09x29 - The Case of the Crafty Kidnapper

[bunniefuu]

PAT: Alex.
- Yes, darling?

- You didn't say goodnight to Bobby.
- Pat, I'm awfully late.

They're throwing this party for us.

You can't go. The least I can do is--

It'll only take a minute, Alex.
Please, he's calling for his daddy.

[SIGHS]

He won't go to sleep without his tiger.

Be sure the crib side's up.

He's learning his prayers.

- I'll, uh, try to be home early, dear.
- Enjoy yourself, Alex.

[UPBEAT JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING
OVER SPEAKERS]

Well, where's Alex Tanner?
Where's the guest of honor?

How about it, Greg?
You're hosting this blast

the most audacious display
of apple-polishing

- in the history of the fourth estate.
- Danny, come on, let's dance.

Lola Stanley, who plays both ends
against the middle.

- All right, knock it off, Danny.
- Danny, let's go get some coffee.

Well, look at them, Norma baby.
They're all waiting here for Tanner.

They all want something.

There's Greg, my loyal assistant.
What does he want?

- He wants my job.
- You're out of line, Danny.

Perry Mason.

What do you want from Tanner,
the dispenser of riches?

You want a nice fat retainer
to represent Globe News Syndicate.

That's enough.

Come on, let's go get some fresh air.

My secretary, little Norma,
needs some air.

Come out, Tanner,
wherever you are.

- I'm sorry, Perry, I wanna apologize.
- Heh. Don't, Greg.

You've been apologizing
for Danny Shine

for as long as I can remember.

Alex Tanner, where are you?
Come out, come out, wherever...

Come on, I'm all right,
I'm all right, Norma.

Come on, now.

Well, here he is at last,

the next chairman of the board
of the Globe News Syndicate.

The stockholders haven't elected
me yet, Mr. Shine.

They will. Nothing beats marrying
the boss's daughter.

You know what, boss? You don't mind
if I call you boss, do you?

I came out to welcome you
in person today.

But you weren't home.
On the other hand, your wife was.

So I got to meet
the Patricia King Tanner

and the baby, of course.

- Didn't she tell you?
- No, it must have slipped her mind.

Yeah. Heh.

You know, you've got the ideal wife,
and the ideal child,

and the ideal situation.

Read all about it in the ideal column
I'm gonna write.

[LAUGHING]

Ideal, ideal, ideal.

Come on, Dan.

Well, I can't pass judgment
on Los Angeles.

You know, we've only been here
about a week. Oh, thanks, Greg.

And we had the funeral
for Pat's father,

so I guess we haven't made
too many friends.

But you have discovered
the servant problem?

Heh. You know, having lived in Japan,
I'm afraid we're spoiled.

But Pat's managing just great.

[WOMAN SCREAMING]

- Someone get me a damp towel.
- Honey, would you get it, please?

[CAR HORN HONKING]

Listen to that idiot out there.

Greg, get me some ice
in one of those napkins.

I'll see about that towel.

Oh, excuse me.

[CAR HORN HONKING]

- May I help you?
- Oh, uh, here, I'll be right out.

Thank you.

[CAR HORN HONKING]

Oh, pardon me, uh, Greg told me
where to find the phone, but I got lost.

- It's right in there, Mr. Tanner.
- Thank you.

[CAR HORN HONKING]

That horn could wake the dead.

Greg, you'd better get him home.

- Della and I will drop Norma off.
- All right, Perry.

Move over, Sleeping Beauty.

Greg's driving you home
for the last time.

Wake up, Danny, you're home.
Come on, Danny!

What have you done?

What have you done
to my husband?

All right, Mr. Stanley,
let's go over it again.

- You were caught by Mrs. Shine.
- What does that mean, "caught"?

Think I was delivering
a dead body to the house?

I'll ask the questions.
This is the m*rder g*n.

Your fingerprints were all over it.
Danny Shine's blood was all over you.

- You were discovered with the body--
- I just discovered he was dead.

You mean to tell me that you lifted him
from behind the wheel,

drove five miles to his house
with him beside you

and you didn't know
that he was dead?

Yes, I didn't know.

He must have been dead when
I got in that car, and I didn't know it.

I talked to some people
at the party, Mr. Stanley.

