05x19 - The Case of the Glamorous Ghost

[bunniefuu]

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[horn honks]

Wait a minute, lady.

May I have your name, please.

I don't know my name.

You've read the morning papers.

You know about this--
this "glamorous ghost,"

this exhibitionist
in Sierra Vista Park last night

who made a naked spectacle
of herself in the moonlight.

I saw pictures in the papers,

read that the police
were trying to establish the identity

of the woman they picked up--
a woman suffering from amnesia.

That woman is my sister-- Eleanor Corbin.

Have you communicated
this information to the authorities?

No, I haven't.

Perhaps you'd better explain.

Eleanor is an exhibitionist
and an opportunist.

She's also a liar.

Regardless of that story in the papers,

she doesn't have any more amnesia
than I do.

Once before she worked herself
out of trouble by faking amnesia.

Now she's in trouble again-- more amnesia.

I think you ought to give us
all the circumstances.

Della, you'd better take this down.

Well, about two weeks ago,
Eleanor ran away with Douglas Hepner.

Just one moment, please.
Douglas what?

Douglas Hepner--

the most charming,
ingratiating man you've ever met

where women are concerned,

and the nastiest heel who ever lived.

All right,
your sister ran away with him.

Now two things. Were they married?

And where is Douglas Hepner?

I don't know where Hepner is
or how he can be located.

As to their being married,

that's what she says,
but I don't believe it.

My father and I were away for the weekend,

and when we returned, we found this wire

saying that they were on their way
to Yuma, Arizona, to be married.

That was two weeks ago,
and we haven't heard from her since.

Exactly what is it you want me to do?

Go with me to General Hospital,

be there when I make the identification--

And then?

Find out what trouble she's gotten
herself into and straighten it out.

I think this trouble she's in
could be serious.

I'm afraid it--
I'm afraid it could hurt my father.

Is your father in good health?

Physically, he's perfect.

Dad's in the wholesale jewelry business.
He specializes in diamonds.

He's a man whose word
is as good as a written contract.

A family scandal could crush him.

Miss Corbin,
I'm going to be tied up most of the day.

For the moment, suppose
Mr. Drake goes along with you.

But I thought if you were there--

From what you've told us,

there doesn't appear that there's
any immediate need or urgency.

Hello, Eleanor.

- Olga.
- Congratulations, dear.

Since you recognize me,

I gather you've recovered,
most conveniently, from your amnesia.

Amn--

What are you talking about?

The police picked you up last night.

Dazed and seemingly
suffering from amnesia.

Where am I, Olga? Who are they?

They work for Perry Mason,
the attorney we've retained to help you.

Mr. Paul Drake and Miss Della Street.

An attorney?
What do I need an attorney for?

[Della]
Miss Corbin--

What's going on? Where am I?

In a hospital.

What am I doing in a--

I just left--

Wait a minute.

The accident.

The automobile accident.

- What day is it?
- [Olga] Tuesday.

That's right. That's right.
And yesterday was Monday.

And we left on Monday night, the nd.

Doug. Where's Doug?

He was driving the car.
What happened?

We don't know.

But today is Tuesday the th,
not Tuesday the rd.

Tell us about that accident,
and about Douglas Hepner.

Well, I remember that...
we were going to be married,

and we were driving to Yuma,

and there was Doug's mother.

He telephoned to tell her.

Where does Doug's mother live?

Salt Lake City,
but I don't know the address.

After he placed the call,
why, we continued driving.

There were two big headlights

that came forging out of the darkness

like two big eyes trying to tear me apart,

and then there was this big, awful--

Ohh!

Doctor Ariel, please. Paul Drake calling.

Doctor, Miss Olga Corbin gave me
your name and phone number,

but I'm calling in behalf of one of your
private patients-- a Miss Eleanor Corbin.

You haven't been notified yet,
but she's in General Hospital.

From what they tell me, she just
recovered from a severe case of amnesia.

Doctor, is there any reason

why she couldn't be taken
out of here at once

and moved to a private sanitarium

where she could have complete quiet
and no visitors?

I'm not going to any sanitarium.

My name is Mrs. Douglas Hepner,
and I'm married.

I'm getting out of here to find my husband!

Mr. Drake is a private detective.

He'll find your husband.

Yes, I've just seen my daughter, Doctor,

and I'm terribly concerned about her.

Well, all right.
You'll call me if you need me.

Fine.

Two weeks just vanished into nowhere.

Nobody, least of all Eleanor,

seems to have any notion
of where she was or what she was doing.

Mr. Drake, do anything you have to.
We must learn the truth.

All right.

Mr. Corbin, what can you tell me
about this Douglas Hepner?

We met him on our last trip to Europe--
that is, on our way home.

He was on the boat.

