01x05 - Chapter Five

[bunniefuu]

MAYNARD BARNES: You got three options.

Plead Emily Dodson out,
t*nk the case in trial,

or get yourself disbarred.

E.B. JONATHON: There's no way
you'd be dredging up old ghosts

if you had a solid case!

- (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS)

MAN: The ramifications of
Sister's latest message

threatens the financial
health of the assembly.

WOMAN: Half of your audience
wanna kiss your feet,

the other half wanna k*ll you.

You have to let me protect you.

Charlie Dodson will rise again!

Blasphemy!

PETE STRICKLAND:
Three guys, three stiffs.

'Cept we know there's a fourth.

You're like every amateur
d*ck I ever met.

You think you caught a fish all
you done is hook your own ass.

E.B. JONATHON: Mr. Mason's
evidence is coming up short.

- You want me to say that I'm guilty?
- No, we're gonna fight.

I'm the lawyer here!

Then act like one goddammit!

(MUSIC CONCLUDES)

(DOORBELL RINGS)

(DOORBELL RINGS)

E.B.?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

(GAS STOVE HISSING)

(GASPS)

(CHOKING)

(HISSING STOPS)

E.B.? E.B.?

E.B.? E.B.?

E.B.? E.B.?

(SOBBING)

(CRIES) No.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

Boyle ...

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

(SOBBING)

DELLA STREET: It's funny,

you spend all these years
with somebody, and...

one day, they're just gone.

And you realize...

you'll never see them again.

But I guess that's life, isn't it?

So first you found him dead,
and then you called the police?

Yes.

That's exactly what I did.

I can assure you that all of us

at Century Mutual are
sorry for your loss.

May I ask if you need any assistance

with funeral arrangements?

- We have relationships with...
- Thank you. No.

The body is being taken
to be with his family.

Up north.

PORTER: Next stops be
Atascadero, Salinas,

Watsonville Junction,

South San Francisco, San Francisco.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

Not much longer now.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

Mother?

Can I have , dollars?

Twenty-five thousand dollars?

SISTER ALICE MCKEEGAN: For Emily Dodson.

That is the amount
of her bail, isn't it?

Are you... Are you suggesting
we... we free her?

I want Emily sitting on stage with me.

She can take Elder Brown's seat.

That's not the wisest path to
tread at this moment, Sister.

SISTER ALICE: Look at these!

This outpouring of love and charity.

Chesterfield, Missouri, two dollars.

Bangor, Maine,

five dollars and...

forty-three... cents.

Tucson, Arizona.

"May God pour honey over your body

and stake you to an ant hill,
you blaspheming whore.

You couldn't die soon enough."

Elder Seidel, how much did
we bring in this week?

ELDER SEIDEL: Uh, enough
to cover our overhead

and to keep the kitchen stocked.

SISTER ALICE: And it will be double that

when I return to the microphone.

Never in my life have I felt stronger

or more clear in my mind or
more filled with inspiration.

I think it's been some time

since we've had a divine healing.

Well, it's hard to capture
the true spirit

of that particular service
on the radio, Sister.

The gospel will reach
out through that radio

and around the world to every
man, woman, boy and girl.

As the hymns say, "To answer
when He calls, that is my task."

(SIGHS)

You can come down off your chariot.

We're paying attention.

Bring me the weak and the sick
like we did under tent poles

before we broke ground.

And if you cannot
accommodate that, Mother,

then you can be relieved of your duties.

Anything else, daughter?

Just , dollars.

PETE STRICKLAND: Look, Detective,

I already been tailing
Ennis for three days.

I'm asking who might have
a beef with this prick.

And guess whose name
keeps popping up? Yours.

- RAY ROYCE: Hey, Flint.
- Yeah?

Get your nose out of her pills
and go burn some coffee.

f*cking reeks in here.

You believe this sh*t?

What got at her face?

g*dd*mn cat.

Ugh. Ate her whole f*cking ear off.

Look, I'm on the Dodson case.

Things ain't adding up.

This guy, Joe Ennis,

he seems to be sitting in
the shadow of most of them.

I was first up the day
little Charlie came in.

It was my case.

That prick Ennis paid the division chief

to jump in front of me. My f*cking case.

Biggest case in town.

FLINT: Hey, Sarge?

I found the kitty-cat. It's dead too.

