05x05 - The Case of the Crying Comedian

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

* *

I guess your husband
didn't know you were
coming, Mrs. Gilrain.

Oh, but I'm sure he won't
be late getting home.

Uh, he so seldom is.

If there's anything I can...
No.

Well, it's simply
marvelous having you back.

Thank you.

(lively music playing)

(phone ringing)

(patrons murmuring)

Good evening.
Club Cadenza.

Uh, is Mr. Grimes there?

Mr. Gunner Grimes?

Un moment,
s'il vous plaît.

I will see.

And now,
ladies and gentlemen,

making his first
Los Angeles appearance...

the Club Cadenza
proudly presents

Mr. Charlie Hatch.
(applause)

(softly):
Charlie?

May as well
warn you right now,

I'm one of the sick comedians.

(coughs, audience laughs)

Rheumatism.

I enjoy being here
in Los Angeles, though.

It's a wonderful town,
absolutely wonderful.

I've only been here two days,
and already I...

I've received a picture offer.

My doctor wants to have
my liver x-rayed.

(laughter)

He's quite a doctor.

All his patients are sick.

He sent me to a psychiatrist
the other day.

Sent me to an Irish
psychiatrist.

This psychiatrist
doesn't have

a couch,
he has a Murphy bed.

(audience laughing)

(Hatch continues indistinctly)

(sighs)

Welcome home, darling.

(audience laughing over phone)

(Hatch speaking indistinctly)

I, uh...

I couldn't stand
that place any longer.

And I really am better.
I'm a lot better.

Yes, that's, uh,
quite apparent.

Oh, you might as
well finish it now.

But then you've
got to go back.

Please, Tom.

Please, just give me some money
and-and let me leave town.

Leave?

(laughter continues over phone)

HATCH:
Now, if you'll all fasten
your seatbelts,

I'll try to get this
big clunker off the ground.

(laughter continues)

Oh, that's where you want to go,

back to your
saloon comic.
(hangs up)

No, I-I didn't know
he was there, really!

I didn't know.

Please, I don't need to go
back to the sanitarium.

Just give me some money,
and I-I'll go anywhere.

Dr. Iverson, please.

Mr. Gilrain.

It's my money!

And you have no right
to keep it from me.

Doctor?

Just what kind of a sanitarium
are you operating out there?

You know what I mean.

I just came home
and found my wife.

Of course, tonight.

Good evening,
Mr. Gilrain.

One of these nights,
I'm gonna strike a blow

for saloon comics everywhere--

I'm gonna k*ll a heckler.

Man, you sure fixed
that punk tonight.

They laughed him right
out of the joint.

At least you can work
in the middle of the floor.

I tell you,
in these small clubs

where a girl has to practically
dance on the tables,

it's the pinchers
that ought to be bombed.

So, put a song in your act.

Think of the high notes
you'd be able to hit.

(laughs)

Charlie dog, you got
a great audience here.

Multiply him ten times and...

(knocking at door)
(piano jazz playing)

Excuse me, a gentleman
to see you, Mr. Hatch.

Send him in.

All right, I'll start.
Hello.

End of conversation.
Good-bye.

You left out the message
in the middle.

I don't use language like
that in front of ladies.

Rowena, are
you a lady?

Are you kidding?

Take a short
walk, kids.

I never thought I'd be glad
to see you again,

and you know something?
I'm not.

I see you haven't
changed any.

Ah, that's where
you're wrong.

Two years ago, I'd have
belted you on sight.

Now, I'm more
charitable.

What do you want?

Well, I'm just waiting
for you to ask about my wife.

All right, how is she?

You have been seeing her.

They said there was a man out

at the sanitarium
yesterday.

Sanitarium?

Where?
What's wrong with her?!

Do you deny that she phoned
you just a little while ago?

What's she doing
in a sanitarium?

It doesn't matter.

She, uh, ran
away tonight.

So, if you haven't
heard from her yet,

you will shortly.

But I'm warning you
right now, Hatch,

don't interfere!

Why was Anne
in a sanitarium?

That's none of
your business.
What have you done to her?!

Tell me, Gilrain, or I'll break
every bone in your body!

Hey, what are you trying
to do? Stop it!
I'll b*at his head in!

Remember what I said, Hatch.

Stay away from my wife.

Brawling is not permitted
in the Cadenza Club.

Wait a minute, Remy, wait.

He said she phoned me.
Did I get any calls tonight?

No, Mr. Hatch.

Think. It was a woman.

Maybe when I was on the floor.

The only call
was for Mr. Grimes.

Was it Anne who called?

Okay, maybe it was.

Why do you want to get
mixed up with that dame again?

Don't call her a dame.

Nearly ruined you
two years ago-- you know,

worrying about her Charlie.
Don't do it again.

She's in a sanitarium,
isn't she?

Yeah, Glen Haven...

Gilrain said someone
was out to see her--

that was you, wasn't it?

I did it for your good, kid.
I mean...

See, she sent you
this letter a couple of days

ago, but it
was kind of wild.