What does Hepner do?

He's able to get a lot of people to hate him.

But aside from being a cheap, parasitic
Don Juan, apparently nothing.

How long ago was this trip to Europe?

Oh, about three months ago.

Mr. Drake, I believe it takes a great
emotional shock to bring on amnesia?

Well, we do know there was a physical
shock-- the automobile accident.

- [phone rings]
- Excuse me.

Mr. Corbin.

Oh, yes. Just a moment.
For you, Mr. Drake.

Thank you.

Hello. This is Drake.

Oh, good going. Hold it a minute.

All right, let me have it.

Thanks a lot.

We've traced Hepner's mother,
a Mrs. Sadie Hepner in Salt Lake City.

I have the direct-dial number.
Do you mind if I use your phone?

Not at all.

Is this an amplifier?

Yes. This button turns it on.

[line ringing]

[Elderly woman's voice]
Hello.

Mrs. Hepner?

Mrs. Sadie Hepner?

This is Paul Drake.

I'm very anxious to get in touch
with your son Douglas.

I wonder if you could tell me
where I could reach him, please.

Oh, my son?
Well, he telephoned from Barstow.

He was on his way to Las Vegas
two or three nights ago,

the evening of the th.

Mrs. Hepner,
is your son married or single?

Why, he's unmarried.

Wasn't there an Eleanor Corbin who--

Oh, yes - Eleanor Corbin.

I remember.

Douglas called me up,
oh, about two weeks ago

and said something about getting married.

I believe I spoke to this
Eleanor Corbin on the phone.

But the other day,
when Douglas called me from Barstow,

he was with another girl--
a different girl named Suzanne

whom he also introduced to me
on the phone.

Just a moment.

Mr. Drake, who are you,
and why are you calling me?

I'm a private detective, and I-

Private detective?

Well, why didn't you say so?

I don't understand.

Look here, if you have any questions,
you'd better ask them of Doug himself.

Goodbye.

Do any of you know a girl
whose first name is Suzanne?

It could even be somebody
that Eleanor might know.

It could be Suzanne Granger.

Yes. It could have been Miss Granger.

Suzanne Granger is a pretty well-known
artist here in town--

that is, if it's the same girl
that I've seen pictures of in the paper.

Yes, she is an artist.

She was also part of the crowd

that played around on that same
boat trip three months ago--

Eleanor, Doug, and Suzanne Granger--

Yes?

Suzanne Granger, please.

Your name, please?

Paul Drake.

Your business with Miss Granger, please?

Private detective.

I'd rather discuss my business with her
if you don't mind.

Miss Granger isn't in at present.

Do you mind if I left her a note?

You'll find paper and envelopes
on the desk.

Thank you.

He's calling apartment
in case you're interested.

What is Miss Granger's
apartment number, please?

. But that won't be necessary.

I'll see to it that she gets the note.

- Thank you very much.
- Not at all.

[door opens]

[door closes]

Now just a minute.

We drive around the block,
we come back, and park here.

Now where are we going?

In the service entrance,
up the service elevator to apartment .

Suzanne Granger lives in ,
and she isn't in.

But somebody is in-- somebody
the clerk called in apartment .

Shall we?

[buzz]

Yes?

I think the clerk at the desk downstairs
made a mistake.

My name's Paul Drake,
and this is Miss Della Street.

- Hello.
- Hello.

Well, Mr. Drake, I'm afraid
you've got the wrong apartment.

My name's Ethel Belan.

Oh, no. We're at the right apartment,
Miss Belan.

You see, we're here
in behalf of Eleanor Corbin.

You mind if we come in?

Well, very lovely apartment, Miss Belan.

What do you know--
a view of Sierra Vista Park.

This is a double apartment.
You share it with someone?

I did.

The person I shared it with

has been out of town
for the last two weeks.

Tell me, Mr. Drake, what are you after?

Miss Belan, when representing a client,
you have to exercise caution.

It's easy to say something
that can be misconstrued,

and then the situation
becomes complicated.

It's better to let the other party
make the statements

and then either agree or disagree.

That was your raincoat
Eleanor was wearing?

Mm-hmm.

Oh, so that's what sent you here.
You traced the raincoat.

Eleanor send you?

Well, actually, we came to pick up
Miss Corbin's things.

I asked Miss Street to come along
in case there's any packing to do.

Oh, they're already packed.
In the bedroom.

The alligator suitcase and overnight bag.

I'll, uh, get them.

Of course Eleanor owed me
a week's rent--

$ .

All right.
I'll need a receipt, Miss Belan.

Of course, Mr. Drake.

Received of Paul Drake,

representing Eleanor Corbin, $ .

Will that do?

Fine. Thank you, Miss Belan.

I'll get the bags, Della.