I hope it choked on her earring.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)

(CHILDREN CHATTER)

BYRON JONATHAN: Miss Street?

Yes. Hello, Mr. Jonathan.

Let me express our deepest sympathies

to you and your family
in this time of...

Thank you. You must be Mr. Mason.

It's Byron, isn't it?

BYRON: I'd like to thank you
both for coming all this way.

It really wasn't necessary.

Of course it was.

BYRON: Whatever it cost
you, please send me a bill.

You shouldn't be out of pocket.

Well, the trunk has some of
his things from the house.

There's still a lot to
go through, I'm afraid.

Please don't trouble
yourself any further.

I'll see that it all gets taken
to a consignment shop.

Byron, I... I'm sorry, I have to ask.

I mean, what... where...
where is everybody?

Your wife? The grandkids?

BYRON: At home. At school.

You... You're telling me he
actually mentioned my kids?

He... He had pictures of them.

But did he ever talk about them

or about me, about my sister?

Did he ever mention my mother,

who's inside there with him?

PERRY MASON: Well, it doesn't...

it doesn't mean you
weren't in his thoughts

or... or that he didn't care.

He was a very private man.

BYRON: Yes.

Well, we didn't talk about him either.

And, to be honest, I don't care.

DELLA: The check from his life insurance

will be mailed directly to you.

I'll see that his will is probated
as soon as we get back.

Will you be needing a ride back
to the train or to a hotel?

MASON: No. Thank you.

DELLA: That was warm.

MASON: It wasn't right, Della.

It wasn't right.

He knew you'd be there in the morning.

He knew you'd... you'd find him and...

Arrange things?

I suppose I should thank you.

For what? Helping turn his su1c1de

into a more insurance-friendly demise?

Forget it.

It's very easy for you to
break the rules, isn't it?

Well, the way I see it,
there's what's legal

and there's what's right.

You know, you can be
profoundly irritating.

- All right.
- DELLA: You drink too much.

Your personal habits leave
a lot to be desired.

And quite frankly, I find it offensive

that you choose to mask your
intelligence and decency

with cynicism and slothfulness.

Is that all?

And you never accept any help.

I'm letting you help
me finish this bottle.

You come from money, don't you?

Why do you say that?

- The way you sit.
- (CHUCKLES)

- Just little things.
- Mm-hmm?

Your subtle and not-so-subtle judgments.

I ran away from home when I was .

Goodbye, arranged fiancé.

Goodbye...

father who wouldn't
let me go to college.

Goodbye, inheritance.

Hello, E.B. Jonathan and Associates.

Answered a classified in the Examiner,

"Busy downtown firm seeks secretary."

I showed up.

It was just the two of them
sitting behind their desks,

Lyle and... E.B.

I mean, Lyle's a shark,

- but E.B. was...
- DELLA: Vain?

Short-tempered?

Self-absorbed?

MASON: He was living a lie.

Do you think that's why he did it?

(SIGHS)

Does it not even matter anymore?

MASON: Well, I think it mattered to E.B.

I think that's why he
chose his own terms.

Wrote his own epitaph.

"Here lies E.B. Jonathan,
defender of all the innocent,

righter of wrongs, all-around good guy."

Unless you're talking to his son.

Here's to all the shitty
fathers in the world.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

DELLA: Can you ring room ?

Perry Mason.

Mr. Mason checked out
an hour ago, ma'am.

Thank you.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

MASON: Thank you.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

(KNOCKS)

MASON: Hi, Cheryl.

It's good to see you.

- Linda here...
- CHERYL ANDERSON: Linda?

- LINDA: Yeah?
- Door.

What are you doing here?

Well, I was... I was working
a case in the area,

so I thought...

You look terrible. Are you drunk?

- Probably.
- LINDA: Jesus, Perry.

You can't show up here drunk.

E.B. is dead, Lin.

He... He d*ed. He's... He's dead.

I'm sorry.

I know when your dad passed, E.B. was...

I'm not... I'm not looking
for a hug or anything.

I just... I just wanted to
spend some time with my son.

He's out back playing.

Thank you.

LINDA: Wait.

You think you wanna come
inside and clean up a bit?

I'm fine.

(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)

TEDDY MASON: Daddy. Daddy!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

Why in God's name is she in chains?

DETECTIVE ENNIS:
Standard procedure, ma'am.

Standard should include a
certain level of decency.

I'm sure you're right about that, ma'am.