They told me that when you left
to drive Danny Shine home,

he was out on the street in the car
blowing the horn.

You know, dead men don't do that.

- You wanted his job, didn't you?
MASON: Don't answer that!

Enough's enough, Steve.

Don't you think
we could all use some sleep?

- I want an answer.
- And I don't want him to answer.

- Why?
- Because it's self-incriminating.

Because he's tired and shaken.

Because you're being
much too aggressive.

Before he got so tired
and I got so aggressive,

You kept him from answering four--
No, five questions.

If you wanna talk to him
in the morning,

I'll be here to accommodate you.
There'll be no more questions tonight.

Now, will you give me five minutes
with my client.

Sure, Perry, sure. Coach him.

Coach him on how he's gonna
answer the questions

tomorrow morning that you wouldn't
let him answer tonight.

Perry, there was a moment

when I handled that g*n,
after I got in the car, just a moment.

I thought how right it would be
if I put a b*llet through that perverted,

sick mind.

I didn't realize it, then, but somebody
else had saved me the trouble.

That kind of talk only serves
to substantiate the motive

Lieutenant Drumm was trying
to pin on you.

Perry, I didn't need to k*ll Danny Shine
to get his job.

Alex Tanner told me that Mrs. Tanner
planned to get rid of him

after his contract expired
next month.

- When did he tell you this?
- Yesterday at the office.

He said Mrs. Tanner was upset
because of Danny's column.

They've been living abroad for so long
they haven't been reading it.

She was afraid that--

Well, that Danny was giving
Globe News Syndicate a bad name.

- So they offered you the job?
- Well, Mr. Tanner

didn't have the authority until
he was elected chairman of the board.

He told me not to worry, as far as they
were concerned, the job was mine.

If that's the case,

their testimony will very effectively
destroy that motive.

Oh, Perry, I had less reason
to k*ll Danny

than lots of other people I know.

What about all those people
that he ruined with his exposés?

Any one of them
had a better motive than I did.

Pat and I were shocked
with Shine's articles.

It seemed that his column
had become nothing more than

a cheap scandal sheet
while we were gone.

Pat felt-- Well, we both did.

--That it was not the sort of thing
her father would have wanted.

So we decided Shine had to go.

- And you offered the job to Greg?
- Yes, it was obvious

that he was the logical one
to take over.

[INTERCOM BUZZES]

Excuse me. Yes?

WOMAN: Mr. Tanner,
Mrs. Gloria Shine would like to see you.

Mrs. Shine. Uh, would you ask her
to give me about a half an hour.

I'm rather tied up right now.

- He says--
- Yes, I heard him.

He called me. I didn't call him.

- If you come back in a half hour.
- All right.

[TYPEWRITER CLACKING]

Ha, ha. How touching.
The faithful secretary labors on.

I was only trying to help Danny.

He behaved the way he did
because he was unhappy.

Misunderstood?
Poor abused husband

and the considerate secretary?

Danny needed someone
who didn't want something from him,

someone who'd at least treat him
like a--

Like a human being?
Danny wasn't a human being.

No more than you're the sweet
little innocent you pretend to be.

Get out of here.

There's a bond between us, Norma.

We both loved him, then hated him,
then wished him dead.

What do you mean?

"What do you mean?" Come now,
you can do better than that.

I have work to do.
Would you please just leave me alone.

You've done your work. The only reason
you're here is because Danny's dead.

If he were alive,
you'd be out on your ear.

Oh, that's not true.

In his way, Danny cared.
He cared about me,

- and I know he cared.
- Don't delude yourself.

You're not the only one who thought
he cared, far from it.

You were just one
of a passing parade.

You threatened to k*ll him
if he didn't stop seeing me.

Yes, he told me that.

I didn't have to use my threats
where you were concerned, did I?

Because it was all over last night,
the end of the line for you.

Oh, don't bother to deny it.
I saw him slap you around.

How could you? You weren't there?

Or were you?

Alex, I'd appreciate it
if you would prepare a statement

including all these points.

Your testimony indicting
that you made the offer,

and your wife's testimony
stating that she authorized it

will be invaluable to Greg.

As I told you this morning
when you phoned,

we'll be more than happy
to do anything we can, Perry.

