05x11 - The Case of the Left-Handed Liar

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

...and three and four

and five and six

and seven and hold.

Now, for a more
difficult exercise.

Hands on hips, feet apart.

You touch your heel
with the opposite hand,

so and so.

Ready?
And one and two

and three and...

Mrs. Dwyer,
below the knee.

Touch your heel
with your hand.

I simply can't reach any lower,
Miss Temple.

It hurts.

It's supposed to hurt.

Come on, everybody.

One, two and three

and four and five

and six and seven

and eight

and hold.

That'll do.

Five-minute breather.

Ward?

Hello, Veronica.

You've been dodging me,
haven't you, darling?

Let's just say, I haven't
exactly been seeking you out.

Which means, I suppose,
you don't have the money yet?

Look, Veronica, I told you.

I can't get the money now.

I managed to raise a couple
thousand dollars

by hocking everything I own,
except my soul.

Then you'd better hock
your soul, darling,

and by Friday
or the roof falls in.

No more great, big future
with Health House

and no more footsie-footsie
with the boss's niece.

Or do you think
I'm bluffing?

I wish I did.

Look, Ward, I, I don't like this
any better than you do,

but can't you see
I have to have the money

if I'm to do
what you want me to do?

If I could only believe
you would do what I want.

I promise.

I-I'll put it in writing.

I'll, I'll do anything you say.

Only, darling,
say it by Friday.

WOMAN:
I'm ready, Miss Daniels.

Miss Daniels, en garde.

(ball bouncing, smacking wall)

Good sh*t.

(grunting)

All right, that's
game-- , .

All right.

I've had it.
Let's hit the shower, huh?

Boy, either I'm terrific

or your mind isn't
on handball today.

Ward?
Casey.

You just missed
the upset of the week:

law student beats
former all-American.

Impossible.

No, just take a look
at his face-- glum.

My natural expression.

Give me a minute
with him, David.

I'll see what I can do.

Ah, love.

Isn't it time you
told me what's wrong?

Nothing's wrong.

Then why have you been
acting so strangely

the last two weeks?

And that scene
with Veronica this morning?

We were just talking,
that's all.

More than talking--
I could see your faces.

And I couldn't help overhearing
her asking you for money.

How can she ask you
for money now?

Well, she...
she just did, that's all.

Look, you don't have
to worry about her.

Ward, I told you a month ago,
I wanted my uncle

to fire that girl.
No.

Why not?

Darling,

aren't people who are
going to be married

supposed to tell each other
things and help each other?

Look, you listen to me.

You got enough
to worry about as it is,

trying to persuade
the great Bernard Daniels

that I'm worthy
of his precious niece.

He gave you the office job,
didn't he?

I'm sure he'll give permission.

Well, you just keep after him
every minute.

You let the old quarterback
worry about

the minor problems
like Veronica.

Okay?

I guess.

Usual time tonight?

I guess.

Okay.

(knocking at door)

Come in.

You sent for me,
Mr. Daniels?

Yes, Miss Prentice, I did.

You are the bookkeeper here
at Health House, I believe.

Yes, sir.
You know that.

And how long have you
served in that capacity?

years.

And in that time, has it not
always been customary for me,

as president
of Health House,

to pass on all sizeable checks
before they're sent out?

Why, yes, Mr. Daniels, always.

Then how do you account
for my not having seen these?

Oh, come in, Casey.

Try some of the piñon nuts
or some celery.

I'll be with you
in a moment.

Four canceled
Health House checks

made out to,
endorsed and cashed

by the A.B.C. Sporting
Goods Company.

Two for $ ,
and two for $ , .

Totaling what?

$ , .

Would you not say that was a
sizeable amount, Miss Prentice?

Yes, Mr. Daniels, I would.

But I've never seen
these checks before, either.

Perhaps Mr. Houseman
made them out.

It's his signature on them.

Casey?

Ask Eugene Houseman
to step in here, please.

You may go.

What's this, Bernard?

Something about checks,
Casey says?

These.

Signed by you to
the tune of $ , .

Those are your signatures,
aren't they?

Yes, I signed these,
all right,

but I can't remember
any firm called

A.B.C. Sporting Goods Company.

You what?

I just can't understand this.

And I'm just beginning to.

Bypassing me,

made out by someone other
than you or Miss Prentice...

Forgeries!

But how can they be forgeries
with my signature on them?

They could be tracings of your
signature, couldn't they?

"Tracings"?

But each one's
a little different.

See for yourself.
I've read somewhere

that's the way real
signatures are supposed to be.

A professional forger
would know that.

A forger working
here at Health House?

Bernard, you know
you've personally passed

on every employee here.

(receiver drops)

Not everyone.

Not on Ward Nichols.