SISTER ALICE: Do you want
something to eat, Emily?

- EMILY DODSON: Mm-hmm.
- Maybe hot bath?

DETECTIVE HOLCOMB:
That's Alice McKeegan,

- you are Birdy McKeegan.
- Yes and yes.

And you agree to serve as
Emily Dodson's custodians

- after posting bail?
- Yes.

HOLCOMB: Number one,
Mrs. Dodson is to remain

confined on these premises
from dusk to dawn,

unless otherwise directed by the court.

- Yes.
- HOLCOMB: Number two,

these premises are subject

- to search at any time.
- BIRDY MCKEEGAN: Yes.

HOLCOMB: Number three,
Mrs. Dodson's not allowed

- to leave the state of California.
- Yes.

(SIGHS)

- It's soft.
- It's mine.

I had it moved in when I knew you
were coming to stay with us.

You shouldn't have. I don't need much.

SISTER ALICE: Really, I sleep
standing up half the time.

Go on.

You're here for a reason.

You and me both.

Sister, what you said...

what you said about Charlie...

SISTER ALICE: We've been called, Emily,

to be free of self

and filled with the Holy Spirit,

to be led by the Holy Spirit,
to see each other saved.

Can I be saved, Sister?

Can I?

Those curtains are new.

Yeah.

- MASON: They're nice.
- Thank you.

It's very kind of you to notice.

Do you want more coffee?

Thanks.

So what time does Ed roll in?

He must be putting in some serious hours

down at Spreckel.

Does dinner wait on him

or do you put a plate
in the oven for later?

Cher,

do you mind seeing if, uh, Teddy
needs help with his homework?

He doing well in school?

You're not staying for dinner.

Now, I don't know what this is, this...

this thing you're working on.

You just drop by out of the blue sky.

You're supposed to send the checks.

You don't.

Birthdays, Christmas, you screw that up.

And now you just show up
here and you... (SNIFFLES)

Do you know what that does to Teddy?

Well, I was thinking maybe he could come

spend some time with me on the farm.

It's hardly a farm.

Well, then why'd you tell
him I'm a f*cking farmer?

Because I don't know
what to tell him you are.

Poking around people's dirty linens,

hanging out at the morgue,

getting your nose knocked
in twice a week.

You're supposed to be his father.

I am his father.

No, Perry, you are not.

That ship has sailed.

ED: I'm home.

CHERYL: Hi, hon. Dinner's almost there.

Do you remember when I proposed to you?

Yeah.

- I said no.
- MASON: Yeah.

The first time you said no.

Why did you ever say yes to me, Lin?

Because for the life of
me I can't remember.

ED: Come on, buddy.

A-ha!

I heard a rumor and it
turns out to be true.

Perry Mason's in town!

How are you, Ed?

ED: Well, I don't want to jinx anything,

but I got to tell ya,

I think, uh, we're really getting
to see the other side of this.

The Honey Dew label
is really taking off.

Mark my words, ' is gonna
be a big year for Spreckel.

- Right?
- Right. Yeah.

ED: All right. Why don't
you go wash up, buddy?

TEDDY: Okay.

Well, that's great news, Ed.

So come in, sit down,
uh, have some dinner.

Tell me all the big city buzz, fella.

I'm afraid I got... I, uh,
I got... I got to go back to work.

Don't be afraid. It's just work.

(CHUCKLES)

Still, it's your loss.

Smells good in here, Linda.

What's for eats?

Oh, I've got a big
spread here tonight, Ed.

- I hope you're hungry.
- Thanks, as always.

I'll... I'll be waiting on it.

DEBATER: My esteemed opponent
has a view of our race

that I do not... cannot share.

We must accept, he says, the segregation

that daily confines us
to inferior schools,

inferior housing, inferior care

- if we're injured or sick.
- CROWD MEMBER: That's right.

DEBATER: We must accept,
he says, the humiliation

that daily denies us the simple
dignity of being human,

no more, no less.

All the while we are
urged to help ourselves,

- right?
- (CROWD AFFIRMS)

Educate ourselves.

Restrain ourselves,

in hopes that one day, one glorious day,

the white man will
smile upon us and say,

"Now, now I respect you."

(CROWD AFFIRMS)

DEBATER: When comes that day, friends?

Tomorrow? Next year? Next century?

