05x02 - The Case of the Impatient Partner

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

All right, Mrs. Murdock.
All right.

Now, please.

Do you or don't you live
in that neighborhood?

Well, let me see, now.

.

My husband and I
were living on Figueroa.

And it wasn't until...

until that we moved
to Sheldon Place.

And you've been living at your
present address ever since,

is that right?

Oh, no, Mr. Fallon.

After my husband d*ed,
I moved a number of times.

Had me a bungalow,

on Delsey, a flat on--

Is something wrong?

No.

No, no. Nothing wrong.

I think that will be all,
Mrs. Murdock.

I'll see you out.

Oh, thank you.

(gasps)

Thank you, sir!

Thank you.

(phone rings)

Drake Detective Agency.

One moment, please.

For you, Mr. Drake.

Amory, you called me

and practically forced me
to come along with you.

And I have no idea
what this is all about.

And I don't think
Paul Drake does, either.

I called you because
you're my brother-in-law,

and I may need a witness.

Now, don't ask questions.

Just-Just be patient.

Well, I think Paul Drake
is losing his patience.

He's going to want to know
the truth, whatever it is,

long before you find

this mysterious old woman
you're looking for.

I found her.

Mrs. Murdock.

Yes.

I-I usually
walk down Sheldon

when I go visit
my sister.

There's a bus
stop on the cor--

Were you at that bus stop
last night?

Monday night?

Amory, last night was--

Between :
and : ?

Sunday night, I was.

Monday. Monday night,
Mrs. Murdock.

No, I'm sorry.

I was in
all evening.

Thank you, ma'am.
Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Amory, you asked her
about Monday night.

Does this have something
to do with the fire?

Never mind.

Well, now, what's going on?
What is all this?

I said, "Never mind." I'll
tell you when I'm ready.

But Mrs. Murdock,
you were sure she was--

The coat she was wearing,
that's what fooled me.

That coat.

How are you feeling, dearie?

Not at all well, Agnes.

Not well.

What was it all about?

If I hadn't
have been sick,

I'd have gone
down with you

to that nice
detective's office.

(coughing)

Oh, and tell me.

Was there any, uh,
any money involved?

No, not real money.

Only a few dollars for our
trouble in going down there.

Oh, by the way, thanks
for the loan of the coat.

You're welcome, Agnes.

(phone rings)

Fallon Paint Company.
Good morning.

(woman speaking indistinctly)

Oh, Mrs. Fallon.

Just a moment, Mrs. Fallon.

Your wife is
calling again, sir.

I'm busy.
I can't talk to her now.

I'm well aware of how many times
she's called, Miss Ames,

but I don't want
to talk to Mrs. Fallon.

Is that clear?

Just a moment, sir.

Mr. Fallon.

I wasn't quite sure about you,
so I did some checking.

When you left me
last night,

you called on Mrs. Murdock,
didn't you?

Now, look here,
Drake.

Just relax.

Fallon, I've got
a license to protect,

and I don't like
being played for a fool.

You didn't tell me, so
I found out for myself

that you're one of the
owners of Fallon Paints,

that you had a fire
and expl*si*n here
last Monday night

and the chances are,
it was a case of arson.

Well, I...
And...

the story you gave me
when you hired me

was nothing
but a pack of lies.

You were going someplace,
Frank?

That'll be all,
Miss Ames.

Uh, please sit
down, Mr. Drake.

I had a reason for
telling you what I did.

Yes, this does have
to do with the fire.

You're right.

The morning after the fire,

I-I received a phone call from
somebody in the neighborhood.

A man.

He said he had some information

that might
be important.

This man, what was his name?

Well, he, uh...
he wouldn't identify himself.

He said that he had gotten off
a bus near our plant here,

uh, a few minutes past :
on Monday night.

He noticed an elderly woman
sitting on the bench,

waiting for the next bus.

Now, she must have been there
until : ,

which was just before
the expl*si*n.

She, uh, might
have seen someone

either enter or, uh,
leave the plant.

Mr. Fallon, why not tell
all this to the police?

Let them find this woman.

Or is there a reason for not
telling this to the police?

No, I don't want to withhold
anything from the police.

If this woman
can identify the arsonist,

I simply want
to know who he is, fast,

to protect myself
and the company.

What you're not saying
is you think the arsonist

is someone in your company.

Oh, excuse me, Amory.

I just wanted to leave
these contracts with you.

I have to be out of the office
for a few minutes.

Why don't you look them over

and we can discuss them
when I get back.

Haven't we met
somewhere?

I'm Ned Thompson.

Oh, excuse me, um,

this is my business
partner Ned Thompson.

This is Mr.,
uh, Mr. Henry.

Mr. Henry.

Nice meeting you,
Mr. Thompson.

I'll be running along,
Mr. Fallon.

Amory, we haven't
had much opportunity

to discuss your trip. I--

There's nothing
to discuss.

Nothing to discuss?

Well, you've been gone
a whole month.

We get a wire from you--
suddenly you're on the way back.

I figured
you'd hit something big.

Really lined up something.

What about the Carrera deal?

Didn't you see Carlos Silva
in Mexico City?

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

A number of things may work out.

It's too early to tell,
that's all.

All right.

But what about your wife?

You got back
Monday morning.

Today is Wednesday.

Almost three days.

You haven't been home.

Didn't you say
you had an appointment?

