08x18 - The Case of the Telltale Tap

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

(soft music playing,
indistinct chatter)

I think you're looking for me.

Mr. Holman?

Won't you be seated, Miss Wynne?

This way.

I consider myself somewhat
of a judge of voices.

Yours had a...
whiskey-and-soda tone to it.

I ordered for you.

I don't drink.

Calories?

Maybe you're right.

It'd be a shame to spoil
a figure like yours.

Save the boy-girl amenities,
Mr. Holman.

I'm here to talk business,
not fun and games.

Well, there's no extra charge
for looking...

while I listen.

Now, go ahead,
talk business, Miss Wynne.

You are a private detective

with a highly
questionable reputation,

which includes
considerable skill

in tapping telephone lines.

(chuckles) No, I prefer
my clients to accept me

as a consultant
in electronic surveillance.

Electronic eavesdropping.

No. No, I install certain highly
specialized kinds of equipment.

A private, leased telephone line
locked in a desk.

- Can it be tapped?
- Yes.

Tapped so that whatever
is said on that telephone

-at any time of the day or night
can be recorded? -Mm-hmm.

Tapped so that no one but me
has access to the recordings?

Whatever you want.

How do I reach you
when I'm ready?

Same number you called
to set up this date.

If I'm not around, an answering
service will pick up the call.

I'll call you back
within an hour.

Now... sit back, relax

while we go over the details.

I have an appointment.

The only detail I'm interested
in from you, Mr. Holman,

is the cost of your services.

Five thousand dollars.

What?!

Five thousand dollars.

In advance.

I'm not accustomed to purchasing
a pig in a poke.

How do I know I'm getting
what I pay for?

(chuckles softly)

Uh, come with me.

(line ringing)

HOLMAN (over phone):
I think you're looking for me.

WYNNE:
Mr. Holman?

HOLMAN:
Won't you be seated, Miss Wynne?

This way.

I consider myself somewhat
of a judge of voices.

Yours had a...
whiskey-and-soda tone to it.

I ordered for you.

WYNNE:
I don't drink.

HOLMAN:
Calories?

-$ , in advance.
Mm-hmm.

I'll call.

(knocking)

The housekeeper tells me

you're not going
to the movies with her.

I just don't feel like it,
Uncle Archer.

Well, you're not sick
or anything, are you?

No particular problem. I'm just
not in the mood, that's all.

Moods and women-- beyond me.

That from the great expert,
Archer Bryant?

(sighs)

Nancy,

your Uncle Archer is a bachelor.

And bachelors are roués.

I confess to being
both wicked and profligate.

You know, I have a season box
at the Bowl.

It's, uh, a little dusty
and unused, but it's mine.

There's a concert of some kind
there tonight.

Interested?

And deprive some mature woman

of your charmingly wicked
and profligate company?

Still resentful because I fired
that man almost a year ago?

"Mature.” Heh.

He was a little
too mature for you.

An opportunistic accountant

looking for personal advancement
by romancing my niece.

Uncle Archer,

I'm grateful to you
for taking me in last year

and giving me a home.

I know you mean well,
but I'm not a child.

I guess I'm not very good
at playing mother and father.

And I'm sorry.

But you won't have to put up
with it for very much longer.

I'm just a girl.

No prize package--
just a plain, ordinary girl.

Just a plain, ordinary girl

to whom I turn over a
million dollars in a few months

when she attains her majority.

(phone buzzes)

Excuse me.

Yes?

I'll be down in a minute.

My secretary's downstairs
in the study with some papers.

There's still time to dress.

No.

(door shuts)

Evening, Vera.

Mr. Bryant.

If these letters are
to go out tonight, I'll, uh,

- I'll need your signature.
- What's all this?

Oh, that's a preliminary draft
of the comptroller's report.

I suggested to Mr. Darrell
you might like a chance

to glance over it
at your leisure.

Mr. Clyde Darrell-- the young
genius with a bright future.

Amazing how he's come along
with the company.

Of course you've been a big help
spending so much time with him.

You know, this looks
pretty good, Vera.

It's better than good.

It's excellent.

Well, the enthusiastic
den mother.

Or are you mistaking
mentality for maturity?

He's almost ten years younger
than you are, Vera.

Would you sign these letters
now, please?

Well, what do you know?

Vera Wynne, the machine-like
executive secretary.

You know better than that.

Don't you, Archer?

He's busy, Mr. Forrest.

Well, I have the breakdown
and the stock analysis

for his selection
committee meeting tomorrow.

I'm sure it can wait.

I don't care
what you're sure of--

he wanted to see these as soon
as they were ready.