I knew there was something wrong
with her, so I went out there

to see, you know,
thinking to protect you.

Oh, so you stopped the letter,
too, huh?

Take it easy, will you?
Listen to me, now.

You can't do her no good.

She's sick.

Stay away from her.

Now, look, you've got
to get ready for the next show.

Come on, I'll explain the
whole thing to you later.

You've been with me
a long time, Gunner.

But if you've messed
anything up--

if I can't find Anne--
you're out, understand?

Out for good.

(music ends, applause)

(slow piano tune begins)

You know the trouble
with me, Mr. Brigham?

I'm always falling
for the wrong guys--

the small-timers,
the half-smart ones.

Well, maybe your
luck's going to change.

I'm telling you,

the next guy is
going to have assets.

And he's going to let
me count them.

Or there'll be no deal.

Won't he have to have any, uh,
charm, brains or muscle?

Oh, he'll have those,

if he comes up with the loot.

Well, I think I'll be running
along now, Rowena.

Maybe I'll start
saving my money.

(chuckles)

Good night, Mr. Brigham.

Friend of yours?

I don't know yet.

If he's as loaded
as he lets on,

he might become
a very good friend.

Will you lay off that stuff
and give me a chance?

I-I told you I was trying
to work things out.

There's, uh... complications.

I may need a little help.

There'll be a phone call for me.

And if I'm not here--

if it comes in
tomorrow sometime

during the daytime--

the club'll switch it
over to your apartment.

Okay?

Who's calling?

Never mind.

Just take the message.

And then what?

And then, you start
packing a bag.

We're going away:
you and me,

and more than $ , .

HATCH: I was just a guy
with a million laughs

and a rented tux.

Doing fill-ins mostly--

private shows,
private parties.

bucks a cr*ck.

Afterwards, we'd sit in an
Italian restaurant, Anne and me,

till they practically
swept us out.

Hmm. You've come quite
a way in two years.

Yeah, but all alone.

She married a guy
named Gilrain.

How did that happen?

I don't know.
He was there, I guess.

Probably gave her
a snow job when she was

too cracked up to know
what was going on.

See, she lost both her parents
in an automobile accident.

I didn't know about it. I...

I didn't tell her I left
town to take a new job.

Oh? Why not?

Well, never mind that.

What I want to know is the
quickest way to get Anne

out of this mess.

There is no quickest way,
Mr. Hatch.

As long as Anne
is properly married

to Gilrain,
you can't interfere.

The law is on his side.

But do you happen to know
if he was married before?

Yeah, as a matter of fact,
he was. But so what?

Well, we can certainly
investigate

the legal status of that
marriage, and if there's

anything irregular...

But Anne needs help right now!

Is that why she was
in the sanitarium?

I don't know why she was in,
but I guarantee you one thing--

she's not going back.

I'm afraid there's nothing

you can say about that,
either, Charlie.

That's between Anne
and her husband.

Suppose she leaves him.

No law says she can't get
a divorce, is there?

That depends on whether

she entered the sanitarium
voluntarily.

No, Gilrain probably
put her there,

so he could get control
of her money.

How about that, Mr. Mason, is

that legal?

If he had a court order,
yes.

Then they gave him
a license to steal.

Okay, I'll handle
it my way.

Now, wait a moment.

Why? Seems to me I've wasted
enough of your time already.

But thank you, Mr. Mason.

Thanks for listening.

I'm sorry there
weren't any laughs.

(door shuts)

(phone ringing)

Hello.

Uh, hello. Is Mr. Grimes there?

I... I have an appointment.

He's not here.

Well, I was told to call
this number.

I-I'm sorry.

Wait a minute, honey.

D-Did you call the Cadenza Club?

Well, yes, but...

Okay. Mr. Grimes said I was
to take a message.

He'll get in touch with me.

Does that make sense?

Yes. Uh, would you tell him that

I'll be waiting for him
at Nico's at, uh, : ?

It's on Beachwood Drive.

(soft Italian music plays)

Hello, Charlie.

Hello, Anne.

I've been looking
all over for you.

Every place I could
possibly think of.

I sure never thought
you'd remember Nico's.

Well, of course I remember. I...

A-As a matter of fact,
I'm meeting someone here.

I...

Charlie, I didn't want you
to see me like this.

Like what?

You look beautiful.

I'm, uh, planning
to go away.

Uh, Tom thinks I'm sick,

but all I need
is a long rest.

For what?

Oh, sweetheart,
you look great.

Uh... terrific.

Gorgeous.

I heard about your folks.

I tried to get
in touch with you.

I found out you were married.

Oh, baby, what happened?

Mama's little girl
never grew up, I guess.

Then when they weren't
there anymore,

I just sort of fell apart.
I...

I really don't
know what happened.

Except that...
Tom seemed so kind.

Well, he was kind, until
we actually got married.

Tom Gilrain was a nothing.

Now he's a nothing
with money in his pocket.

Yours, I suppose.

You still say the things
you think.

Well, anyway, I-I needed
someone to manage things.

You see, when
you and I broke up,

I became very busy--

with this.