[INTERCOM BUZZES]

- Yes?
WOMAN: Your wife is on the phone.

Would you tell her
I'll call her right back?

Excuse me, sir, but she sounds
terribly upset about something.

All right, all right, put her through.

Pat, darling, what's wrong?

Honey, slow down a minute,
I can't under--

Yes? Yes, I'll come.
I'll be right home.

All right, but just try to stay calm.

She's hysterical.
I couldn't make heads or tails of it.

I've gotta get home.

[SOBBING]
My baby.

My baby.

ALEX:
Pat. Pat, where are you?

- Darling, what is it, what's wrong?
- They took my baby.

- Who, Pat? Who?
- Bobby's gone. They took him away.

- Pat, who took him? When?
MASON: Wait, Alex.

Mrs. Tanner, try to tell us when
you first found out Bobby was missing.

A man called on the phone.

He said he had Bobby.

- I didn't believe him at first.
- Exactly what did he say?

He said to go check the nursery.

I went and looked in the crib.

It was empty.

They even took Bobby's stuffed tiger.

Did you recognize the voice?

No, it was strange, muffled,
like he was talking through his hands.

MASON:
What else did he say?

I never should have left Bobby alone,
even for a minute.

Oh, for heaven's sake,
Pat, that's not important now.

What else did the man say?

He said he wouldn't hurt Bobby
if we did exactly what he told us.

What did he tell you to do?

I told him Bobby wouldn't go to sleep
without his tiger.

But they won't know
what to feed him.

They?

Then there's more than
just one man involved?

Yes, of course.
Maybe there's a woman.

She'll know how to take care of him.

Well, how do you know
there's more than one?

Well, there must be
because he said:

"We'll return the boy as soon as
the case goes to the jury.”

Well, now you're not making
any sense, Pat. What case?

The Shine m*rder trial.
They don't want us to testify.

- And nothing else?
PAT: No, that's all.

Alex, we've got to do what they say
so they'll give us our baby back.

[PHONE RINGING]

Hello?

Hello, who is it?

Hello? Hello?

If there's somebody out there,
please say something. Hello.

- What are you doing?
- I'm calling the police.

No. No police.

The police are your only hope of
finding your son, of catching this man.

I don't care about him.
I just want my baby back.

You just can't wait here
and hope for the best.

No police.

He warned me. If we notify the police
or try to find him ourselves,

- they'll k*ll Bobby.
- She's right.

We have to do what they say.
No police. No testimony.

Bruno Grant in?

Ask Mr. Vandenburg to have
Mr. Grant call me at DIS- ...

With or without
the Tanner's testimony,

I still have a client to defend.

And I'd be a fool to ignore
the obvious fact that the kidnapping

and the m*rder
are somehow related.

Perry, why don't you turn me
loose on this thing?

Obviously I'm not the police,
who should be on it,

but at least my people
can use our sources.

If the kidnappers knew you were
after them, they'd k*ll that baby.

What are we supposed to do, keep on
sitting in this bind they have us in?

We start with the premise
that Greg Stanley's not guilty.

So whoever k*lled Danny Shine
was afraid of something

the Tanners might say
on the stand.

So they kidnap
an -month-old baby.

Anyone who'd take a chance like that
has to be plenty afraid

of the Tanner's testimony

or determined to see
that Greg Stanley's convicted.

I don't want to put that child in
any more jeopardy than he's in now,

but I can't ignore the fact
that my client's life is at stake.

Perry, we won't tip what we're doing,

but obviously,
we have to do something.

Paul, Greg told me this afternoon that
somewhere in Danny Shine's files

there's a secret report,
one that's kept in a locked drawer.

A file Danny wouldn't let anyone see.

Now, there's no doubt
that Danny collected enemies.

Fine, that's a good place to start.

Now, remember, we move fast
but carefully for the child's sake.

- If the k*ller is the kidnapper, he--
- Or she.

Won't hesitate to k*ll again.

- Perry, Alex Tanner.
- Yes, Alex?

I, uh-- I promised I'd call,
but there's nothing to report.

Shouldn't you tell him about
the little man with the mustache,

the one we saw outside?

Alex, you have to reconsider
going to the police.

No, I haven't, but-- Of course I won't.