Yes, I have.

But if you--

These, uh, letters
need your signature, sir.

Thank you,
Miss Ames.

Miss Ames, hasn't it been
standard procedure

to keep the current files
in this section of the plant?

Well, yes, of course,
Mr. Fallon.

Monday night,
I came back to the office

to do some work on those files.

They weren't here, Miss Ames.

Well, I know that, Mr. Fallon.

Do you also know

that those files were
moved to another office?

Conveniently moved

to where they just happened
to be destroyed in that fire?

Why, Miss Ames?

Why were those files moved?

Well, we were
rearranging the offices,

and those files were
transferred there

over a week ago.

On whose orders?

Why, Mr. Thompson's.

Mr. Thompson's.

Of course.

That's all, Miss Ames.

Mr. Fallon, your, uh...

your wife called again,
and she left a...

I said, that's all!

(liquid bubbling)

Oh, it's you, Mr. Fallon.

Who did you think it was?
Your friend, Mr. Thompson?

Well, no, sir.

It's just that, uh,

the insurance investigators
are still snooping around.

I thought they'd already
pretty much decided

that it was
a neighborhood g*ng

that broke in
and started the fire.

Mm. You think so, huh?

Well, why,
Nickols? Why?

Well, there are still some
traces of paint on the walls

where the kids, uh, scrawled
some rather indelicate language.

Mm. Well, maybe that
was just a cover-up

to make it look like the
work of young hoodlums.

Tell me, uh, did you give
the investigators your version

of how the expl*si*n
might have occurred?

I don't have any version,
Mr. Fallon.

It could have happened
any number of ways.

How about these
two, uh, chemicals

coming into sudden contact?

That could do it,
couldn't it, Bert?

Uh, do it and how,

and just about blow
the roof off the place

and take some careless
guy along with it.

Mr. Fallon, would you please
be careful with that stuff?

Why aren't these
dangerous chemicals

in the supply locker
where they belong?

Well, I've, uh...

That is, Mr. Thompson and I
have been working with them.

On the Martin experiment?
The one we canceled out?

NICKOLS:
Well, actually,
I, uh...

FALLON:
It was the Martin
experiment, wasn't it?

Now, answer me!

Mr. Fallon, uh,
there was a phone
call for you--

not from
your wife--

from a gentleman
named Carlos Silva.

He was calling from
the Downtown Hotel.

He was very anxious
to talk to you. Shall I...?

No, no, no, no, no. I'll, uh...
I'll take care of it.

Uh, it's past
quitting time.

Uh, you two go on home.

Look, Viv, I know a nice
little quiet bar over in...

Yes, I bet you do.

Not only little,
but inexpensive.

Come on, Viv.
Don't be like that.

Bert, you're
a nice boy.

You're a lot of laughs, but
you're strictly minor league.

Look, Viv, wait a minute.
I want to talk to you.

Bert, will
you forget it?

It's over.
It's finished.

Look, wait a minute.

If Thompson asked,
you wouldn't say forget it.

Look, don't kid me.

I know you two
are pretty cozy.

Well, it's time
you forgot him now.

He's got himself
a string of dames,

and you're not even
on the first team, sister.

(phone ringing)

Carlos Silva. Hello.

(Fallon speaking
indistinctly over phone)

Oh, hello, Mr. Fallon.
How are you?

(Fallon speaking indistinctly)

Yes, I flew in
from Mexico City this afternoon,

and I'm all set to sit down
and talk contract.

I wonder if you could give me
a few more days, Mr. Silva.

Uh, we've had a fire
here at the plant.

Everything's in a mess.

Oh, I see.

Well, whatever you say,
of course.

Tell me, Mr. Fallon.

How does your partner feel
about our deal?

Well, as a matter of fact,

we haven't had too much time
to discuss it,

but, uh, I can assure you,
he's very excited about it.

Hmm. He certainly should be.

It isn't very often
that two partners like you

get a quarter of a million
dollars worth of business

dumped in your laps.

(laughs)

Well, Mrs. Temple, the man
who just left-- is he the one?

Nope. Afraid not.

Like I said,

I did see a man
on the street here

the night of the fire.

And I'm sure I'll recognize him
when I see him again.

EDITH:
Amory.

Well, what are you
doing here, Edith?

I know you park
your car back here.

I was hoping to catch you.

Amory, please.

What's wrong?

Why haven't you been home?

Why won't you talk to me
on the telephone?

I've been working late
every night.

It was simpler
to stay at a hotel.

Now, if you'll
excuse me, I...

Amory, please, talk to me.

There's nothing to
talk about, Edith.

Look, I have
an appointment.
If it's me,

if it's something I've done,
tell me.

Just tell me.

Edith, I...

I...

It's not that I don't lo...

Were you looking for me, Edith?

Tell me!

Were you looking for me
or was it him,

Ned Thompson, you were sneaking
around here in back to see?!

Tell me!

No. No.

I never want to see
or talk to you again,

do you understand?

Never!

(car door closes)

(car speeds off)

Mrs. Temple, so far, you haven't
been able to identify anyone

as the man you saw
the night of the fire.

So this is the...

Don't see him,
can't point him out.

Of course, Mrs. Temple.

Now, this is the building
where a Mr. Ned Thompson lives.

You think this Mr. Thompson's
the man I seen?

Well, I don't know, but
he's the last one on the list.