Ah, Mr. Drake.

According to the newspapers,
Eleanor Corbin has amnesia.

Her mind's a complete blank
as to where she was

or what has happened
for the last two weeks.

She couldn't have told you
about the raincoat

or that she lived here.

That's right, she couldn't.
You did.

How did you guess
Eleanor lived in that apartment?

I had a hunch.

And then Miss Belan helped
with what she said and how she said it.

Now, why would Eleanor,
with her clothes all torn,

put the raincoat on, go over to the park,
take the raincoat off,

and dance around half-nude?

That's a good question,
and I've got some others.

What was she doing in the apartment?

When did she move in?
And where is Douglas Hepner?

You're the detective, Paul.

Ow!

It's face cream...

and diamonds.

Are a girl's best--

Wait a minute.

Let's take a look in the rest of those jars.

Whew.

There's a fat little fortune there.

Mm-hmm. Paul, look.

Suzanne Granger.

You sure?

I recognize her from her pictures.

Della, take these bags back to your place,

mix them up with your own luggage,
and leave them.

But don't leave the gems.

Go out and register
in one of the best hotels.

Once you're up in your hotel room,

call the manager and tell him you have
some things you want to put away.

Then stash the gems in the hotel safe.

Use my car. I'll grab a cab.

Where are you going?

To visit Miss Suzanne Granger
in apartment .

Bye, beautiful.

Sorry to disturb you.
This is about Douglas Hepner.

My name's Paul Drake.
I left a note for you.

I thought you might like
a chance to rehearse.

Rehearse? Rehearse what?

The story you're going to tell the police
and the newspapers.

Come in.

Thank you.

You mentioned in your note Doug Hepner.

What about him?

You met him on board ship, three or four
months ago, and were friendly with him?

On the ship and afterward.

Why is that your business
or the business of the police?

I represent a young lady
who's suffering from temporary amnesia.

Oh, really?

A woman who calls herself
Mrs. Douglas Hepner?

You say that as if you knew
she wasn't Mrs. Douglas Hepner.

Let's just say I'm not, but almost was.

- That the reason for your trip to Vegas?
- How do you know about that?

Doug's mother, Sadie Hepner,
in Salt Lake City.

Among other things,
his mother is why I'm not his wife.

I gather you didn't approve
of interrupting your Vegas elopement

while Doug called Mother.

No, I didn't.

The way he discussed me
on the telephone--

my name, my address,

where we were going,
how long we'll be gone,

even a description of my figure.

I was wondering
if he was planning a marriage

or a purchase of some livestock
from a country fair

or the possibility of entering me
in a beauty contest.

Miss Granger,
what day was that call made?

A few days ago.

I have another good reason
to remember it.

While I was out of town,
someone broke into my apartment,

and acts of vandalism were committed.

Vandalism?

Someone cut up
some very expensive tubes of paint.

Did you report this to the police?

No, I didn't.
But I know who did it, and why.

Well, may I ask who it was?

Your so-called amnesia client.

Eleanor Hepner?

Eleanor Corbin.

She--

What's the matter?

Police, across the street in the park.

m*rder*d.

sh*t in the back of the head.

Any identification, Andy?

Driver's license.

Hepner.

Douglas Hepner.

Douglas Hepner
was sh*t in the back of the head.

There's a wound of entrance
but no wound of exit.

With proper ballistics examination,

they'll be able to determine
what g*n fired that b*llet,

provided they can find the g*n.

Now what do you have, Paul?

Well, first, there's absolutely no record
of a marriage in Yuma

between Eleanor Corbin
and Douglas Hepner.

And no record of any accident involving
either of them between here and Yuma.

Second is quite a blockbuster.

Mrs. Sadie Hepner of Salt Lake City
is a beautiful babe,

about years old.

She must have taken off
within minutes after I spoke to her.

When my man in Salt Lake got there,
the cupboard was very, very bare.

What about Hepner?
How did he make a living?

The U.S. Customs pays a reward
for information on smuggled goods,

so Hepner spent all his time

sailing the luxury liners
between Europe and the States.

He'd soft-soap his way
into the confidence of lady tourists

with more money than brains.

And Eleanor, her sister, and father--

Were just returning from a buying trip
for a wholesale jewelry business.

Very interesting
when you remember the fortune in gems

we dug up in Eleanor's make-up jars.

Well,

a professional informer is usually interested
in the % reward,

but more than that,
also interested in blackmail.

Which, as you know,
annoys the police department

as much as sh**ting people
in the back of the head.

Uh, good evening, everyone.

Well, Lieutenant Tragg,

what would cause homicide
to come calling at this hour?

Three official documents.

One, a search warrant
for Paul Drake's apartment.

Results, negative.