Perry, I know this may sound cruel,

but I'm not too concerned
with Greg Stanley right now.

Goodnight, Alex.

I can't understand
what's keeping Paul.

He surely had time to get that file.

Here.

Now, please hurry.

Uh, would you happen
to have a light?

Thank you.

Some guy out front seems awful
interested in what's going on in here.

What guy? What does he look like?

A good-looking guy in a trench coat.

There was a man like that in a car
outside the Globe building,

and I had a feeling all the way over
here that I was followed.

Please, hurry.

I gotta get these back
before they find out they're missing,

- or I'm in trouble.
- You are in trouble.

Find out who it is.

No sign of him now.

I followed her from the print shop
to the office,

where she returned the file, then back
here to her home. She's alone now.

Do you think you were recognized?

Well, they know I was up
to something.

So I'm afraid I've b*rned myself
on this case.

And we're still nowhere.

One of my people checked
with the proprietor of the print shop,

and he insists he never saw
the three guys before,

but I'm having the place staked out
anyway.

Okay, Perry, I'll check in later.

Della, we've certainly
put some things in motion.

It's possible we've triggered the
kidnapper into carrying out his thr*at.

Let's go.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Coming!

Taxi, I'll be right there.

Oh.

- Good evening, Lola.
- Hello.

- You going somewhere?
- No.

Oh, I just came in from a late dinner.

Then you won't mind if we come in?

Taking a trip?

Yes, I'm going to stay with my sister
during the trial.

Lola, I don't have much time.

I know you took a file
from Danny Shine's office tonight.

I know you delivered it to someone
who made copies.

I know you returned it to the office.

I'd like to know what was in that file
and to whom it was delivered.

I don't know what was in it,
I swear I don't.

Who was the man?

Leon Vandenburg.

Then you're working
for Mr. Vandenburg?

No, I'm not.

I mean, he's forced me
to bring him that file. I didn't want to.

How could he force you to something
you didn't want to do?

Well, because a few months ago

he wanted me to use my influence
with Greg

to keep something about
his building projects

out of Danny Shine's column.

He offered me $ , .

MASON: And you accepted it?
- Yes.

But I didn't have to influence Greg.

He'd already decided not to use
what he had on Vandenburg.

Because there wasn't any evidence
of fraud.

And then somehow,

Danny got hold of some other
information on Vandenburg.

He kept it in a secret file,
his own trust fund, he called it.

And Vandenburg wanted to know
what was in that file.

I know I shouldn't have taken
his money in the first place.

But, after all,
I didn't do anything so horrible.

I didn't do anything at all
except take the money.

Vandenburg was happy,
Greg didn't know about it,

and I had $ , .

Lola, I'd like you to get to the point.

Well, today.

Vandenburg told me
that if I didn't bring him that file,

he'd accuse me of blackmail
and implicate Greg.

Well, what would you do?

He just wanted to copy it.
I put it right back.

I only did it for Greg.

Supposing it would have
come up in the trial?

I'm glad to hear that you're finally
concerned about Greg.

Now, you listen to me.
Unpack those suitcases

and start acting like a woman
whose husband is on trial for his life.

He needs you in that courtroom.

Now, you're going to be there,

and you're gonna do everything
you're told.

I don't want you to leave
this house until I send for you.

Don't answer your phone.

Don't do one thing
without talking to me first.

You understand that?

All right.

No Vandenburg file
that I can remember, Mr. Mason.

What about the file Danny called
his trust fund, the secret file?

I haven't seen any secret file.

Norma, you know
what a decent man Greg is.

I'm trying to defend him.

Trying to find the man
who k*lled Danny.

I want you to help me.

"Apartment houses that slipped down
the hillsides during the rainy season.

Suspected payoffs
to building inspectors.”

Hmm. All right.

You can put this back, Norma.
I may need some copies later.

That's strange.

Danny brought this
in the afternoon before--

Before he was k*lled.
It's for the Tanner baby.

Seems a little out of character
for Danny Shine.

I remember he made a special trip
out to see the Tanners.

He met Mrs. Tanner and the baby.
First thing, he bought a gift.

He told me once that Gloria
didn't want children. But he loved kids.

Most people wouldn't believe
that of Danny,

but there were a lot of things
that people didn't know about him.