If you'll leave them with me,
I'll see that

Mr. Bryant gets them
the moment he's free.

Look, Miss Wynne, I am
the treasurer of this company,

not the office boy
delivering the morning coffee!

Now you ring
and let him know I'm here!

He asked not to be disturbed.

Oh, but of course
you're free to ignore that

and barge right in, if you like.

The door isn't locked.

Who's in there anyway?

Is it the whiz kid
of So-Cal Mutual?

Is it Mr. Darrell?

Have you arranged
for the heir apparent

to get some undisturbed
apple-polishing in?

Is that why Mr. Bryant
can't be disturbed?

I'll tell him you were here--
that you were rather...

rather petulant at not
seeing him at your convenience

and that you refused
to leave the reports.

Good morning, Mr. Forrest.

Good morning, Miss Wynne!

Good morning.

I saw these and thought you
might like them,

so I stopped and picked 'em
for you on the way over.

-(laughs)
- How lovely!

And how thoughtful of you,
Mr. Jarvis. Thank you.

My pleasure, Miss Wynne,
my pleasure, believe me.

Uh-huh. Excuse me.

Ian Jarvis is here.

ARCHER (over phone):
Send him in.

Go right in, Mr. Jarvis.

Oh, and, uh...

thank you again.

Oh, gentlemen.

Gentlemen, good morning,
good morning,

and a very good morning
to you, Archer.

Jarvis, your stock brokerage...

how much business do we give you
in an average year?

Well, that's
a strange question.

I-I don't know just offhand.

In the last ten years, never
less than $ million gross.

And it has gone as high
as seven and a half.

Clyde Darrell,
our new comptroller.

An enterprising executive

who doesn't have to be told
what to do.

I've heard about you,
Mr. Darrell.

I've been looking forward
to meeting you. And, uh...

DARRELL: Paul Drake,
a private investigator

I found it necessary to employ.

Look...

I-is something wrong?

Wh-What's the matter, Archer?
Why did you send for me?

Twice a month, on the analysis
and recommendation

of a selection committee,

I adjust the portfolio
of this company's holdings

by buying or selling stock.

The best small mutual
in the country!

I advise all my own clients
to buy in. You know that.

My decision to purchase
a particular stock

can artificially inflate the
open-market value of that stock.

So we buy from contract brokers

in small blocks
across the country

to keep the price down, at least
until our needs are met.

Two weeks ago, Mr. Jarvis,

a list of securities identical
with this company's

was purchased
in New York and Boston.

By the time our orders
had been filled, uh,

the prices had begun
to rise in Chicago.

Sure, sure. I remember the stuff
was up two to three points

before I could place
your orders here in L.A.

A person or persons with
advance knowledge of our plans,

by buying before us
and then selling

after our purchases
had raised the price,

netted over a hundred thousand
dollars in less than a day.

DARRELL:
A leak that cost this company

over a quarter
of a million dollars.

And I employed Mr. Drake
to find that leak.

Mr. Bryant, using a leased
phone line here in this office,

made a conference call
to six brokers

across the country
the evening before.

That same evening, after
receiving Mr. Bryant's call,

one of those brokers made
some calls of his own

to other brokers
in Boston and New York.

You made those calls,
Mr. Jarvis.

And I have proof of how much
each of those brokers you called

kicked back to you, proof
that will stand up in court.

How much was it worth
to you, Jarvis,

breaching your trust?

Enough, I hope,

because it's the last chance
you're going to get.

That'll be all.

They're truly lovely.

Thank you again.

You knew what was going to
happen inside there, didn't you?

Of course.

I wonder if Nero smiled
at the Christians

before he tossed them
to the lions.

Call me
if you need anything else.

Thanks, Paul.
You did a good job.

You paid a good price for it.
Miss Wynne.

How did it go?

Well, he was furious
with Jarvis,

and, uh, very pleased with me.

Pleased with my concern
for the company,

pleased with the way I did what
I did without having to be told.

Clyde!

Oh, Vera,
how do I say I'm grateful?

Hadn't been for you,
I wouldn't have known, I-l...

(laughs)

Mmm. Thank you.

Thanks for everything.

Mr. Holman,
if that equipment is ready,

bring it with you tonight.

Meet me in the basement garage
at : .

Mr. Holman?

Follow me.

This way.

Now, that's the transmitter.

(ding)

(dinging)

(ding)

Now you say
you don't want anybody else

to have access
to the recording but you?

That's right.

Well, then, the receiver
can't be further

than a feet away from
the transmitter in the phone.

How about my desk
in the next office?

Uh. Well, why not?