No, the only way to earn
our place is to agitate,

organize, demand that the promise

of the Declaration of Independence

that all men are created
equal is a spur to justice

and not the most galling of hypocrisies.

(APPLAUSE)

That second debater
though, he was inspiring.

Yeah, but I don't think the
reverend should be supporting

radical views.

Rev's just giving a chance to
both sides of the argument.

The Bible says "Render unto Caesar."

- LOUISE: Mm...
- What's that got to do with it?

There's no point in fighting to change

what's not gonna change.

EDWINA: That's what he's saying.

It can't change if we don't fight.

Easy to get folks all riled up.

Then you left high and dry,
and what good have you done?

Well, what do you think
of it all, Officer Drake?

I think it is best to
always agree with my wife.

LOUISE: (CHUCKLES)

- You got him well trained.
- EDWINA: Mm-hmm.

(CHUCKLES)

Miss Street?

DELLA: Mother McKeegan.

I'm sorry for just
dropping by like this.

BIRDY: Is everything all right?

We're very sorry to hear
about Mr. Jonathan.

Yes, well, thank you.
He's with his family now.

As he should be.

DELLA: The reason I'm
here, first, to thank you

for organizing Emily's bail.

Oh, well, Sister deserves
credit for that.

DELLA: That's very generous.

And now that Emily's out of jail,

we need to work on getting
her a new lawyer.

Oh, well, the court
just appointed someone.

They're with him in the
dining room right now.

Mm.

The prosecution is also gonna
be calling your husband

who... uh-oh.

Herman Baggerly is your...
is your father-in-law?

Yes. Sort of.

Mr. Baggerly's thinking no
longer aligns with ours.

(SIGHS)

Miss Street, perhaps you could tell me

about the approach
Mr. Jonathan was taking.

Did he have some big secret strategy?

EMILY: In our last meeting, he mentioned

- maybe a deal.
- FRANK C. DILLON: Hmm.

DELLA: But we moved away from that.

We have promising evidence coming in.

DILLON: Evidence?

Well, these matters warrant
more consideration.

I'm going to need to see the case files.

Yes. Of course. They're at the office.

DILLON: His office is still open?

It's paid through the end of the month.

Perfect. Tomorrow morning then.

Would you excuse me a moment?

I need to make a call.

Okay.

Where were we?

My husband testifying?

Yes. Well, that's gonna be rough.

I had my issues with the man.

There's nowhere around
that but... damn it,

- last of a dying breed.
- DELLA: Mm.

Had my share lately.

There's talk of a, uh,
gathering down at the club.

Let the muckey-mucks say
nice things about him

for a Law Review write-up.

E.B. would have liked that.

LYLE: Darn right he would have. (LAUGHS)

Good lawyer in his day.
Big ham his whole life.

Lyle, the court appointed
Frank C. Dillon in his place.

LYLE: Yeah.

If I'm playing with my money,

I'm betting the DA had
a hand in his selection.

So you think Frank will
push Emily to plead guilty?

I think Frank will do whatever
helps Maynard Barnes

ride this case to higher office.

I'm hearing governor talk lately.

Meanwhile, an innocent woman
is being thrown to the wolves.

Unfortunately, wolves
don't care about truth.

They only care about meat.

Which is why I need to find Emily

another lawyer immediately.

I made a list.

I was hoping you could
look it over for me.

Let me look it over.

A very thorough list.

A Della Street list.

Well, Reilly, Geisler,
Rogers, they're very good.

They might do it for a big
fat check and the exposure.

Ferris and Kavanaugh, they'd
do it for the exposure alone,

but they're, uh... well,
to use the legal parlance,

- they're scumbags.
- Fifty-three names,

including yours.

It's a preordained loser, Della.

A real career-k*ller.

Too risky for most, including me.

No. But... But... She... She needs help.

- Lyle, she's...
- Yeah. It's not gonna happen.

Della, I'm sorry.

No. I... I'm sorry.

I... I'm here to get E.B.'s
will probated, not to, um...

LYLE: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Don't think twice about it.

(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)

Whoo!

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Whoa. Whoo!

It's a big opportunity.

More like a big pain
in the hindquarters.

No, no, no. Truckers make good money.

Buy a couple of used rigs for down.

Then spend hours a
week driving them around.

JAMES: We hire someone to do that.

- They work for us.
- Oh, okay.

We already got people under us, do we?