Uncle Bernard,
it doesn't have to be Ward.

It can be anybody.

It could be me.

As my heir, Casey,
you'd hardly rob yourself.

Ah, well, then doesn't
that apply to Ward, too,

since we're going
to be married?

How many times
do I have to remind you?

As your guardian, I'll still
make the decisions.

Now, I did not say
the young man is a thief.

But suppose he happened
to need ready cash?

Didn't you say

he talked to you
about a loan?

Yes, he said something
a few days ago

about needing
some extra money,

but that's hardly
justification

for condemning him
out of hand,

Bernard.
Oh, I intend to have

an investigation made.

The police?!

Perhaps later,
but first...

The Cosmopolitan
Insurance Company.

No, not our agent,
the claims department.

You'll find
the electric camel

especially beneficial
in slimming the thighs.

And the seat,
I might add.

To start with, I'd suggest
the slow position.

You can relax almost as if
you were in a rocking chair.

Veronica, I want
to speak to you.

I'm sorry, darling.

I happen to be busy just now.
It'll take only a moment.

And it's very important.

Oh, that's all right,
Miss Daniels.

And don't rush
on our account, huh?

I already know what you
want to say, darling.

"Hands off Ward."

Well, you needn't get
all lathered up about it.

I wouldn't take
him as a gift.

But you would take his money.

Oh, I see.

Pointed little ears turned
our way this morning.

What else did you hear?

Never mind.

How much has
he already paid you?

Don't you think
you better ask Ward that?

I'm asking you.

Honey, you're beginning
to bore me.

Why don't you get lost?

"...and it would seem
that the rule in California is

"that in the absence of any
evidence tending to fix

"the time of death during
the seven years period,

"the person unheard of
is presumed to be alive

"until the expiration
of that seven years.

Therefore..."

Yeah, what is it, David?

I'm sorry to interrupt,
Mr. Mason, but, uh,

it's after : and Casey--
Miss Daniels--

the girl I told you about,
is waiting in the law library.

Oh, um, all right.

Ask her in, David.

Della, we can finish this up
tomorrow.

Casey?

Um, Perry Mason,
Della Street,

Casey Daniels.
How do you do?

Please sit down,
Miss Daniels.

I'm sorry to have
kept you waiting.

Now, to save time,

suppose I go over a résumé
of what I already know?

You're engaged to Ward Nichols,

a young man prominent in
athletics several seasons ago.

You're afraid he's in some sort
of trouble at Health House.

Trouble that may have been
started by a fellow employee

named, uh,
Veronica Temple.

Well, actually, Veronica's

more than a fellow
employee, Mr. Mason.

She's Ward's ex-wife.

Oh?

David didn't tell me that.

I didn't know.

We've kept it quiet,
because Uncle Bernard

won't employ anybody
he knows has been divorced.

Or anybody he knows smokes
or drinks, for that matter.

And now, because $ ,
has apparently been abstracted

from a Health House
checking account,

you seem to think
that Ward might be blamed.

Why?

Veronica.

I wouldn't be surprised if she
was stealing the money herself.

Does Ward know
you've come to see me?

I can't very well represent him
without his, uh, permission.

Della?

If Paul's still
in the outer office,

ask him to come in,
would you, please?

Paul Drake's
a private detective.

I see no reason why you
shouldn't ask him

to try to find out what this
Veronica Temple's up to.

Uh, Paul, this is
Miss Daniels,

niece of Bernard Daniels
of Health House.

How do you do,
Miss Daniels?

There's a possibility, Paul,

that Miss Daniels' fiancé
is being threatened

in some way
by a Veronica Temple,

an instructor
at Health House--

might even be blackmail.

Veronica Temple?

You know her?
(sighs)
Well, yes, and it

puts me in kind
of an embarrassing position.

I just completed
an investigation

of Miss Temple, among others.

An investigation? Who for?

Bernard Daniels.

Oh, that's a coincidence.

You feel there might be
a conflict of interest, Paul?

No, no, no, it isn't that.
It's just that...

Well...
MASON:
No, go on.

Well, I found out
that Miss Temple

couldn't very well
be blackmailing

Ward Nichols.
"Couldn't be"?

Not unless a wife
can blackmail her husband.

Ward's not her
husband, Mr. Drake.

They're divorced.

Well, not according
to the records, Miss Daniels.

A suit was filed
three years ago in Reno,

but no final decree
was ever obtained.

Harrison, stop.

Stop it!

Somebody'll see us.

It's after hours.

So, who cares.
I do.

At least until Friday.

Then this'll all be over.

It better be, Vonnie.

You know, from the start

I haven't liked
any part of it.

Not any, darling?

Okay.

One part of it.

But...
Eugene?

