01x20 - The Case of the Lonely Heiress

[bunniefuu]

He's here, lover.

Who?

Who do you think? Box 96.

Are you gonna do
something or just sit here?

Get back to your
desk, Miss Sims.

Yes, sir, Mr. Lacey.

(DOOR CLOSING)

(ELEVATOR DOOR CLOSING)

Oh.

"I am 23, with a face
and figure men whistle at.

"I yearn to meet
some nice young man

"who could be interested in me,

"and not the fortune
I recently inherited.

"I prefer the
simple outdoor type.

"Address all replies Box
96, care of this magazine."

Now, Mr. Lacey, you say this
ad appears in your magazine,

Lonely Hearts Calling?

You're thinking the ad is a
fraud, aren't you, Mr. Drake?

I'm thinking.

So are the postal authorities.

Unless I can satisfy them that
the ad is genuine, they say...

They say that I'll be charged
with using the mails to defraud.

That's what I...
Why I need your help

as a private
investigator, Mr. Drake.

I want you to find
the heiress in Box 96.

You see, Mr. Drake,

that ad has received
to date 485 replies,

netting my publication
a profit of over $400,

and this is just the beginning.

How do you profit from this ad,

uh, besides your
fee for printing it?

If you'll look on the back
cover, you'll see the answer.

All replies must be addressed
to a box number at my office,

and they must be written
on the official blank.

Now, there's one
blank in each magazine.

The magazine costs
$1 a copy. Not bad.

You say the heiress
never showed up?

No.

What became of the replies?

Well, they were
placed in Box 96,

and were called
for every afternoon

by a young man with
horn-rimmed glasses

and a violent temper.

I tried on several occasions
to follow the young man.

Yesterday he assaulted me.

A simple letter to the heiress

might have gotten a
less violent reaction.

Oh, I tried, but to no avail.

If you'd care to see
copies of my letters to her...

Here.

I wrote dozens
using different names,

but I received not a
single, solitary reply.

Apparently, you used
the wrong technique.

Oh? Well, just how would
you go about getting a reply?

That will cost you $200.

$200...

I'm not a rich man, Mr. Drake.

Couldn't you...

No.

But you see, Mr. Drake,
my circumstances are such...

No.

All right.

Margo, come on in
and bring in your book.

It seems like a lot of money.

It is.

Uh, Margo, take
a letter, please.

Yes, Mr. Drake.

PAUL: Dear Miss Box 96,

I am a poor young man,

so when I read in your
advertisement that you were rich,

I decided to write
you immediately.

To tell the truth,

I would have written if you
were as ugly as they come.

But if you're half
as pretty as you say,

I can hardly wait to meet you.

That's certainly an
approach I never thought of.

Well, we can always
go on from there.

If that doesn't
work, I'll try more.

Well, I'm content to leave the
matter in your capable hands.

Uh, aren't you
forgetting something?

Oh? My fee.

Oh, yes. Forgive me.

Thank you.

You'll, uh... You'll
let me know?

As soon as I hear anything.

Yes, well, uh, good day.

Good day.

(DOOR CLOSING)

You better get that check
cashed before the ink dries.

Margo, I'm surprised
at you. You're a cynic.

Don't you trust anybody?

Would you like to dictate
the rest of those letters?

No, I gotta get to the
bank before the ink dries.

Hey, Paul, where you going?

I gotta get to the bank.

Putting in or
taking out? Neither.

Did you ever hear of a
Edmund Arthur Lacey?

No. Well, I hope
his check's good.

Claims he's a publisher. Wants
me to locate a lonely heiress. Here.

I figured my best bet was to
write a couple dozen letters.

Well, if she's at all like her
ad, you ought to marry the girl.

"So if I said your money didn't
mean a thing to me, I'd be lying.

"Hoping to meet you
soon, Charles B. Barnaby."

Charles B. Barnaby...

What do you think, George?

Oh, I don't know,
Marylin. Let's hear the rest.