Every time the leased phone
in your boss' desk is used,

the equipment here in your desk
will automatically record

both ends
of the telephone conversation.

The wire's good for four hours.

Battery is good
for ten times that long.

Playback, reverse
and erase switches

are marked clearly
on the recorder.

What do I do with the equipment
after I've finished?

(laughs)
Throw it away. I don't care.

Belongs to you, you know.
You bought it.

And it can't be traced to me.

You know, you never did have
that drink with me.

With what you earned tonight,

I'm sure you'll be able
to console yourself.

I left the hall doors unlocked.

Don't let yourself
be seen leaving.

Oh, I not only won't be seen,
honey.

I wasn't even here tonight.

Um... (laughs)

Uh, good night, Miss Wynne.

This is Nero.

I'm sure you remember.

I remember.

There's a meeting
of the selection committee

tomorrow afternoon,

and a new stock list to be
called out tomorrow evening.

So?

If you had that list,

could you place orders
in the East?

A transaction like that would
have to be on a cash basis only.

$ , cash
will be delivered to you

by bonded messenger
tomorrow afternoon.

And the profits...
if there are any?

The original capital
is to be returned.

The profits
to be evenly divided.

You keep your share.
The rest--

to the private bank account
of Mr. Archer Bryant.

This is different
than the last matter

I handled for Clyde, Perry,

so I suggested
he tell you the story himself.

Mr. Darrell, you believe
someone has embezzled money

from your company?

$ , in cash.

And why haven't you gone
to the police?

Well, the only evidence that
money is missing is evidence

that, uh, one
of the company executives,

including me, is responsible.

Occasionally, the company uses
large amounts of cash.

Clyde, as comptroller,
signs the checks.

I signed a check for $ ,
just the other day.

As of this morning, not one
red cent in the cash box.

The company books must show
why the money was needed.

Miss Street, as far as the
company books are concerned,

there's no record of that check
ever being prepared,

no record the check was signed,

no record of cash
being obtained,

no record of what happened
to that cash.

But the bank records show that
$ , in cash was paid out.

Who receives the canceled
checks from the bank?

I do, first.

Then the checks go
to Elliot Forrest,

the company treasurer,

and then they're handled
by about, uh, six people

in the accounting department.

But by you, first.

So you could destroy
that canceled check?

Yes, Paul,
if I were the embezzler,

I could destroy the check.

But in a day,
two days at the most,

the, uh, books would show up
unbalanced.

Remember, the bank does have
a record of that check.

The embezzler must know that,
and must be counting on that one

or two days.

Which means
the embezzler's gonna have

-to get hold of that check.
- MASON: Paul,

can we have that check
at the bank

chemically treated
before they send it out?

DRAKE: No reason
the bank shouldn't cooperate.

Check treated?

MASON:
When it comes to you, Monday,

say nothing about it,

let it be handled
like the rest of the checks.

DRAKE: We can identify anyone
who so much as touches it.

MASON: Or doesn't.
If somebody tries to destroy it

before it makes
the complete rounds,

we'll know who that somebody is.

Have you, uh, spoken
to Mr. Bryant about this yet?

By the time I called the bank
for confirmation,

Mr. Bryant was on his way to
the selection committee meeting,

and the office is closed
for the rest of the day.

But he should be back
in the office

in about a half an hour to make
the, uh, stock purchase calls.

I could see him then
if you think I should.

No. No, I don't think
you should.

We'll pick up the last ,
shares here in Los Angeles.

Any questions?

MAN: Everything's clear
and complete, Mr. Bryant.

Fine. Good night.

(door closes)

Mr. Bryant.

Well?

A memo I had written-- this one.

A recommendation to you
regarding certain procedures.

I wanted to rework it
over the weekend

before I gave it to you.

Very commendable.

Well, good night, sir.

Good night. Uh, be sure and lock
the front door when you leave.

Yes, sir.

(engine starting)

ARCHER:
...pick up the last , shares

here in Los Angeles.

Any questions?

MAN: Everything's clear
and complete, Mr. Bryant.

ARCHER:
Fine. Good night.

(receiver clicks)

Hello? This is Nero again.

Did you get the envelope
and the cash?

Yes, they were delivered
this afternoon.

Here's the stock list.

Call for you, Mr. Mason.

Mason.

Perry, I know you didn't want
to be disturbed,

but Clyde Darrell says
it's urgent.

Mm-hmm. Mr. Darrell?

Mr. Mason, it happened again.

No, no, no.
Not more money stolen.

Another leak
in the stock purchases.

Well, I've got the early market
quotations right here.

It stands out like a sore thumb.

Somebody found out what stocks

we planned to buy
and bought themselves.

Hold on a minute.

