08x27 - The Case of the Duplicate Case

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

Seven, please.

Um... sorry, those
are the executive offices.

It's all right.
I have an appointment.

(sighs)

WOMAN:
Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Yes, Mr. Dudley.

But Millie's not
in her office right now.

Perhaps she may be
in a conference with Mr. Blair.

Or perhaps Mr. Hill.

Yes, of course, sir.

Excuse me, but when you find
Mrs. Cornwall,

-would you tell her, please...?
-(phone ringing)

One moment, please.

Won't you please sit down?

Everyone seems to be looking
for Millie at the moment, but...

Well, there's going
to be an audit, and...

she has a great deal of work.

Millie's a very busy girl!

Millie.

Aren't you afraid
someone might walk in?

Millie, there are times.

This is it for me.

I... I-I must let you know
how I feel.

I do appreciate your feelings,
Mr. Hill,

and of course,
I'm dreadfully flattered.

Stand still.

I've... I've wanted to do this
for so long.

But we must control ourselves,
don't you think?

Control. You wouldn't say that
if you felt anything for me.

Well, I've always been
somewhat attracted to you,

I'll admit that.

Is there someone else,
is that it?

Of course not.

I simply wouldn't want to spoil
our working relationship.

(phone ringing)

You'd better answer that,
hadn't you?

Suppose it's Mr. Dudley.

Quiet waters getting
a little churned up, huh?

It's a tidal wave.

And you, of course,

were completely swept away
by it, hmm?

Well, there are waves...

and there are waves.

And little ripples.

Miss Dahlbet,
haven't you found her yet?

I was just calling.

I think Millie's gone back
to her own office, Mr. Dudley.

At least, according to Mr. Hill.

You should...

Uh, it's a fine report,
Mrs. Cornwall, just fine.

- Thank you.
- Oh, hello, sir.

I was just leaving.

I, um... I've been waiting
for you, Millie.

Well, I'm right here
now, Mr. Dudley.

Um...

in, uh, my office,

if you don't mind.

Shall I bring the breakdown
on the accounts payable?

No, no, no, not yet.

Uh... I, um...

I just need you to, uh,
help me pick out some neckties.

Uh...

(laughs)

Quick as you can, huh?

(sighs)

Oh, Millie, darling?

Shall I ask him
to wait in your office?

Who?

Why, your husband, naturally.

Who else?

Hi, hon. I was just
dumping my sample case in here.

Never mind, Herbie.

How much do you need now?

Well, it's not
that I'm short. I just...

I just want the ten bucks

you took out of my wallet
this morning, that's all.

I told you I needed film
for my new camera, didn't I?

No.

And you didn't tell me yesterday

when you bought a fancy
close-up lens

and charged it to my name,
either.

"For photographing flowers,"
the man said.

(Millie laughs)

Uh, well, a girl has
to have some sort of a hobby

when she has you for a husband.

Here.

If you must live on my salary.

Honey, it's just that I...

Look, I-I've had it for today.

I thought maybe
we could skip the fighting.

Hey, may-may... maybe I could
buy us a couple of steaks,

and we could open a bottle of...

Don't bother cooking anything
for me tonight, Herbie.

I have to work late.

Okay.

Sweetheart.

I'm sorry.

It's just that Mr. Dudley
decided on a mid-term audit,

starting Monday,
so that means that...

Can't you just, uh...?

Can't...?

Of course I can.

Just like that,

and all weekend, too.

So why don't you go out
and have supper somewhere?

Maybe have a few drinks
with the boys.

And then...

Okay, hon?

We'll work something out.

Why don't you come in
and see me next week?

Uh, excuse me, Mr. Dudley. I...

Well, hello there, Herbie.
It's good to see you.

I wonder if my wife spoke to you
about my, uh...

my merchandising idea.

She said that she would, uh,
sound you out, and, uh...

I'm in kind of a hurry,
right now, I'm afraid, Herbie.

Uh, mind if we make it
later on? Okay?

You just picked a bad time

to come around, Mr. Cornwall,
that's all.

Well, I had a couple of minutes
to spare.

I thought I'd drop in
and explain to Millie

why I wouldn't be home tonight.

I've got a big sales meeting
coming up, and...

So you're really
knocking them dead.

That's wonderful.

What is it you're selling now?

Arch supports.

Miss Dahlbet,
the world is full of bad feet,

and I've got 'em all eating out
of the palm of my hand.

(Herbie laughs)

(man laughs)

So then
I told this store manager,

while he was stooping over
to pick up his toupee...

Oh, Herbie.
Herbie, listen to my story!

Sorry, Charlie.