All right. How long you wanna
be walking the b*at for, huh?

I mean, how are you gonna
feel ten years on,

clearing alkies off the
stoops and writing tickets?

I got a plan.

Smart man... bite.

EDWINA: Get up off your ass

- and give me a towel!
- JAMES: Oh, all right. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

PAUL DRAKE: Get in here.
Get in here. Get in here.

- JAMES: Here I come. Here I come.
- DRAKE: Come on in here, now.

- You okay? Yeah?
- (SHIVERING)

DRAKE: I know my wife can
move faster than that.

- EDWINA: It's freezing.
- (SHIVERING)

Fool enough going in that January water.

Baby's gonna come out
an ice cube. Come here.

It's supposed to make the baby strong.

Oh, is that an old
wives' tale, old lady?

Uh, you watch where you're
going with that now.

Oh. Oh. Okay. I'm sorry.

- I'm sorry.
- Here.

- Yeah.
- Seems stronger.

DRAKE: I think it is.

Look at you.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(INAUDIBLE)

POLICE OFFICER : Let's go, everybody.

Pack your belongings and go.

POLICE OFFICER : Get off this beach.

- POLICE OFFICER : Let's go, everybody.
- POLICE OFFICER : Let's go.

Pack your belongings and go.

What's this now?

POLICE OFFICER : Let's go, everybody.

Let's go. Beach is closed.
Everybody off.

Well, they can't do that, can they?

DRAKE: What's going on, officer?

Closing the beach.

How come?

POLICE OFFICER :
Overcrowding. City ordinance.

Get your belongings and go
or I'll toss it in the ocean.

- He's a policeman.
- POLICE OFFICER : What's that?

My husband's a policeman.

And where would you be a policeman?

Central Avenue. Newton Division.

- And where is that?
- Los Angeles.

Well, this isn't Central.

This is Santa Monica.
This beach is closed.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

f*ck.

f*ck.

Let's you and me have a talk.

- Your partner, Mason.
- PETE: Associate.

ENNIS: He hands back the
letters that make our case.

Now he's out and about again,
making things hard for us.

Ain't we all want the same thing here?

Make things right for the baby boy?

The kid's dead. Little
late to make things right.

Hey, I'm busting my ass
here on this case.

When you're not shaking
down whorehouses.

ENNIS: You think I
have a choice in this?

Maybe you don't understand
how it goes when I say,

"I don't wanna do that to
the senior detective."

PETE: No. I do.

- No. You really don't.
- No, I do.

I used to be in vice, out in San Berdoo.

- ENNIS: Yeah?
- Yeah.

Oh, well then, between
you and me, I'm...

I'm trying to get out
from under him, yeah?

And this case could do it.

I bring it in right, I can call my sh*t.

So if there's a corner cut or
the wrong guy gets arrested,

it's not 'cause there's
some fourth man out there.

It's Holcomb. He's leading it, not me.

So you think Holcomb's
putting his thumb on this?

ENNIS: Talk to your associate, okay?

I know he's doing a job too, but...

he's way wide on all of this.

She's on me.

(EXHALES DEEPLY)

Lucy's really squirming tonight.

I don't think she liked
that cold bath much.

Edwina told me about
what James was saying,

about the trucks.

What you think?

We just gonna pretend nothing
happened, is that it?

I don't wanna make you angrier
than you already are.

No point in fighting.
"Render unto Caesar."

Okay. Okay, I deserve that.

I ain't a f*cking truck driver, Clara.

I know, baby.

I'm a f*cking cop...

on a colored beach.

I ain't sh*t, baby.

CLARA DRAKE: I was wrong
what I've been saying.

You do what you need to do,
however you need to do it,

and I'll be right there next to you,

wherever, whatever.

PETE: I'm jawing with the guy.

Not more than five minutes,

he's throwing shade on Holcomb.

Nothing specific. Just
hinting at it, you know?

But get this, Ennis cut the line
to be first at Angel's Flight.

That's one.

Then he's mighty quick to show
when the Polacks get whacked.

That's two.

Three, he's at Gannon's almost
before the call went out.

- Gannon's is LA County.
- Exactly.

Ain't his division.
Ain't nowhere near his division.

You think he's sitting nearby
to control the crime scenes?

Unless there's a bunch of Elks Lodges

we don't know about.

But three times?

That's quite the co-winky-dink.

Worth staying on him?

