09x05 - The Case of the Impetuous Imp

[bunniefuu]

[SURF ROCK MUSIC
PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

[CHATTERING]

MAN :
Come on, get her. Hurry up.

[DOG BARKING]

MAN : There she is.
MAN : No, it's the dog.

He's coming back.

DIANA:
Here take this.

Get in quickly.

Can we get out of here?

Where is it you're going?

Down the channel.
I have a boat there, the Cerberus.

Well, first, who are you
and what are you doing?

All right, I'm Diana Carter,
international jewel thief. Heh.

And here's the loot.

That bottle
with a piece of paper in it?

That's all there is?

Well, where could I hide
anything else?

[g*nsh*t]

Hey, that's mine.

Who were you running from?

That was Addison Powell's estate
you were visiting.

My aunt's really, Elvira Simmons.

Elvira Simmons Powell.

Wasn't she lost last year

when her yacht went down
in heavy weather?

She wasn't lost. She was m*rder*d.

By Addison.

As I recall, he was picked up offshore
by the Coast Guard.

The police investigation
cleared him completely.

There was just no motive.

No motive?

That gigolo has complete control
over the entire estate

for the next seven years,
and by then Addison will probably

have siphoned it all
into his own pocket.

The fact remains,
your aunt's body was never found.

Even the police divers who went down
when the wreck was located

found nothing incriminating.

- There's just no proof of Mr. Powell's--
- This is the proof.

This note is from my aunt.

Salvage divers found it
after the police crew cleared out.

Listen to this.

"We're sinking.
Addison has locked me in my cabin.

This note cannot save me, I know.

But if the ship that will be my coffin
is ever raised

and this bottle is found,
Addison, my m*rder*r,

will be found as well."
Signed, Elvira Simmons Powell. Heh.

MASON: That your aunt's handwriting?
DIANA: Well, it must be.

I've got him. I've got him.

No, you haven't.
That note couldn't be authentic.

Even granting
the million to one chance

that a driver might find
one single bottle

in a submerged wreck.

But why not?

Because if Addison Powell
had m*rder*d your aunt,

what's the first thing
he would have done?

He would have destroyed that note.

He wouldn't have kept it in his house
for someone to find.

Diana, while you were changing,
I glanced through your manuscripts.

Mystery writers,
particularly beginners,

shouldn't act out their plots,

and certainly shouldn't involve
other people.

Now, what you've told me
sounds like a combination

of your own prejudices
and your own fertile imagination.

Well...

Well,
it's been a most unusual evening.

Coffee, please.

Sorry I was delayed.

I've been waiting
over two hours for you.

- You must have had quite a catch.
- I did.

You missed all the excitement.

The whole area has been swarming
with police and reporters.

You know Addison Powell's estate
right down the beach?

Was robbed tonight
of $ , worth of jewels.

- Where did you hear that?
- On my radio.

A female burglar
crashed the Powell party,

stole the jewels and swam to a boat

where an accomplice
was waiting for her offshore.

Anything else?

No.
Except she shouldn't be hard to find.

They have her shoes
and an initialed scarf.

What's the matter, Perry?

Well, I was her accomplice.

Heh. I don't understand.

Neither do .

All I know is there was a vicious dog
snapping at her,

so I told her to climb aboard.

And you helped her get away
with the jewelry?

She didn't steal any jewelry.

How can you be so sure?

When she took her clothes off,
I examined--

Look, she only took a bottle
with a note in it.

Uh, I'll explain it all later.

Whether the girl is guilty or not,
she had an accomplice.

Me.

And if she's in trouble, then so am I.

Della, please bring me the file
on Consolidated Land Title.

DELLA: It's on your desk,
probably buried under some papers.

[DOOR CLOSES]

DELLA: Just a moment.
SIMMONS: I've got to see Mr. Mason.

DELLA:
But you can't--

Mr. Mason? Simmons.
Henry Simmons. Not her fault.

My fault. Everything is my fault.

Whatever my niece did,
I put her up to it.

Not intentionally,
but this terrible thing has happened.

My niece, sweet girl, good girl,
girl her age.

Mr. Simmons, you apparently
have something to tell me.

Terrible situation.

Never had a member of my family
in jail.

In the middle of the night,
they tell me,

"Mr. Simmons, your niece is in jail."

- Can you imagine?
- Mr. Simmons, who is your niece

and what is the trouble?

Diana Carter
accused of jewel robbery.

Jewel robbery! My niece.

Who accused her?

Addison Powell.
Terrible man, lowlife.

Married my sister
six weeks after he met her.

Penniless, younger than she was.

And then she was lost at sea.

About your niece, Mr. Simmons--

Recently the wreck was located.

As soon as the police had finished
their search for Elvira's body,

I hired a salvage operator
to see if the yacht could be brought up.

Thought maybe that I could find proof
that Addison Powell k*lled my sister.