All right, you know what to do.

You go upstairs,
knock on the door,

take a good look at him,
if he answers.

Then, well, you made a
mistake, wrong apartment.

Understand, Mrs. Temple?

(gasps)

Oh, uh, there he is!

Uh, th-that's the man
that was in the, at the fire!

(yelling indistinctly)

Hey.

It was just after : ,
the night of the fire,

when I, when I bumped
into this woman

on the street
outside the plant.

She asked
for a match.

Well, I didn't
have any.

But before I
entered the plant,

I noticed that she had stopped
at a doorway down the street.

Somebody was lighting
her cigarette.

He's right, Perry.
I checked with Mrs. Temple.

There was a man in the doorway,
and he did give her a match.

But she can't identify him;
it was too dark.

I went into the office where
the files had been moved to,

stayed there for
minutes or so,

remembered I'd left
something in my car,

went out to my car and...

(sighs softly)

Right then is when
the blast occurred.

And after that?

Well, I... I realized
that if I hadn't

gone out to my car as I did,

I would've been k*lled
in that expl*si*n.

Well, I... I just
stood by my car...

shaking for
a few minutes, and...

and then I called
the fire department.

From what you've told me,
Mr. Fallon, I gather you suspect

the man in the doorway
was your partner,

Ned Thompson.
Well, yes.

Mr. Fallon...

I don't wish to appear harsh
or unsympathetic,

but I somehow feel that
this trouble that concerns you

is of your own making.

The whole thing's in my mind.

That's what you're trying
to say, isn't it?

To some extent, yes.

Well, I don't
have to take...

You don't have to do anything
except face the truth.

Now, if you'll permit me,
I'd like to be able to help you.

Please, Mr. Mason.

Please, I-I can't
stand it any longer.

I've got to know about...
my wife... Thompson.

Well, let's look at the facts

and see what we can
make out of those facts.

You met your wife at
the rear entrance of your plant.

Thompson appeared.

She came there to see him,
just as I told you.

Or, Mr. Fallon, she came to
see you, just as she told you.

That's possible, isn't it?

It's also possible that
Mr. Thompson's appearance

was purely accidental.

Well, yes.

Yes, I... I suppose it is.

Now, you spotted a discrepancy
in your company correspondence

the day you returned
from Mexico,

the same night
you decided to check the books.

And I would have, too,
if it hadn't been for the fire.

So you assume the fire was meant

to destroy the books
or you or both.

Now, did anybody,

anybody at all,
know that you were

going to be there that night?

Nobody knew.

So even though arson
may have been involved,

it's highly unlikely
that m*rder was involved.

You could be mistaken about
Thompson and your wife.

You could be mistaken

about Thompson and the books
and the fire.

(sighs)

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

I'm-I'm all
mixed up.

I... I don't know what
to think, what to do.

Suppose you go back
to your hotel room

and get a good night's rest.

Tonight, if you like,
I'll see this Mr. Thompson

and get at the truth,
once and for all.

Mr.-Mr. Mason...

earlier tonight, when-when
I was at Thompson's place,

I-I rapped at the door.

He-- Thompson
wasn't there.

I...

(sighs)

I was drunk, I'm afraid,

and, well,
pretty angry and upset.

I wrote a note.

Now, I don't remember
what I wrote in that note,

but I do remember pushing
that note under the door.

I'll straighten it all out
with Mr. Thompson.

And I'll get back
your note for you.

Thank you.

Thank you,
Mr. Mason.

(doorbell buzzes)

Well, good evening, Perry.

Paul.

This is a surprise.

I didn't know you were
acquainted with Mr. Thompson.

We're not,
Lieutenant.

Well, it's too late
for that now.

Mr. Thompson's dead.

He's been m*rder*d.

You, um, didn't know that
he had deceased, Perry?

No, I didn't.

My visit here had to do with

a business matter
I'm handling for a client.

When did all this happen?

Well, the way we figure now,
uh, between : and : .

Well, uh, since the coroner
hasn't had a chance as yet

to examine the body, I gather
you must have other evidence

fixing the time of death?

Well, a woman talked

with Thompson on the phone
earlier in the evening.

She called back several times,

got no answer
and became worried.

She then phoned a neighbor
of, uh, Thompson's

and asked him
to look into it.

And the neighbor found him?

Thompson was struck
a number of times

on the back of the head.

That statuette was lying,
uh, beside him

right there on the floor.

Oh, Perry, by the way,

uh, your client,
uh, wouldn't write

a note like this, would he?

"You can't hide from me.
I'll be back.

You'll get what's
coming to you."

Where'd you find that?

In the m*rder*d man's,
uh, pocket.

I just can't remember
what happened, Mr. Mason.

Everything's so mixed up.

It's a, it's a nightmare.

I don't even know why I
went up to that apartment.

You must remember
something.

(sighs)

I recall knocking at the door,

pushing that note
under the door.

Then I became dizzy;
sick inside.

It was so-so hot
in that building.

And you'd been
drinking, heavily.

(sighs):
Yes.

I'm afraid I don't drink
very much, Mr. Mason,

and so it hit me
pretty hard.

Now, I think...

I'm not sure,
but I seem to remember

that I, that I sat down,

to, uh, to clear my head.

Uh, after that...

(sighs)

Well, the next thing I remember
is walking out of the building.