He isn't in here,
Mrs. Houseman.

Well, Veronica.

You know Dr. Berry,
don't you?

I may even know him
better than you do.

Since he's been physician
at Health House

for over a year now.
Have you seen Eugene,

Doctor?
No, Mrs. Houseman.

No, I haven't.

Maybe Buzz Farrell has.

He's working around here
someplace.

Buzz?

Buzz Farrell?

Coming! Coming!

Well, how do,
Mrs. Houseman?

Long time no see.

Hello, Buzz.

Do you know where my
husband could be?
Yes, ma'am.

I saw him
just five minutes ago.

He's playing handball
with the big boss.

Well, would you
do me a favor,

and tell him I'll be
waiting in his office?

Yes, ma'am.
Right away.

Sounds like he's hitting
the bottle again.

Really, some

of these old-timers
around here should...

Like me.
Is that what you mean?

(chuckles)

You know, you should
be more charitable,

since it's a man.

If it weren't for
poor Buzz's weakness,

he could've been a partner
in Health House years ago.

Just think of the pleasure
Buzz would've gotten--

out of discharging
someone like you.

Hi, Buzz.
Punching your clock?

Daniel sent word
he wanted to see me.

Yeah.

He's in there, son.

Sweatin' the old celery juice,

'cause he can't b*at a pro
like Gene Houseman.

Oops. Reminds me.

Say, Gene, your-your wife
said to tell you

she's waiting
in your office.

Oh, I completely forgot

I was supposed to take her
out for dinner tonight.

Well, run
along, Eugene.

I want to have a word with
Nichols there anyway.
(coughs)

Do I smell liquor
on you, Buzz?

You might.

I took some awhile ago.

Bad cold.

Bad cold nothing.

You're drunk.

No, I had maybe one,
two little nips.

That's all.

That's all?

Practically an
entire pint.

Take him to the
locker room.

Give him a cold shower
to sober him up,

and then send him
back here.

You're not gonna do anything
drastic, are you, Bernard?

I'm going to fire him.

You're gonna fire...

Come on, Buzz.

A shower and you'll
feel better.

Muscle-headed windbag.

Gene, he can't fire me.

Let me go,
I'll break his neck.

Come on, Buzz,
take it easy.

You wanted to see me,
Mr. Daniels?

Yes, I did, Nichols.

I wanted to know if you
knew of any good reason

why I shouldn't
send you to jail?

Ward?

Ward?

Well, he must be here somewhere.

I telephoned Buzz and asked him
to have him wait

so we'd all have dinner
together.
Who's Buzz?

General factotum in charge
of the men's locker room.

Let's go down to see if
he knows where Ward is.

What's that?

It's a broken
whiskey bottle.

How do you suppose
it got here?

(gasps)

CASEY:
Mr. Mason!

(exclaims)

Uncle Bernard!

Good of you to call
and, uh,

show us Mr. Daniels' body,
Perry.

Oh, uh, you know,
Lieutenant Anderson, of course.

Hello, Andy.
Maybe you could
perform one more

good deed for us, Perry.
What's that?

Tell us who the m*rder*r is.

Sorry, I haven't
the remotest idea.

Are you sure it is m*rder?

We're never sure until
all the reports are in.

A bloody contusion at
the base of the skull,

a bloody dumbbell
lying nearby...

doesn't exactly suggest,

uh, su1c1de.

No, it doesn't.

Which means, I'll need
statements from all of you.

Lieutenant Anderson?
Yes, Brice?

Something you ought to see.
Oh?

Uh, you mind if
I take a look?

Well, I should say no, Perry,
not knowing what it is,

but, uh, come on.

By the bench, Lieutenant.

Whiskey bottle,
I don't see...

Oh, I do see.

I tried to wake him,
but he's out cold.

Any idea who he is?

He's the locker room
attendant here, Buzz Farrell.

It doesn't look
as though Mr. Farrell

could tell us very much
at the moment.

Take a look in his locker, sir.

Looked to me like the twin
of the one out there.

Well, they generally
come in pairs.

We found this woman upstairs
in one of the offices.

Claims she's
a bookkeeper here.

I am the bookkeeper here!

Buzz? Oh, Buzz...

What have you done to him?

Actually,
the question is:

What has he done
to Mr. Daniels?

Even when signatures
seem identical as
these seem to be,

uh, the eye-- or
perhaps I should say

the microscope-- is able to
discern subtle differences.

Now, here our experts found
significant variations

in the pressure patterns.

Isn't there also
a slight variation

in the slanting
of the letters--

forward in the genuine
and almost backward
in the forgery?

You have a good eye, Mr. Mason.

Our expert commented
on that, too.

And as a result,
we found that Mr. Houseman

didn't need to worry any longer.