Well, the evidence was there.
Diver brought it up.

A note from Elvira.

- Mr. Simmons, if you would just get--
SIMMONS: You've got to know it all.

Mike Carson, the salvage operator,
another no-good,

told me the wreck couldn't be raised.

But he didn't tell me about the bottle.

Then how did you find out?

He took it to Addison.

That's when Addison found out
about the salvage operation.

He was furious. Called me.

Accused me of sending Carson.

Swore I was trying to blackmail him.

But you said your niece's trouble
was your fault.

I told her about the note.

I never should have. She's flighty.

Lots of spunk but flighty.

Now, Addison had her arrested.
Lies.

Says she stole jewelry.

Why have you come to me?
There are hundreds of other lawyers.

Never believed in flattery.
Won't flatter you.

Wanted the best.
They say that's you.

Will you take the case?

- Well, Mr. Simmons, I'd like to--
- I knew it. Figured you'd do it.

Want a good job done,
look for a busy man.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.
Be in touch with you.

You're taking the case?

Della,
I wasn't aware of it at the time,

but I took this case last night
when I fished that girl out of the water.

Right in here.

It's you.

I'm Perry Mason.
Pleased to meet you, Miss Carter.

Why didn't you tell me
who you were last night?

If you didn't recognize me,
why have your uncle--?

Well, he said I'd need the best lawyer
I could get.

I had no idea it was you.

What did you do
after I left last night?

Well, I was ready to go back
to my apartment in town,

then I heard the late news.

Oh, I figured I'd better get rid
of that bottle and fast.

But before I could do anything,
the police walked in.

Then the bottle is still on your boat?

No. Uncle Henry went out there.
It's gone.

Perhaps the police found it.

They were just looking for jewelry.
Ignored the bottle.

Addison must have taken it later.

Well, that explains
why he had you arrested.

Gave him a chance to search,

for the note or the jewelry
you supposedly took.

You know, the district attorney's
office is asking that your bail be set

at $ , to cover Powell's loss.

Wow, heh.

But what about the note?
That explains what I was after.

But you told me
Addison Powell has it back.

Well, then, what are we gonna do?

Well, first we're gonna
have you released on bail.

Then we're gonna find out
why that note is so important

to Addison Powell.

Put Addison Powell
on the witness stand under oath.

If he still claims that $ , worth
of jewelry was taken,

I'll submit that the bail stand
at $ , .

But let's also agree
that if he says no jewelry was taken,

the defendant can be released
on her own recognizance.

Fair enough.

But I'd suggest you have a bondsman
stand by.

So, Mr. Powell, you estimate the value
of the jewelry at $ , .

That's an estimate.

Until I can make
a complete inventory, yes.

That's good enough for me.
Thank you, Mr. Powell.

Just one moment, Your Honor.

Mr. Powell, I have here a certified copy
of your insurance policy,

complete with jewelry rider.

Now, wait a minute. May I see that?

Will you stipulate
that this is a correct copy?

- We so stipulate.
- Thank you.

This list of jewelry
belonging to your late wife

is most impressive, Mr. Powell.

You'll undoubtedly be making
an insurance claim.

Now, will this item, uh,
"platinum bracelet,

large ruby
and four star sapphires in cluster,

value $ , " be listed as missing?

I'm not sure.
I've been kind of upset by it all.

I just know there was $ , worth
of jewelry in the box.

What about this?

"Pearl necklace,
graduated select natural pearls,

value $ , ."

POWELL:
Look, it's no use going into details.

I can't say for certain
about any particular item.

But if $ , worth of jewelry
have been stolen,

wouldn't the box have been empty?

Was it empty?

Not completely.

Well, how much was left?
Forty thousand? Thirty thousand?

Well, Mr. Powell?

I, uh...

I don't know.

Isn't it possible that when you gave
the police the $ , figure

you had in mind
the amount of insurance coverage?

Well, yes, that, uh, could explain it.

But right now
you couldn't swear for sure

that even $ , worth of jewelry
was taken, now could you?

I can't say for sure
that anything was taken.

Your Honor, it's one thing
to tell the police and the press

that he's lost $ ,
worth of jewelry.

Proving this loss is something else.

I'm willing to be bound by Mr. Vincent's
stipulation for setting bond.

I, uh, release the defendant
on her own recognizance.

Next case.

CLERK:
Uh, People v. Webb.

Henry.

How rotten can you get?
Doing this to Diana?

Blame yourself.
You hired that salvage outfit.

You sent Diana.

You've been after me
since your sister d*ed.

What do you want from me?

When are you gonna stop
hounding me?

Never, Addison. Never.

DIANA:
Any mail for me, Harvey?

- No mail.
- I'm expecting another rejection slip.

Can't imagine anybody
giving you a rejection slip.

I don't know what would have become
of me if it hadn't been for Mr. Mason.