You mean... that's
all that's wrong?

That's why I went
to the sanitarium.

Tom felt drinking
was dangerous for me.

He knew how terrified I was
of becoming an alcoholic.

But you went to the
sanitarium on your own?

I mean, he didn't
put you there?

No.

But since I practically
had a nervous breakdown, I...

Then you don't
have to go back--

to the sanitarium
or to Gilrain.

You don't want to go back
to him, do you?

Oh, no. That's all over.

I was planning on going away
as soon as I found some money

somewhere.

I have plenty
for both of us.

Will you listen to me
for a while,

instead of everybody else?

Anne, I haven't been
alive without you.

Sweetheart, would
you look at me?

Come on, Anne, let's go.

She's not going anyplace
with you, Gilrain.

Oh, yes.

She's going back
to Dr. Iverson's.

Aren't you, dear?

You b*at it.

Stay out
of this, Hatch.

I'm talking
to my wife.

HATCH:
Talk fast, because she won't
be your wife much longer.

Now are you going
to leave her alone,

or do I have
to belt you?

Why don't you?
That might be
very helpful.

Mr. Hatch, stop.
Now, take it easy.

You let Nico
handle this, huh?

You, take your business
someplace else,

before I call
a cop.

I'd be glad to.

Just as soon as
my wife is ready.

NICO:
Your wife?

We don't want no
trouble, mister.

Take your wife
and get out, okay?

You stay right
there, honey.

TOM:
Maybe you should
call the cops-- for him.

Come on.
Mr. Hatch,
take easy.

A man's got a right
to take his wife home.

A cop would
tell you the same thing.

You took a key of mine.
I want it back.

Hey, Charlie dog,
what's the matter?

I just happened to come in here,
and here you are, the funny man.

Only you're not making
jokes, Charlie. What is it?

If he keeps wrecking her life
like this, I'll k*ll him.

I don't care what
happens, I'll k*ll him.

Mr. Hatch, don't
talk like that.

He's got the law
on his side.

Hey, Nico, get us
a drink, will ya?

Hey, Charlie,
i-it's me-- Rowena.

There's got to be some
justice in this world.

I'll k*ll that Gilrain,
so help me, I'll k*ll him.

Oh, Charlie.

(buzzing)

Yes, Mr. Gilrain.

Hello?

Hello?

What did you say?

Mr. Gilrain?

Hello? Hello?

Mrs. Gilrain, I know
it's been a shock,

but I have to ask
you some questions.

You feel up to it?

Yes, Lieutenant McVey,
I'm all right.

Good.

Now Dr. Iverson says you left
the sanitarium

a couple of days ago.

Yes.

And you went to your
husband's apartment in town?

Yes. I went there to pick up
some things I needed,

and then I went to a hotel.

And you came back here
last night.

Quite late, wasn't it?

I don't know, I guess so.

Did you see your husband
before his death last night?

Yes.

It was a lot earlier--
about : , I guess.

Do you know if your husband
had any enemies?

Look, I don't know.

I've been in this sanitarium
for months now,

and I'm completely out of touch
with anything about my husband.

Dr. Iverson, you said you had
a record of visitors here.

Yes, that's right.

They're required to sign
our visitors book.

May I see who's been coming
to see Mrs. Gilrain, please?

Why?

Well, no, Doctor, he
has no right to do...

I'm sorry.

I'm afraid the police
do have that right.

Listen, there was only one
visitor in the last few weeks,

and he isn't important
at all.

This one?

Yes, Grimes.

First name appears
to be Gunner.

The writing isn't
very legible.

I can assure you, Lieutenant,
he has nothing to do

with this.
I know, ma'am,

but he might
lead us to someone else.

You know, uh,
I really don't like

to have to poke around like
this, but when you're upset,

naturally you have a hard time
remembering things like, uh--

like even what time
you got back here last night.

It must have been a little
after midnight.

But what possible difference

could it make?

The night matron said
she let you in at : .

Does that sound about right?

I guess maybe

you didn't know, ma'am--

your husband was sh*t
right around : a.m.

I'm not sure what
it is you want, Charlie.

I'm not even sure
why you're here.

But that's the guy
Anne married--

Tom Gilrain.

What do you think
I ought to do?

I don't know how
deeply you're involved.

Well, I'm in love
with his wife.

Or his widow.

And I sure hope
whoever plugged him

gets a big, shiny
medal for it.

You know, Charlie, I did have

the Gilrain marriages
investigated.

It's possible he married
Anne a little too soon

after an interlocutory decree.

So their marriage
might have been set aside.

If you'd only waited.

Oh, now, look, Mr. Mason,
I didn't k*ll him.

Only the police will be
looking for me pretty soon.

You see, they picked up Gunner
Grimes a couple of hours ago.

Who's he?

Gunner? Well, he sort
of looks after me.

You know, goes for coffee,
things like that.

I give him a few bucks
every now and then, and...

Why was he picked up?

They probably found
out that he went

to the sanitarium
to see Anne.

Oh, maybe I forgot
to tell you.