No. I'm going to
answer this one.

I wish you wouldn't.

I wish you wouldn't go
through with this crazy scheme.

I don't like it!

If you've lost your nerve,
you can quit, George,

but I'm going through
with it, exactly as planned.

Dear Mr. Barnaby,

your sincere letter

was like

a breath of fresh country air.

Could you possibly
drop by my apartment

tomorrow evening at 7:00?

(DOORBELL BUZZING)

Oh, Miss Clark?

Yes.

Miss Marylin Clark?

You must be
Mr. Barnaby. Yes, ma'am.

Won't you come in?

Oh, thank you. I wasn't
sure there for a minute.

I thought I might
have the wrong place.

(CHUCKLES)

You must have played football.

(TITTERING) Oh, you're joking.

Um, they wouldn't even let
me carry the water bucket.

Uh, I'm not exactly
what you call clumsy,

but, uh, I do about as
well as a newborn calf

without his mama to hold him up.

Well, at least you're honest.

I gotta be

'cause, well, you'll find out
the truth in no time at all and...

So if you'd figured on
me being, uh, kind of...

Well, you know. Suave?

Yeah. Well, if you'd figured
on me being that way,

well, I'm afraid you're
gonna be awful disappointed.

On the contrary, Mr. Barnaby,

I think you're just the
man I've been looking for.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

This is Mr. Lacey, Mr. Drake.

You needn't bother
about that information.

I managed to get it myself.

I've just received a
letter from the heiress

canceling the ad and
disclosing her identity.

I'm sure this will satisfy
the postal authorities.

Good. Oh, you better give
me her name for my report,

for your own protection.

It's Marylin Clark.

Her address is the
Fabian apartments.

Yes, thank you for
your interest. Goodbye.

Well, that should do it.

Yep.

Get another bottle of
champagne, Delores.

Do you think you
should, Charlie?

That champagne
packs quite a punch.

Well, snap it up. I
haven't got all day.

You shut up or do it
yourself, Charlie Bailey.

Barnaby. The name
is Barnaby this trip.

Now, get it right, will you?

Barnaby, Burns,
Bailey, what do I care?

What's the matter with her?

I'll tell you what's the matter.

I don't like this
girl, this heiress.

I don't like you.

And I hate you!

That's enough.

Save it for the blowoff.
Now, get the champagne.

Go on.

Why don't you get
rid of that little vixen?

She's too unstable.

That's exactly why
I keep her around,

because she's full of vinegar.

And because she can
tear a hotel room apart

in 30 seconds flat.

It's the doggonedest
blowoff you ever saw.

Delores really lives the part.

How long do you
think this job will take?

Another couple of
weeks, maybe less.

Aren't you a little
too optimistic?

No. No, I don't think so.

We're already at the "darling"
and the "honey" stage right now.

I been with her
seven nights a week,

and, uh, you can't do
much better than that.

I still wouldn't
rush her, Charlie.

There's too much at stake.

How much do you
think she's good for?

$75,000?

Oh, I don't know,

but, uh, you ought to come
off with, say, uh, $1,000.

But I set up the whole
deal. I brought you in.

I'm supposed to get half of
everything we take her for.

Those were the terms.

Your terms. Yes, but I...

I would have read
her ad eventually.

I always said your magazine
was one of my favorites.

Please, Charlie,
don't do this to me.

Don't force me
to go to the police!

You just do that.

While you're about it, don't
forget to explain to them

how you intercepted
Drake's letter

before it got to the heiress.

Yes, and tell them
how you copied it

and sent her the
same kind of letter

using Charlie's name.

Horsing around with the
mails is a federal offense.

But then, uh, you haven't
forgotten that, have you, Lacey?

You know, it's a shame

the kind of creeps you
gotta do business with

just to make a dishonest buck.

Charlie?

Now what?

Charlie, I don't
like this setup.

It's no different from a
dozen others we've pulled.