"The ideal gift for the ideal child.”
Signed, Danny Shine.

Empty.

Have you heard any more
from the kidnapper?

Same telephone call:
"The baby's okay."

Three words, that's it.

- And you can't identify his voice?
ALEX: I've never heard it, Perry.

Every time I answer the phone,
they hang up.

Pat's the one that's heard the voice.

They wait for Alex to leave
the house before they call.

Perry, it's driving us out
of our minds.

We sit here night and day
waiting for the phone to ring.

I've hardly been out of here since
this thing happened.

I'm doing all I can, Alex,
but you've tied my hands.

There's only one more thing,
one more lead.

I have an investigator tailing a man
who may be involved.

- No.
- Perry, I told you to do nothing.

Suppose this man you're having
followed finds he's been watched.

There's no point in speculating on
what a kidnapper may or may not do.

Speculating? Good Lord, Perry,

they don't want us to look for them,
so don't look.

They don't want Pat
or I on that stand.

We won't go on that stand.
That's all there is to it.

Just leave us alone.

Don't you realize
our child's life is at stake?

Not only his life is, Mrs. Tanner,
but my client's life.

If it has to be his or my child's,
then let it be his!

Please leave us alone.
Go away before you k*ll my child.

She's losing her mind over this thing.

[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]

- Who was that? What did he want?
- I don't know.

He was talking to Pat,
but when I came up,

he said,
"Mrs. Tanner and I wanna talk alone."

- When I refused he left.
- Alex, you must call the police.

Oh, no, no, he's out there watching
to make sure we don't call the police.

- I'm trying to see it your way, but--
- We have to count on their promise,

they'll release Bobby
as soon as this case goes to the jury.

That way, I guess they'll know
we don't testify.

Somehow, we've got to hold on
and pray till this nightmare is over.

Greg Stanley m*rder*d Daniel Shine
with cold-blooded premeditation

and deliberate intent.

The state will show that when
defendant walked out of his house

on that fateful night

to the car where his employer
Daniel Shine sat huddled,

drunk and helpless,
that he was driven by envy, fear, anger

and humiliation,
driven by all these things to k*ll.

The state will show that not only did
Greg Stanley want Daniel Shine's job,

but that on the other hand he knew
Daniel Shine intended to fire him.

Mr. and Mrs. Tanner can prove
that's not true.

And we will show that Greg Stanley
accepted payoffs

to keep items out
of the Daniel Shine column.

That's not true, either.

The state will describe for you,
ladies and gentlemen of the jury,

the grim moment

when the defendant stood
with his victim's blood on his hands,

revealed as the m*rder*r.

The jury believes him too. Already.

And if I were a reporter covering this
thing, I'd probably believe him myself.

The state will ask you to convict
Greg Stanley

of m*rder in the first degree.

The coroner's report stated that death
was caused by a . -caliber b*llet

which was found lodged
in the seat of the car.

The intense powder burns indicate,
if I may demonstrate,

that the g*n was pressed deep
in the victim's abdomen

- and then fired.
- Thank you, lieutenant.

Now, I ask if you recognize
this w*apon?

Yes, sir, I do.

Where did you find it?

In the glove compartment
of the m*rder car.

- Did you subject it to any tests?
- Yes, sir, I did.

I was present during ballistic tests
which proved this is the . -caliber g*n

which fired the fatal b*llet.

- Anything else?
- Yes, sir.

Fingerprint analysis showed
that the defendant's fingerprints

- were all over the barrel of the g*n.
- Thank you, lieutenant.

Cross-examine.

Lieutenant, you referred
to the coroner's report.

Does that report state death
was instantaneous?

Not definitely, Mr. Mason.

The report states that death could
have occurred or minutes

after the fatal sh**ting.

In other words,
Danny Shine could have been sh*t

while his car was still parked
in front of the Stanley house?

Yes, Mr. Mason, that's possible.

And isn't it also possible that if he lived
or minutes before he d*ed,

Danny Shine
was sounding his car horn

- in an attempt to summon help?
- Objection, Your Honor.

Defense counsel
is using hypothetical questions

to present his own wild conjectures
in the guise of fact.

If Your Honor please,

I'm trying to establish the approximate
time or location of the sh**ting

and the circumstances
that made it possible for someone

other than the defendant
to commit this m*rder.