I probably would have been given
the third degree

and fed bread and water.

Don't joke about everything, Diana.

You haven't answered my question.

Oh, Uncle Henry, all I've been doing
is answering questions.

Well, what did you tell Mason
about the estate?

That Addison controls it
and that maybe in six years

it'll come to me, and you
and Helga Dolwig--

Diana, you have to take this
more seriously.

Follow Mr. Mason's instructions.

Stay in your apartment

and don't talk to Addison
or anybody else.

And what are you gonna do?
Lock yourself in your room too?

I'm just a brainless kook to Addison,
but you're a thr*at to him.

We're all a thr*at to him.

As long as we're around,

he's reminded
that somehow, someday

we'll prove he k*lled Elvira.

Drink up, lads.
It'll cool the ardor of battle.

So you let yourself get clobbered
by Perry Mason this morning.

For shame, counselor,

taking advantage of the man's youth
and inexperience.

Oh, he started out very well.

But he was operating
under the illusion

that Addison Powell had told him
the truth.

Oh, that wasn't the only mistake
I made.

I should have remembered
that insurance policy.

You made your first mistake

when you agreed to stipulate
with Perry Mason to anything.

The only way to handle him

is to make him work
for everything he gets.

Listen, son,
to the voice of experience.

BURGER:
In a preliminary hearing, for instance,

if you let him, you'll find him
running your whole case,

trapping you
into presenting his witnesses,

pushing you into revealing,
prematurely, of course,

everything you know,

so that he can be prepared
to wallop you

if the case goes to trial
in superior court.

Then when he has a jury,

he plays them,

the way Casals plays the cello,
right, maestro?

Oh, I'm not the maestro.

The district attorney
is doing the teaching.

I'm just a poor struggling lawyer

who, at the moment, has a client
too young to reason with

and too old to spank.

[MOUTHING INAUDIBLY]

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Good evening, Diana.

- If you don't get out of here, Addison--
- You'll call the police?

As a budding novelist,
you can write better lines than that.

No calls.

Not until we talk.

About what?

About your escapade at my party
the other evening

and about the man in the boat.

And more important,
what do you hope to gain by it?

Everything.

I'm gonna prove
you m*rder*d my aunt.

POWELL:
With the note in the bottle?

Diana, we both know
that note was a forgery, a phony.

That shaky handwriting?

That single bottle
just happening to be found in a cabin

full of gear?

Now, come on.

Then why--? Why did you keep it?

To find out who forged it and why.

If I destroyed it,
it might appear it was genuine.

And it isn't?

Diana, only two people know

what happened on your aunt's yacht
the night of her death,

your aunt and I.

Now only I know.

Anyone else has to be guessing.

Well, then, why did you blow your top
when I took it?

Because I don't like blackmailers
or blackmail attempts.

I'm no blackmailer.

You're a very pretty girl, Diana,

and pretty girls like pretty things.

And pretty things cost money.

And money is the root of all evil.

I know what's really bothering you.

It's not simply
the death of your aunt.

Then what?

It's your share of her estate
and what might become of it.

Oh, I know it's got your Uncle Henry
all upset.

He's told me so, in so many words.

What does a ski instructor know
about finance?

Diana,
I am tired of all this bad feeling.

I'm ready to prove my good faith
if you'll do the same.

- How?
- If you'll come to the estate tonight,

I'll give you legal guarantees
for your entire share,

and my annual accounting
to the court will reflect that.

- Well, I'll need my lawyer.
- No, no. No lawyers.

Come alone.

And if I don't?

It's up to you.

Remember, it's up to you.

OFFICER:
Come on, folks.

Let them through.
Let them through.

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING
OVER RADIO]

Hey, what's happening?

m*rder.
Now, why don't you all go home?

Who was k*lled?

The guy who lived here,
Addison Powell.

Uh, come on, folks. Let's break it up.

There's nothing here to see.

I'm, uh, Paul Drake,
private investigator.

Sorry, Mr. Drake,
I have orders to keep everyone out.

Well, who do I see to get clearance?

Lieutenant Drumm. Maybe you can
catch him on the way out.

Ah, great.

Okay, come on. Come on.

Get back, let them through.

Mr. Simmons, Perry sent me out
as soon as he heard about the m*rder.

Not now, Mr. Drake, please.
Trouble enough.

HENNING:
You can't get in this way.

Gotta use the beach side.

Well, how do I get there?

Can't be done without a boat.

And you have one.

But it'll cost me.

All right.

Ten bucks.

It's worth more than that
just rowing from the yacht basin.

Fifteen.

I've got a few dings in my surfboard.

It'll take bucks
to get a new fiberglass finish.

I can go round trip to San Francisco
for that.

Yeah?

But you don't wanna go
to San Francisco.

Thanks.

Just don't tell anybody
I brought you over here in this boat.