Try stopping me.

Yeah. Pete, look, I...

I got no way to pay you.

Fucker rolls on his partner,
tries to buy me off with p*ssy?

I'll pay you.

Pete Strickland b*rned on a tail job?

I never thought I'd see the day.

f*ck you.

(CHOIR SINGING)

There. Right there.

Yes, you. Yes, you, brother.

Bring him to me. Brothers, bring him up.

- WOMAN: Raise him up.
- SISTER ALICE: Yes.

Come forward, brother.

ELDER BROWN: Sixty-seven
days till Easter Sunday,

gentlemen of the press.

Sixty-seven days

till Alice McKeegan's
grievous revelation.

And may this placard remind
the deceived going in

and coming out,

what their satin-robed
leader promised twice now.

Twice. Twice.

What's with all the baby dolls, deacon?

It's a campaign to
denounce and dethrone,

and you can let your
readerships know that we,

of the Reformed Radiant Assembly of God,

will not set foot in our
glorious temple again

until the heretic McKeegan
and her enablers

surrender the pulpit
and restore the Church

to its noble white Christian origins.

(CROWD CHEERING)

And there came a sound from heaven,

a sound that The Good Book
says came like a mighty wind.

And it was this wind
that filled the house

where they were sitting.

There you are, brother. Yes.

Yes, come.

You don't need that chair.

And there appeared before them
cloven tongues made of fire.

And what happened next? Who can tell me?

- WOMAN: The Holy Spirit.
- Yes.

Yes, brothers and sisters.

Their lungs were flooded
with the Holy Ghost.

And they began to speak
in different tongues,

as the Spirit gave them utterance.

That chair's an excuse.

And it was quite a party

because there were all
sorts of people there.

Jews, Romans,

Arabians, Elamites, Mesopotamians.

But... (SHUSHING)

But everyone could understand
everyone else because now,

now they were speaking
in divine tongues,

the works of God.

(CROWD CHEERING)

Get up. He's got your legs.

Where's your faith?

- What's your name, Brother?
- It's Robert.

SISTER ALICE: Get up, Robert.

You don't need that chair
if you have faith, Robert.

You don't need that chair

if you feel the fire of
Christ inside you, Robert.

Can you feel it?

- I feel it.
- SISTER ALICE: You do feel it?

Yes. He feels it.

The age of miracles is here again.

What was truth in the
Bible is truth again.

(SPEAKING IN TONGUES)

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)

(SPEAKING IN TONGUES)

(SCREAMS)

(CROWD CHEERING)

(CHOIR SINGING)

- Do you believe in miracles?
- MAN: We believe!

SISTER ALICE: I can't hear you!

Yes, yes, yes. Yes, I believe.

SISTER ALICE: Do you believe?

Do you believe?

Yes! Yes, Robert.

Look how strong you are, Robert.

Look at you. Beautiful, Robert.

Yes. Yes.

You can do it, oh,
because you are filled

with the Lord's love. Yes. Feel it.

(CHOIR SINGING)

Well, it's certainly not
without compensation.

You're gonna have every
newspaper in the country

printing your firm's name.

You can't pay for the
kind of advertising

the Dodson case will...

- DILLON: Miss Street!
- I'm on the phone!

Well, no one would expect you to.

- DILLON: I need you in here!
- Just a second!

Can you... Can you think of anyone else

who might consider... Hello?

DILLON: Miss Street!

Did you need something, Mr. Dillon?

Miss Street, these case files,

is... is this... is this
everything you had?

As far as I know, Mr. Dillon.

DILLON: Because there
isn't a whole lot here,

aside from some photographs and a stack

of illegible notes from Mr. Mason.

DELLA: Well, I think you'll find
some motions in there as well.

Yeah. You mentioned yesterday,
you said something

about new evidence?

Oh. Yes.

Right. So where is it?

Gee, Mr. Dillon, if it's not there...

It's not.

Well, I suppose I could dash
by Mr. Jonathan's tonight

and see if he took anything home.

DILLON: That'd be wonderful. Thank you.

Miss Street, is there a trick
to using these phones?

DELLA: It's a phone, Mr. Dillon.

You pick it up and tell the operator

what number you'd like to call.

Right. Bit more complicated
than what we have

at the public defenders...
Hello, operator?

Yes. Uh, DA's office, please.

(JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING)

MAYNARD BARNES (ON PHONE):
Nothing in the files?