Paul, that leased phone line
in Bryant's office--

can it be tapped?

In these days
of fancy industrial espionage,

any phone can be tapped

if a guy's willing
to risk going to jail.

Could you find out
about Bryant's phone?

DRAKE:
Sure.

It's Saturday afternoon.

The office is probably closed.

Could you do it today?

Yeah, I can get
everything I need.

All right, Clyde,
we're heading back for shore.

We'll meet you in front of your
building in about an hour.

(dinging)

That's it.

Radio transmitter
inside the phone?

That's what
the R.F. Indicator shows,

that's what it's got to be.

Paul, would it be difficult
to put an ordinary tap--

not a radio transmitter--
on this leased line?

That's what I looked for first.

There are half-a-dozen places

where any two-bit keyhole peeper
could have spliced in.

Could you, uh,
locate the receiver

with that R.F. Indicator?

No. Receivers don't
transmit a signal.

The receiver picking this up
could be anywhere

within a radius
of a city block from here.

No way in the world
to locate it.

(ding)

Well, there it is.

Transistorized FM transmitter,

the author's byline
in capital letters.

Do you want me to take it out?

No, leave it alone.

We may need it
to show what happened,

and we don't want to frighten
people away prematurely.

Paul, when you said,
"author's byline,"

did you mean you know
who installed this tap?

This tap does its own talking.

An investigator
who lost his license years ago

for a job exactly like this one.

Character named Glen Holman.

I'd rather Mr. Holman
did the talking.

You think
you could locate him now?

Well, I can try.

That's all I can tell you.

Thanks.

Well, same story here as every
other place else we checked.

Holman closed up shop, packed,
and left town this morning.

CLYDE:
Mr. Mason, don't you think

we ought to talk
to Elliot Forrest?

DRAKE:
The company treasurer?

CLYDE: Well, don't you see?
Those checks that I signed--

the treasurer prepares
all those checks.

Now, it's-it's hard to believe,
but it is possible

that it could have been Forrest.

Even if it was,
it doesn't necessarily mean

that the same person arranged
to have that phone tapped.

Well, who else could it be?

When Forrest prepared checks
and vouchers,

did they come directly to you?

No. They went
to Mr. Bryant first.

And after he initialed
and okayed the voucher,

I signed the check.

Is it possible
Mr. Bryant may have

not only initialed the voucher,
but prepared the check?

What?!

Well... no.
That doesn't make any sense.

Why would he tap
his own phone line?

I didn't say he did.

I intimated he might have.

Just as Forrest might have done
one or both acts.

Well, I can't understand
Forrest trying to frame me.

And why would Mr. Bryant
want to do it?

Better ask yourself
that question, Clyde.

Sincerely yours,
etcetera, etcetera.

And I think that should
about do it, Vera.

I'll take these to the office,
type them up,

then personally run them down
to the airport

to make sure
they get off tonight.

Good night, Mr. Bryant.

Vera, there's something
I think you ought to know.

I am retiring.

My doctor's full of nonsense
about a trick heart.

Oh, not that he thinks

I've got the proverbial foot
in the grave,

but he has warned me
that I should do more than think

about turning my job over
to somebody else.

Are you convincing me
or yourself?

What does that mean?

That you're one step ahead

of the board of directors
in the east--

a disenchanted board
of directors.

Dear Archer,
a slightly overage playboy.

And dear Vera,

with her deep sense of loyalty,
her warmth and compassion.

I just hope Elliot Forrest
appreciates your virtues

as much as I have
when he's running the company.

I wouldn't trust him
to run a, a streetcar,

much less the company.

Do you have someone else
in mind?

That young protégé
of yours perhaps?

Yes, Clyde Darrell.

Now?

Darrell.

Oh, he's very smart
but he has a lot to learn.

I'll teach him.

Why, you are
emotionally involved.

If that means I love him,
yes, Archer.

And Clyde?

I couldn't feel the way I do

if I doubted for one moment
that what I felt wasn't shared.

I'm sorry,
it's out of the question.

And please see that those
letters are mailed tonight.

I've known for a long time

that you were
on your way out, Archer,

long enough to plan
very carefully,

so don't do anything stupid
about that recommendation

until you've had time
to, to think

and, uh, to remember.

Good night, Archer.

I'm glad you called,

glad you came over.

Do you realize it's two
whole days since I saw you last?

Now, Nancy darling,
listen to me.

This is important.

Has your uncle said anything
about me or mentioned me?

Uncle Archer?

No, nothing.

I haven't even told him
that we're seeing each other.

Why not?

We have nothing
to be ashamed of.

You're a grown woman.