You see, Anne wrote me a
letter about a week ago.

Gunner-- he handles my mail,
so he went out to see her.

I didn't know.

Well, it seems to me
you have a choice,

if this man Gunner
doesn't reveal your
connection with Anne.

Oh, he'll sing like
a nightingale.

Don't let the name fool you.

Gunner-- he's afraid
of the dark.

Then I suggest you go to
the police before they come

to you.
That's a good idea, Mr. Mason.

Maybe I should go
down and see them

a-and tell them
anything I know.

Except I would feel
a little better

if you went along with me.

All right, I'll go with you.

But with the very
clear understanding

that I'm free to withdraw

if I find you haven't
told me everything.

You got yourself
a firm deal.

Well, I wish I'd known
you were coming, Perry.

I would have, uh...
tidied the place up.

Hardly worth
the trouble.

This is just
a casual visit.

Yes. When a lawyer says that,
he usually means off the record.

Well, that's all right.

We, uh, may change
the rules later.

Oh, I guess you know,
uh, Lieutenant McVey.

He's been handling the Gilrain
case, uh... up to now.

Nice of you to drop in,
Mr. Hatch.

Saved me a trip.

And it may save Charlie
a little unwanted publicity.

You have some information that
may be of help to us, I take it.

Nope, can't think of a thing.

Your attorney brought you here
just to assure us that you have

no connection
with the m*rder?

Look, Lieutenant, let's
stop kidding around.

By now you know I'm a friend
of Mrs. Gilrain's.

Let's get on with it.

McVEY:
How good a friend?

I knew her before she
married that crumb.

And since?

She's still a friend.

McVEY: Didn't
Gilrain object?

In fact, didn't
he object so

strongly that the two of you
got in a brawl

in your dressing room
the other night?

You really turned Gunner
Grimes on, didn't you?

Like I said, no guts.

Let's have your version
of the fight.

Fight? There was no fight.

Gilrain was a nothing.

You saw Gilrain again
last night, didn't you, Hatch?

Yeah, yeah, I saw him again.

A little after :
at Nico's Restaurant.

But I didn't see
him after that.

: .

What time's the show go on
at the Cadenza Club?

I do the first show at : , the
second show is between : and

: a.m.
Uh-huh.

: a.m.-- that's about
the time Gilrain was sh*t.

Well, Perry, that's
all the questions

we're going to
ask your client.

MASON:
Fine.

Until I can get
a stenographer in

to take down a formal statement.

Now, just a moment.

I'd like to confer
with my client alone.

But I reserved the right to, uh,
change the rules, Counselor.

In that case, I'm
instructing Mr. Hatch

to say no more at all.

These guys don't bother
me, Mr. Mason.

If you're wondering why
I didn't do the second show

last night, the
answer's simple.

I got stoned.

All right, I'll give you
five minutes alone.

Then he makes
a statement,

or I'll book him
as a material witness.

(door closes)

If you recall, Mr. Hatch,

there was a slight proviso
attached to my representing you.

Unless I get the
truth right now,

I, too, am going
to change the rules.

I didn't k*ll Gilrain.

Nobody would have known
it from your answers.

Now, what's the idea?
You trying to keep the police

from looking in
Anne's direction?

Is this place bugged?

That's hardly
necessary with you.

Do you think she
k*lled her husband?

You certain?

Well, I know
I didn't do it.

Believe me, Mr. Mason,

she had plenty
of reasons to.

He was no good.
He was a... Ugh!

Do you seriously intend
to let yourself

be charged with m*rder
to protect her?

Let me ask you something.

When somebody is charged with
m*rder and then acquitted,

do the cops ever start
a new investigation

and arrest somebody else?

Do you remember one case
where they ever did that?

At the moment, no.

However, there's one
small flaw with that idea:

You may incriminate yourself
to the point of no return.

Ah, but I'm holding
back an ace.

I have an alibi...

somebody who knows
where I was every minute.

Well, of course,
Mr. Mason,

Charlie was right here
in my apartment.

I-I mean, somebody
had to take care
of the poor guy.

He'd had too much to
drink, and he passed out

on your divan,
is that correct?

Like somebody knocked
him in the head.

Thank you, Miss Leach.

Uh, but of course,

I-I don't know how
long he stayed out.

What do you mean?

Well, naturally,
I was in the other room,

and I came out once
in the middle of the night

to see if he was all right,
and, uh... he wasn't there.

Charlie told me he was here
all night.

Well, sure, he was on the couch
when I got up the next morning.

He said he'd come out here
on the patio

to get some fresh air,
that's all.

Do you remember what time
you woke during the night?

Hmm, it was around : , 'cause
I thought he'd left to go home,

and-and I thought he'd have
trouble catching a cab

at that time of night.

But, but, look, Mr. Mason,

I'll say that
Charlie was here

all week,
if it'll help.

Oh, I-I-I-I mean, I'll say
anything that you'd like.

Shall I?

Hamburgers and coffee, please.

Mr. Drake, it was,
uh, kind of you

to drive me
into the city...

but you're not just doing
me a favor, are you?