Two, a search warrant
for Della Street's apartment.

Uh, Andy, you go.

We found the luggage you took
from Ethel Belan's apartment.

Luggage belonging to Eleanor Corbin.

Miss Belan was most cooperative.

Yes. So was General Hospital.

They told us all about Paul Drake's visit.

Funny, Eleanor Corbin seems
to have vanished right after that visit.

That third document
could be trouble for you, Paul.

It could mean the revocation
of your license.

For what, Andy?

The police had no hold on Eleanor Corbin.

She was sick. Her own doctor
had her removed for treatment.

It would be different if she were a fugitive.

She is a fugitive, Perry,

until we find out
where the doctor has taken her.

You see, this third document is a warrant
for the arrest of Eleanor Corbin.

[Burger]
We expect to show, Your Honor,

that at the time of this crime,

the defendant Eleanor Corbin,

was driven by possessiveness and jealousy.

That under this motivation,

she made arrangements
to share an apartment

with a woman named Ethel Belan

for the sole purpose of spying on
another woman named Suzanne Granger,

whom she suspected
of stealing the affection

of the man she claimed was her husband--

the decedent, Douglas Hepner.

We mean to prove
that it was the defendant's intention

to catch Mr. Hepner and Miss Granger

in some sort of a compromising situation

because she actually threatened

that if she couldn't have Hepner for herself,

no one else would ever have him.

And so, Your Honor,
we find Douglas Hepner

dead with a b*llet in his brain,

a b*llet from this defendant's own g*n,

and the defendant now
making elaborate preparations

to have it appear
that she was mentally irresponsible,

that she was actually, in fact,
suffering from amnesia.

The discharge of the b*llet
into the decedent's head

resulted in almost instant death.

There were no other injuries
which could have caused death,

and, in my opinion, the victim
on whom I performed the autopsy

had been dead for approximately
to hours.

A complete set of photographs
of the autopsy

have been prepared
for the defense counsel.

The clothing of the decedent had
no laundry or dry cleaning marks,

and the only personal effects
found in his pockets

were a key case, a handkerchief,
a pack of cigarettes, and a wallet.

Identification was made from
the driver's license in his wallet.

Did you search the scene of the crime
for a possible m*rder w*apon?

Yes, sir.

We found a g*n buried under some earth

about feet from where the decedent's
body was discovered.

It was a . caliber revolver
with one discharged shell.

Did you check this g*n ballistically
by f*ring through it,

and did you make other ballistic tests?

Yes, sir, we did.

The fatal b*llet and the test sh*ts
fired from the g*n exactly matched.

Were you able to determine
the ownership of this particular g*n?

Yes, sir.

It belonged to the defendant,
Eleanor Corbin.

Your g*n was found there.
How did it get there?

I give you my word of honor,
I have absolutely no recollection.

You left home with Douglas Hepner.
He was k*lled and with your g*n.

That was two weeks later.

If you'd just tell me the truth,

we might have the chance
of pleading self-defense,

justifiable homicide.

We might have the chance
of saving you

from the death penalty,
from life imprisonment.

Aren't you forgetting that the b*llet
was fired into the back of Doug's head?

That would seem to eliminate
any plea for self-defense.

You sound like you want me convicted.

It's your ridiculous story, darling,
not mine.

And you're just jealous
because Doug preferred me to you.

That's not true!

Please, please!

Eleanor, if you don't recover
that memory of yours, recover it fast,

you're going to--

Matron, I'm through with the defendant.

What have you got in your pockets, Paul?

Just a bunch of junk.

Put it all out here on the table, will you?

And you men talk about the stuff
that goes in a woman's purse.

Well, what have I proved?

That there wasn't quite enough stuff
in Hepner's pockets.

The police say he kept an apartment
but that he never used it.

Never used the bed,
never used the bathroom.

There was no food in the icebox,
no laundry sent out--

Perry, wait a minute. Laundry.

I just remembered,
there was a man's laundered shirt

in Eleanor Corbin's suitcase.

If it was Hepner's shirt
and there's a laundry mark,

maybe we'll find out
where Hepner really lived.

The suitcase is still in my apartment.

All right, Paul,
you check the laundry marks.

I'm going down to the coroner's office

to see if I can get wax impressions
of those keys they found on Hepner.

According to the laundry mark,

that shirt belonged to
a Frank Ormsby Newberg--

Apartment , Arlington Arms.

Think Mr. Newberg and Mr. Hepner
are one and the same?

Well, we'll know soon enough.

Della had keys made
from those wax impressions.

Here.

You occupy apartment number
at the Sierra Vista Apartments, Miss Belan?

That's right, yes, sir.

And who occupies the apartment
immediately to the south of yours?

South, uh...

Miss Suzanne Granger has apartment .