You know your own mind.

We love each other.

I don't know why
we just can't tell him.

Clyde, please.

He told me at dinner tonight,
he plans to retire.

It won't be long.

I'll tell him, I promise.

Please trust me... and love me.

You want me, Mr. Darrell,
just ring a couple times.

I'll be around.

Yeah, okay, thanks, Karl.

Vera, what's wrong?

I-I got your message.

"A matter of life or death,”
it said.

Meet you here right away.

I-I don't understand.

Why did you trick me?

Trick?

I tried to help you.

I wanted so much for you

because I loved you,

because I thought you loved me.

But, Vera,
I never said anything...

No, no, that's right, Clyde,
you never said a word.

You never did a thing
to mislead me.

Stupid, stupid woman,

ten years older
than the man she wanted--

wanted so badly,

she talked herself
into believing he wanted her.

But, Vera...

But to trick me, to use me
so despicably to steal!

Th-This is some kind of a joke.

Don't lie, admit it.

You stole $ ,
from the company

and you stole
the new stock list.

You're sick,
you've got to be sick.

(chuckling):
Oh, oh.

Oh, I'm sick... but not you, no.

So full
of mealy-mouthed morality

but sneaking around back doors
to kiss his niece.

You're sick-- you--
sick with ambition!

I don't know
how you found out about Nancy

or what this whole nightmare
is supposed to mean,

but I'm just not going
to stand still and...

That's right,

I recorded every word
of this to hang you.

You-- you stole the money,
you stole the list.

It was you.

It was "dear Vera,” "nice Vera"
when I was trying to help you,

but it was "I love you, Nancy"

when she put her arms
around you.

"I love you, Nancy."

Yes, I tapped the telephone

to force Archer
into giving you his job.

You didn't know that, did you?

(laughs)

Maybe you wouldn't have kissed
her if you knew that, would you?

Yes, smart little boy,
an hour ago--

one hour ago I was going
to hand you the whole world.

Now I'm going to destroy you!

You're out of your mind.

No, no, stop it, stop it,
Clyde, stop it, stop it!

Aah!

Vera?

Vera... Vera?

Karl!

Karl!

The doctor on the third floor--

he's supposed to be
in the building.

Where is he?

I don't know,
maybe he stepped out.

Well, find a doctor, a-any
doctor, and find him quick.

- Mr. Darrell.
- Yes.

I think you'd better come
downtown with us now.

May I make a phone call?

Go ahead.

Hello, Mr. Mason.

This is Clyde Darrell.

I need your help.

The, uh, police
are taking me downtown.

I, uh, I just k*lled somebody.

CLYDE:
Then when I... I saw the...

blood on my...
on my hands, I...

I realized...

what had happened,
what I'd done.

Haven't you left something out?

(Clyde sighs)

I don't know what else there is.

The phone that you tore loose
from that drawer--

when did you pick it up again?

Pick it up again?

- Didn't you?
- CLYDE: No, I-I...

I told you. I-I stood up,
and then I ran out of the room.

- MASON: After, you mean?
- After what?

After you picked up the phone

and used it
to bludgeon Vera Wynne to death.

What?!

MASON: The injury she received
when she fell

was a superficial bruise
that dazed her.

Vera Wynne was k*lled
by having her skull smashed in.

That spool of recording wire
is the one found

in the recorder contained
in the desk

of the decedent, Vera Wynne.

The audio switch and receiver
attached to that recorder

were tuned to the same frequency

as the transmitter secreted
inside the base

of Archer Bryant's
leased telephone.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

At this time, Your Honor,
the State would like

to enter this spool
of wire in evidence

marked for the People,
exhibit seven.

May it please the court.

Is it the prosecution's
intention merely

to place the wire itself
in evidence,

or to make a matter of record

the conversations recorded
on that wire?

JUDGE:
Mr. Burger?

BURGER: Recorded on this wire,
Your Honor,

is a conversation between
the defendant, Clyde Darrell,

and the decedent, Vera Wynne,

which took place only moments
before she was k*lled.

It is this conversation

that I want
to make a matter of record.

Illegally obtained
wiretap evidence is violative

of the defendant's privilege
against self-incrimination.

Mr. Burger, the, uh, California
Penal Code does make it a crime

to tap or intercept a
communication by any instrument.

I'm certainly aware
of that, Your Honor.

But may I point out

that while this instrument was
installed inside the phone,

this is not a phone conversation

or communication
that was intercepted?

Furthermore, Your Honor,

there was no unreasonable
search or seizure

involved in obtaining
this recording.

This can considered sort of
an electronic eavesdrop,

and evidence from such a source

is just as admissible
as it would be

from an individual
eavesdropping outside a window.