No, your friend
Charlie Hatch is in

serious trouble,
Mrs. Gilrain.

He may even be charged
with m*rder.

I didn't want him to get
involved. He shouldn't have...

They why did you go looking
for him last night?

I didn't!
He found me at Nico's.

Oh, then it was
Gunner Grimes

you were really
trying to reach.

Why, Mrs. Gilrain?

Well, my husband had control
of my money,

and Mr. Grimes knew how I could
get ahold of some of it.

How did Grimes know about it?

Well, he was in business
with my husband some time ago.

And he told me that Tom had
some money in a safe deposit box

in a bank in the suburbs
somewhere.

Well, I knew where Tom kept
the key, so I

took it.

Did you get the money?

No, I changed my mind.

Which bank, Mrs. Gilrain?

Mr. Grimes wouldn't tell me
that until I got the key.

(scoffs) He probably wasn't
taking any chances

on getting his share.

He didn't want any of the money.

He just wanted me to stay away
from Charlie.

What sort of business was it

your husband had had
with Grimes?

I don't know.

It must have been back
when I first met Tom.

That was at Lake Tahoe.

That's where I met Charlie, too.

Lake Tahoe.

I don't know anyone named
Gunner Grimes,

but Gilrain, yes.

He worked here
about two years ago.

Thanks.
What was his job?

He was a dealer.

You, uh, mind
telling me why he left?

He didn't give a reason.

Then he wasn't fired.

Nope.

Do you know Charlie Hatch?

Oh, sure, Charlie got his start
right here.

He's made it big
since those days.

His next booking may be
in a courtroom.

For knocking off Gilrain?

He's the number-one suspect.

Okay.

Two weeks after Gilrain
quit his job here,

the club was robbed.

Gilrain?

Who knows?

Two men, neither was
ever identified.

Gilrain's name came up once
in a police investigation.

That's all I know.

Well, that puts
a new face on things.

Was it a big robbery?

$ , .

I'd say m*rder's been done
for a lot less, wouldn't you?

MASON: Mr. Drake
then double-checked

and found that the
police up there

at Tahoe had, uh... dropped
the entire investigation.

Oh? That so?

This often seems to happen when
an insurance company takes over.

Now we find it's your company
that's involved, Mr. Brigham.

That's right. Company paid off

on that insurance claim
some time ago.

Mr. Brigham, I'm quite
aware that your job is

to recover the money,
not to put people in jail.

That's the only reason
Gilrain's name

never showed up again.

Am I correct?

Yes, Mr. Mason, that's correct.

Oh, I've dug up plenty
of evidence against Gilrain,

but I've never come up
with any of the money,

and it should
have been easy.

They got stacks
of new bills,

all the serial numbers
were on record.

Could have been taken
out of the country.

No, I don't think so.

While they were waiting for it
to cool off,

Gilrain married
a very rich girl.

The way I see it, the stolen
money probably became

just a big problem to him
after that.

Yeah, just might have left
it where it was hidden.

Well, he certainly
didn't need it.

But I was counting on
the fact that the second man

wouldn't be so well off.

What does that mean?

Well, I'm gonna level with you.

I've been living across the hall
from Gilrain for some time now.

I've been checking up
on everybody who's ever gone

in or out of his apartment.

The second man is probably
in my notebook.

I just haven't been able
to sift him out.

That's a pretty big stakeout
for one man.

Oh, I've had some help;

I've got an arrangement
with the desk clerk.

Would it be possible for me
to see that notebook?

Why, sure,
Mr. Mason.

But you'll have to check
with the police.

They're holding it for evidence.

Is Charlie Hatch's name
in that notebook of yours?

The last entry.

The night of the m*rder,
about : .

Yes, it was about : a.m.
I had been dozing.

Then the switchboard
lighted up,

as if Mr. Gilrain wanted
to make a call.

When he just
mumbled something,

I went up to see
what was wrong.

He was dead by the
time I got there.

Now you say that
he mumbled something.

Would you tell this court, sir,
if you were able

to distinguish
what he said?

Yes. He said,
"Hatch, Hatch."

BURGER:
I think that'll be

all, sir. Thank you.

Mr. Mason.

Mr. Lordan, is it true
that you'd been retained

for some time
by an insurance investigator

to note all visitors
to the Gilrain apartment?

I, uh, I don't understand
the question.

MASON: Then let me put it to you
another way.

Did you ever, at any time,
see the defendant

in that apartment
building?

Never.

Then when Mr. Gilrain mumbled
something over the phone

that sounded like "Hatch,"

you did not know to whom
he was referring?

Not at that moment.

I didn't know anyone
named Hatch.

Then wouldn't it be fair
to say that it wasn't until

after the arrest
of the defendant

that you realized
the significance

of the name?

It's possible, Mr. Mason.

Are you absolutely positive
that what you heard mumbled

over the phone was not,
"Help, help"?

Absolutely positive?

Thank you.
No further questions.

Yes, sir, I was living
in the apartment

directly across
the corridor from his.