You didn't go into
Mr. Thompson's apartment?

I-I don't think so.

All right,
Mr. Fallon.

Let's go back to
this afternoon.

What did you do
after you left your
wife and Thompson?

Well, I went
to the neighborhood bar

and had those drinks.

Did you talk
to anyone at the bar?

No.

Wait a minute.

Nickols was there.

Bert Nickols.

He's our plant chemist.

He was sitting in a rear,
in a rear booth with a woman.

I couldn't see her
very well.

Did this Mr. Nickols see you?

Well, he may have.
I'm not sure.

After you left the bar,

did you go straight
to Thompson's apartment?

Mm.

I-I guess so.

Did you, uh, see anyone
when you entered the building?

No, no, I... I don't think so.

You guess so,
you don't think so.

Do you know what time it was
when you left the building

and ran into Drake
and Mrs. Temple?

Oh, I really don't know
what time it was.

Thompson was k*lled
between : and : .

You left the building
around : .

(phone ringing)

Mr. Fallon's room.

Yes, Paul.
Where are you?

Your office.

I just got back from
police headquarters.

Tragg's put the lid on,
and I couldn't get a thing

on who the woman was who
called Thompson's neighbor.

Perry, I think I'll take
a run out to the Valley

and have a talk
with Mrs. Fallon.

Good idea.

Oh, Paul, what'd you
find out about the fire?

Well, one thing.

The boys in the arson squad
aren't buying that bit

about a neighborhood g*ng

accidentally starting the
fire in Fallon's plant.

However, Fallon was right,
at least about that.

The thing
was rigged.

Not a professional job,
but still rigged.

Thanks, Paul.

Mrs. Fallon isn't well.

She's in bed.

I'm sorry, but I just
can't let you see Edith.

This is important,
Mr. Wells.

Mr. Drake, please
try to understand,

my sister has been
through enough as it is.

Now, with this terrible
thing happening--

Mr. Thompson
being m*rder*d--

I really think it's best
you don't see her right now.

Possibly you can tell me
what I want to know.

Has Mrs. Fallon been here
all evening?

You mean does she have
an alibi, Mr. Drake?

Look, I'm not trying to...

Don't worry, you don't
have to apologize.

I probably couldn't
help you anyway.

I don't know if she
was here all evening.

I wasn't here
myself all evening.

Well, would you know
if she phoned

a Mr. Ned Thompson
earlier this evening?

Phoned?

Well, why should...?

Oh.

Amory has been
talking to you.

No, not to me,
to his attorney Perry Mason.

Well, for your and Mr.
Mason's information,

there isn't a word
of truth in it.

There never was anything

between Edith
and Ned Thompson.

It's all in Amory's
imagination.

Imagination or real,

did he and Thompson ever have
a fight over Mrs. Fallon?

Well, there was--

No, no, no, not really,
not that I know of;

just something that's
been growing inside Amory

and magnifying, torturing
him beyond reason.

Mr. Wells, how well
did you know Ned Thompson?

Not very well; I met
him six months ago

when I first joined
the company.

Why?

Well, I was hoping you could
possibly tell me something

about who his girlfriend
might be.

Oh, no, I'm sorry.

Wait a minute.

There was Vivian.

Vivian?

Yes, Vivian Ames,

his and Amory's
secretary at the plant.

Now, I'm not sure,
but I heard some talk.

Well, I understand they were
very close at one time.

Vivian Ames.
Hmm.

Thank you very much,
Mr. Wells.

Thanks again.

Frank, who was that?

Well, it was nobody,
nobody at all.

Oh, I'm so worried about Amory.

This isn't like him.

I know something's wrong.

I've got to go to him.

I've got
to, got to!

I've got to help Amory.

Hi, there.

Vivian not home?

She doesn't seem to be.

Miss Ames does live here?

Oh, yes, the
lady lives here.

I was kind of hoping
she'd be home tonight.

I'm all set to let her have
my good shoulder to cry on.

A good neighborly gesture.

Then maybe that's
why you're here?

What I heard on the
radio, I mean.

You, uh, from the police?

No, I'm not from the police.

My name is Nickols,
Bert Nickols.

Viv and I work for
the same company.

You an old friend of hers?

No, I'm not an old friend.

I'm handling a matter
for Mr. Fallon.

Oh.

I just wanted a word
with Miss Ames.

Well, if you're tied in
with Mr. Fallon, you must know

what happened to his partner,
Mr. Thompson, tonight.

Yes, I know.

Here, let me take
a cr*ck at it.

We have, uh, kind of a
signal we use sometimes.

(knocking rhythmically)

Say, uh, do you think maybe she
heard about it on the radio?

Mr. Thompson being
m*rder*d, I mean.

She'd be pretty
badly shaken up.

If she were shaken up,
do you have any idea

as to where she might be?

No, not the faintest notion.

She has a sister living here in
town, but I wouldn't know where.

Well, she's not home,
that's for sure.

No sense in waiting
around, is there?

No sense to a lot
of things, Mr. Nickols.

Never figured he'd
get it like that.

Thompson, I mean.

Wonder why anyone
would want to k*ll him.

Had you known him long?

Oh, I guess
about six years.

He came into the company
as a chemist.

Next thing you know,
he's a production manager.

Then, boom, Fallon himself
makes him full partner.

And, uh, I'm still
a chemist.