He didn't sign any of
the checks in question.

And I was so sure I had.

Incredible.

Hasn't your expert any
idea yet who did sign them?

That's a problem for the police,
I'm afraid.

Is there anything further,
Mr. Mason?

No, I don't think so.

Thank you for coming by.

It's quite all right.
Good day.

That the insurance fellow?

Uh, Paul, this is
Mr. Houseman.

He was brought over to explain
that check business

in Daniels' office.
How do you do, Mr. Houseman?

How do you do?
I hope you hit pay dirt, Paul.

That insurance man either
couldn't or wouldn't tell us

what his investigators
have turned up.

Except that the checks
were actually forged.

Well, I learned that much,
but little else.

Uh, so...

Well, I better be going, too.

Casey, if there's anything
Mrs. Houseman or I can do...

Oh, I'll be all right.
Thank you.

Well, good-bye.
Mr. Houseman.

(door opens and closes)

What do you have, Paul?
Well, it's mostly bad.

Here's a summary so far.

No sign as yet of Ward Nichols,
either here or at his apartment.

I just can't understand
Ward's vanishing like that.

Well, there's a possible reason,
which I'll come to.

I had an interview
with Veronica Temple.

Was told to mind
my own business.

However, I did discover
that she has a boyfriend.

A, uh, Dr. Harrison Berry.

Are you sure?

He's consulting physician
at Health House, you know?

Well, he's been consulting
with Veronica at night.

I checked the, uh, bank

where A.B.C. Sporting Goods'
account is kept.

But their office is in
the Wyandotte Building
on Hill Street.

The telephone
doesn't answer.

You better go down there
and take a look.

I intend to.

Now, here's the bad part.

Tragg is still holding
Buzz Farrell,

but there's a pickup
out on Ward Nichols.

Apparently, Tragg heard
about the forged checks

and Ward trying
to borrow money.

And there's worse.

On the broken whiskey bottle,
was a bloody fingerprint.

Not Ward's?

(phone ringing)
Oh, no.

Yes, Gertie?

Oh, put him on.

Perry, it's David.

Yes, David?

Ward's at your place?

Yeah, he was waiting for
me when I got back here.

Well, I held off until
Gertie said you were alone.

Sure, Mr. Mason, sure.

Look, uh, what'll I tell him?

The truth-- that you did have
a row on the handball court.

Well, it was more
a wrestling match, really.

All right, a wrestling match,
the upshot of which

was you cut your hand
on a broken whiskey bottle.

So, instead of meeting
Mr. Mason, Casey and me,

you went to Dr. Berry's to have
your hand taken care of.

Wait a minute-- I didn't know
I was supposed to meet you.

Buzz Farrell
didn't tell you?

Well, no.

MASON (on phone):
David, tell him to talk louder.

Oh, Ward, where have you been?

Yes, Ward, I understand.

Go on.

Well, I was on my way home
from Dr. Berry's office

and I got the flash
then that Daniels' body

was found in the
handball court.

Well, I didn't know what to do.

Casey, I tried to find you,
but you weren't home and...

So, I went looking for Veronica.

I figured maybe she knew
something about it.

And I couldn't find her, either.

Anyway, everyplace I went,
the police were there and...

you never came home.

Oh, you poor darling.

Never mind that
for the moment.

Now, you didn't
k*ll Daniels?

But what about that
check forgery, Ward?

Tell me the truth.

Do you know
anything about it?

No, of course not.

Then tell me this.

Why was Veronica
demanding money from you?

That's what we thought.

But surely
six weeks in Nevada

doesn't cost as much
as she apparently wanted.

That's very interesting.

Did she offer proof?

I see.

Dr. Harrison Berry.

All right, Ward, now here's
what I want you to do.

Stay there at David's.

Give David

the keys
to your apartment.

He can stop by later and
get some clothes for you.

All right, I'll stay
in touch with you.

Della...

I seem to be coming
down with a...

slight cold.

See if you can get me
an appointment

with, um,
Dr. Harrison Berry.

If you have a cold,
Mr. Mason,

I'd, uh, I'd like
one just like it.

Best sounding pair of lungs
I've listened to in a long time.

It, um, was good of Veronica
Temple to recommend me,

even if I can't
do anything for you.

How long have
you known her?

Hmm, not long.

Well, the fact is, isn't it,
that you, uh,

you don't know her at all?

That you're here to
find out what you can

about, uh, about me
and Veronica.

On behalf of Miss Daniels?

I'm... I'm rather surprised

a man of your reputation would
stoop to a trick like this.

Well, I admit
I'm somewhat curious

about you and Miss Temple,
Doctor.

But I'd hardly call
an attempt to discover

whether or not a physician
is reputable... trickery.