In other words,

you had Mr. Gilrain's apartment
under surveillance?

That's right, sir.

Why?

Well, I was interested
in some stolen money

that I thought
he had cached away.

And I hoped I could find out
who his partner

in the robbery was.

Mr. Brigham, can you identify
this notebook for us?

Yes, yes, that's mine.

I kept a list of Mr. Gilrain's
visitors in it.

BURGER: And did you put down
the visitors' names

at or about the time they
actually entered his apartment?

BRIGHAM:
Yes, sir, that's right.

BURGER: Now Mr. Brigham, I want
you to read for us, please, the

last two entries
in this notebook

made on the night
of the m*rder.

Let's see. Ah...

" : p.m.:

"Mrs. Gilrain went in
with her husband.

At : , Charlie
Hatch arrived."

That's a dirty lie.

I was in Rowena's
place all night.

Don't forget
that you were drunk.

Then you actually saw
the defendant enter

the deceased's apartment
approximately minutes

before the established time

of Mr. Gilrain's
death?

No, no, no, I didn't.
Uh, I was busy on the phone.

Anyway, I didn't think

Charlie Hatch was involved
in the robbery,

so I didn't pay any more
attention after he went in.

I see.
That'll be all, sir.

Mr. Mason?

Mr. Brigham, the desk clerk
Mr. Lordan stated

that he'd never seen
the defendant

in the apartment building.

Well, then I won't pay him
for that night.

(chuckling)

But, uh, how could you be so
sure Mr. Hatch wasn't someone

you were interested in?

I recognized him.

Oh, I'd caught his act
a couple of times

at the Club Cadenza.

In the line
of duty, that is.

MASON: Would you
explain that, please?

Oh, well, I... I was checking up
on someone at the club

that I thought was
the second man

in the robbery.
And who was that?

Objection.

Your Honor,
Mr. Brigham has testified

that the defendant has nothing
to do with the robbery.

Therefore, Mr. Mason's question

about a second man
in the robbery

has no possible bearing

on the m*rder.

Mr. Mason?

Your Honor, a man suspected
of holding $ ,

in stolen money has been k*lled.

I think we're dealing here

with a strong and clear
possibility of motive.

BURGER: Your Honor,
the prosecution
is presenting

its case at the moment.

If Mr. Mason
will just be patient,

we'll show the motive
for the m*rder.

Until that time, I think
it's highly irregular

for the defense attorney
to cross-examine

on matters not yet introduced.

All right, now, Mr. Burger.

But, Counselor, I'm going
to sustain the objection.

Then I've no further questions
of this witness, Your Honor.

I call Elwood Grimes
to the stand, please.

Elwood?

Perry, I went through
some old clothes

and records the widow
dug up for me.
Any luck?

Yep. A receipt for
a safe deposit box
in a suburban branch

of the Fidelity Bank.
BAILIFF: Do you solemnly swear
to tell the truth, the whole...?

Good work.
Maybe $ , worth.

BAILIFF:
State your name.
GRIMES: Elwood P. Grimes.

BAILIFF:
Be seated.

Mr. Grimes, would you please
describe for us

your relationship
to the defendant?

Well, I'm his, um... well,
bodyguard, for one thing.

You mean by that that he needed
to be protected?

Oh, yeah, he needed.

Everybody could put
the bite on him.

Charlie never could say no
to nobody with a sob story.

You know, artists are
kind of emotional-like,

and, uh...
Yes, of course.

Now let's leave that area
for a moment, Mr. Grimes.

Would you please describe for us
the events that took place

the night prior to the m*rder
in the dressing room

of the defendant?

Yeah, well, Gilrain come in,
and he started shouting around.

Shouting around?

What exactly did he say?

Well, he said, uh, uh...
"Stay away from my wife, Hatch."

Of course, he

didn't mean
nothing 'cause, uh,

Charlie hadn't seen her
in two years.

BURGER:
How do you know that?

Because I kept 'em apart.

You see, when Charlie heard
that she married Gilrain,

it busted him up bad.

Now, I didn't want that
to happen again,

so I, uh... I didn't show him
a letter she wrote,

and, uh, I headed off
her phone calls and...

I mean, you know, I was...

being a bodyguard,
don't you think?

Mr. Grimes, tell me this.

Did Mr. Hatch ever find out

that Mrs. Gilrain
was trying to reach him?

Oh, sure. It was that night,
right in the dressing room.

That's why he got sore at me.

Thank you, Mr. Grimes.
That'll be all. Mr. Mason?

Mr. Grimes, in your efforts

to protect the defendant
from Mrs. Gilrain,

did you talk to her yourself?

Yeah. I told her
it was better for Charlie

if she stayed away.

Isn't it true
that you also discussed a plan

for stealing
a large amount of money?

Money Mr. Gilrain kept
in a safe deposit box?

GRIMES: Do what?
What do you mean?

I hardly knew the dame,
except to talk to her.

Now, what do you
want to go after me
something like that for?

Thank you, Mr. Grimes.
Thank you.

No further questions.