What's the matter
with you, anyway?

So maybe you didn't close
a million orders today.

I'll cover for you, don't worry.

It's not just that.

att*ck is what
you need to learn.

Charge in, hit 'em first,
hit 'em hard!

Yeah, sure.

Uh, duster-- that's the word.

Now, first
you throw that duster ball!

(whistles)

Uh-huh. I've seen you do it!

Oh, brother, that last game you
pitched in the triple-A league.

Look, Charlie, forget
about the baseball, okay?

Now, Herbie, you listen to me.

Getting that cracked elbow
was the luckiest thing

that ever happened to you.

Oh, sure, sure, a guy could be
a big horsehide hero

for a few years, maybe,

but the real world is business!

And what's the most important
thing there? Selling.

Does a farmer
make people want things?

Does he make the things
he makes people want?

Does he... does he sell
the things he's made

that he's made people think
they can't do without?

What's got into you anyway?

I'll tell you what.

Oh.

I used to be too chicken,
but not anymore.

I can't tell you
the details yet,

but, um, Herbie, I'm on my way.

Where?

The point is, you got to make
your chance and then grab!

Grab hard, I tell you!

And don't be afraid who yells!

Grab, and you'll get!

Yeah. Yeah.

Like I have this great idea
to get Bolton's--

this place where my wife works--

to put in our line there.

I even talked to 'em about it.

Kushy-Walky Arch Supports

in a high-fashion joint
like Bolton's?

Sure, Charlie.
Think of the commissions!

All you've got to do,
my wife says,

is snow a few people.

Con, Charlie. Break arms.

Herbie, you quit laughing
at yourself.

Maybe it's not a crazy idea.

Oh, Herbie, people listen to you

because they used
to see your name

right there in the sports page.

Well, now you got to pitch,
I tell you!

Maybe you could...

Charlie.

Charlie, I am just not cut out
for business.

Oh, yes, you are. Yes, you are.
We all are!

You just haven't
had your chance yet!

But when you do, boy,
grab, I tell you!

Grab and run!

What happened
to you today anyway?

Oh, boy, will you find out.

Here, Charlie, let me.

Thanks.

Excuse me.

There you go, Charlie.

- CHARLIE: There you go, Fred.
- FRED: Thank you.

See you, Herbie.

Come, I still got
to check the office yet.

Say, isn't that, uh...?

What? Come on, let's go.

What are you waiting for?

Nothing, pal.
Mistaken identity.

(sighs)

(thudding)

♪♪

♪♪

Hi, Herbie.

What's wrong?

When you talked
about grabbing a chance...

grabbing and running...

(laughs) Relax, kid,
I was just sounding off.

Big salesman.

But you said you'd done it.

You acted funny.
You were on your way, you said.

Oh, gosh, that's all just gas.

But, Charlie,

I've seen you mixing up
sales reports.

I've seen you cheating
other guys.

For business, that's all.

Herbie, when are
you gonna learn?

But you said you'd done it.
Done what?!

Well, don't make a spitball
out of me

for wanting to keep a secret!

Starting next week, I'm gonna be
sales manager here.

That's what I was talking about.

- That's all?
- All?

Buddy, if you knew
the conniving, the...

Well, what's the matter?

Want to turn in your samples?

You can't stand to work
under me?

(sighs)

Sure, Charlie. I mean...

that's great.

Hey, of course it's great!

And for you, too!

I got a lot of faith
in you, Herbie.

I'm gonna take
a special interest in your case.

My case?

Then you didn't lose yours?

That's yours over there?

Well, of course that's my case.

Here, I'll give you a present.

bucks-worth of free samples!

Hey, well, take 'em. Take "em.

I don't need 'em anymore.

(sighs)

It's just that I thought
maybe, uh...

Aw, Herbie.

I know how upset you are
about your wife.

I know and I understand and...

w-well, get some rest.

Wife.

-(phone rings)
- That's it.

My wife.

Hello.

Yeah, well, yeah, hi, Bill.

Uh...

Yeah, I got 'em.

So long, Charlie. I'll see you.

CHARLIE:
Herbie?

Herbie!

- Oh, hi, Paul. Excuse me...
- No, you don't.

Necessity is the mother
of intervention.

What?

You are just in time
to intervene

between me and my tired feet.

Boy, what a day.

- Oh, well, Paul...
- And sweet revenge

on the guy who said he's never
had tired feet in his life.

Tired feet?

Herbie, if those things work,
I'll nominate you for heaven.

Oh, you mean...

the, uh, arch supports.

Well, that's a case
full of samples, isn't it?

Uh, no. The...