I sort of borrowed it.

Not a word.

The b*llet must have gone
through his neck and out that window.

[DOG BARKING]

Sergeant, I want that b*llet found.

Right.

Oh, the Humane Society people
are here.

Good.

All right, open that door slowly.

[DOG GROWLING AND BARKING]

DRUMM:
Too bad Powell had him locked up.

The k*ller would have been eaten alive
as soon as he pulled the g*n.

Think he hurt himself
trying to get out of the closet door.

A lot of scratches and blood smears
on the inside of the door.

DRUMM:
Well, Paul, who let you in here?

Hi, Steve, sergeant.

- I'm on assignment.
DRUMM: Uh-huh.

Who's your client?

You know better than to ask that.
My clients are confidential.

And you know better
than to con your way in here.

Sorry, Paul, nothing doing.
Sergeant, Mr. Drake is leaving.

He's the boss. Let's go, Paul.

- Good night, Steve.
- Good night.

You're not yourself tonight, Clay.

This is the first time in a month
you haven't told Della she's beautiful.

Oh. After all,
the food's not the attraction.

I come for the blarney.

Me forget?

To quote a famous Irish bard,

"Doth perfect beauty
stand in need of praise?”

Nay, no more than law,
no more than truth.

Irish?

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman.

Nah, that was just a rumor
put out by the Italians.

[MASON AND DELLA CHUCKLE]

- Judge Morton, drink okay?
- Excellent as usual, Clay.

CLAY: Hey, Paul.
- Hi, Terrence.

- Hello, Beautiful. Hi, Perry.
- Hello, Paul.

Did you get inside
the Powell house?

Yeah, but not for long.
But it was worth it, though.

As I was being escorted out,

Sergeant Brice dropped the word
that they wanna talk to Diana Carter.

Then he clammed up.

I don't know
whether they have anything or not.

- Did he say talk to her or pick her up?
PAUL: Talk to her.

What about the m*rder w*apon?

Thirty-two caliber revolver
found under the victim.

The b*llet passed through the body

and broke a pane of glass
in the French doors.

- What else?
- A vicious dog, a German shepherd.

He was locked in a closet.

Any sign of a struggle?

No, not that I saw.

But one of my contacts
at the coroner's office said

there were contusions
on Powell's right wrist.

- Did you see your ad?
- What ad?

The one you placed to locate
Helga Dolwig,

Elvira Simmons' companion.

"Helga Dolwig, for information
to your financial advantage,

contact Box "

I thought we decided against the ad,
Paul.

We did.
I've got a man out looking for her.

Why don't you believe me?
I did not leave this apartment.

Have you told anyone
that Addison Powell was here tonight?

- Only you.
- Good.

From now on, young lady,

you're gonna follow my instructions
to the letter.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Miss Diana Carter?

Yes?

Lieutenant Drumm, Homicide.

I have a warrant for your arrest
on suspicion of m*rder.

MASON: How am I supposed
to prepare a proper defense

if I don't even have access
to the scene of the crime?

Well, I'm not gonna interfere, Perry,
not before the preliminary hearing.

I think Bill Vincent knows
what he's doing.

He had the lab men on the premises
one hour

after Henry Simmons
discovered the body.

Apparently they're still at it.

You'll get access
when Bill Vincent says so.

Do I have to force the issue?

I'm the one doing the forcing.

I'm gonna make you stay out
till Bill Vincent says you can get in.

And that's the end of that.

You know,
I can obtain a court order.

BURGER:
I'll take that chance.

You'd have to persuade a judge
to get an order, Perry,

and at this point
I don't think you can do it.

Mr. Simmons.

SIMMONS:
Oh, uh, hello, Mr. Mason.

Have to see Mr. Vincent now.

Sent for us.

Poor Diana, what's to be with her?

Can I help?

Yes, you can help.

You might answer some questions.

Questions. From the police,
from the newspapers.

From Mr. Vincent.

You found the body, didn't you?

Yes.

You saw the m*rder w*apon?

It was Addison's.

Do you know if the police found
the bottle and the note?

No.

Possibly they're holding them.

What? Oh. Oh, yes, yes.
Come on, Helga.

- Mr. Simmons.
SIMMONS: Uh-- Oh, yes?

I'd like to meet your friend.

Meet? Oh, yes, of course.

How stupid of me.

Helga, uh, Mrs. Dolwig,
I'd like you to meet Perry Mason.

How do you do, sir?

Diana told me
they'd lost track of you.

Ever since poor Elvira
married that man

and he sent me away.

I noticed Helga's name and address
on Addison's desk calendar.

- I called at once.
- Addison Powell.

- The last person I would want to see.
- We're keeping Mr. Vincent waiting.

See you soon, Mr. Mason.
Come, Helga.

Perry.

I'm sorry I'm late, but I wanted
to get the report on Mike Carson.