That's south.

Do you know the defendant
in this case, Eleanor Corbin?

Yes, but I hadn't seen her in over a year.

When did you recently see her again?

Well, she said she was interested
in Suzanne Granger

in the adjoining apartment

and, uh, that Miss Granger had stolen
her boyfriend, Doug Hepner.

She wanted to see if he was actually
calling on Miss Granger or--

So the defendant moved in with you.

I have here a sketch which shows
the arrangement of your apartment

and Miss Granger's apartment.

I'd like you to tell us, please,

if this correctly shows the interior
arrangement of your apartment.

Yes, sir, it does show my--
my apartment correctly,

but I've never been
in Miss Granger's apartment.

Well, that's all right.

I'm going to verify the arrangement
of Miss Granger's apartment

with another witness.

Now, was there any particular room
in your apartment

where the defendant said
she wanted to stay?

Yes, sir.

You see, my bedroom is the one
with the large closet,

next to Miss Granger's,

and Eleanor insisted
that I move into the other bedroom

so that she could have the bedroom
next to Miss Granger's--

next to Miss Granger's apartment.

Miss Belan, did you ever
see the defendant

in possession of a w*apon?

Yes, sir-- a . caliber revolver,
exactly like the one you're holding.

Did the defendant
show you this w*apon herself?

No. No, I saw it in her overnight bag.

In her overnight bag.

What other luggage did the defendant
bring when she moved in with you?

An overnight bag and a suitcase.

And what happened
to these two pieces of luggage?

Well, Mr. Drake and Miss Street
picked them up and took them away.

Did you have occasion
to contact the defendant

about this or about anything else
at that time?

No. She called me--

from a hospital, I think.

Miss Belan, would you please tell us
exactly what the defendant said to you

when she phoned from the hospital?

She said, "Ethel, I'm in a terrible scrape,

"real serious trouble,
and I've got to protect myself.

"And you've got to back me up
in anything I say...

because," uh...

"for the past two weeks
I'm pretending that I've had amnesia."

All right, Miss Corbin, this is it.

What is?

I asked for a short recess

because I wanted you to quit stalling
and tell me the truth.

You know, you may not have
much time left for the truth.

You sound like I was already
convicted and sentenced to die.

To all intents and purposes,
that's exactly the situation.

Now, were you faking amnesia?

Yes.

Were you running around the park
that night half dressed?

And if so, why?

Mr. Mason, I was appealing for help.

I was trying to get somebody to follow me.

Why did you want someone to follow you?

Because I wanted to lead them
to where they could find Doug's body.

You knew his body was there?

You knew he was dead?

Yes.

Doug and I were working
on something very important.

Every time we met,
we got together there in the park.

So when I went there this night...

Doug was lying there dead,

and my g*n was right beside him.

Why didn't you go straight to the police,

tell them what you and Hepner
were working on,

tell them exactly what had happened?

Because they wouldn't have believed me.

They wouldn't believe the truth,
but they would believe a phony amnesia act.

Is that what you're trying to tell me?

No. No, you don't understand.

I wasn't going to fake amnesia then.

It was, well, when the police cornered me,
I got panicky, I guess.

Tell me, what was this story
you'd dreamed up

but you couldn't remember
to tell the police?

Well, I got this idea
that if I were found in the park,

hysterical and disheveled,

I could say I was there with Doug

and a strange man accosted us
and k*lled Doug and tried to as*ault me.

Then I'd say that,
well, I forced my way clear

and was wandering around the park
in a dazed condition.

Go on.

Well, I rushed back to the apartment
and then tore off some of my clothing

and grabbed Ethel's raincoat

to cover me in case someone
should see me first

and then went back to the park.

If you were ever put on a witness stand

and tried to tell a jury
what you've just told me,

I guarantee you'd be convicted
of first degree m*rder.

Now, I want the entire story,
all of it, right from the beginning.

And this time I want the truth.

I didn't k*ll Doug Hepner.

I couldn't tell what actually happened.

But everything you've heard,
everything you're going to hear,

is close enough to the truth...

to convict me of m*rder.

Your Honor, the District Attorney
stated that he has a witness

who can authenticate a diagram
of the Granger and Belan apartments.

I should like to defer
my cross-examination of Miss Belan

until the diagram has been introduced

so that I might cross-examine
on the positions

of the various rooms involved.

Your name is Walter Richey.

You're employed
by the Sierra Vista Apartments?

Yes, sir.

I show you now this diagram.

I ask you if it shows correctly the various
rooms in apartment and .

Yes, sir. The apartments are identical,

except that the closet in one of the bedrooms
of number is / feet shorter

than the other closets shown on the sketch.

This sketch was drawn to scale,
and it was made by you at my request.