Well, I'm afraid you'll have to take
another route, Mr. Mason.

Objection sustained.

When I left Danny sitting in his car,
he was alive.

I went back inside, and then
Greg Stanley left to drive Danny home.

Thank you, Miss Fenn.
Take the witness, Mr. Mason.

Miss Fenn, what were you
and the decedent doing in the car?

- I was going to take him home?
- Then, why didn't you?

Well, we--
Well, he'd had too much to drink

- and we had a little argument.
- A little argument?

Come now, Miss Fenn, it's already
been established he hit you.

- I wanna know why.
- I don't know what you're getting at.

MASON: With your help, I'm trying
to get at the truth. The truth, that's all.

Now, Miss Fenn, were you in love
with Danny Shine?

FENN:
Yes.

MASON: Did he tell you he loved you?
FENN: Yes.

- Were you going to be married?
FENN: Yes, well, I mean, no.

His wife refused to give him
a divorce.

MASON:
Is that what he told you that night?

Yes, yes.

MASON: But you refused
to accept that, didn't you?

You argued, and that's why he hit you,
isn't that right?

Objection, Your Honor.

Mr. Mason's browbeating
of this witness is obviously designed

just to deceive the jury.

I would assume that your objection
has the same intent, Mr. Burger.

Overruled. Proceed, Mr. Mason.

Now, Miss Fenn, when you left
the deceased to return to the party,

you said you left him alone.

There was no one else out
front with him?

She was. She was sitting in the car
across the street spying on us.

Now, Mrs. Shine, would you please tell
the substance of the conversation

you had with your husband
on the night of the m*rder

immediately before he left to attend
the party at the home of the defendant?

GLORIA: Yes, sir, I'll try to
remember it, exactly what Danny said.

The way he put it, he said, "I'm going
to get rid of Greg Stanley.

I can't trust him anymore.”

BURGER: Did he say why
he couldn't trust him?

Yes.

He said, "I found out last week
he took a $ , bribe

to withhold information from me

and now he's trying to cut
me out with the new boss."

BURGER: He said he was
gonna get rid of Greg Stanley.

Now, did he say when he
was gonna get rid of him?

GLORIA:
Yes, I remember the words to a T.

He said, "Tonight's the perfect time
to pull the rug on Greg."

And then he laughed.
He had that funny little-boy laugh.

And then he said that, "The ideal time
in the ideal place for the ideal people.”

You may inquire, Mr. Mason.

Mrs. Shine,

I see that you have the gift
of recalling in minute detail

every syllable of a conversation

which apparently took place
over a month ago.

Objection, Your Honor.
Badgering the witness.

I'm merely trying to establish that
the witness has an excellent memory.

Overruled. Proceed, Mr. Mason.

Tell me, Mrs. Shine,

did your husband tell you who allegedly
paid the defendant a $ , bribe?

No, I--
He didn't say who the man was.

But he did tell you it was a man,
not a woman?

I don't believe he mentioned--

MASON: But you just said
he didn't tell you who the man was.

Well, he might have said "man."

MASON: Well, did he say it,
or didn't he, Mrs. Shine?

- I don't remember.
MASON: You don't remember?

With your ability at recall?
Now, please, Mrs. Shine,

let's concentrate on this.
Try to remember.

Did your husband say what
information the defendant allegedly

- withheld from him.
- Oh, yes.

It was something about, uh,
land erosion

and apartment houses.
Yes, that was it.

Because the person involved
had threatened Danny

over the phone several weeks before,
I think,

and Danny told me then who it was.

Uh...

The name's right on the tip
of my tongue. I'll get it.

MASON:
Never mind, Mrs. Shine.

I'm sure you'll be able to evoke
that name in time.

Let's drop it for now.

In fact, if certain parties come forward
with certain information,

it won't be necessary for you
to remember that name.

Now, Mrs. Shine, the witness,
Norma Fenn, has testified

that you were present outside
the Stanley house

on the night of the m*rder.
Is that true?

Yes.

MASON:
From where you were,

could you see what was happening
in that car?

They were fighting.

MASON: Did you see Norma Fenn
leave the car

and rush back to the party?