But not when
the electronic eavesdropping

involved an illegal trespass.

The trespass
that had to take place

when the equipment
was installed.

That equipment was installed,
Mr. Mason, by Vera Wynne,

and, therefore, does not involve
an illegal trespass.

And she admits as much
right here on this recording!

An unsworn, recorded voice not
subject to cross-examination.

Vera Wynne may have had
the right to put

the receiver and the recorder
in her desk,

but not the right
to have a transmitter placed

inside a phone belonging
to the phone company

and locked in the desk
of her employer.

Objection sustained.

When the Lieutenant said, uh,

Mr. Darrell would have
to go with him

to the police department,
Mr. Darrell made a phone call.

Now, nobody told him
to make that call.

In other words, it was voluntary
on his part, is that correct?

And he didn't ask
to be left in private

while he made the call, did he?

In other words, nobody could
conceivably accuse you

of trespassing simply because

you overheard
that phone conversation?

What?

To the best

of your recollection, Mr. Lewis,

what were the exact words
Mr. Darrell used on the phone?

LEWIS: "Mr. Mason,
this is Clyde Darrell.

"I need your help.

"The police are taking me
downtown.

I... I just k*lled somebody."

(crickets chirping,
garbled radio transmission)

(police radio beeps)

(garbled radio transmission)

Well, was the tip worth
our coming all the way out here?

The car drove went over the road
in the dark.

Plunged about feet down,

almost got lost in some trees
and bushes.

The driver was k*lled instantly.

Do they know when it happened?

DRAKE: Not for sure
till they do an autopsy,

but they guess
in the neighborhood of a week.

I assume
what brought us out here

is the identification
of the body.

DRAKE:
I got the tip

when they checked out
the car license,

but I wasn't sure,
so I didn't say anything.

But one of the policemen
who climbed down

to pull him up got a good look
and recognized him.

Glen Holman,
old Mr. Wiretap himself.

Paul, Della's at the office.

Call her for me,
would you, please?

Sure.

Operator, this is
PD-one-two-four-six.

I'd like to speak

with Madison Five,
one-one-nine-oh, please.

Beautiful, this is Paul.
Hold it a minute.

Perry wants to talk to you.

Della, I want to talk
to Ian Jarvis.

That's right, the stockbroker.

See if you can have him
in the office

by the time Paul and I return.

Give him this message exactly.

Tell him I know
an excellent defense attorney

who specializes in evasion
of income tax cases.

Income tax evasion, my eye!

Mason, I got a good mind to slap
a slander suit against you!

Then I suggest
you sue, Mr. Jarvis.

Unless they've changed the law,

truth is still a perfectly valid
defense to a charge of slander.

What truth?

Don't try running one
of your courtroom bluffs on me!

Archer Bryant canceled
his business arrangements

with your company
because you breached your trust.

Not nice, but hardly illegal.

And in case you want to know,

I also invested the $ ,
Vera Wynne sent me.

Still no crime.

And since I made both
investments within the month,

and since there's still
some time

before income tax reports
are due,

I'd say you're just
a little premature

in accusing me of any evasion!

And there were no other
investments before those--

other investments over a period
of, uh, oh, say, one full year?

Nonsense. Absolute nonsense,
and you know it!

I understand you're building
a $ million

high-rise office building
downtown.

(chuckling): Yeah, well,
don't tell me that's illegal.

Here, over your signature,

appended under oath
before a notary,

is a copy of the financial
statement you used

to set up
your construction loan.

Do those figures accurately
reflect your gross income

for the past few years?

Why... of course they do.

The, uh, brokers
in New York and Boston...

Mr. Drake's operatives have been
in touch with them.

Do your gross income figures

represent the amounts
they've paid you?

Paid you in the last year?

Paid you
for your personal account?

Mr. Jarvis.

When I put you on the stand,

you won't be able
to turn your back and walk away.

You'd better not put me
on that stand.

Because if you do,

I'll have to tell about the
last call Vera Wynne made to me,

made the night she was k*lled.

The call telling me not to put

half the profits
in Archer's account.

You see, she told me
she might have

some trouble with her "partner,”

and if she did, she wanted me to
put the money in his account...

in the account of Clyde Darrell.

Miss Bryant,
approximately a year ago,

after the death
of your mother and father,

you came to live
with your uncle, Archer Bryant.

And shortly thereafter,

you and an accountant
employed by your uncle

became interested in each other.

Isn't that correct?

We had a few dates,
nothing more.

Yes, but at that time,
your uncle, Archer Bryant,

who is also your legal guardian

and the trustee of the estate
your father left you,

did interfere, didn't he?