- Is that correct?
- It was.

- Is it a full, true, and accurate diagram?
- It is.

If it please the court, I should like
this diagram entered in evidence,

marked for the people Exhibit H.

That's all. You may step down.

Just a moment.
I have a question or two of the witness.

Surely there can't be
any objection to the diagram.

I just wanted to find out a few points
about the background of the witness.

Your Honor--

Very well. If you insist,
cross-examine, Mr. Mason.

On the day following the m*rder,

when Mr. Paul Drake and Miss Della Street
asked to see Suzanne Granger,

didn't you go to the switchboard

and ring the apartment
of Miss Ethel Belan?

Well, I-- I have occasion
to call many of the apartments,

but I simply don't remember
calling Miss Belan at that time, no.

That'll be all, thank you.

I will stipulate that the diagram
may be received in evidence.

With the court's permission,

I am now ready
to cross-examine Miss Belan.

Now, you're absolutely certain

that the defendant
had a . caliber revolver

- while she was in your apartment.
- Absolutely certain.

In how many calibers
are revolvers manufactured?

How would I know that?

What is the meaning of . caliber?
To what does it refer?

I suppose it would refer to
the weight of the b*llet, wouldn't it?

In other words, a long, slender b*llet
would have a higher caliber

than a short, thick b*llet
if it weighed more, is that correct?

I think so, yes.

Actually, Miss Belan,
you don't have the faintest idea

of whether that g*n was a . caliber,
a . caliber, or a . caliber, now do you?

It was described to me
as a . caliber revolver.

So you were simply repeating the words
that had been used to describe the revolver?

If you wish to put it that way, yes.

That's the way I want to put it.

Now, Miss Belan,

we'll see if your recollection
is any better than Mr. Richey's.

Do you recall an occasion
when Mr. Richey phoned you

and said that a Mr. Paul Drake
was inquiring for Suzanne Granger?

Yes. I remember it.

What is the connection
between you and Walter Richey?

I object to that, Your Honor.

It's quite obvious that counsel's
on another of his fishing expeditions.

The court will sustain the objection.

I have no further questions of the witness.

And I have no further questions
on this subject.

But just a moment.
There's another matter.

Miss Belan,
did you ever see the defendant

in the possession of any other articles
beside that revolver,

articles of some extraordinary value?

Yes, sir, I did.

She had a large number
of precious gems.

Where were you when you saw these?

I had started into her bedroom.

The door was slightly ajar,

and she didn't hear me.

And some of the gems were on the bed,
and she was counting them.

And for all you know,

these gems could have been
contained in the luggage

which Mr. Paul Drake
and Miss Della Street,

acting on behalf of Perry Mason,
removed from that apartment.

Objected to as argumentative,
assuming a fact not in evidence,

leading and suggestive, and utterly
incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial.

Sustained.

Cross-examine.

You stood in the doorway of the room,
and you saw the gems on the bed.

How far was it from the bed to the doorway?

- Perhaps feet.
- What kind of gems were they?

Diamonds, emeralds, a few rubies.

These rubies,
were they genuine rubies or imitation?

Oh, they were quite genuine, I'm sure.

Have you ever owned a genuine ruby,
Miss Belan?

Well, no, but I do--

And yet you say you stood feet away,

looked at an assortment of gems,

and you unhesitatingly testified

that the rubies in that assortment
were genuine. Is that right?

When you put it that way,
it sounds absurd, but I--

It sounds a good deal more
than absurd, Miss Belan.

No further questions.

Your Honor, I realize we're approaching
the hour of adjournment,

but I have a matter of the utmost urgency
to present to the court.

I request the indulgence of the Court

and ask that the Coroner's physician,
Dr. Oberon, be recalled to the stand.

Doctor, you stated that the cause of death

was a . caliber b*llet
lodged in the brain.

Did you examine the body

to determine if there was
any contributing cause of death?

What do you mean?

Well, this photograph,
taken at the time of autopsy,

shows the right arm of the decedent.

I call your attention
to the two little spots on that right arm.

Was this photograph taken
because of these spots?

Yes. In homicide cases,

I believe there should be a record
of every abnormality noted.

This abnormality, Doctor--

was it your belief that the two spots
were puncture marks

caused by a hypodermic needle?

There was always that possibility.

Did you test the body for morphia,
for any other dr*gs?

No. It wasn't necessary.

I had already determined
the cause of death.

If the body of Douglas Hepner
were to be exhumed at this time

and morphine was present,
that fact could be determined, could it not?

I think there might be a very good chance.

Your Honor,

the decedent,
at the time his body was discovered,

had no matches, no lighter, no Kn*fe,

nothing in his possession that could
start a fire or cut through bonds.

That fact leads me to believe

that Douglas Hepner was held c*ptive
prior to his death.