I understand he managed
to spend considerable
time in the lab.

Couldn't keep him away.

All the time experimenting,
experimenting.

We, uh, worked on a number
of ideas together.

Like the Martin project?

How'd you know about that?

Oh, Mr. Fallon happened
to mention it.

Quite a revolutionary idea,
the Martin project.

I imagine it could be worth
quite a bit of money.

Yeah.

A lot of money.

The man who found
Thompson's body--

his neighbor, a Mr. Green--
knows Vivian Ames.

He'd seen her several times
in Thompson's apartment.

That, of course, was before
she and Thompson broke up.

Anyway, Vivian Ames
calls this Mr. Green

a few minutes before
: last night.

According to Green,
she sounded real frantic.

Did he recall exactly
what she said?

Well, she was pretty excited and
wasn't making too much sense.

She kept insisting that Thompson
had to be in his apartment

and just wasn't
answering his phone.

Well, she was so worried
and upset that Green finally

went down to see if
anything was wrong.

Which leaves us right back
where we started.

Where is Vivian Ames?

After you left
last night,

I checked her apartment
at least a dozen times.

No answer.

I checked the office, she
hasn't been there all morning.

You should've asked me, Paul.

Your switchboard operator
wanted to announce me,

but I told her
it wasn't necessary.

Oh, please, don't get up.

Please sit down, Perry.

After all, I'm practically
a member of the family.

Good morning, all.

You were going to say
something about Miss Ames.

Yes, I was, wasn't I?

Well, now, if you're
interested in Miss Ames--

and I gather you are--
she's at a hotel.

No wonder I couldn't find her.

For someone who's practically
a member of the family,

that was a dirty
trick, Lieutenant.

Oh, but I told her just
what Perry tells his clients

when they very conveniently
drop out of sight.

She's registered
in her own name.

With the city paying the bill.

Oh, that sharp legal mind.

Just exactly what
do you want, Lieutenant?

Well, I thought
you might be interested

in coming down to headquarters.

Now, why should
I want to do that?

Well, you do intend
to represent

Amory Fallon, don't you?

Well, there's, uh, no need
for me to hang around...

No, no, no, no,
you're invited, too.

I had a charming chat

with a number of sweet
old ladies this morning.

One sweet old lady
would've been enough.

Mrs. Temple was a fountain
of information, Paul.

As a matter of fact, she
even told me how the two of you

saw Amory Fallon leaving
the m*rder*d man's building

last night, around : .

You're picking up Amory Fallon?

Picked him up and
booked him for m*rder.

There's some things
we want to discuss with him.

Particularly, why he lined up a
quarter of a million dollar deal

with a Mexican company

and forgot to tell his partner
a thing about it.

GRANT:
I'm a clerk and a
part-time bookkeeper

with the Fallon
Paint Company.

We're concerned with something
you found in the company books

while the defendant was away.

Would you tell us about
that please, Mr. Grant?

Well, it was about a week

before Mr. Fallon
came back from Mexico,

when I accidentally
ran across this error

in the company ledger.

What was the error?

$ , unaccounted for
in the books.

What did you do, Mr. Grant?

Well, I went to
Mr. Thompson right away.

He was very upset about it.

What did he say?

Do you remember his exact words?

He said, "I hope Mr. Fallon will
have an explanation for this."

Now, Mr. Grant, can you tell us,
is evidence of this shortage

of the company funds
still in existence?

No, sir.

It was destroyed in the fire.

Thank you, Mr. Grant.
Your witness.

Mr. Grant, why didn't you
take this matter up

with the company
accountant, Mr. Wells?

Oh, anytime
I had a real problem,

I usually went straight
to one of the partners.

Why was that?

Mr. Wells was the kid brother
of the boss' wife.

If you know what I mean.

Anyway, at that time, he had
been sick for several days

and away from the office.

Besides, from what
I found in the books,

that error occurred long before
Wells came to the company.

While Mr. Fallon
was away in Mexico,

did Mr. Thompson have
access to those ledgers?

Oh, naturally.

He was one of the partners.

Thank you.

No further questions.

I had just returned to my home,

on the night of the m*rder,
when Mr. Thompson phoned me.

He, uh, asked me to come
to his place, at once,

to discuss some business.

And what time did you
arrive at his apartment?

Oh, : , I'd say.

Now, while you were
with him from : on,

did Mr. Thompson
have any visitors?

Well, yes.

Uh, someone came,
pounded on the door

and called out and
wanted to be let in.

It was Amory.

Amory Fallon, the defendant.

Was he admitted
to the apartment?

WELLS: No, no, Mr. Thompson
didn't want to speak to him.

And would you tell us, sir,
at what time the defendant

caused this commotion outside
Mr. Thompson's apartment?

Oh, it was, uh, : .

Thank you, Mr. Wells.

That'll be all.

Your witness.

Mr. Wells, during the commotion,

did you open the door
to tell this visitor

that Mr. Thompson
wouldn't see him?

No, we sat quietly
and waited for him to leave.

You say this occurred at : .

How can you be so certain?

Well, I was just getting
ready to leave myself.

What time did you leave?

Oh, five minutes
after : , I suppose.

I'm not sure.

Now, Mr. Wells,

when you left
Mr. Thompson's apartment,

did you happen to see a note

that had been pushed
under the door?

No, I did not.