- Uh, n-not exactly.
- Come on, Herbie, have a drink.

You know, I heard a great
baseball story the other day.

Wait a second--
I got to find some glasses.

Uh, look, Paul, never mind.

I'm in a...
I'm in a bit of a hurry.

Uh, Millie's waiting for me.

Here, here are your supports.

I'll see you some other time.

Buddy, can you tell us...

Can't you see where you're...

- Oh, Mr. Cornwall... -What
happened? Was anybody hurt?

It was awful.
I-I was nearly overcome.

Everyone had gone
to dinner and...

I was left alone and then...

I smelled smoke
from Millie's office.

M-Millie's? Is she all right?

I don't know. I'm not sure.

I don't even know where she is.

Of course, we won't know
for sure

until a proper inventory
is made.

Well, it's a shambles!
A complete holocaust!

I'm afraid leaving the books out
on the desk,

-I take full responsibility, sir.
-And so you should!

I-It was my negligence. If I'd
only put them in the safe!

- Mr. Dudley.
- Oh, Herbie.

Have you seen Millie?

The policeman brought me up here
so I could look for her.

Uh, uh, just a moment, Herbie.

Uh, start checking to see
what's missing

as soon as the firemen
are finished.

Round up Blair and the others.

Wh...
(sighs)

Where is she?

Uh...

she's, uh, perfectly all right.

Uh, yes, Millie wasn't even here
when it happened.

She, um, uh, complained
of a headache after dinner,

asked to be excused,

so I sent her home.

Uh, see what records
have been destroyed, and, um,

and check the cash-- I want
a complete inventory made.

Uh, Mr. Dudley.

You, uh... you think there may
be money missing?

Money? Who can tell yet?

Look at the records!

Deposit slips, cash receipts.

Look. Everything!

Yeah, I'm looking.

(crickets chirping)

Mill, are you home?

Have you, uh, had your dinner
yet? I'm starved.

(sighs)
So why don't you go out and eat?

You expect me to work all day
and then...

come home and feed you?

Why don't you go out with me?
I've, uh...

got a couple of bucks to burn.

Kind of a windfall tonight,

something completely unexpected.

Oh, sure.

You finally made a big deal.

Well, what are
you working on now?

Advances on next year's
commissions, maybe?

Let's just say I stumbled
onto something hot.

Look, lover, I'm in no mood
for chitchat,

-so if you don't mind...
-(phone rings)

I'll get it.

Hello?

-(quietly): No...
- (footsteps)

No, he came home.

What's that?

Arch supports!

You mean you've got
Herbie's case?

(sighs)

Looking for something?

No!

I, uh...

I just, um...

Supper. You said something
about supper.

Who was on the phone?

No one. It was just a wrong
number, that's all.

Male or female wrong number?

(chuckles)
Herbie...

Old love letters.

Maybe that's what
you're looking for.

Maybe you're looking
for some of my idiotic

old love letters.

Oh, Herbie, I'm not very nice
to you, am I?

- And we used to love
each other so much. - Sure.

Sure.

MILLIE: I used to get so excited
at baseball games, remember?

You were a hero to me.

To all the girls.

Maybe I still could be.

Yes.

That's what I mean.

Herbie.

Why are we so horrible
to one another?

If we could
just get away someplace.

Just you and I.

You think that's the answer?

Well... couldn't it be?

Herbie.

I wouldn't ever look
at another man

if you'd just be strong and...

And grab and run?

Is that what you'd like me
to do? Grab and run?

It's you I love, Herbie.

You and me
and the sample case.

Well, you did bring it,
didn't you?

Darling, we've got to hurry.

There's no time.

Herbie! Haven't you got it?!

(gasps)

(gasps)

I belted her.

Yeah, you said that.

Know what I think about a guy
who'd hit a woman?

You said that, too.

Look, uh, why don't
you take it easy?

There's only one other kind
of guy worse, I guess.

That's a guy who'd let things
grow into such a mess...

that he has to turn in
his own wife.

Look, that's the third one
you've had in minutes.

- Now, if you'll just... -Look,
will you just leave me be?

I need this!

Boy, are you hard to find.

- Oh, Paul, uh...
- I've spent half the night

tracking you down.

Well, look, I'm sorry. Uh...

Paul, there's something
I've got to do.

Now, I'm waiting for somebody,
so if you'll excuse me...

Well, whatever you're planning,

you can do it better with this,
can't you?

What's that?

The bucks you dropped
in my office.

The what?

Well, I thought you might
need it for the weekend.

Of course, if you're so loaded
with money you don't notice it

-when you lose... -I'll notice
that, if you don't mind.