Did I pass the test?

I don't know yet.

That could depend on your
relationship with Miss Temple.

She's a patient...

and a friend.

Anything unethical about that?

That, in turn, depends on

whether a certain medical report
was given to her as a friend

or a physician.

I don't quite follow.

I'm referring to the report
you gave her indicating

that she's going
to have a child.

Where did you hear about that?

Ward Nichols happened
to see the report

in Veronica's apartment.

Now is that report true
or false?

I think you better leave,
Mr. Mason,

before I lose my temper.

You don't care to answer?

Get out.

Very well.

In all fairness, Doctor,
I should warn you

that you may shortly find
yourself on the witness stand

being asked that same question.

You fool, treating
him like that.

You didn't have
to antagonize him.

What antagonized
Mr. Mason, Vonnie,

was Bernard Daniels' m*rder.

Well, why look at me like that?

Seems to me I remember
your saying he'd ordered you

to report to him after work
last night.

I did report.

What did he want?

Who knows? He was dead.

(door opens)

Sorry to have kept
you waiting, sir,

but I promised to have
the new lease

for Fortescue, Incorporated
drawn up by : ,

and that was that.

Did you locate the lease

I asked you about
on the phone?

Oh. Oh, yes.

square feet according
to our usual rates,

and signed for the A.B.C.
Sporting Goods Company

by one J.P. Jones.

Could be a dummy name.

Well, it could
be, maybe.

What did this
J.P. Jones look like?

Why, I never saw him.

He rented by phone,
messenger for the leases,

our copy back by mail
with the first and
last month's rent.

Oh, uh, would you like
to look inside?

Yes, please.

Not what I call
very elegantly furnished.

Some kind of a
racket, Mr. Drake?

Yeah, one that got slightly
out of hand last night.

Thank you, Mr. Masters.

Well, if it isn't
Mr. Gideon.

Fancy meeting you here.

Why, uh,
Lieutenant Anderson.

That's right.

Mind telling me

why you're borrowing
a pair of pajamas

or does Perry Mason
want these?

Why, no. I'm just going through
some of Ward Nichols' things.

Using a passkey
to do so.

No, Ward gave me his key.
We're old friends.

Does he know you're here?

(chuckles)
I hardly think so.

Then what right
have you to be going

through his things?

All the right that a search
warrant confers, Mr. Gideon.

And I might add
that what we found

more than justifies
the warrant.

Oh?

Mm. Torn-up scratch paper
with the name Eugene Houseman

tried several
different ways,

copy of an office lease

to the A.B.C. Sporting
Goods Company

and two bank
statements addressed

to the A.B.C. Sporting
Goods Company.

(phone rings)

Hello?

Oh, uh, speaking.

I'll be with you
in half an hour.

Mr. Gideon, I don't suppose
I could prevail upon you

to tell me where
Ward Nichols is, could I?

Lieutenant...

Well, it doesn't really matter

because he was just picked up
in your apartment.

Follow the girl, find the boy.

Ward picked up? On what charge?

First-degree m*rder.

Veronica was a dancer
in a Reno nightclub.

I was just out
of college.

I fell hard.

In a week, we were married.

In a month,
I knew it wouldn't work.

Not with her keeping up old ties

with a couple
of gambling friends.

So you, um, left town?

After getting her a lawyer
and signing what papers

he wanted and paying
for the divorce.

It was only two weeks ago
that I found out

she not only didn't get
the divorce,

but she took all the money
back from the lawyer.

Didn't you wonder why you never
received a report from him?

No, it never
occurred to me.

I don't know anything
about how that works.

I came down here and...

I met Casey and got
the job at the Health House.

How did Veronica get
her job there?

I don't know.

All I know is I came back
from my vacation last year

and found she'd landed a job

giving me
as a reference.

This, um, child she claims
she's going to have,

any idea who might be
responsible?

No, not-not the slightest.

Now about the wrestling match
with Daniels,

he'd accused you
of forging checks.

Yeah, $ , -worth.

When I didn't confess,
he lost his temper.

He grabbed me.
He started to shake me,

I struggled
to get free,

and we slipped
and the whiskey bottle broke.

Excuse me for
a moment, Ward.

Yes, Paul?

Something you might want
to ask him;

the insurance company's
new total

on the Health House
account loss:

an additional
$ in petty cash.

Well, that doesn't seem
very significant.

What comes next is.

Two more forged checks
put through

the A.B.C. Sporting
Goods account

totaling $ , .

$ , ?
Mm-hmm.

Now you heard the medical
examiner testify

that this heavy dumbbell
which was found near the body

of the deceased was, in his
opinion, the m*rder w*apon?

I heard the doctor say
it's probably what shattered

the victim's skull,
yes, sir.