Thank you, Mr. Wells.

No further questions.

The night he was m*rder*d,
Mr. Thompson called me.

He asked me to pick up
the Carrera contract file

at the office and bring it
to his apartment.

But the locks on the plant had
been changed since the fire

and, uh, I didn't
have a new key.

So, I told Mr. Thompson
I would get one from Mr. Wells.

And did you, Miss Ames?

No, Mr. Thompson told me
I couldn't do that

because Mr. Wells had just left
him and he was on his way home.

Mr. Wells had just left.

What time was this call?

It was, uh, five after : .

Thereabouts.
I see.

Go on, Miss Ames.

Mr. Thompson suggested
that I go out to the office

and, uh, try to get the
cleaning man to let me in.

And that's what I did.

And I looked and looked for the
file, but I couldn't find it,

and then I remembered
what happened to it.

What had happened

to the Carrera contract file,
Miss Ames?

Mr. Fallon had asked
for it that morning.

He'd, uh, put it in his
briefcase to take with him.

And did you call
Mr. Thompson then,

and tell him that
Mr. Fallon had the file?

Yes, but he didn't answer.

I tried several times.

He'd been so insistent about
getting the contract file that,

when he didn't answer my
calls, I became worried.

And that's when I phoned
his neighbor, Mr. Green.

Miss Ames, were you worried
only because Mr. Thompson

had been so insistent
about the file?

No, sir.

It was also because of
what Mr. Thompson had said

when he first called me
that evening.

That, uh, Mr. Fallon
had tried to force his way in

several minutes before,

and if Mr. Fallon was still
hanging around the building

when I came back with the file,
I was to... avoid him.

Did he tell you why?

He said that Mr. Fallon
had been drinking.

That he was in an ugly mood.

Well, uh, it was a few days
before the fire at the plant

and, uh, Mr. Thompson and I
were coming back from lunch

and he wanted to stop in this
photographic supply store.

For what purpose,
Mr. Nickols?

To pick up a camera
and several spools

of microfilm
that he'd purchased.

Did the decedent tell you

what he intended to do
with the microfilm?

It was his idea to film
some of the more important

company records and, uh,
store them in a safe place.

Do you know if he put
this plan into action?

Oh, he got right with it.

I saw him myself,
uh, photographing

some of the ledgers
in the office.

So, regardless of what
the defendant might do

to cover up the
shortage of funds,

Mr. Thompson now had a valid
copy of the altered records?

Yes, that's right.

Thank you, that'll be all.

Mr. Nickols, how'd it happen
that you were with the decedent

when he purchased
the camera and the microfilm?

Did you usually accompany
him on his shopping trips?

Why, uh, why, no.

It's just that, uh, well,
there was a matter that

Mr. Thompson and I
were discussing.

A matter of importance?

Yes.

But not to the Fallon Company.

Since you left the plant
to discuss it.

Isn't that so?

Yes.

Now, Mr. Thompson
microfilmed company records.

You saw him do that.

Did you not?
Yes.

Did Mr. Fallon see those company
records being microfilmed?

No.

He was out of the country.

In Mexico at the time.

That's all, thank you.

You stated that, on
the day of the m*rder,

the defendant told you
that he had discussed

this quarter of a million dollar
business deal with his partner.

But when you went to see
Mr. Thompson at his apartment,

a few hours before the m*rder,

actually,
he knew nothing about it.

Now, Mr. Silva, what was
Mr. Thompson's reaction

when he learned
about this deal

that had been kept
secret from him?

Well, he reacted violently.

He was angry.

He grabbed the phone,
but he was so upset

that he knocked a number
of things off the desk.

And then he called
Mr. Fallon's hotel.

But Mr. Fallon wasn't in.

And what did Mr. Thompson
do then?

After he calmed down,
he said he'd handle the matter

personally from then on in.

Now, you stated that

a number of things
were swept from the desk

when Mr. Thompson reached
angrily for the phone.

What were these things?

Oh, some papers, magazines,
oh, and a small cardboard box

that spilled open
when it hit the floor.

Did you happen to notice
the contents of that box?

Oh, uh, several spools
of microfilm.

Half dozen or so.

Mr. Thompson was photographing
the records of his company.

Now, Mr. Silva,
this is important.

Was the microfilm that you
saw on the floor exposed

or unexposed film?
Exposed.

Thank you, Mr. Silva,
that'll be all.

Your witness.

Mr. Silva, you
testified as follows:

Quote, "When I went to see
Mr. Thompson at his apartment,

he actually knew nothing
about it." Unquote.

I take it you meant
he actually knew nothing

about the quarter
of a million dollar deal?

No, no, of course not.
I didn't mean that.

He knew that such a deal
was pending.

That's why Amory Fallon went
to Mexico.

But he didn't know that
such a deal had been closed.

I see.

By the way, Mr. Silva,

if Mr. Thompson didn't know
the deal had been closed,

how did he know
you were in town?

He did call
you, didn't he?

No, I called...

I called him.

You called him?

Despite the fact that Mr. Fallon
was handling the deal?

Despite the fact
that he assured you

it would be
all right?

Despite the fact that you agreed
to give him a few days

to make the final arrangements?

Despite all these things,

you still called
Mr. Thompson

and went to
his apartment?

Yes.

Now, when you saw Mr. Thompson,
it was in reference

to the same quarter
of a million dollar deal?