DILLON (ON PHONE):
Well, I'm still looking

through the notes from the detective.

A real unsavory character
with some shoddy penmanship.

BARNES: Bring me whatever
notes he left tomorrow.

- DILLON: Say your office, noon?
- BARNES: Not my f*cking office.

The place we met the other time.

DILLON: Of course. Sorry.

Stashing evidence,

hidden secrets.

This is like when I covered
Myrna in The Black Watch.

"It is sweeter to be a woman to one man

than goddess to thousands."

I could help, you know?

You're a klutz.

And Myrna would never forgive me.

Three more trips.

HAZEL PRYSTOCK: Should
I be worried about you?

I mean, just how illegal is this?

Well, the way I see it,

there's what's legal and
there's what's right.

EMILY: The officers said that
I'm supposed to be indoors

by nighttime.

I don't see any officers around, do you?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

(SOBBING)

Sister Alice?

Will you have to dig up
Charlie when you do it?

DIANNE (ON PHONE): Message exchange.

- MASON: It's Mason.
- DIANNE: He lives.

- MASON: What do you got for me?
- DIANNE: A lot.

- Just give me today's.
- DIANNE: Mr. Strickland.

Miss Street. Miss Street again.

Miss Street a third time.

She leave a message?

DIANNE: She says the
court has appointed...

(LAUGHS)

DILLON: What's funny?

Oh, you are.

Endlessly, Frank.

May I ask what you're doing?

Well, you are really making yourself
comfortable here, aren't you?

It's paid through the
end of the month, so...

A good man sat behind this desk.

A good man.

You are not him.

Glass houses, Mr. Mason.

And I'm the lawyer in charge here.

These reports on the Dodson
case are all incomplete,

and I need you to decipher your notes.

MASON: I know.
My penmanship's a fright. Oh!

Tolstoy. "If you want to be happy, be."

What do you want with my notes, Frank?

Is that alcohol?

- MASON: Mm-hmm.
- That's illegal.

MASON: Only the production,
transport, and sale.

The part where I pour it down
my throat is not only comforting

given your presence here,
but a-okay with Johnny Law.

As an officer of the
court, I must insist.

Mm-hmm. Hmm.

Damn it.

You ever read a book, Frank?

I tell my son it's important to learn.

Goddammit, Mason.

To go to school.

To get on in life with understanding,

compassion.

What chance does he have, Frank?

What chance does any of us have?

Someone call the police!

What if I just popped your head, Frank,

like a shiny pussball full of rot?

Just squeeze and squeeze,
until... (POPS)

I have friends downtown, Mason!

- Downtown!
- (BLOWS RASPBERRY)

MASON: Fair to assume that Barnes knows

everything we do at this point?

Not everything.

I gave Frank your notes,
which are illegible

and a bunch of stuff we already filed.

Stashed the rest of it here.

MASON: Brilliant, but
what does it matter?

The court will make sure
that Frank gets everything

at some point, then the
DA gets it the day later.

What is the DA's case so far?

Love letters and bias.

MASON: Exactly.

I mean, do they got
bloodied baby clothes?

No.

Do they got an operator listening in

as George and Emily plot their escape?

- No.
- MASON: Do they got her vacationing

in Milwaukee where the
kidnappers come from?

I'm gonna venture no.

MASON: I'm gonna guarantee a no.

So Barnes is gonna load the
jury with twelve teetotalling,

high-Christian assholes
and hammer away on Emily

for being a cheat and
take every opportunity

to show photographs of
Charlie on the morgue table.

You know why? 'Cause
they don't have a shred,

a f*cking sliver of physical evidence.

This standard of behavior
of what? Of... Of...

- Personal ethics?
- Yes!

Because if you walk out of that door

and think for one second

that you're entering
into a nation of laws,

you are a complete f*cking idiot.

I'm not even talking about the monster

that stitched those eye sockets open.

He just wanted the cash.
I'm talking about the cops

who are, at best, covering their asses.

And that... and that f*cking Matthew

who said, "f*ck you, Emily."

I'm just gonna go with
a dad that denied me.

And Barnes here,
you know this is all he's got.

Unless the mayor's talked
to him and said, "No. No.

This is how we make the sausage.

This is how we keep the order."

You want coffee?

- I've got coffee.
- DELLA: That's whiskey.