I believe that at the time of his death,

Douglas Hepner was under the influence
of morphine given to restrain him.

I now ask the court to order the body
of Douglas Hepner exhumed.

- Paul.
- Hi, Perry.

How'd you make out on the order
to have the body exhumed?

The judge said no
unless we get enough evidence

to tie up the relevancy of anything
that might be discovered.

What did you want me for?

Remember when you tried to open
Hepner's apartment,

only the third key would work?

I discovered later

that one of the other keys
was almost identical to it.

You mean Hepner had a key
to a second apartment in this building?

Hepner not only had a key that would
open his own apartment, ,

but one that will also open apartment .

Good work, Paul.

Who occupies apartment ?

The occupant of apartment
is a Miss Payson-- Miss Sadie Payson.

- Mrs. Hepner?
- Well, y--

You are the Suzanne Granger

who occupies apartment number
at the Sierra Vista Apartments?

Yes, I am.

You recently returned
from a trip to Europe, Miss Granger.

While on shipboard,

you met the decedent Douglas Hepner,
and you became friendly with him.

Did you continue this friendship
after the conclusion of the voyage?

Well, not right away.

But a few weeks later, I ran into Doug.

He asked me for a date,

and I had dinner with him
two or three times.

Did you ever have a discussion
with Eleanor Corbin

about Douglas Hepner?

Yes, I did, on the th of August.

What was said, please?

Doug was calling on me.

When he left, I noticed the door
of apartment opened just a cr*ck,

as if someone was watching.

I was aware that the defendant
had moved in with Ethel Belan.

I also knew that every time
Doug left my place, that door opened.

So this time,
after Doug got into the elevator,

I walked over and pushed it open.

Eleanor Corbin, the defendant, was standing
on the other side of that door.

And that was when you had
your conversation with her?

Yes. She, Eleanor Corbin,

said that I tried to steal Doug
away from her.

She said that she planned to marry him

and if she couldn't have him,
no one could have him.

Did she make any specific threats?

Yes. She threatened to k*ll both him and me
if I tried to take him away from her.

Did the defendant indicate how
she intended to carry out these threats?

Yes, she did.

She opened her purse
and showed me a revolver.

Miss Granger, I direct your attention
to People's Exhibit G.

I ask if you have ever seen
this revolver before.

It looks very much like the one I saw
in the defendant's handbag.

I think that'll be all.
Thank you very much.

Your witness.

Did anyone else hear this conversation?

Was Miss Belan present?

Miss Belan was away.

The defendant was alone in the apartment.

In other words, it's only your word
against the word of the defendant

that this conversation did take place.

In that you are wrong.

I was the only person present
besides the defendant, true,

but Mr. Richey overheard the conversation.

He told me so.

Mr. Richey, on or about the th day
of August of this year,

did you overhear a conversation between
the defendant and Suzanne Granger?

I did. Yes, sir.

Where did the conversation take place?

At the door of apartment number .

And did the defendant at that time
exhibit a w*apon?

Well, I couldn't exactly see
what all was going on,

but I did hear the defendant open her bag

and say "As you see, I am prepared
to make good my promise"

or something of that sort.

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

You may inquire, Mr. Mason.

Since you weren't in the hallway,
where you would have been seen,

I gather you overheard this conversation
from inside one of the nearby apartments.

By any chance, were you
in Miss Granger's apartment

when she had this conversation
with the defendant?

Well, I-- Yes, I was.

Why is it so difficult for you to tell us

that you were inside
Miss Granger's apartment?

It might be embarrassing for Miss Granger.

You see, Miss Granger had once reported

that when she was away
on a trip to Las Vegas,

someone had broken into her apartment.

Go on.

Naturally, I checked the apartment
quite often after that.

So you were keeping an eye on it

when Mr. Hepner brought her home
from a date.

And you were still in her apartment
when Mr. Hepner left

and she confronted the defendant?

Yes, I was.

After Miss Granger
returned to her apartment,

after you overheard this conversation,

did you let her know that you were there?

Well, no.

Frankly, I slipped into a closet.

It was an embarrassing situation.

I was a tiny bit confused at the time.

You become confused
when you're embarrassed.

Now, since you're obviously
embarrassed now,

I take it you're also confused now?

That doesn't follow.

I'm telling the truth.

You are?

I have no further questions.

[Judge]
Mr. Burger?

No redirect, Your Honor.

The witness may step down.

Do you have any more witnesses,
Mr. Burger?

No, Your Honor.

The prosecution feels that at this point
it has presented a prima facie case

and I therefore move that this defendant
be bound over for trial in Superior Court

on a charge of first degree m*rder.

Mr. Mason?

Your Honor, I should like to present
a defense at this time.