Well, this girl, this Marylin
Clark, she's too pretty.

Yeah.

You know, it's
nice for a change,

not having to romance a mud hen.

Oh, you...

I hate you.

Do you?

What are you doing?

I couldn't find
your keys, lover.

If I wanted you to look
in there, Miss Sims,

I would have left
the drawer open.

That's why I was curious. What do
you keep in there, postage stamps?

I don't know why I
tolerate your insolence.

(CHUCKLING) Don't you really?

Where have you been all day,

spying on country
boy and that girl?

It's none of your business.

Why don't you give up
playing peeping Tom?

Do you think I'm gonna let Barnaby
swindle me out of all that money?

I found the heiress,

she should be good
for $75,000 at least

and half of it is
rightfully mine.

(GIGGLING) What do you
intend to do about it, sue him?

You may laugh, Miss Sims,

but no one ever got the
better of Edmund Arthur Lacey.

I don't intend
for it to start now.

Demitasse?

Just sure as eggs I'll
bust this pretty little cup.

You know, I'm about as
heavy-handed as a hog in a turnip patch.

Oh, now, stop running
yourself down, darling.

I wish you wouldn't
call me that.

Darling? Well,
why not? I thought...

Well, you're right thinking
what you do, Marylin.

I've been meaning you
should fall in love with me,

only now I gotta tell you,
I haven't been honest.

What in the world? Hear me out.

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

You better answer it, while I try to
figure out how to tell you the rest.

Go on.

Hello?

This is George, Marylin.
Say, what's the idea?

I thought you said he
was taking you out tonight.

GEORGE: Hello,
Marylin? Are you there?

Yes, I'm here.

Well, what kind of a
fool do you take me for?

I've been hanging around
this place since 8:00.

I decided to have dinner in.

Say, you're not falling
for that rube, are you?

I'm sorry, darling, it
was the desk clerk.

It's okay.

Now, what's troubling you, huh?

Remember I told you I had
a little ranch up in Montana?

Mmm-hmm. Yes.

Well, what I didn't tell you
was, it's a 20,000-acre spread.

Oh, I didn't lie
to you in my letter

when I told you
I was a poor boy.

I'm land poor.

That's how I got mixed
up with that wildcat oil outfit.

Wildcat oil outfit?

Well, there's oil
under my land, Marylin.

I've got the geologist's
reports to prove it.

It's why I borrowed to the
hilt to pay for the drilling.

And the note is due.

Past due.

The outfit's just gonna pull out,
unless I can put up more cash.

(LAUGHS) Oh,
you foolish darling.

Why didn't you tell me before?
How much do you need?

Oh, no. I couldn't
take your money.

But it won't be my
money. It'll be our money.

I'm asking you to marry
me, Charlie Barnaby.

Therefore your petitioner
respectfully asks the court

that the relief be granted...

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Am I interrupting something?

No, just a suit
involving $8 million.

Oh, well, take a break,
will you, Perry? I'm in a jam.

Remember that lonely
heiress I told you about? Yes.

Well, ever since this Lacey
character pulled me off the case,

I've been nervous.

I keep asking myself, why
didn't he want his money back?

Did you get an answer?

No. And that's what bothered me.

It's completely
out of character.

So, I decided I ought
to do some investigating.

After all, I got a
license to protect,

and the postal authorities
are involved in this,

and I have no desire to
tangle with those boys.

So, your lonely heiress
turned out to be a phony?

Anything but. Her real
name's Marylin Cartwright.

Her old man used to own
Cartwright Brothers in Chicago.

The department
store? That's the one.

Then what's the problem?

This morning, I followed
Marylin into a Beverly Hills bank.

She had a check
certified for $50,000.

That qualifies her as
an heiress in my book.

Mine, too. Mine, too.

But I always had a hunch
I was the patsy in this deal.

And who do you think
she met afterwards?