BURGER: Now, Mrs. Gilrain, out
of deference to your ill health,

I'll be as brief as possible
with the rest of this.

You say that after you left
Nico's that night,

you accompanied your husband
to his apartment. Why?

Well, Tom had
control of my money,

and I wanted some to go
someplace for a rest.

Did you suggest a divorce?

Yes.

BURGER: With the
idea of marrying

the defendant when
you were free?

Well, I hadn't thought
that far ahead.

Well, did your husband
agree to the divorce?

No.

I see. I think that'll
be all, Mrs. Gilrain.

This court will reconvene
tomorrow morning at : .

Paul, we'll have to get
to that bank before
everyone goes home.

Okay, we'll hurry, but the
money isn't going anywhere.

I have an idea it's
been gone for some time.

I can only go by
the record, Mr. Mason.

It seems the box was rented
before I came here

by two persons:

George Engstrom
and T.H. Gilrain.

Engstrom could
be a phony name.

You said there was something
special about the box.

Yes. Well, as you know,

it usually requires two keys
to open a box.

One key goes to the subscriber,
the other to the bank.

Well, in this case,
they requested a third lock.

A special box had to be built.

That is, two keys to the
subscriber and one to the bank.

Let's assume that George
Engstrom had possession

of both keys.

He'd have access
to the box, would he not?

Providing he presented signed
authorization from T.H. Gilrain.

And that was done,
wasn't it?

Uh, probably
last Wednesday?

The day after
the m*rder.

No, I find nothing
in the records

to indicate that anybody got
into the box, Mr. Mason.

However,
somebody did show up Wednesday

uh, with, uh... only one key
and no authorization.

Then he didn't
get into the box?

Oh, no, it wasn't a he.
It was a woman.

Uh, can you describe her?

Yes, I-I remember
she was a young woman.

Dark haired.

Very pretty.

She wore sunglasses.

But she left rather hurriedly

after she found
she couldn't get into the box.

Uh, but you mentioned
the word "m*rder."

I noticed that, uh, one of these
names looked familiar to me.

Uh, T.H. Gilrain.

It's the, um, Gilrain
who was m*rder*d.

So I'm sure you'll want
to seal the box.

Oh, yes. I better get
the manager. Excuse me.

Dark haired and
very pretty.

So, it must have
been Mrs. Gilrain.

Let's see. Her husband
caught up with her

at Nico's the
night before.

He took her home and tried to
take the key away from her.

They fought and
she k*lled him.

Well...

that sure takes your client
off the hook, doesn't it?

If I follow that line
of reasoning, Paul,

my client is very apt to stand
up and confess to m*rder.

That would be mighty
noble of him.

He's a comedian.

You stated yesterday,
Mrs. Gilrain,

that your husband controlled

the money you inherited
from your father.

Yes. He kept
telling me

I wasn't competent
to handle it myself.

When you left the sanitarium
to get some of your money,

where did you expect
to get it?

In a safe deposit box.

There was money in it.

I-I didn't know how much.

MASON: How did you discover
the existence of that box?

Mr. Grimes told me. All I had
to do was get him the key,

and I was pretty sure I knew
where my husband kept it.

MASON: Do you know
where Mr. Grimes

got his knowledge
of that money?

No, I don't.

Mr. Grimes and my husband
had been in business,

uh, together in the past.

MASON: Then you had
no way of knowing

whether this money was part
of your inheritance

or the proceeds
from their previous business.

No. I didn't think
it made any difference.

Anyway, I gave the key
back to my husband.

You didn't go to a suburban
branch of the Fidelity Bank

on Wednesday, the day

after the m*rder?

Well, no, I didn't.

I-I didn't even know
what bank to go to.

All I knew was that Mr. Grimes
was going to give me some money

if-if I got ahold of the key
that would go

with some other key
that would open the box.

That'll be all.

Now, Miss Leach,
will you tell this court

what else transpired
at Nico's Restaurant

the night of the m*rder?

Well, Charlie dog
started to take a swing

at that Mr. Gilrain.

BURGER: You're referring
to the defendant, Charlie Hatch?

That's right. Only I'm sure
he didn't mean to hurt him,

'cause after they left--
Mr. Gilrain and his wife--

Charlie dog was so
upset, he was crying.

Were you able to determine
the cause of his, uh, grief?

Well, I don't blame
him for being shook.

But-But just because a guy
takes a swing at somebody

doesn't mean he'd
belt him for good.

So now, isn't it true

that Charlie Hatch
loudly proclaimed

that night that he intended
to k*ll Tom Gilrain?

W-Well, maybe he did say
something like that,

but-but maybe
he'd been drinking, too.

Like, later he was drunk,
I told you.

Why-Why, he had to sleep on
my couch the whole night.

And you can swear
that he didn't leave

sometime after you were asleep
and return,

perhaps hours later?

Well, of course he didn't.

He-He told me he only went out
on the patio to get...

Oh...

Very well.

You may cross-examine.

Miss Leach,
you do believe

the defendant
never left your apartment

on the night of the m*rder,
do you not?

Oh, I'm sure he didn't.