He... fired the man,

and refused to let me
see him anymore.

And in order to avoid
a repetition of this...

unpleasant occurrence,
when you became interested

in the defendant, Clyde Darrell,
and he in you,

wasn't it decided between you

that at least
for the time being your...

new relationship would
be kept surreptitious?

Objection, Your Honor.

Prosecutor's use of language
is prejudicial

and an expression
of Mr. Burger's opinion,

not the witness's testimony.

I certainly didn't mean
to characterize, Counselor.

"Surreptitious,” "clandestine"--
both words mean the same.

"Surreptitious” goes far beyond

the word "clandestine,”
Mr. Burger.

The word has connotations
of stealth, lack of authority,

and even fraud.

Objection sustained.

Miss Bryant...

were your frequent meetings
with the defendant

a matter of open knowledge, or--

not to characterize
the word in any way--

were they secret?

We've known each other
less than a month.

I saw no reason to create
any problems about Clyde's job

-because he was seeing me.
- Thank you.

Precisely and exactly,
if you please,

on the night Vera Wynne
was m*rder*d,

-did you see the defendant?
- Yes.

Can you tell us exactly where?

Just outside the back door.

Just outside?
Does that mean one foot,

two, three, six, ten feet
outside the door?

A few feet.

Two. Maybe three.

And why did he want to see you?

He did call, didn't he, and say
that he wanted to see you?

Yes, he called.

He wanted to know if Uncle
Archer knew about the two of us.

But he didn't like it, though.

He wanted to go right in
and tell him.

And while you were slipping out
the back door

to see the defendant,
where was Uncle Archer?

In the study, with Vera Wynne.

BURGER:
And meanwhile,

two or three feet
outside the back door,

after you had reassured
the defendant that your uncle

knew nothing
about the two of you,

exactly what happened?

Clyde kissed me.

And did he say anything to you
at that moment?

He told me that he loved me.

Vera told me,
most emphatically,

that she was in love
with Clyde Darrell.

And in this connection,
what did she seem to believe

about Clyde Darrell?

Oh, she also told me,
most emphatically,

that he was in love with her.

I see. Now, Mr. Bryant,

you finished the letters
you were dictating,

you talked to the decedent
for a few moments,

noting the strange pressures

with which she seemed
to be threatening you

in her effort to get you
to promote the defendant,

and then the decedent left.

- What happened then?
- Oh, I suppose it was

a minute or two after that--
after Vera left--

that I left the study
to go upstairs.

Well, when I stepped
into the hall... (chuckles)

Go on.

Well, I was surprised
to see Vera there.

You mean she hadn't left?

ARCHER:
No. Very strangely,

she was coming
from the back of the house.

From the back?

From the service porch, perhaps?

ARCHER: Yes. She walked
right straight past me

to the front door
and out of the house,

almost in a... a daze.

Almost as if she might have
heard something at the back door

and had been shocked by it?

MASON:
Objection.

BURGER: I withdraw
the question, Your Honor.

Mr. Bryant,
let's get back for a moment

to the $ , check.

Did you okay that check, sir?

Yes, I did.

Vera gave it to me
along with some other checks.

We were about to purchase
a considerable amount of stock

and we very often employ
large sums of cash,

so I saw nothing unusual,

particularly since
it was attached

to the usual justifying voucher

from our treasurer,
Elliot Forrest.

I did not prepare that check.

I did not prepare that voucher.

I had nothing to do
with the theft of $ ,

from the company.
Nothing.

Thank you, Mr. Forrest.

Your witness.

Mr. Forrest, in your experience,

was this the first instance
of a large sum of money

being missing from your company?

Well, the first real instance.

Real? Was there a prior shortage
that wasn't real?

Well, about a year ago, I was
preparing a financial statement

and found over $ , missing.

Well, naturally,
there was quite a fuss.

That is, until
Mr. Bryant discovered

it was all a bookkeeping error.

- MASON: Your error?
- Don't be ridiculous.

Uh, our then comptroller,
a man who was unfamiliar

with our methods,
it was his error,

although he denied it.

This comptroller...

was it by chance
the same gentleman

who was keeping company at that
time with Miss Nancy Bryant?

FORREST:
Not that I was aware of.

But Mr. Archer Bryant
did fire this man?

Yes. Because of the mistake
the man made.

Is it possible
there was no mistake?

That's ridiculous.

Is it possible the money
was actually stolen...

and later returned?

- What?
- Later returned.

Returned to balance the books,

so the thief
wouldn't go to prison.

FORREST:
I just told you.

The man made a mistake.

The man was fired.