He runs a two-bit salvage outfit,

no permanent crew,
just pick-up divers,

and he has one conviction
for breaking and entering.

- Did you check Powell's bank?
- I've got a contact on it now.

And one more thing.
It took a lot of looking,

but one of my men
finally found Helga Dolwig.

She operates a little rundown
fish house on the coast.

Well, you're not the only one
who's been looking for Helga Dolwig,

or the only one who's found her.

[LIGHT JAZZ MUSIC
PLAYING ON JUKEBOX]

How could Addison Powell
make his wife fire you, Helga?

I thought you and she
were very close.

Oh, it hurts to think of her.

The ship that will be my coffin.

We were like sisters.

Oh, I know she didn't wanna let me go
but she was afraid of him.

That is why I left Fritz with her.

The dog?

My beautiful Fritz.

When he was only a little puppy,
Elvira's brother gave him to us.

That would be Henry Simmons.

But even after Elvira disappeared,

that man would not give him back
to me.

- Compliments of the management.
- Well, thank you.

Oh, it is little enough for the man
who will help little Diana out of trouble.

You know, Mr. Mason,
Elvira loved this child very much.

Yes, I understand Elvira sent Diana
through college.

And my Henning too.

She was sending him to school
until that man came along.

He was going to be an engineer.

Now look at him.

No more school.

Now he thinks only of girls
and surfboards.

My son, the scuba diver.

Excuse me, please.

Henning.

Perry, that's the kid who rowed me
to the beach the night of the m*rder.

I'll give you a hand with this stuff.
You guys check the gear on the boat.

I'm gonna rig that wreck tonight.

You'd better have
one of two things, pal,

a search warrant
or a very good explanation.

I'm Paul Drake,
a private investigator

on assignment
for Diana Carter's attorney.

I haven't taken anything.

But I, uh, have
brought you something.

A subpoe--?

What's the idea?
What do you want me for, huh?

To answer some questions.

Like why you took
Henry Simmons' money

to make a survey of the Powell yacht
for salvage

then reported it
wasn't worth raising.

Oh? You think you know more
about salvage work than I do, huh?

You told Simmons one thing,

but the divers who work for you
say you told them the exact opposite.

And now that Addison Powell's
dead,

you're headed back out to the wreck
at night to salvage it yourself.

What are you telling me?

Isn't that your boat out there
waiting for you?

Heh. You know, I've heard old sailors
tell some wild sea stories,

but, uh, this one tops them all.

Well, I'm, uh,
fresh out of sea stories.

But I do have a Photostat
of a canceled check

from Addison Powell to you.

Now, if you'll pardon a landlubber
giving an old salt some advice,

when you blackmail somebody,
get cash, not checks.

Blackmail?
He paid me for that note in the bottle.

Fifteen hundred dollars for a note
you both knew was forged.

All right, Salty, then you tell me
what it was for, huh?

For changing your opinion as to
whether the yacht was worth salvaging

when you reported back
to Henry Simmons.

I'll be back in five minutes.

You better be long gone.

May I speak to Perry Mason please?

Perry, I gave your little present
to Mike Carson.

Well, it's, uh, fair to say
he was perturbed,

but not enough to keep him away
from the wreck.

He's headed out there tonight.

See if Helga's boy
is around Carson's boat.

It might be worthwhile
to keep track of this young scuba diver.

Well, there were mild contusions
on the right wrist.

But the only other mark on the body
was the b*llet wound.

MASON:
Doctor, you told the court

that the wound was made
by a . caliber w*apon.

Yes.

MASON: Well, since the b*llet
hasn't been recovered,

how did you determine that?

DOCTOR:
By the size of the b*llet hole.

MASON:
Now, doctor, we both know

that because of the elasticity
of the human skin,

a b*llet always makes a smaller
entrance hole than its caliber.

That's true.

Then it wasn't only
examination of the body

but a process of deduction
that led you to conclude

that the death w*apon
was . caliber.

Mr. Mason, my examination
was primarily responsible.

MASON:
The police told you

that a . caliber p*stol
with one b*llet fired

was found beneath the body.

And you put two and two together?

Well, I suppose deduction
was part of it.

Thank you, doctor, that's all.

Now, Lieutenant Drumm,
you've testified

that you found samples of green paint
on the pier at the Powell estate

that match the paint on the motorboat
belonging to the defendant.

DRUMM: Mm-hm.
VINCENT: What else did you find?

Well,
among other items on her boat,

we found a skirt
belonging to the defendant.

It was soaked with saltwater.

In front, where the right knee would be
when kneeling,

we found a pinkish splotch.

I took it to the lab.

VINCENT:
And what did their report show?

Well, the stain was human blood.

The same blood type as the deceased,
Addison Powell.

Mr. Blake, you testified
that the decedent visited the defendant

early on the evening of the m*rder.