Objection.

The witness
is stating an opinion.

Sustained.

Strike it from the record.

Apparently, you're not going
to be allowed

to provide Mr. Hatch
with an alibi.

By the same token, of course,

he won't be able
to provide one for you.

Well, I didn't know
I needed one.

Why, I only saw Mr. Gilrain
twice in my whole life.

Then you would have
no knowledge of the money

he kept in his safe deposit box?

W-Well, no.

And you didn't go
to the Fidelity Bank

and try to get
into that box?

No.

In your nightclub act,
do you ever have occasion

to use a wig?

Well, maybe I have a few times.

Did you, on the Wednesday
morning after the m*rder,

put on a dark wig,
go to the Fidelity Bank,

and try to get
into Tom Gilrain's

safe deposit box?

Oh, I should have known.

Half-smart guys--
that's all I ever meet.

Small-timers. All they give you
is a bunch of big talk.

How did you get the key
to that box, Miss Leach?

He gave it to me.

He told me
all I had to do was sign

Mrs. Gilrain's name a-and we'd
take off to South America

with more than grand.

To whom were you pointing?

To him!

Mr. Ed half-smart Brigham!

MASON:
May it please the court,

I would like to recall
Mr. Brigham to the stand.

The last time I was
on the stand, Mr. Mason,

you asked me a question.

You wanted to know
who I was checking on

at the Club Cadenza.

Is it all right if I
answer that question now?

I hear no objection.

Well, it was
Gunner Grimes.

He was the second man
involved in the robbery.

It was Grimes and Gilrain,
but I couldn't prove it.

Anyway, my company
was only interested

in recovering
the stolen money, and

when I found Grimes to
be entirely cooperative,

I assured him the company
wouldn't prosecute

if the money
was still there.

Now that's why I sent
Miss Leach to the bank.

With the understanding that you
and she would keep the money

and leave for South America?

Well, that's the line
I gave her, but...

Well, it may not
have been very nice,

but I'd already
told the company

I was going to get results,

and as quietly as I could.

Will you tell us now where
and how you obtained the key?

From Grimes.

Well, I told you-- I'd
frankly made a deal with him.

I'd assured him the company
wouldn't prosecute

if he'd make restitution.

And he accepted?

Well, he handed
over the key.

Isn't it true, Mr. Brigham,
that two keys,

aside from the bank's,
are needed

to open that
particular box?

Well, apparently, yes, but I-I
didn't know that at the time.

Are you telling us
that Grimes agreed to the deal,

handed you his key,
yet neglected to tell you

that a second key
was required?

Yeah, that's right.

Well, he never mentioned it
at the time.

You didn't get that key
from Grimes.

You got it from Tom Gilrain.

You m*rder*d Gilrain,

planned to keep the money,
and leave for South America

with or without Miss Leach.

Now, that's a lie.

I got that key from Grimes.

MASON: But you tried to get the
money the day after the m*rder.

I've already told you
about that.

I was trying to operate
for the company

and keep it quiet.

Look, there was a big bonus
in this thing for me.

I didn't want all that money
impounded,

tied up in the courts.

That's not true,
Mr. Brigham, not at all.

You never intended
to give a penny of that money

to your company, and you got
that key off the body

of the man
you m*rder*d.

I got that key off of Grimes!

Now, look, I don't
know where he got

that key-- maybe he took it
off of Gilrain, but not me!

That should be
very simple to prove.

Mr. Grimes, do you
still have your key

to that box?
Right here.

You bet your life, I got it.

That was Gilrain's key he had.

I don't care if I go
to jail for robbery,

but nobody's going
to nail me for m*rder.

It was him!

He was trying to take my money!

He was even trying
to steal my girl.

(chuckles)

Well, that would have been my
biggest mistake, wouldn't it?

I'll bet that dame would have
wound up with every penny of it.

You know, I still can't get over
Gunner having enough courage

to commit a robbery.
Gilrain, yeah,

but Gunner?
(chuckles)

Almost anyone
is capable of a crime

under certain circumstances.

Actually, Brigham never
intended to commit m*rder.

He'd overheard Gilrain
talking to Anne

about the key
earlier that night,

and later, when he tried
to sneak in and get it,

Gilrain woke up, jumped
him, and that was it.

Perry, after Rowena
couldn't get in the box

the next day with
just that one key,

you think Brigham would have
made a deal with Gunner.

Oh, he tried to.

For a big, fat split

and a promise
not to prosecute on robbery,

Gunner was supposed to keep
quiet about everything.

Even if, uh, Brigham threw
his name around in court.

But that's when
the panic set in, eh?

Like I said,
no guts.

I guess Gunner
finally realized

that Brigham was
the m*rder*r, that's all.

And that he'd leave Gunner
holding the whole sack.

Same way Brigham tried

to leave you
holding it, Charlie.
Huh?

By making up evidence
against you

about where you were
that night, remember?

You mean, I never
really left Rowena's?

I really was passed out on
that couch of hers all night?

Well, I certainly
hope so, Charlie.

(theme music plays)