- Now, look, friend...
- You're Paul Drake, aren't you?

Now, just sit quietly, please.

- It's Mr. Cornwall's, too...
- Uh, no, th...

- Didn't Charlie explain?
- Herbie, Herbie, what is this?

- What's happened?
- Paul, they're policemen.

Please get out of here.

I called Charlie
because he knows somebody

down at headquarters
who'll handle

this whole thing quietly.

CHARLIE:
Shut up, kid!

Now, don't tell anything.

The minute I walk
into headquarters,

the minute I said your name,
I got grabbed.

- Herbie, they say...
- Now, hold it there.

We're not robbery.

Homicide. Your wife is dead.

What... Was-was that...?

Millie Cornwall.

Oh, good heavens.

Step right in, Mr., uh...?

(sighs)
Blair. Burt Blair.

Herbie.

- What happened?
- Now, just a minute, Mr. Blair.

What's your connection
with the deceased?

Burt's an executive down
at Bolton's Department Store

where Millie works.

Worked.

I, uh, came over
to pick Millie up.

We had a little trouble
at the office.

You speak to her
on the telephone?

No, I tried,
but there was no answer.

Millie took some money
from the company.

She did what?

Millie?

Mr. Blair,

have you ever seen this before?

Oh, well, uh...

Herbie, this is...

It's your briefcase, isn't it?

No.

That's not mine.
I have one just like it.

Herbie.

You're gonna hang yourself.

Please, not one more word
till I make that call.

(dialing)

(sighs)

(phone rings)

Hello.

No, I was just on my way out.

What's the problem, Paul?

Harry. I've got a guy here
in an awful jam.

Remember Herbie Cornwall,

salesman for the arch support
company in our building?

The ex-ball player?

Vaguely.

Why? What's he done?

Well, it looks like
he m*rder*d his wife.

No, no, it's just impossible
to say where the money came from

until the audit is complete.

There was $ ,
in that sample case.

I know, I know. Now,
if you'll excuse me, Mr. Mason?

But how could
such a large amount

-have come from this office?
- As we explained to the police,

the store's cash receipts
are normally handled downstairs,

and from there,
straight to the bank.

But we're redesigning
down there--

additional computers,
newer-type safe--

so for two weeks now
we've kept the reserve

here in this office
in order to take...

And the records
on that cash was b*rned?

Along with other
company books, yes.

A very convenient fire.

Why? Just makes it
a worse mess, that's all.

We won't know the details
of Millie's theft

until we've run
a complete audit.

- Millie's theft, you say?
- Oh, I don't know whether

she took it or not, but some
money is definitely missing.

Now, Millie was
my only assistant

who had access to the safe.

She's bonded, of course.

Perhaps you can tell me

why you were going
to Mrs. Cornwall's home

less than half an hour
before her body was discovered.

I... I never entered
that house, Mr. Mason.

After ringing the bell a few
times with no answer, I left.

Did, uh, your informant,
whoever it is, tell you that?

It was a private investigator,
Mr. Paul Drake,

who was looking
for Millie's husband.

He also received no answer
and so he left.

But he identified you

as the man driving up
just as he was leaving.

Well... that corroborates
what I've just said.

That doesn't explain why you
were there in the first place.

As my chief assistant,
Millie was needed here

because of emergency
created by the fire, obviously.

A phone call would
have served the purpose.

But, of course, telephone calls
are never as personal.

Mr. Mason...

I am not the member
of this organization

who had a personal
interest in Millie.

(chuckles): But I'm
a married man, Mr. Mason.

In my legal experience,
I've found that fact

to be little or no deterrent
to the behavior of some people.

Think what you will,

my interest in Millie
was purely business.

In accounting, you know, she
happened to be quite brilliant.

And you're in the habit

of inviting
your most brilliant employees

out for cocktails and supper?

I make it a duty
to keep my finger

on the, uh, pulse
of my organization.

MASON: So the only subject
under discussion that night

-was... -The upcoming
audit of the books.

You mean a financial audit
was planned

even before the fire happened?

That's why I had
the whole staff working late.

Who else knew about this?

Everyone.

Strange thing to do--

steal...

when you had prior knowledge
that an audit was coming up.

But Herbie Cornwall
wouldn't have known that.

Now, don't forget,
he was in Millie's office alone

with the safe open
late that afternoon.

He obviously had the money
in his case when he left.

Oh, I know what
you're going to say--

it's exactly like
the one Herbie has.

But if you'll notice
the lock, the handle,

and to say nothing at all
of my initials on it.

What I do notice is that
it's brand-new, Mr. Blair.