Now then, did you see the defendant
that night

after Addison Powell left
her apartment?

Yes, sir. I stepped into the office
for a minute and when I came back

I saw Diana Carter
running out the street door.

VINCENT:
What time was that?

BLAKE:
About : .

VINCENT:
Did you notice what she was wearing?

Are you kidding?

She had on a plaid skirt.

Tight.

She wears them tight.

And a suede jacket.

Mr. Blake, I refer you
to people's exhibit ,

a plaid skirt found
aboard the defendant's boat,

and I ask you,
do you recognize this garment?

Yes, sir. That's it.

He was on the floor by the desk.

The dog was barking
and scraping at the closet door.

I didn't touch anything,
just called the police.

Mr. Simmons, you told us
that early the evening of the m*rder,

you received a telephone call
from the deceased.

Yes. Yes, that's right.

What was the substance
of that conversation?

I didn't believe a word,

but he said he wanted
to clear his conscience,

said he was ready to guarantee
I would lose nothing

by his administration
of my sister's estate,

said he'd already seen Diana--

VINCENT: Seen? Not talked to?
SIMMONS: Seen.

He said that she was receptive.

Mr. Simmons, to your knowledge,

did your niece-- Described
by the deceased as receptive.

Did she visit Powell that night?

I don't know.

Around : , I called to talk it over.

I kept trying until I left at ,
but no one answered her phone.

- No one. No one answered her phone.
- No.

Thank you, Mr. Simmons.

Cross-examine.

Didn't you tell
the deputy district attorney

that you left your home at : ,

at which time you gave up
trying to call the defendant?

Yes. Yes, I did.

Mr. Simmons,
the police records show

that you reported finding
Addison Powell's body at : .

SIMMONS:
Well, yes. So?

So why did it take you
one hour and minutes

to drive miles
to Addison Powell's home,

enter it,
find his body and call the police?

I, uh, drove around for a while,
wanted to think.

I wasn't sure
I wanted to go see Powell.

MASON:
Where did you drive, Mr. Simmons?

SIMMONS:
Hmm, can't remember.

Just drove.

When you were asked
to come to the decedent's home,

you didn't believe a word he said,
but you decided to go just the same.

You took a drive,
you can't remember where,

and you cannot account
for your whereabouts

during the time someone entered
Addison Powell's home and k*lled him.

Your Honor.
Is Mr. Mason to be allowed

to continue these unprofessional
badgering tactics?

I consider the tactics
of the prosecution

in suppressing evidence
far more unprofessional.

We haven't suppressed anything.

You will not let me inspect
the m*rder room.

You will not let me see the dog.

JUDGE:
Mr. Vincent, do you object

to granting counsel his due request?

VINCENT:
Yes, Your Honor.

JUDGE: Why?
Are you trying to conceal something?

No, Your Honor. But the state
hasn't completed its investigation.

And we will not allow
the defense counsel

to dictate the manner of sequence
in which we present the state's case.

MASON:
In view of the testimony we've heard,

I feel I must have the access
I requested.

The defendant had ample time
to inspect the room

while she was committing
the m*rder.

I'll assign that remark
to prejudicial misconduct

on the part of the prosecution
and ask this court to go ahead and--

Your Honor,
may we approach the bench?

All right, Mr. Burger.

Mr. Simmons, you may step down.

Your Honor,
may I crave the court's indulgence

for the overzealousness
of my young colleague,

whose last remarks could easily
have been misinterpreted

by the court and by Mr. Mason.

Up to now I've been most ably assisted
by my deputy, Mr. Vincent,

but at this point,
certain facets of the case

make it imperative

that I associate myself
with Mr. Vincent

and take charge of the case.

Very well, Mr. Burger.

Now, if you have any objections
to allowing Mr. Mason

to see the dog
or visit the scene of the crime,

I'll listen to argument.

That won't be necessary,
Your Honor.

Mr. Mason may investigate
the premises at his convenience.

Mr. Mason, you may have the rest
of the day to inspect the premises.

Yes, Your Honor.

Thank you, Mr. Burger.

JUDGE:
Court is adjourned.

Diana, sit down.

Now, look at me.

You did go to see Addison Powell.

- I didn't k*ll him.
- Keep your voice down.

Now, you were there that night?

Yes,
but he was dead when I got there.

So I ran.

Why did you lie to me?

I was afraid.

Afraid you wouldn't believe me.

But I'm telling you, I didn't k*ll him.

You also told me
you didn't leave your apartment.

What am I gonna do
if you don't trust me?

The question is, what am I going to do
if I can't trust you?

That the correct position, Steve?

Body was turned over, Perry.

And the g*n was underneath.

- And the blood?
- Around both sides of the body.

This place was a mess.

All right, Paul,
you can stand up on the mark.

Steve,
would you pose as the k*ller for us?

Look, Perry, I don't get it.
You've seen all the pictures.