Because of the mistake,

not because he
was seeing Miss Bryant?

It had nothing to do with her.

Your Honor...

I should like to recall
Miss Nancy Bryant to the stand.

I'd just moved in.

We hardly knew one another.

I didn't want to make an issue
out of disobeying my uncle.

Uncle Archer insisted that
the man was too old for me

and interested
in my money, not me.

Your father's estate--

a million dollars,
in other words--

to be turned over to you
in two months.

Yes.

Do you consider yourself a fool?

What?

MASON:
Do you consider yourself a fool?

NANCY:
No.

Do you love Clyde Darrell?

- Yes.
- Do you consider him a fool?

N... No!

Or a fortune hunter?

Well, that's ridiculous.

Quite ridiculous.

Now, why did you ask him
to trust you?

To wait, and not
let your uncle know

you were seeing one another?

Please, Mr. Mason, ...

Your uncle is
the only family you have.

Are you trying to protect him?

Five weeks ago,
just before your first date

with Clyde Darrell,

you went to your bank to check
on an item in your statement.

You were surprised, weren't you,

to learn from
one of the bank officers

that the bank was the depository
of your trust funds,

as well as your
private checking account?

Oh, I didn't know.

Uncle Archer handled
the trust and so...

You were even more surprised,
according to the bank officers,

to learn that a year ago
Archer Bryant withdrew $ ,

from your trust account
for investment purposes.

Did your uncle tell you
about that investment?

But he must have put it back.

What's the difference?

Every penny was put back.

The bank said
everything was all right.

That accountant
you had dated a few times,

he was fired at the same time
your uncle withdrew that money.

Did it dawn on you
that Clyde Darrell

was also an accountant,

also worked for the company,

also might be somebody
your uncle wouldn't want you

to become fond of?

Archer Bryant embezzled
to cover gambling losses,

then stole money
from your trust account

to cover his embezzlement
from the company.

Along with Ian Jarvis,
your uncle has continued

to breach his trust,

continued personally to profit

at the expense
of the stockholders

and board members
who put their faith

-in his integrity...
- That's enough!

Leave her alone!

Glen Holman used
a radio transmitter

to tap your phone.

Why?

So he, as well as Vera Wynne,
could record your phone calls?

And what did Holman record?

Not one, but two sets
of outgoing calls

from you that night.

One was your regular company
phone call ordering stocks.

Now, the second call,
what was it?

A call to Mr. Jarvis
to place your personal order

for the same stocks?

Was that what Holman recorded?

Did he come to you with
that incriminating recording?

Did he try to blackmail you?

$ , !

That's what he wanted.
$ , !

So you knocked him out...

drove his car to a secluded spot
on the cliffs near your home,

and pushed Glen Holman
to his death.

No, no, no, no!

We had a fight.

He... he knocked me
out of the car.

Then the car rolled
over the edge.

Don't you understand?
I didn't mean to k*ll him!

And Vera Wynne...
did you mean to k*ll her?

I came up the back way.

I took
the private elevator, see.

And she came, too,
and she started to scream.

She knew everything!
Everything!

She was mad, I tell you.

She was out of her mind!

She came at me, and I-I had
the telephone in my hand.

Well, I.

It was an accident!

An accident?

Is that why you wore gloves
when you picked up the phone?

The phone wasn't wiped clean.

Clyde's fingerprints were on it,
but not yours.

Ian Jarvis and Archer Bryant,
partners in crime.

That's hard to believe.

You know, Paul, you and I
were in this room right here

-when Jarvis was kicked out.
- Sure.

You'd uncovered their little
game and I'd found the proof.

Archer had to light into Jarvis,
and Jarvis had to take it.

There was nothing they could do
but put on an act.

Mr. Mason, in court, if
Uncle Archer had made two calls,

wouldn't the wire recording
have had the second call

to Mr. Jarvis?

Why didn't you let them play it?

Well, that was our problem.

It didn't have either call.

Only a record of Clyde's
argument with Vera.

Burger played it for me
beforehand

to try to persuade me
into letting it be admitted.

Obviously, Vera was too smart

to leave all
of that recording around.

She probably, and logically,
cut off the earlier part--

the part with Archer's calls--
and then hid it.

Why did she pick on me?

Vera was a kingmaker.

She couldn't just fall in love
with an ordinary man.

It had to be a man
and a financial future

all rolled up into one--
a man like you.

Vera... Holman and my
charming and frightened uncle,

running on a treadmill
to nowhere.

Such a futile waste!

Why, Mr. Mason?

The answer was given
a long time ago, Nancy.

Answer a fool according
to his own folly.

(theme song playing)