Charlie Barnaby, alias
Country Boy Baker,

alias Charles Bailey,
alias... Well, you get the idea.

What's his racket?

PAUL: He is one of the
slickest con men in the business,

and you can see
where that leaves me.

No.

Look, suppose he and
Lacey are in this together,

and they used my letter
to make the contact.

Unless I miss my guess,
tonight's the blowoff.

What makes you think so?

Well, I tailed Country
Boy to a jeweler's,

Van Dorf and Cole, where
he bought a wedding ring.

Then he took a cab to
the Wayne Travel Agency.

He bought two tickets
to Rio de Janeiro.

Two tickets?

Well, then you mean he is
going to take the heiress?

PAUL: Uh-uh. His confederate,

a little spitfire named
Delores Cotarro, or Coterro,

and, oh, brother,
is she something.

Paul, I'd advise you
to call the bunco squad.

Talk to Lieutenant Kramer,

tell him how you got involved.

Ah.

Then Kramer could let
Country Boy have his blowoff,

and step in and make the pinch.

Yes, I'm afraid

our lonely heiress will
just have to face her ordeal.

(VEHICLE APPROACHING)

MARYLIN: You can
keep the change.

(DOORBELL BUZZING)

Hey.

Why, you're prettier
than a morning in May.

(LAUGHING) Come on in.

You, uh, going on our honeymoon
without even a suitcase?

Oh, we can pick them up
on the way to the airport.

But we'd better hurry. We
can't keep the minister waiting.

Oh, Charlie! I'm so
happy, I'm frightened.

You won't be sorry
about this, little honey.

I'll make you a good husband.

'Course, there are a couple
of things I've done in my life

that I'm, uh, not
exactly proud of.

Oh, no, no, no.

I don't wanna hear about them.

What say we celebrate
with a little champagne?

Champagne?

I know it's not in my league,

but, uh, I figured
we ought to have

something a little
fancier than soda pop.

(LAUGHING)

I hope I can do this right.

(CORK POPS)

Very professional,
Mr. Barnaby. Thank you.

What about glasses?

Mama always said I'd lose my
head if it wasn't screwed on tight.

Now, uh, I know Emily
Post wouldn't approve,

but, uh, it's all I've got.

What are you looking for?

I've got it.

I had the check certified,
so there'd be no trouble.

Why, I don't know what to say.

You make me feel
real ashamed of myself.

Oh, don't be
ridiculous, darling. Here.

To what we both want.

(DOOR OPENING)

CHARLIE: Delores!

You husband stealer!
For you, he leaves his wife!

For you, he ran
out on his children!

What're you doing here? I
told you we were through!

Shut up! I'll take care
of you later! Charlie!

(SCREAMING)

I'll k*ll you! I'll
scratch your eyes out!

Oh! No!

Stop it, Delores!

Stop it, Delores!

Let me go!

Charlie?

Charlie?

Hello, Delores.

Sergeant Kramer.

It's Lieutenant Kramer now.

I've been promoted
since the last time we met.

All right, Country Boy, get up.

Your cell is waiting.

Come on, come on.

What's the matter
with my Charlie?

Everything. He's dead.

(SOBBING)

No.

Charlie!

(SOBBING) No!

Oh, no!

(CAMERA CLICKS)

I only do like Charlie always
tell me to do for blowup.

I throw everything.

I bust up the place and
scare this Marylin Clark away.

I do it 100 times before!

(CRYING) Only this
time, I k*ll my Charlie!

Me! I k*ll my Charlie!

No, no, you didn't
k*ll him, Delores.

He was poisoned.

Poisoned? Yes.

Take her downtown.
Mr. Burger will wanna talk to her.

Uh, Kramer, did you see this,
uh, Marylin Clark leave the room?

Yeah. But I didn't
think of stopping her.

I never expected to
walk into a mess like this.

Why? Do you
think she k*lled him?

Well, don't you?

Hell, that's your department,
Tragg. It sure looks like it.