We've been here
for over two and a half hours.

You've taken down the drapes,
you've crawled all over the carpet.

You've inspected the floor molding,
everything.

Everything we've already done.
Now, what else do you want?

I'd like to know what happened
to the b*llet from the . you found.

It's out there, there on the beach,
in the ocean somewhere.

We've been over the whole area
with detectors.

Nothing.

All right, Paul, would you
extend your right arm, please?

Now, turn toward the k*ller.

Good.

PAUL: I'm slow, Perry,
but I'm finally with you.

It'll be small, possibly buried.

Perry, it's here.

Careful, Steve.
That's vitally important evidence.

It's clear
there's another w*apon involved.

Now, Steve,
what does that do to your case?

Maybe it clinches it.

BURGER:
Now, Lieutenant Drumm,

you have been able to prove
scientifically

that this b*llet,
found in the ceiling of the m*rder room

was fired from Addison Powell's g*n,
the g*n found under his dead body.

- Is that correct?
- Yes, sir.

How do you account for this b*llet
being found in the ceiling?

It's possible that after he was sh*t,

he made an attempt to fire
on his m*rder*r.

The b*llet went wild as he fell.

But since only one chamber of
Addison Powell's g*n had been fired,

it is obvious that another g*n
of the same or similar caliber

was the actual m*rder g*n, isn't it?

DRUMM:
Yes, sir.

BURGER:
Now, have you made a search

for this second g*n,
and if so, with what results?

We have.
We found a . caliber revolver

on the defendant's boat
at the time of arrest.

BURGER:
I see. Now, lieutenant,

I show you this w*apon
marked for identification,

people's exhibit ,

and I asked you if this is the g*n
you just referred to?

DRUMM:
Yes, sir, this is the g*n.

Uncle Henry insisted that I have that
after the first trouble with Addison.

I never touched it.

Objection, Your Honor.

The district attorney has shown
no connection between this w*apon

and the m*rder w*apon.

Your Honor,
it's the prosecution's intention

simply to prove that the defendant

had in her possession
at the time of the m*rder

a g*n from which the fatal b*llet
could have been fired.

I don't even suggest
any positive identification of this

as the m*rder w*apon.

Since this g*n
had been cleaned recently

and since the fatal b*llet
cannot be found,

no such positive identification
is possible.

JUDGE:
Objection overruled.

Lieutenant Drumm, did you check
the registration of this g*n?

Yes, sir.

It was registered to the name
of Mr. Henry Simmons.

BURGER:
Yes. Thank you, lieutenant.

Cross-examine.

No questions.

Diana, how many more surprises?
Why didn't you tell me about the g*n?

It never occurred to me.

Your Honor, the state has shown
that the defendant, Diana Carter,

had a strong motive
for k*lling Addison Powell,

and we have placed her
in the decedent's home

on the night he was k*lled.

Her boat with the telltale traces
of paint from the pier,

her skirt covered with blood.

These items attest
to her presence there.

And we have proved that she had
in her possession at that time,

a w*apon from which the fatal b*llet
surely could have been fired.

Thus we have established
a clear relationship

between the defendant
and the m*rder of Addison Powell,

and we ask that she be bound over
for trial in superior court.

JUDGE: Mr. Mason, unless you have
anything further to offer,

I will bind the defendant over.

Your Honor, the state's current version
of the m*rder sounds credible,

but I would remind the court
that the state's earlier version

also had the sound of credibility.

I believe that what really transpired
that night was far different

from either the district attorney's
first version or his second version,

and I ask leave of the court
to establish that belief in fact.

Certainly, Mr. Mason.
You have a right to put on a defense.

Proceed with your witnesses.

I understand, then,
that you never saw the note

after it was found, Mrs. Dolwig.

HELGA:
No, I never saw it.

The defendant didn't talk to you
about it?

No, uh, I see Diana only here.

The district attorney didn't discuss it
with you?

HELGA: No, sir.
MASON: How about Mike Carson?

I do not know this man.

MASON:
What about Henry Simmons?

The defendant discussed it
with him.

Didn't you?

No one.
No one talks to me about note.

I believe you, Helga.

You never saw that note
after it was found.

You saw it before it was found.
You wrote it.

Sir? I-- No! No!

"The ship that will be my coffin."

Now,
where did that line come from?

I don't know.

MASON:
You should.

Not only did you write it,

but you repeated it to me
in your restaurant, didn't you?

All right, I wrote the note.

But I didn't k*ll!

Oh, I just sort of fool around.

You know, surfing,
playing around the beach,

maybe a dance or a movie.

What were you doing the night
Addison Powell was m*rder*d?

I don't know. Can't remember.

Were you at the Powell home?

Let's see.

Powell home...

Didn't you take Mr. Paul Drake,
a private investigator,

around the estate in a boat
then drop him off at the pier?

Uh...