Oh, no. No, no. I, uh,
I bought it a few weeks ago.

- What about your old one?
- It was stolen.

You know, my investigator
tells me that you and Millie...

Lieutenant Anderson believes it;
now, why pick on me, Mr. Mason?

The woods were full of fish.

It would help if you
didn't b*at around those woods.

Al right.

Look, it was no secret
that Millie's marriage

wasn't a happy one.

I lent a sympathetic ear.

But no more than that.

Millie Cornwall
was packing to leave

the night she was m*rder*d.

Let's assume she
wasn't planning to go alone.

So what? Poor Herbie would
have done anything for her--

even steal.

But that doesn't mean

that she wouldn't have
double-crossed him,

two-timed him.

Or wouldn't have
double-crossed you

or two-timed you
or any other man.

- Look, I had nothing
to do with it. -(phone rings)

Hello?

Uh, yes, just a minute.

It's for you.

Thank you.

Hello?

Perry, I'm down
at police headquarters and...

Why, Paul?
I asked you to check...

I know, but they've already
turned up an airline reservation

for a weekend flight
to San Francisco.

Millie Cornwall
made the reservation,

and it's for two people,
not one, but...

Two people, huh?

Well, if you can find out
who that other person was...

Perry...

Andy doesn't care who
that extra ticket's for.

It's Herbie they're charging
with first-degree m*rder.

Uh, do you mean
did Herbie earn enough

to support himself and his wife?

Yes.

CHARLIE:
Well, maybe not.

Um, but the parent company
had big hopes for him,

just like I did.

Uh... his name as a ballplayer
was still important to people.

It got his foot in the door.

You were instructed
by this court, Mr. Parks,

as an unfriendly witness,

to give me simple,
direct answers to my questions.

Now, was the defendant

successful in business
or was he not?

He wasn't doing
so good, I guess.

And did he habitually quarrel
with his wife

about that lack of success
in business or did he not?

But that's
the same question, really.

Now, see...
she married him just when

he was in the chips, just
about to be sold to the majors.

Big sports hero
and all that stuff.

Now, it wasn't his fault that
they blew his money so fast.

Yes, that's enough
on that subject, Mr. Parks.

Do you recognize this case?

(Charlie laughs softly)

The town's
full of cases like that.

In fact, I got one
just like it myself.

Do you know who owns this case
or one exactly like it?

I guess I'll have to say...

Herbie Cornwall.

Yes, I saw him
twice that evening.

BURGER:
Tell us about the first time.

Well, it was late
in the afternoon, actually.

But we were going to work
late that night, too.

He was there...

perhaps an hour before we
all left on a dinner break.

Now, do you know
who the defendant

came to the office to see?

DAHLBET: His wife-- he went
into her office and stayed...

maybe ten minutes.

And do you recognize this case?

I can't be positive,
but it certainly looks like

the one Mr. Cornwall
was carrying.

Well, tell me this,
was Mr. Cornwall carrying it

-when he came in
and when he left? -Yes.

But when he came back
two or three hours later--

after the fire...

he didn't have it.

BURGER: Do you know, then,
why he came back at that time?

He was looking
for his wife, he said.

But she wasn't there.

And would you describe
his appearance, please?

He was as white as a sheet.

Angry...

shaking, almost.

He was looking for Millie.

That's all he'd tell me.

Uh, it, uh, was late
that afternoon.

There were some reports
to be done.

I started to go
into Millie's office,

-but stopped myself in time.
- What do you mean by that?

They were having
a disagreement of some kind,

Millie and her husband-- it
had something to do with money.

Were you able to see
if the safe in that office

was open or closed at that time?

It was still unlocked.

Well, then anyone
could have come in

and taken the money,
couldn't they?

No, no, no, no. No, not
without Millie or I having seen.

Well, Millie could have
taken it, and her husband

could have carried it
out of the office.

Objection, Your Honor.
The question is leading

-and suggestive.
- Sustained.

No further questions.

Mr. Hill, this, uh...

disagreement you
overheard about money,

now, could that have been money

she, uh, had spent
on camera equipment?

Camera equipment?

Oh, surely you were aware
that Millie Cornwall

had recently taken a great
interest in photography.

HILL: Oh, well, I wouldn't
know anything about that.

You do know it's
an expensive hobby, don't you?

So the money that caused the
disagreement you overheard...

Oh, I-l see what you mean now.

The money!

No, no, Mr. Mason.

No, I don't know precisely
what money they spoke of.

Thank you, Mr. Hill,
for clearing up

the prosecutor's innuendo.

And you say it was just
shortly after her husband left

that you took
Mrs. Cornwall to dinner?