Why, certainly. What else?

Yes, Mr. Silva.
What else?

Is it possible that there were
two deals pending?

Is it possible

that the second deal involved
one, two, even three

members of the Fallon Company,
but not Mr. Fallon himself?

We-Well, I-I...

Go on, Mr. Silva.

Thank you, Mr. Silva.

That answers the question.

Yes, it was
a rather warm evening,

and that's
what struck me odd

when we arrived
at the m*rder apartment

and found a fire
burning in the fireplace.

Well, Mr. Silva testified

that he found half a dozen
spools of microfilm

in that apartment.

You did search the apartment
carefully, huh?

Yes, we did.

We found no microfilm.

It's possible, then,
that the reason

for the fire
on the warm night was

that the k*ller disposed
of the microfilm,

right there in the fireplace,
after murdering Mr. Thompson.

Chemical analysis of the ashes
in the fireplace confirmed

that film had been b*rned
in the fireplace.

BURGER:
Now, Lieutenant Tragg,

thus far, the defendant
has been placed

in the apartment house
on the night of the m*rder,

but not in the m*rder apartment
itself.

Now, Lieutenant, in addition
to the other things

you discovered
when you searched

the m*rder apartment,
did you find anything

to throw light
on these two questions?

One: the whereabouts
of the missing contract file?

Two: whether or not

the defendant was, in fact,
inside that apartment?

We found it inside
the apartment,

in a briefcase belonging
to the defendant--

Amory Fallon.

BURGER:
Thank you, Lieutenant.

Mr. Fallon remembers
having the briefcase with him

the night he went to
Mr. Thompson's apartment house,

but he swears
he didn't go inside, Perry.

That's the key to the
whole thing right there.

Fallon didn't get inside,
but the briefcase did.

(knocking)

I just got word
from one of my men.

You hit it, Perry.

Thompson was quite the boy
about town and a heavy gambler.

Good.

There's still one big if.

Everything fits in place

if Fallon was where
I think he was.

Mr. Mason, I don't know
whether I should have...

Oh, please, did I do
the right thing

in talking to you?

Will it help?

It was the only decision
you could have made.

You won't be
sorry, believe me.

And Mrs. Fallon... thank you.

All right, Mr. Mason,
you may proceed

with your cross-examination.

Lieutenant Tragg will return
to the witness stand.

A moment, Your Honor.

I have no questions
of Lieutenant Tragg.

Instead, I should like
to recall Mr. Bert
Nickols to the stand.

Mr. District
Attorney?

I don't know what purpose
it'll serve, Your Honor,

but I have no objection.

Bert Nickols
to the stand.

NICKOLS:
Well, it was around, um, : ,
a few minutes after, maybe,

when I saw the defendant
come into the bar.

Were you alone?

No. No, I was with a friend.

A Miss, uh,
Claudia Bruce?

Is that right?

That's right.

I don't know how
you found out

about Claudia,
but that's right.

Did you also just happen
to notice what time it was

when the defendant
left the bar?

No. I guess I didn't.

What time did you leave?

Oh, about : , I think.

I had some work to do,
and I drove back to the lab.

Isn't it true
that you told Miss Bruce

that you were going to pick up
Mr. Thompson first and then

drive back
to the lab?

Uh...

(sighs)

Yes, that's right,
except I went to my place first

and picked up some notes
that I needed.

And then you went
to his apartment.

You knocked on the door.

What then, Mr. Nickols?

Well, Ned Thompson
didn't answer,

so I figured he'd gone on ahead,
and, uh,

so I left, that's all.

And what time was it when
you called at his apartment?

A few minutes
before : .

Mr. Nickols, were you
ever out with Mr. Thompson

when he lost large
sums of money gambling?

Your Honor, I must protest

this obvious waste
of the court's time.

I see no

possible reason...

May it please the court.

The prosecution has sought
to create the impression

that the defendant
doctored company books

and stole company funds.

I intend to show that the books
had in truth been doctored,

but by someone else.

BURGER:
But, Your Honor, certainly
not by the decedent.

Counsel seems to have forgotten
that Ned Thompson,

in an effort to safeguard
evidence of a crime,

recorded that evidence
on microfilm.

What possible reason
would he have had to do so

if he himself had been guilty
of the embezzlement?

With the court's permission,

I believe
I can provide an answer

to Mr. Burger's question.

Mr. Wells, how long
have you been

with the Fallon
Paint Company?

Six months.

You, Mr. Wells, are a
trained accountant.

Mr. Grant, who
testified yesterday,

is a clerk and a
part-time bookkeeper.

Yet, it was he, not you, who
discovered a $ , discrepancy

in the company books.

Your Honor, I object!

Mr. Wells is not on trial here.

The books of the Fallon Paint
Company were doctored

a long time before Mr. Wells
even joined the company.

I move that this whole
line of questioning

be stricken
from the record.

Since there's no jury present,
Mr. Mason,

the court would be glad to hear

your explanation
for this line of questioning.

Your Honor, it's the contention
of the defense

that Ned Thompson was guilty
of embezzlement

before and after
Mr. Wells joined the company,

and that he had an accomplice
who covered up for him,

possibly even participated
with him

in further depredation
of company funds.

(laughs)

Your Honor, this is ridiculous.

If the decedent was
an embezzler,

it's the first time
I've ever heard

of a thief
microfilming evidence

to prove that he was a thief.