I better get out an all
points bulletin on her.

You know, I never met
a real live heiress before.

Perry, there's a George
Moore in my office.

He wants to see you.

Not now, Della.

He's Marylin
Cartwright's stepbrother.

Marylin Cartwright?

Yes, Marylin Cartwright,
Clark, you know...

Paul's mystery heiress that
the police are looking for.

Oh, yes. Have
him in by all means.

Right.

Mr. Moore?

Mr. Mason.

How do you do?

Sit down, won't you?

Thank you.

I, uh, don't know how
much your secretary told you.

Just that you're Marylin
Cartwright's stepbrother.

Yes. I want you
to represent her.

What made you come to me?

Because I'm convinced that
no one but you could get her off.

That's very flattering.

Only I must have one
assurance, Mr. Mason.

Namely?

That if you don't take the case,

you won't turn her
over to the police.

I'm sorry, I can't give
you that assurance.

But you've got to
understand Marylin's position.

And you must understand
mine. I won't have my hands tied.

If you want my services,
those are the terms.

Well, I guess I have no choice.

No.

It all started about a year ago

when my sister Helen suddenly
came home from school.

She was desperately ill.

She refused to see a
doctor or any of her friends.

Go on, Miss Cartwright.

About a week later,

Helen d*ed of an overdose
of sleeping tablets.

She was going to have a baby.

I couldn't believe it
at first, not of Helen.

She wasn't the type.
She's the type men ignored.

I went through her diary.
Well, it was Charles Barnaby.

Only he used the name of Bailey
when he answered Helen's ad.

You mean, your sister advertised
in the Lonely Hearts magazine?

Helen was brilliant
intellectually,

but a child emotionally.

She fell desperately in
love with the Country Boy.

Every word, every gesture
that passed between them

is recorded in her diary.

That's how I knew
I had the right man

the minute he walked
inside my apartment.

How much money did this
man get from your sister?

$16,000. Now, it was our idea...

No. It was my idea, Mr. Mason.

George tried to dissuade me,

but I wanted to track
Barnaby and the woman.

I wanted to turn
them over to the police

the minute that they
left town with my money.

So it all went exactly
as you planned.

All except the m*rder.
I didn't poison him.

Will you defend her, Mr. Mason?

Yes, I will,

if Miss Cartwright will
surrender to the police.

Tonight.

No.

You agreed I wouldn't have to.

But you don't
understand. Mr. Mason...

You deliberately brought him here knowing
that he'd turn me over to the police!

That's enough, Miss Cartwright.

You know, you're in a
very precarious position.

I can't help you unless
you give yourself up.

All right.

Let's get your things.

Now, Delores, if there's
anything you want,

you just call Mr. Burger. There's no
need for you to leave the apartment.

I understand.

And remember your promise,

don't talk to anyone.

I remember. Good night,
Lieutenant. Good night.

(HORN HONKING)

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Hello, Miss Coterro?

Who are you?

My name is Mason.
I'd like to talk to you.

I don't talk to nobody. I'm
an attorney, Miss Coterro.

I already have attorney,
the district attorney.

Well, I'm not
offering my services.

I already represent
Marylin Cartwright.

So, good!

You tell her that I fix her
like she fix my Charlie.

How do you know that she
poisoned that champagne?

It could have been
anyone. You, for instance.

What do you say?

Perhaps Charlie was
double-crossing you.

You're crazy!

Then how about Lacey?

Did you know he was
seen outside the motel

shortly before Charlie
was k*lled? You lie.

You try to mix me up.

Miss Coterro,

did Charlie Barnaby have some
sort of an arrangement with Lacey?

A deal, maybe?

I don't know this
Lacey. Now, go away!

You do want the
m*rder*r caught, don't you?

I know who k*lled my Charlie.

I thought perhaps if
there had been a deal

and Charlie was
double-crossing Lacey...

But I guess that's just foolish.

Everyone knows the Country
Boy was as good as his word.