MASON: Oh, yes, it is.

You know what? Maybe there is a God.

Maybe there is a God with
a big white stupid beard

that says "This is how it's gonna be."

But, ladies and gentlemen of
the jury, we have a system

that says you f*ckers
can make things right.

Emily Dodson doesn't have to
eat the sins of Los Angeles.

She doesn't have to die for us sinners.

But they're not gonna do that,
'cause they were raised

in the same city as the rest of
these gutless f*cking attorneys

who won't take this on.

Is that my Underwood?

DELLA: Sorry, June. Emergency.

There are people upstairs
trying to sleep.

Perry, would you be kind enough
to offer Miss Pitlick a drink?

Oh, well, I...

I'd be honored.

Occasionally, I, uh...

Purely for medicinal purposes.

Oh, me too. What, uh,
what's the emergency?

Finding our lawyer.

Now, we just got to get
him in front of Emily

before Dillon gets to her.

No f*cking way.

George didn't k*ll himself?

MASON: No.

Does that mean that George is innocent?

No.

But what it does mean, Emily,

is that you need new representation,

and you need it now.

And you want her to engage Mr. Mason?

He's done all the significant
work on this case.

He knows more about it
than anyone in this city.

And he's committed

to making sure the truth
comes out in court

and that your name

and reputation are restored.

- But he's not a lawyer.
- DELLA: Actually...

Mr. Mason has been under
an apprenticeship

with Mr. Jonathan for the
past two-and-a-half years.

There's a bar examination in two weeks,

which will certify him
with plenty of time

before our trial is set to begin.

You're being railroaded,
Emily, and it's wrong.

But I can help you.

We can see that you mean
what you say, Mr. Mason,

but it's hard to believe

that you're the right
person for the job.

MASON: Well, I'm the
only person for this job

because we've called everyone.

And you can too.

But no one wants this case.

I'm all you got.

But I will prove your innocence, Emily.

And I will find Charlie's k*ller.

The choice here is Mrs. Dodson's.

Emily?

I want you to represent me, Mr. Mason.

You won't regret this.

MASON: What have we done, Della?

We gave our client a fighting chance.

Client?

I have a client? How the
f*ck do I have a client?

- What do I know about the law?
- DELLA: More than you think.

Or nothing.

- Somewhere in the middle.
- (KNOCK AT DOOR)

Wh... Where are you going?

This is our hour of great regret.

You have an appointment.

I hear you need some legal advice.

- I don't know you.
- That's good,

'cause I'm not here.

Oh, hot tea. Um... slice of lemon.

The suits in City Hall are
scared of something

about the Dodson case.

You probably know more
about why that is than I do.

Right. So what do you have that I don't?

A law degree from Yale,

years of trial
experience, and an office

one floor below Maynard Barnes.

- That it?
- (LAUGHS)

Della said you were a hard-ass.

Just a little guarded about tea drinkers

peddling free legal advice.

The bar exam has not changed since .

Do you have something to write on

or do you expect to
remember the whole thing?

Why don't we start with who you are.

Hamilton Burger.

I've heard of that name.

Deputy District Attorney
Hamilton Burger.

Oh, you're gunning for Barnes's job.

Miss?

You forgot my slice of lemon.

John operated a successful fishing shop.

He needed a new bait cooler,

which had to be in place by May

for the opening day of, you guessed it,

the fishing season. Write this down.

On, uh, February , John entered
into a valid written contract...

LAWYERS: "I do solemnly swear

I will support the Constitution
of the United States

and the Constitution of
the State of California.

I will employ such means
only as are consistent

with truth and honor.

I will maintain the confidence
and preserve inviolate

the secrets of my client.

I will abstain from all
offensive personality

unless required by the
justice of the cause

with which I am charged.

I will never reject the cause of
the defenseless or oppressed."

So help me God.

"So help me God."

MAYNARD BARNES: A trial is
society's way of finding the truth.

If I make a mistake... someone dies.

Then don't make a mistake.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS)

All they've got is innuendo
and circumstance.

There's gotta be something we missed.

WOMAN: Wait till you see what I got you.

- I could kiss you, Della Street.
- Please don't.

PERRY MASON: My client's
fighting for her life...

and you're hell-bent
on covering this up!

MAN: Do you swear that
the testimony you shall give,

shall be the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth...

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

... so help you God?

(MUSIC CONCLUDES)