The district attorney has
a valid argument, Mr. Mason.

Your Honor, I'm sure we're all
interested in the truth.

With the court's indulgence

and some measure of latitude
in my questioning, I believe

I can demonstrate
the truth.

Mr. Burger?

Well, what can I say
to that, Your Honor?

Naturally, the prosecution
is interested in the truth.

Very well, Mr. Mason.

The court is disposed to grant
you the latitude you request.

Your Honor.

Mr. Wells, if Thompson embezzled
$ , , is it possible

he did have an accomplice
who doctored the books?

Not only to hide
the original theft,

but also to hide continued
embezzlement from the company?

Well, yes, it is possible.

Now suppose,
without Mr. Fallon's knowledge,

Thompson and some other person
from the company

planned illegally
and secretly

to sell a company formula
worth millions?

And suppose the accomplice
stumbled onto this

and asked to be cut in
on the deal?

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

Well, if the records

the accomplice had falsified
were such that only he,

and not Mr. Thompson,
would be incriminated,

they would then become
a thr*at to his safety,

and an obstacle to his
accruing a fortune.

Isn't that right?

Well, yes.

To remove both the thr*at
and the obstacle,

what logically would be
the accomplice's first step?

Well, to, uh...

to destroy
the falsified records.

MASON:
Destroy them?

You mean, with something
like arson?

A deliberate fire,

such as the one
at the Fallon Paint Company?

Well, yes,
that certainly would do it.

But what if Mr. Thompson
had anticipated that,

and had recorded the falsified
records on microfilm?

I don't understand.

The accomplice then
could only do one thing.

Go to Thompson, get
the microfilm and destroy it.

Even if he had to k*ll Thompson
to get it.

Isn't that right?

No! No, it wasn't me!

I didn't do it.

Your Honor, I object.

Vivian Ames has testified

that when she talked
with Ned Thompson,

he told her that

Mr. Wells had already
left his place.

Yeah, now-now, that's right.

I was gone.

Your Honor,
at this time,

I should like again to
recall Mr. Bert Nickols.

Amory Fallon was knocking
on Thompson's door at : .

Mr. Fallon himself believes

he left the building
immediately after : .

He was seen
leaving at : .

It would appear the defendant
doesn't know where he was

for minutes.

Do you know,
Mr. Nickols?

Why, I-I don't even know
what you're talking about.

How long does it take you to
drive from Thompson's apartment

to your laboratory
at the plant?

Why, about...

It'll be easy to check.

How long does it take?

minutes.

You testified you were
at Thompson's apartment

a few minutes before : .

Yet, the janitor
at the laboratory

not only saw Vivian Ames,

but he saw you when you arrived
a few moments after : .

Now, how did you accomplish a
-minute drive in five minutes?

Look, wait a minute. I...

I don't know.
I must have been confused.

You arrived at Thompson's
apartment at : , not : .

Isn't that so?

Yes.

And on your way up
to Thompson's apartment,

you saw Amory Fallon asleep

on the stairway.

Why, my, uh...

Amory Fallon,
unaccustomed to drink,

had fallen asleep.

He slept for minutes
without knowing it.

But you knew
it, didn't you?

You were going to see Thompson,

because the two of you
had a date

to sell the perfected
Martin formula

to Mr. Carlos Silva

of Mexico, so you didn't
dare wake Fallon.

All right, all right!

Fallon was there asleep.

I saw him.

But I didn't k*ll Thompson.

No?

The k*ller was
Thompson's accomplice.

He had doctored the books.

He had to then set
the fire to destroy

this evidence against himself.

But Thompson still had
the microfilm.

When the k*ller left
Thompson's apartment,

he found Amory Fallon's note.

He saw Amory Fallon asleep
on the stairway,

so he went back
to the apartment.

No.

No, what are you talking about?

The k*ller accidentally

overheard Thompson's
phone call to Vivian Ames,

a phone call setting up
a perfect alibi for him.

So he opened the
door, went in,

and then he k*lled
Ned Thompson.

No! No, I didn't
do those things!

I didn't k*ll Ned Thompson!

MASON:
And you didn't plant Fallon's
note in his pocket?

NICKOLS:
No! No!

No, Mr. Nickols...

you didn't k*ll Thompson.

But you did, Mr. Wells.

Yes! Yes, I k*lled Ned Thompson.

I k*lled him!

I k*lled him!
I k*lled him! I k*lled him!

(sobbing)

Mr. Fallon was asleep
on the stairs.

Wells took the briefcase
and planted it in the apartment.

I still don't
believe it.

I honestly thought

I'd closed my eyes for
only a few minutes.

minutes?!

Of course, there was still the
question of motive for Wells.

The fact that,
despite his small salary,

he suddenly had large sums
of money to spend,

with no apparent source
for that money,

and with an insatiable appetite
for more money.

I think you ought to know,
Mr. Fallon,

that's where your wife
was most helpful

in telling us the truth
about her younger brother.

No need to tell me,
Mr. Mason.

I know.

I know what that decision
cost you, Edith.

And-And I know
how stupidly wrong

I've been about you.

Thanks for your faith.

And yours, Mr. Mason.

I always have faith, Mr. Fallon.

Faith in what
Judge Learned Hand called

"the eventual supremacy
of reason."

(theme music plays)