manage
Miss Ross, did he not?

Well, yes,
but I don't understand.

You see, he never tried
to force me into anything.

But he wouldn't.
He's in love with you, isn't he?

Sorry, Mr. Mason.
I-I don't know.

He never said a word to me
about that,

but then of course
he wouldn't.

Of course.

Now, Mrs. Carpenter,

do you recall a conversation
in my office

when you asked me
to defend Miss Ross?

Yes.

I told you
the time might come when,

in defending her,

someone else might get hurt?

You did.

Where were you
on the afternoon of the m*rder,

Mrs. Carpenter?

I was at home.

MASON:
No, Mrs. Carpenter,
you were not at home.

Mr. Collis went to your home
that afternoon

to tell you about
the doctor's consultation.

He didn't find you until later,

at the scene of the m*rder.

I can't seem to recall.

I might have stepped out
for a moment.

Much more than a moment,
Mrs. Carpenter.

You went to the defendant's
home, did you not?

You wanted to
speak to her?

To Donna?
No, I didn't speak to her.

I didn't say you spoke to her.

I said you went there
to see her.

You drove there.

Did you overhear your husband
making love to her?

No.

I suspected.

I didn't know
until I found out here in court.

MASON:
And when he drove away,
you went after him.

ANITA:
I don't see how you can say
such a thing, Mr. Mason.

What you found out
here in court

was that Miss Ross
also followed him in her car.

You must know by now
that she saw you

stop your husband's car
on the cliff road.

The reason she made
no spirited defense was--

I haven't said anything, Anita.
I haven't said anything!

No, Donna, no.
Of course you haven't.

So it's up to you now,
Mrs. Carpenter.

Sturgis told George Worthington
to go to the police,

but you were the one
who told Worthington

exactly what to say

so his story would be
more convincing.

Yes, that's true.

It's all true.

I did follow David
when he left Donna's cottage,

and when I stopped him, he said
that he wanted a divorce,

that he was in love
with Donna,

even though she wasn't in love
with him.

That his life was finished,

and he didn't want to live
with me anymore.

Well, I got angry.

I got so angry
and so jealous that--

The flashlight was right there,
and I-I grabbed it and I--

And I hit him and I hit him.

And then the blood came
and he--

He slumped over
the steering wheel.

I got out of the car.

His hand must have hit the brake
release

because the car
started to roll forward.

I-I was out of the car. I--
How could I stop it?

I-I tried. I tried to reach
the brake but--

I cou-- I couldn't hold the car.

It kept rolling forward,
faster and faster.

I couldn't stop it,
I couldn't hold it.

( sobs ):
Oh, please, please,
I loved him so--

( sobbing )

( tender theme playing )

She was after me all the time
I was in custody.

She kept saying, "Donna,
let Mr. Mason defend you."

She took
a calculated risk, Donna.

What do you mean?

Well, she knew
if you were found guilty,

she'd have to
give herself up so--

So she figured that
she'd take the chance

that Perry could get you off

and perhaps not get on
to the fact

that she'd committed
the crime.

Oh.

What's going to happen
to her now, Mr. Mason?

Well,
it's not premeditated m*rder,

but she'll still
have to stand trial.

After that,
it's up to the judge.

Now, what's going
to happen to you?

Fidelity seems to be the theme
in what has happened,

so this is for you.

( upbeat piano theme playing )

"Fidelio"?

When did you record it?

This morning.

It's only until I can afford
to pay you with money.

Oh, no, I'll accept this.

So you're going ahead with
your plans for concert work?

Yes, Mr. Mason.

You'll keep in touch
with us?

Yes.

Goodbye, darling.

Goodbye.

And good luck.

Thank you.

Well, I, uh, wonder
if she'll remember.

What, Paul?

To send us tickets
to her first concert.

Della, remind her
to send us four tickets.

Four? There are
only three of us.

Well, you should
be able to find

a blond music-lover.

( laughs )

( noirish jazz theme playing )