GLORIA: Yes.
- Did you go to your husband's car

- and speak to him?
- No, there was no need to.

It was over with him and Norma.

Whenever he started hitting them,
that was always the end of it.

I heard her scream,
and so I just left and went home.

Then how is it you arrived at home
only after Greg Stanley got there,

when he left the same spot
some minutes after you did?

Well, I was upset,
I must have gone out of my way.

I'm finished with this witness for now,
but I reserve the right to recall her.

JUDGE:
The witness may stand down.

This court is adjourned.

[CHATTERING]

- Mr. Mason?
MASON: Yes?

Bruno Grant.
You probably don't remember me.

I met you when you spoke at a
Bar Association in San Francisco.

Mr. Vandenburg is my client
and your witness.

Mr. Vandenburg.

What brings you all the way
from San Francisco, Mr. Grant?

Don't play cat-and-mouse, Mason.

You know very well that he's here
because you sent me a subpoena.

I hope I needn't remind you,
Mr. Mason,

that any unsubstantiated claims
that tend to besmirch

the reputation of Mr. Vandenburg
will not go unnoticed or unchallenged.

Mr. Grant, I'm sure you wouldn't
attempt to intimidate the defense.

I'm simply asking your cooperation
in not letting your zeal

carry you too far afield.

I've examined Shine's file
against Mr. Vandenburg,

and though my client may have acted
on the basis of caveat emptor,

- he was not in violation of the law!
- Excuse me, Mr. Grant.

I made that phone call. Still no luck.

Mr. Adams, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Adams is an investigator
working for my firm.

I believe we almost met
at the Tanner residence.

- Almost.
- What were you doing there?

Mr. Mason, you should be the first
to respect the confidential relationship

between an investigator
and his client.

Very well then, I'll ask your client.

Mr. Vandenburg,
what was he doing there?

How the devil would I know?

Mr. Adams doesn't work
for Mr. Vandenburg, Mr. Mason.

For weeks, he's been on
an assignment for me.

And what's your interest
in the Tanners?

I represent the Globe News Syndicate
and the estate.

That's why I went to Mr. Grant
in the first place.

Mr. Grant, I'd like to have a word
with you in private.

- It may serve us both.
- Why not?

For days now, ever since I talked to
Bruno Grant I've been treading water,

stalling whenever I could.
What the devil's going on, Paul?

I'm sorry, Perry. My man in Japan's
knocking himself out,

but digging into records
any place is rough,

and so far he just hasn't been able
to come up with your information.

Here's a complete transcript
of the first week, Perry.

And Burger has had everyone
on the stand you expected him to.

Thanks, Della.

- Have you talked to Japan today?
- Nope.

What time is it over there?

Well, let's see,
they're hours ahead of us, uh,

- about o'clock tomorrow evening.
- All right, call your man right now.

Burger's certain to wind up
his case tomorrow,

and I have to be ready to act,
but I cannot do it on a hunch.

Our case hinges
on a report from Japan.

Overseas operator, please.

Della, will you stand by the phone
in the corridor?

Paul will call in as soon as
he's talked to his contact.

Right.

Ladies and gentleman of the jury,
you have already heard

the last witness for the state.

And now I beg of you, as the defense
begins to present its case,

do your best to separate rhetoric
from evidence

and to distinguish between
speculation and fact.

Mr. Burger,

you will have an opportunity in
your summation to address the jury.

Meanwhile, you might take
your own advice and avoid rhetoric

and speculation
on the defense's case.

BURGER: Of course, Your Honor.
The State rests.

Mr. Mason.

Is counsel for the defense ready
to proceed?

I ask the court's indulgence
for a moment.

Just one moment, Your Honor.

That's all, Paul said, "Records confirm
Bruno Grant's information.”

This is gonna be difficult
for you, Greg,

but I want you to go along with me.

What do you want me to do?

Just show no surprise at what I do
because I'm going to--

Mr. Mason, do you want a recess?

No, Your Honor.

JUDGE:
All right, proceed with the defense.

Your Honor, defense rests.

[CHATTERING]

JUDGE:
Quiet. Quiet, please.

Will counsel please approach
the bench?

Well, Mr. Mason,
frankly, I'm astounded.

I do not consider that you've given
your client adequate defense.