Yeah, I remember.

You remember
whose boat you used?

Well, uh...

I borrowed--
I used one of Mike Carson's.

MASON:
How well do you know Mike Carson?

HENNING:
I worked a few jobs for him.

What kind of work?

I dive. Scuba gear.

Bring up odds and ends.

MASON:
How about taking things down?

Did your mother give you
that bottle and note

and have you put it down there
where it would be found?

Yes.

Yes, but she thought Mike Carson
would take it to the police.

MASON:
All right,

now we've traced the peregrinations
of our note

down to the cabin of the wreck,

and it was there that you found it,
Mr. Carson,

while you were examining the wreck
for possible salvage.

That's what I said.

Now, as you, uh, weighed the note
and the bottle in your hand,

you were saying to yourself,

"Where would it be worth
the most money?

To the police?

They wouldn't pay anything.

Henry Simmons?"
He was already paying you.

Addison Powell?

Addison Powell,
he was the answer, wasn't he?

No.
No, it wasn't exactly like that, no.

How was it, Mr. Carson?

I just thought that Powell
might be interested, that's all.

And he was, wasn't he?

Fifteen hundred dollars worth.

Now, look, I didn't break any laws.

MASON:
Of course not, Mr. Carson.

But why did you go back
to see Addison Powell?

Did he owe you more money?

Or did you think you could, uh,
hit him up for more?

I did not.

I never saw him
or heard from him again.

The night of the m*rder, you were
identified as being at the Powell estate.

But I never saw him.

I never went inside the place.

Like everybody else,
I heard the commotion,

the police, the sirens. I got curious
about what was going on, that's all.

Your Honor, I think we've seen
how Helga Dolwig's forged note

started all the whole tragic procession
of circumstances

leading to Addison Powell's m*rder.

Now,
she couldn't have foreseen this.

As she testified,
her motives were of the best,

to bring a suspected m*rder*r
to justice.

Now, with Your Honor's permission,

I would like to conduct
a brief demonstration

which I believe
will accomplish that end.

Will Counsel approach the bench?

Your Honor, I'll need some assistance,
perhaps Henry Simmons.

Mr. Simmons, have you any objection
to helping Mr. Mason?

If it's absolutely necessary.

For Diana's sake, all right, sir.

I, uh, understand the dog is vicious.

Can you assure us
he can be controlled in this courtroom?

TRAINER: In this courtroom, yes.
- Very well.

You may proceed, Mr. Mason.

MASON:
Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, as I call the names
of the following witnesses,

will they each step forward
and stand there?

First, Henning Dolwig.

[FRITZ BARKS]

[GROWLING]

Thank you, Mr. Dolwig.

Now, would Michael Carson
please step forward?

[FRITZ GROWLING]

Helga Dolwig, step forward, please.

[FRITZ BARKS]

[FRITZ BARKING
AND GROWLING]

No, Fritz! Stay! Stay!

That's it. That's all right, Fritz.

It's all right, baby.

It's all right, baby.

You were one of the three heirs

to the estate contacted
by Addison Powell?

Yes.

I went to see him that night.

The dog became excited
when you arrived, is that correct?

As soon as he heard my voice.
So he was let out of the closet.

Fritz remembered me.

He was my dog, still.

Addison Powell accused you
of trying to blackmail him

with that fraudulent note.

He drew his g*n, a . .

Then Fritz leaped at him,
snapped at his arm.

He told me he was going to k*ll me,
like he k*lled poor Elvira.

That's why.

That's why you took your g*n
from your handbag and k*lled him.

Returning the dog to the closet
was a mistake.

You see,
you were the only person alive

who could have put him there.

No one would believe me
that he k*lled Elvira.

He was getting away with it.

He was a m*rder*r!

And a m*rder*r must not go free!

It's here.
Right from the publishers, in print.

My first book.

MASON: Well, if Clay would play
the gracious host

and open a bottle of champagne,

I'd toast America's newest, prettiest
and most impetuous mystery novelist,

- Diana Carter.
- Gracious, I am,

but you should never open champagne
in a month with an R in it.

[ALL CHUCKLE]

May I see it, Diana?

I still can't believe I even sold it.

It'll make you famous.

It'll make you famous too.

- Me?
- You'll see, Paul.

There's a certain amount
of fallout prestige

in having an author in the family.

Hey, listen to this.

"I'm a private detective,
not a babysitter," he said.

And his stark blue eyes
flashed a warning.

Tall, ruggedly handsome,
he towers over her now,

and suddenly
her arms went around him.

And in that instant,
she took the p*stol from his belt.

'I'm no baby," she said,
holding it at his chest.

'Kiss me before I k*ll you.'"

Diana, it's a surefire bestseller.
What's the title?

I owe that to you, Mr. Mason.

You discovered Paul for me.

The Amorous Adventures
of Paul Lake, Private Eye.