I ask you if in your work
at the police laboratory,

you had occasion
to examine this w*apon.

Oh, yes, I checked that dumbbell
for fingerprints.

Those are my initials

right, right below
Lieutenant Tragg's.

And on it you found?

Nothing. Somebody had wiped off
all the prints.

Your Honor, I move
that answer be stricken

as being a conclusion
on the part of the witness.

Your Honor, that dumbbell

didn't just fly
into the handball court.

Somebody carried it in there
and committed a m*rder with it.

Besides, Your Honor,

as an expert, this witness is
entitled to state an opinion.

Mr. Mason, since an expert
is entitled to

a reasonable opinion,
I'm going to let

the answer stand.

You may proceed, Mr. Burger.

Now this is another item
that was found at the scene

of the death.
It's a broken whiskey bottle.

I ask if you examined it
for fingerprints, too, sir.

Yes.

And what did you find?

A thumbprint
and an index fingerprint.

Were you able to identify
these fingerprints?

Yes, sir, we found they were
the prints of the defendant

Ward Nichols.

Yes, this is the
office lease

to the A.B.C. Sporting
Goods Company.

And are these
the bank statements

to the A.B.C.
Sporting Company

that you also found
in the defendant's apartment?

Yes, sir, they are.

If it please
the court,

I should like these
bank statements entered

in evidence
for the People

marked exhibit seven.

JUDGE:
So ordered.

Have you finished
with the witness, Mr. Burger?

Yes, Your Honor.

Does the defense desire
to cross-examine?

It does, Your Honor.

Lieutenant Anderson,

I believe you testified
that you found the lease

and other documents
hidden

in the defendant's
wardrobe?

Yes, I did.

What does the word "hidden"
mean to you?

Well, concealed is when
something is put in the place

where people would have
difficulty finding it.

But you found those documents
easily, did you not?

Yes, I suppose I did.

Then the word "hidden" is
not quite right, is it?

No, I guess not.

"Planted," would that be
the word?

Objection.

I'll withdraw the question,
Your Honor.

That's all, Lieutenant.

And you led Mr. Farrell
into the locker room

at Mr. Daniels' request?

He told me to make
Buzz take a shower.

But I guess when I left
Buzz at his locker,

he took out
another bottle.

Anyway, by the time I got
the water running

and came back for him,
he'd passed out cold.

I see.
What did you do then, sir?

Went out to report this
to Bernard-- Mr. Daniels,

but he was having such a violent
quarrel with young Nichols

on the handball court,

I decided to skip it.

I went back, took a shower
myself and dressed.

Then I went upstairs
to look for Rhonda, my wife.

Did you pass the handball
court on the way?

Yes, but I didn't stop
to look in.

I assumed Bernard had gone

to change in his office
dressing room.

Perhaps if I had looked in,
I could have helped him.

I think he was beyond help
by that time, Mr. Houseman.

That'll be all, sir.

Cross-examine.

How long were you in the shower
that night, Mr. Houseman?

Five minutes, perhaps.

Took me about
ten minutes altogether

to shower and dress.

And Buzz Farrell was out cold
all that time?

I assume so.

Mr. Houseman, didn't you sneak
out of the locker room

during the time
Buzz Farrell was
out cold?

Sneak out and k*ll
Bernard Daniels?

No, of course not.

Bernard was my friend.

No, sir, I didn't mean it

if it sounded like Ward Nichols
was the only one

who knew I had a pair
of dumbbells in my locker.

Practically everybody
in Health House knew I had 'em.

Now you're sure you heard
or saw nothing unusual

after Mr. Houseman led you
into the locker room?

Well, unless you call

finding that other whiskey
bottle unusual.

One drink from that
and I was gone.

Then you couldn't have seen
Mr. Houseman

if he had taken that dumbbell.

Not him or anyone.

Did you k*ll Bernard Daniels?

He cut me out of my share
of Health House.

He was gonna fire me.

I hated him.
I'm glad he's dead,

but I didn't k*ll him.

I didn't.

With regard to this report to
Miss Veronica Temple, Doctor,

on the subject of certain
laboratory tests,

did you prepare
this report yourself?

Yes, I did.

And what did you report
to Miss Temple?

That she was going
to have a child.

Of course, I told
Ward Nichols about it.

But why was that?

Why did you tell him
about the child?

He wasn't directly
involved, was he?

Because I needed the money.

I wanted to go to Nevada
and finish getting

my divorce--
I wanted to make
a fresh start.

Well, what was
Ward Nichols' reaction

when you told him
about the child?

Was he concerned?

Of course, he was concerned.

The last thing
in the world

he wanted
was scandal.