Yes.

But, um, I think I'd better
explain the circumstances first.

Millie complained
of a headache, you see.

But she was still willing

to go to cocktails
and dinner with you?

I'm afraid, Mr. Burger,
that I pressed the issue.

I thought it might have
been caused by her dieting--

she was always
on some sort of a diet--

so I thought
a little drink and some food

might make her feel better.

It, uh, didn't seem to help,
so I finally let her go home.

Why, you sound to me,
Mr. Dudley,

as if you take a very personal
interest in your employees.

I pride myself that I do.

Then perhaps you can tell us,

from your own
personal knowledge,

what Millie Cornwall's attitude
toward her husband was.

Well, she, um,

she complained about
her husband's not making

anywhere near enough.

That it was really she
who supported him.

She talked about leaving him.

And what time
did she finally leave you?

Millie left me for home

just after : .

Well, the coroner
has already testified

that the approximate
time of death

was in the vicinity of : .

Lieutenant, did you find
anything in that apartment

to explain what Mrs. Cornwall
might have been doing

during the
hour-and-a-half interval

we have now established?

Well, there was a packed
suitcase in the bedroom.

What did it contain?

Oh, a couple of dresses,

lingerie, some costume jewelry.

Uh, do you recognize this,
Lieutenant?

Yes, it's one of the items

we found
in Mrs. Cornwall's suitcase.

Would you describe its contents
to the court, please?

Well, inside are two
round-trip airline tickets

for a flight to San Francisco.

BURGER: Now, did the police
make any attempt to discover

the purpose of this proposed
flight to San Francisco?

ANDERSON: Well, we started
a thorough investigation

-in that city, yes.
- With what result?

Well, it was found
that Mrs. Cornwall,

or a woman answering
her description,

rented an apartment
in San Francisco

using a fictitious name
just ten days ago.

Do you recognize
this case, Lieutenant?

Yes, it's the case the defendant
had in his possession

when he was taken into custody.

Uh, that's my mark there.

And would you tell us, please,
what that case contained

at the time you
arrested the defendant?

ANDERSON:
$ , in cash.

BURGER: And now would you
describe for us, please,

the conditions that you found
inside the Cornwall's apartment

when you finally gained
entrance to it.

Well, the living room
was a mess.

Obviously, there
had been a struggle.

The anonymous neighbor
who had summoned us earlier

had complained of hearing
loud voices and a scream.

From the coroner's testimony,
we know that the decedent

had been struck
about the head...

and then strangled until dead.

He'd been in the place
earlier that evening.

Uh, the second time
it was about, uh...

: , just after she was k*lled.

- MASON: Objection.
- BURGER: Oh, would you mind

rephrasing your answer
for us, please, sir,

restricting yourself to only
those things you're sure of?

Well, look, who knows
anything for sure?

You see, I'm on my feet
all night,

and those hours
go by like years.

Oh, all right, all right.

It could've been
a quarter after : ,

it could've been
a quarter to : .

Somewhere in there.

Now, will you describe
the voice and the appearance

of the defendant when he came
into your bar that second time?

You see, when Mr. Cornwall
called his friend--

his friend there--
to get the cops,

I actually didn't hear anything,

you see?

It was more, uh,
his looks that told it.

Told what?

Well, that he was nervous
and aggravated.

You know, like he always was

when he'd had a beef
with his missus.

Didn't he say anything
to you at all?

Just that he belted his wife.

And he said
it was the first time

he'd ever done it in his life.

Yeah, he said he
belted her pretty good.

He said he
couldn't help himself.

He said...

"That's the end of Millie.”

Your witness.

Now, a moment ago,
you spoke of the decedent,

Millie Cornwall...

coming into your bar
earlier that same evening.

Can you describe the man
who was with her?

Well, I just said that.

Uh, it was him,
sitting right over there.

I didn't know his name
at the time,

but it was her boss, all right.

MASON: His appearance--
what was he wearing?

BARTENDER:
Search me.

Well, did he carry
a hat, for instance?

- Don't know.
- A coat?

I just said,
I don't know. You...

And you can't tell us
whether or not Mr. Dudley

had a dispatch case,
or a briefcase?

A sample case, perhaps,
one just like the defendant's?

But you...

search me.

Well, I can most certainly swear

that I did not have
any such thing.

If you're trying to suggest

that I might have stolen
from my own company...

Mr. Dudley, I only asked

that you be returned
to the stand

so we could find out
where that money did come from.

From our safe, obviously.

As soon as the audit
is complete...

And when will that be?

DUDLEY:
Another day or two, perhaps.