For its first witness,
the defense calls Miss Sadie Payson.

Doug and I were partners
in recovering smuggled gems

and reporting them to the Customs Service
for the % reward.

In what way did you work together?

On a ship, when Doug spotted a girl
he thought was smuggling,

he'd play up to her,
follow her after they landed,

and give her a fast proposal
and rush her off on a weekend elopement.

But first he'd always phone Mother.

That was my cue.

I'd get into the girl's apartment,

and if I found anything extremely valuable

and the prospects looked better
for making more money by--

by blackmail than by reporting
the smuggled goods,

why, then I'd show up later
as a Customs agent,

And this made the blackmail possible?

Yes. I'd do it when Doug was there

so that he could suggest
the possibility of buying me off.

Now, what happened
with Eleanor Corbin?

Just before Doug started out
with her to Yuma,

he phoned me. He was very excited.

He said he was on the trail
of a regular professional smuggling ring

and that if we broke it,
it could mean a fortune for us both.

Did he know who was in
this smuggling ring?

Yes-- at least one name--

Suzanne Granger.

He found out that at least once,
about a year ago,

her paint tubes had been used
to smuggle in gems.

He wasn't sure whether she was a part
of the ring or just an innocent carrier.

And he was suspicious of somebody else.

Go on. Tell us the rest.

Well, Doug and I talked it over,
and we figured out a plan, a real wild one.

No wonder that Corbin girl
pulled that phony amnesia stunt.

No one in a million years would believe
what she agreed to do for Doug.

Exactly how was the defendant
to have been used?

She was supposed to get
into the apartment next to Suzanne

and watch the place.

She'd meet Doug in the park
and report to him when Suzanne was home,

who went in and out, and so on.

In the meantime,
Doug made his usual play for Suzanne.

He was good at that. He got her to go
to Vegas with him a week later.

Doug phoned me from Barstow
and put Suzanne on.

And an hour after that, I was on a plane.

I went through that girl's apartment
with a fine-toothed comb.

What did you find?

Not a thing.

Suzanne wasn't in on the smuggling,

so it had to be the other person
Doug had suspected.

On the morning of the th,
the day he was m*rder*d,

did Douglas Hepner
call you on the phone?

Yes.

He was very excited.

He said, "I was wrong about Suzanne.

"I've found the gems
the professional ring smuggled.

"What a sweet setup they had
for hiding them.

"I've disposed of the gems.
Now I've got Eleanor's g*n,

"and if I can get out of here
without being k*lled,

we'll both be sitting pretty."

From where
was Douglas Hepner calling?

From the apartment of the other person
he had suspected--

Ethel Belan.

No. No. That's a lie.

A lie, Miss Belan?

Now, Hepner had Eleanor Corbin
move in with you

because he suspected you
as well as Suzanne Granger.

Here.

Here in your apartment,

the one closet that was / feet shorter
than any other closet in the building.

That was the sweet setup
Douglas Hepner mentioned on the phone.

You can't prove a thing.
That closet is empty.

Where are the gems?

You never saw Eleanor with those gems.

She never touched them.

Those gems were just
where Hepner had disposed of them

before he left your apartment

Those gems were practically
under your nose,

hidden in the cosmetic jars
in Eleanor's overnight bag--

the bag you allowed Paul Drake
to remove from your apartment.

I don't believe you.

Do you believe me now?

When you found the gems missing,
Hepner was traced to his apartment,

drugged with morphine,
and the apartment was searched.

When the gems didn't turn up,

Eleanor's g*n was taken
from Hepner's pocket,

put to the back of his head,
and he was k*lled.

His body was dumped in the park
along with Eleanor's g*n.

But I didn't k*ll him!
I swear it! I didn't k*ll him!

But your accomplice did--

the person who headed
the smuggling ring did--

Walter Richey did.

Oh, you fool! You stupid fool!

We'd have given you a cut!
You've talked yourself right into jail!

Why? Why?

Douglas Hepner was my husband.

I loved him.

Hi, Perry. What's up?

Well, I have something for you, Paul.

Here it is.

Your fee from the Corbin family.

Hey, this is a small fortune.

You sure you haven't made some mistake?
This must be your fee.

No, Paul.

Without the work you did,

Eleanor Corbin might very well
have been convicted of m*rder

and on her way to the gas chamber.

Well. Us plutocrats.

Perry, isn't there somebody that I could
sue for the scratch on my finger

when I found those diamonds
in Eleanor's face cream?

Well, you could sue.

However, the Customs Service
is paying you the % reward

for finding those smuggled gems.

- You're kidding.
- Here.

It's right here.

What do you know?

Small change.

Uh, come along, gentlemen.
I'll buy the dinner.

Paul, you can leave the tip.