Why, if Mr. Daniels
had found out

that Ward and I were
still married

and that I was mixed up
in a thing like this...

Yes, but what did Ward actually
say to you about the money?

He said he'd get
the money for me.

He'd do just what I wanted.

He said...

he'd get the money
any way he could.

*

Hi.

Hello, Paul. Any luck?

Well, some.

First, a couple
of interesting items
on Veronica Temple,

though I don't know how
they're gonna help you.

Item A--

A high school marriage
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa,

with exactly the same pattern
as her marriage to Ward.

No divorce there
either?

That's right.

Item B--

I finally got someone to talk

at the commercial lab
Dr. Berry uses.

There were never any tests
on any Veronica Temple.

Then she wasn't going
to have a baby?

Nice girl.

What about the other people
I asked you to check on?

Well, nothing on Miss Prentice,
except that she seems

to have been in love with
Buzz Farrell for years.

Nothing on Dr. Berry,
except for the lab business.

And, uh, nothing on
Rhonda Houseman.

No exception in her case?

Well, not unless you consider

her being Bernard Daniels'
secretary

up to about a year ago
an exception.

And nothing on Eugene Houseman,
except of course,

for his once having been
handball champ.

Oh, I'm sure that'll
be a big help.

You know, Paul,
maybe you're a genius.

I am?

You've given me a new slant
on a couple of things.

Well, you're welcome,
I'm sure.

You want to hear
about Buzz Farrell?

Of course.

Something
odd.

Remember the figure
the insurance man said

the Health House account
was out?

$ , .

Well, Buzz bets the horses.

And last week he got around
to paying his bookie

what he'd been owing him.

Not $ , ?

Nope. $ .

Buzz came to me, desperate.

He said if he didn't pay up,
they might give him a b*ating.

Well, I didn't have enough
to even start to help him.

So I took what he
needed from petty cash--

$ . .

I drew out the money
the very next day

from my savings account,

but before I could
put it back,

there was an audit
because of the forged checks.

And then it was too late.

I have the money here
in this envelope.

Will I have to go to jail,
Miss Daniels?

Of course not.

You didn't intend

to do anything wrong,
Miss Prentice.

How can I ever thank you?

Perhaps by answering

one or two questions,
Miss Prentice.

Now, were Bernard Daniels
and Veronica Temple

anything more than
employer-employee?

Oh, no, I don't think so.

He would hardly
have fired her

in that case,
would he?

Fired her?

The afternoon
he was k*lled--

he told me to figure out
what was owed to her,

and to make out
a check.

And then he said,

he was either going to
fire her or expose her.

I didn't ask him
what he meant.

I'm sorry, but, Perry,
we only have minutes

and we're due
back at court.

Yes, I know.

Did Mr. Daniels have
a special place

where he kept valuables,
or important papers?

Well, he-he did have
a special drawer

built in his desk
a few years ago

when he was worried
about robberies,

but I don't think he ever
kept anything there.

It's here.

Do you know how
to open it?

Well, I think so.

I saw him do it
two or three times.

You pull it up--

and then you pull...
(snap)

CASEY:
Anything in there?

Yes.

Yes. $ , .

Now then, as an
expert graphologist,

you maintain that the forged
signatures on the smaller checks

and the signatures on these
two checks totaling $ ,

are the work
of the same person?

I'll stake my professional
reputation on it.

Now, what about
the practice signatures--

the ones that were done
on scrap paper

and found in the
defendant's apartment?

It was the work
of the same person, too.

Thank you, sir.
That'll be all.

Mr. Mason?

I should like to
request, Your Honor,

that during my cross-examination
of this witness,

all other witnesses be excluded
from this courtroom.

JUDGE:
Very well,
Mr. Mason.

Bailiff will clear
the court of all witnesses.

I believe you just testified
that the forgeries

were all the work
of one person?

That's right, sir.

Upon your examination
of them,

were you able to discover
anything about this person?

Age, sex and so forth?

Well, not on the little
that we have here, no.

Then the forward slant
of the writing

in the real signatures,

and the backward slant
in the forgeries

revealed nothing
to you?

Oh, I see what you're
getting at now.

I, uh, started to enter
that in my report,

but I decided it was
probably irrelevant.

But it would appear
from the backward slant,

that the forger was
left-handed.

Left-handed?

This, um, summary
of the laboratory report

on Veronica Temple--

is that your signature?

Yes.

It's not a forgery?

No, certainly not.

I have here
an affidavit

from the laboratory
stating that at no time

were tests ever made
on Veronica Temple.

Now how do you
explain that?

Isn't it true

that you and Miss Temple were
partners in a blackmail scheme?

That Daniels found
out about it--

was going to expose you,
so you had to k*ll him?

No!

No, I-- I did fake the report
for Veronica.