We're trying to reconstruct
the b*rned books

as best we can.

If the police laboratories

loaned you additional
technicians,

is it possible...

Now just a moment.

Your Honor, at this hearing,

the Prosecution is not concerned

whether the defendant
actually stole the money,

or whether his wife stole it.

Our only contention here

is that that money caused
a fight between man and wife,

and during that fight
the man m*rder*d his wife.

Defense is only asking one
question, Your Honor.

Why can't we hear the results
of a simple audit?

Right here, right now?

What's your answer to that,
Mr. Dudley?

Well, simply
that even with more help,

to get even preliminary figures

might take more
than half the night.

That's good enough
for my curiosity.

Mr. Mason, I'll grant you
one more question.

We request recess
until : a.m. tomorrow.

- Your Honor...
- Granted. Court adjourned.

I don't understand it.

Go over that last column again.

There's no mistakes, sir.

Well, maybe she made some
changes in the books.

Maybe she set fire to them.

No, sir, it's my handwriting.
I know it is.

No sign of forgery on any
of the sheets we checked.

Thank you.

All right,
somebody say something.

If you've found an answer,
let's have it.

There's absolutely
nothing wrong.

Not one penny missing.

I don't believe that.

If she didn't get the money
here, where did she get it?

BURGER: That's our problem,
Mr. Blair.

I think we'll
be able to handle it.

Well, that's it everyone.
Thank you.

I'm sorry that you
had to lose all this sleep...

for nothing.

Perry, as far
as your client's concerned,

I'm afraid
that's what it is, nothing.

With all the physical evidence
against him, I...

have no choice except to have
him bound over for trial.

And I don't think it's gonna
make any difference if

it turns out later that he
got the money by robbing a bank

or if she got it by winning
it at the racetrack.

Or even if she ran off
with another...

I know, I know, Hamilton.

Sorry I kept you up so late.

Well, I guess
I'm just as concerned

and as puzzled as you are.

(phone rings)

Hello?

Uh, Mr. Mason...

it's for you.

Oh, thank you.

Maybe I'll be brighter
in the morning, Hamilton.

Al right.

Hello.

Oh, yes.

Uh, it's, it's Paul, Hamilton.
Good night.

Good night, Perry.
Night.

Yes, Paul.

No, no.

But...

The what?

Acme Photo Shop?

When was it developed?

You mean they mailed
the film back to her?

Yes, yes, right away.

Mr. Dudley, is there another
phone I could use?

In there, perhaps?

Yes, yes, help yourself.

Hello, Della.

Yes, I know it's late,

but would you see if you can
locate Bill Jensen?

That's right, the federal judge.

Well, apologize, then.

But I need him, now.
I've got to get into a mailbox.

I, I didn't open the mailbox.

I didn't actually get it open.

I only asked you
to tell the Court

what it was you expected to find

in Millie Cornwall's mailbox.

Well, that film, naturally.

The developed film
from the camera shop.

Mr. Hill, it's disturbed me

that a person
like Millie Cornwall

should have shown
such a sudden interest

in a hobby like photography.

It must have disturbed you
a great deal more.

No.

I'm warning you, Mr. Hill,
the penalty for perjury...

I mean, no, no
it didn't disturb me

at the time.

I just never did catch on
to what she was doing.

And what was that?

She took photographs

of pages

of our final books.

Ones that I...

personally made entries in.

Mr. Hill,
the District Attorney has

already suggested you'd do best

to throw yourself
on the Court's mercy.

Now did you start that fire
in the office?

Yes.

I went out to dinner
and then I...

sneaked back into the office,
up the back way...

- Yes, I started that fire.
- MASON: Why?

HILL: Well, to burn the books,
of course.

Unfortunately, I, I was so upset

I didn't do
a very good job of it.

MASON:
You were upset?

HILL:
The first thing that morning,

I had replaced certain pages
in our books

with other pages
which I'd been preparing.

But not showing
the same entries.

You were embezzling,
in other words?

No, no I did not embezzle.

I, I only

prepared to embezzle.

Then why didn't you
complete your scheme?

It was a period when there
was excess cash in the safe,

as we've explained.

I was preparing to, uh...

remove $ , of that cash

with, uh...

without it being discovered.

Well, apparently Millie
knew all along

what I was planning.

The cupboard was bare.

What do you mean by that?

HILL: When I sneaked back
into the office, I...

opened the safe to, uh,

take out the money
which I'd set aside.

I found a...

note there instead from Millie.

She said, uh,

"Thanks for the windfall.

"I've taken some

"lovely pictures of the books

"as they used to be.