Therefore, I'm gonna call a recess

and discuss this matter
with you in chambers.

Perry, I heard what you did,
it was on the news.

I know what it must have done to you
to abandon the defense of a client.

I haven't abandoned my client, Alex.

The kidnapper left me
no choice at the moment.

- But once your son is safely returned--
- Come in, come in, please.

- Can I fix you a drink, some coffee?
- No, thank you.

What arrangements did you make
with the kidnapper, Mr. Tanner?

I'm to pick him up at a playground
in Santa Monica at midnight.

He'll be in the sandbox, lieutenant.

Lieutenant. A policeman?
Why is he here?

You know what the man said
on the phone about the police

- that we'd never see Bobby alive if--
- It's all right, Mrs. Tanner.

The police haven't been notified.

Lieutenant Drumm is here unofficially
as a friend.

I told them one plainclothesman
would be okay, Pat, just in case.

- How far is the playground from here.
- What?

Oh, it's not very far.
Perhaps we'd better be going.

- You'll be all right, dear?
- I'll wait with her.

Thank you.

Don't worry, Mrs. Tanner.
Just keep thinking,

when the hands
on that clock will be straight up--

My baby will be back in his cradle.

Safe, asleep.

There look.

"Your son is dead."

Dead?

You had to bring in Drake,
didn't you?

He scared them.

If he hadn't they might have
returned Bobby alive.

You've m*rder*d my son.

Alex, I understand
your feelings, but--

Do you?

Then you explain it to Pat.
This might be the blow to finish her.

[CLOCK RINGING]

o'clock. Bobby's safe.

Let's go see, in the nursery.

Bobby? Bobby, are you back?
Bobby?

Somehow I gotta tell Pat.

Alex. Bobby's back. He's home.

Oh, there it is.
I thought he'd lost his tiger.

- Pat--
- We went in the nursery

and there he was in the crib,
looking so peaceful, asleep.

- Asleep?
PAT: You've got to come look at him.

Come on. Come on, everybody.

There, you see,
doesn't he look beautiful?

He must have had the best of care.
We can thank them for that, anyway.

My baby. My darling baby's safe.

- Bobby's home again.
- Pat...

So the boy was kidnapped to keep
Mr. Tanner off the stand, huh?

Not Mr. Tanner, Steve, Mrs. Tanner.

So that she wouldn't testify
for Greg Stanley?

Oh, what happened to Greg
was of little moment to the kidnapper

and the m*rder*r.
The stakes were much higher.

- Full control of Globe News Syndicate.
- I see.

The loss of the child might
have affected Mrs. Tanner's mind.

If her mind was unstable, she couldn't
vote her controlling interest.

Loss of her child did affect her mind,
Steve, but not the kidnapping.

The death of her child in Japan,
six months ago.

The baby drowned in its bath

when Mrs. Tanner left him alone
for a few moments.

The prisoner's been booked.
You wanna talk to him?

DRUMM:
Yeah, I'll talk to him.

Perry, what if Mrs. Tanner
had testified on the stand.

Then her mental condition
would have been evident.

Her proxies would have been nullified
automatically by Bruno Grant,

acting for Globe Syndicate
and the estate.

But the imaginary kidnapping was
supposed to solve all your problems,

- wasn't it, Alex?
- I was worried about Pat.

Then you'll be glad to know that
she's finally going to get the treatment

she should have had
when your baby d*ed.

The doctors were encouraging.

I did it for Pat, not for me, for Pat.

No, Alex, you did it to explain
your wife's imbalance

and get control of the syndicate.

- And Danny Shine's m*rder?
- He was a pig, rotten.

I thought I was safe.

- No one could find out.
- We found out, a bit at a time.

First about Shine's unexpected visit
to Mrs. Tanner,

then the ideal gift for the ideal child,

next the fact
that you were never present

when the kidnapper
called your wife,

and finally, the terms of the estate.

I argued with Shine that night.

The man had no humanity in him.

He was gonna print that item,
Pat's delusion over our dead child.

He would have destroyed Pat

and me for one paragraph
in that filthy column.

Would you have let that happen?
Would you?

Would any man?

I k*lled him.

With his own g*n, I k*lled him.

The ideal m*rder
with the ideal corpse.