But that's all.

I-I didn't blackmail anybody.

And I certainly didn't
k*ll anybody.

Dr. Berry, on this paper,

I'd like you to copy
Mr. Houseman's signature

as closely as you can.

That'll do.

Thank you.

All right, I-- I did
lie to Ward Nichols.

You lied to him about
expecting a child,

and then, using that lie,

you tried to blackmail
him, did you not?

Blackmail?
Who are you kidding?

How can a wife
blackmail her husband?

Miss Temple, Ward Nichols
is not now,

nor never was your husband.

Due to your failure
to divorce-- Who was it?--

your high school sweetheart
back in Cedar Rapids?

So it was blackmail.

Now you had Dr. Berry
make a copy of his report.

What was the reason
for that copy?

Who else were you blackmailing?
Bernard Daniels?

And when he threatened
to expose you,

what did you do, Miss Temple?

What did you do?

Well, I certainly
didn't k*ll him.

He-he wasn't mixed up
in it at all.

If I was blackmailing
anyone, it was Ward Nichols.

Just Ward.

Miss, Temple, would you please
try to duplicate that signature

of Mr. Houseman's?

Thank you.

Yes, Ward became
assistant treasurer

at my suggestion.

Mr. Daniels was a
little unsure of him,

but I felt he was
a fine young man.

You got to know him

through playing
handball with him?

We had many good games.

Now, this handball
I have here--

is it similar
to the ones you use?

Yes.

About the same.

You're, uh, left-handed,
Mr. Houseman.

Left-handed
and right-handed.

Many good handball players
are ambidextrous, Mr. Mason.

Exactly.

Now, you, uh, did use
your left hand

to sign the checks described
here as being forgeries,

did you not?

I figured the signature would be
just different enough

to fool the insurance company.

What made you stoop
to forgery, Mr. Houseman?

Was it because Miss Temple
demanded money from you

as the father of
her expected child?

Yes. $ , --
more than I could raise

without letting my wife

or Bernard know.

So, I hit on
the signature scheme.

But Bernard found out anyway.

MASON:
What did he then do?

He gave me a choice.

Either jail, or write out
a full confession

and forge two more checks.

You wrote that confession?
You gave it to Daniels?

Yes.

And those two checks
amounted to $ , ?

Yes.

He'd overextended with
a new swimming pool,

enlarged ice-skating rink.

This is a way he could
use the insurance money

to pay off his creditors.

And you passed
those two checks

through the A.B.C.
Sporting Goods account

just as you had the others?

Yes.

As J.P. Jones.

Whose idea was it
to plant the bank statements

and other documents in
Ward Nichols' apartment?

Bernard's.

I didn't have anything
to do with that.

But you did pay
Miss Temple her money?
Yes.

Now what did you do with
the $ , ?

I gave it to Bernard.

What did he do with it?

I don't know.

Oh, I think you do.

I think you k*lled him for it.

No. I wouldn't have dared
to k*ll Bernard.

Not with his having
a full confession

I wrote out for him.
I wouldn't have dared.

I'm afraid that won't do,
Mr. Houseman.

You had motive,
you had opportunity.

Oh, yes,
you k*lled him.

No, you're wrong.

I k*lled Bernard Daniels.

Rhonda.

I saw the confession
after you wrote it, Eugene.

In the study.

I knew he'd squeeze
us with it

for the rest
of his life.

So that night
in Health House,

while you were taking a shower
and Buzz was sleeping,

I took the dumbbell.

And I waited until Bernard
was alone in the handball court.

And the confession,
Mrs. Houseman?

I took it out of Bernard's
secret drawer,

and I destroyed it.

You took the confession,
but not the $ , ?

Mr. Mason, I'm not a thief.

And just signing these papers
is all I have to do?

Except for an
appearance in court

when your uncle's
will is probated.

Well, I think
I'll skip that.

I've had enough of court
for the rest of my life.

Which incidentally, I'm grateful
to you for saving, Mr. Mason.

We both are grateful.

Now, we'd better
get back to work.

Yeah. We'll
keep in touch.

Bye.

I have a question
of Miss Street.

In what way
was I a genius?

Oh, when you
reminded Perry

that Houseman was
a handball champion.

I still don't get it.

Well, you weren't
in court, Paul.

Handball champions are
likely to be ambidextrous.

Well, brighter
than I thought.

Hey, how do you suppose
you start this thing?

I'm ambidextrous.

Allow me.

(loud whirring)

Hey...

Hey, Della,
turn it off!

Perry...

Somebody turn
this thing off!

Shall we?

Help!

Della, Perry,
come back!

Ah, well, Paint, old sport,
I guess it's you and me.

Et tu.

(theme music plays)