"So I know you won't, uh,

"ever say anything nasty
about me.

Not ever, to anyone.”

MASON:
So she took the money,

but you'd
already prepared the books.

Prepared the books
so they'd balance.

Now why did you start the fire?

Well, you didn't think
I was going to let her

get away with it, did you?

Be at the mercy forever
of a creature like that?

She could have come in
Monday morning and...

and just laughed at me.

So you went after her,
is that it?

No. No, I didn't k*ll her.

I never got in.
I couldn't find her.

Your Honor,

why should I incriminate myself
like this

unless I'm innocent of m*rder.

Ask him.

He was the one who had a date
for this weekend with her.

Ask Blair.

All right, yes, maybe I did plan
to go to San Francisco with her,

but I didn't k*ll her. Honestly.

And I didn't know
anything about that money.

You didn't?

In whose briefcase
was the money found?

Well, it...
Well, you see...

Answer the question, Mr. Blair.

Whose briefcase?

BLAIR: Now, just a minute.
Will you just listen to me?

The day before,
I called Millie and told her

I didn't think I could go
on the weekend with her.

There was so much work
I needed to catch up on.

But she talked me in to it.

She did. She even promised
to help me.

She said she'd
pack my briefcase for me.

You mean, she was going to make
you carry the money for her?

Yes, I guess so.

The first time I knew
anything was wrong

was when I was at my place
packing a bag.

I wanted to get something
out of the briefcase.

I noticed it wasn't even locked.

There was nothing in it
but arch supports.

Then you're the person
who telephoned to Millie?

Now, regarding what?

Well, it was obvious
that Herbie and I

had mixed up our briefcases.

When I called,

I was laughing about it.

Did Millie think
it was funny, too?

No, she didn't.

When she heard me,
she got upset and hung up on me.

Why didn't you report
any of this?

Well, it's not because
I'm a m*rder*r.

I..

I just didn't want my boss

to find out about it,
that's all.

MASON:
You mean, Mr. Dudley?

Yeah.

Why didn't you
want him to find out?

I'm sorry, sir...

Because he was
dating Millie, too,

and I didn't want him
to find out.

Mr. Dudley...

did you find out?

Did you go over
to Millie's house and...

No, that's a lie!

I didn't do it!

Of course you didn't.
Did he, Charlie?

Herbie phoned me
from the bar, yes.

He knew I've got friends
in the police department.

MASON: And then Herbie
waited in that bar

for you to bring
one of those friends by,

so Herbie could turn in
the money,

and his wife as nicely
as possible.

Mm-hmm.

But you didn't go straight
to the police, did you?

First you stopped to see Millie.

Well, no.

No, why would I do that?

Charlie...

no one else who knew
what had happened.

Knew that Herbie
had fought with his wife

because she was a thief
and a two-timer.

Oh, yes, somebody else did know.

Uh, Mr. Hill.

He knew. He knew about
everything in the office.

At least, and he could have...

Would Mr. Hill have k*lled her
without getting his money back?

You, uh,

you found out I was with her
in San Francisco

the weekend before,
didn't you?

No, Charlie, no.

But I did wonder why you
were so friendly and patient

with a man who was obviously
no salesman.

-I did wonder why...
- Oh, skip it! Skip everything!

I had to see her before you
talked to the cops.

Don't you understand, Herbie?

If she'd mentioned my name,

you might have k*lled me.

But she just laughed at me, too.

She was no good.

Well, she was going off
to San Francisco with...

with, uh...

She's no good, I tell you.

I shut my eyes to everything.

I mean, I knew Charlie
was a heel

who cheated everybody else...

I'll bet he's even cheating
on his own confession.

If you want my guess,
old Charlie

was trying to talk Millie into
getting the money back from you

-and then the two of them
would've...-Paul.

That's just an opinion
and I want the facts.

Like how on earth, you, Perry,

figured out all that business
about the film,

and then sent Paul
to the right camera store

where she had had it developed.

There was no camera store,
beautiful.

I opened the mailbox
as soon as I got home.

There was nothing inside.

But if Millie took pictures...

MASON: I doubt if Millie ever
took a picture in her life.

Right, Herbie?
The camera was just a stunt

so that her note
in the safe would be

believed by Mr. Hill.

So Perry added up two and two

and came up
with a stunt of his own.

Well, of all the...

HERBIE: Well, now wait a minute,
Miss Street.

You must have known
about that stunt.

Didn't Mr. Mason telephone you
to get a federal court order?

What? When?

Well, it was pretty late
at night, Della.

Maybe I got the wrong number.

Maybe you weren't even home.

We'll never know.

(theme song playing)