It was that girl! She
k*lled my Charlie!

She found out he
don't love her no more.

Now get out!

Think it over, Miss Coterro.

(DOOR OPENING)

Who's there?

Is someone there?

m*rder*r!

(g*n f*ring)

(DELORES SHOUTING IN SPANISH)

(g*n f*ring)

Turn around, coward!

I'll k*ll you to your face!

Turn!

(g*n CLICKING)

Let me go! He k*lled my Charlie!

Come on, Lacey,
come on. Let's go.

How did you know about me?

I told him, lover.

I couldn't bear the
thought of your leaving.

Not in the middle of the night,
with my half of the money.

You informer.

Lover, I saved your life.

Well, thank the lady.
Thank the lady, Mr. Lacey.

San Quentin's better
than the cemetery.

Poor darling, he's so fragile.

Don't you realize that Perry Mason
was just trying to confuse you?

Lacey didn't k*ll your Charlie,

it was Marylin
Cartwright who k*lled him.

It was Lacey, I think.

You think. I know.

Lacey make deal with my Charlie

and my Charlie change deal.

You mean Charlie
double-crossed Lacey? Yes.

Well, even so,

on the basis of our evidence,

there's almost no doubt

that it was Marylin Cartwright
k*lled your boyfriend.

(SIGHS)

Look, um, Delores,

now, uh, haven't
we been nice to you?

Don't you trust us?

But Mr. Mason said that...

Mr. Mason was
making a fool of you.

He doesn't want you to
be a witness for Mr. Burger.

He knows that we
need your testimony.

You've got to play ball with us.

I tell you, Lacey had
nothing to do with it.

Mason was bluffing.

Well...

If you want Miss Cartwright
to get away with m*rder...

No.

I play ball.

We will also prove that the
defendant, Marylin Cartwright,

deliberately sought out Charles
Barnaby for one purpose, to k*ll him.

And that her motive was revenge.

BURGER: Mr. Lacey,
I direct your attention

to this ad, which
appeared in your magazine.

Is it true that this ad was paid for
by the defendant, Marylin Cartwright?

It is.

Although I didn't know
her identity at the time.

What did you think
about the content of this?

I felt that the ad
was not sincere.

I tried to contact Miss
Cartwright, but was unsuccessful.

In fact, I was assaulted
for my... For my trouble.

When the postal authorities insisted
that you prove the ad was genuine,

what did you do then?

I sought the help
of Mr. Paul Drake.

I see.

How did Mr. Drake help you?

Well, he didn't.

I located Miss
Cartwright myself,

and the moment I located
her, she withdrew the ad.

Didn't you think
that was strange?

No, I assumed that she had found
the one person she was looking for.

You mean Charles
"Country Boy" Baker,

alias Barnaby, the
man she meant to k*ll.

I object, Your Honor.

It calls for a conclusion.

Sustained.

BURGER: Your witness, Mr. Mason.

May I, Mr. Burger?

Thank you.

Mr. Lacey,

were you acquainted in any
way with the m*rder victim?

In a most unpleasant way, yes.

How do you mean?

Well, I learned that Mr. Barnaby
was seeing Miss Cartwright.

I knew him to be
a confidence man,

so I went to him and warned
him to keep away from her

or I would notify the police.

Oh.

By this time you had
taken a fatherly interest

in the woman who had
given you so much trouble?

You wanted to protect her?

I wanted to protect the good
reputation of my magazine.

Despite the fact
that this magazine

was a favorite hunting ground
for many a confidence man?

That's not fair.

Is it not true, Mr. Lacey,

that Charles Barnaby
used your magazine

over and over again
for his own purposes?

I had no control over
Mr. Barnaby's actions.

Why did you go to the Blue Bell
Motel on the night of the m*rder?

As I said, to thwart any swindle

which might reflect on the
good name of my publication.

MASON: Well, if you had no
control over Mr. Barnaby's actions,

how did you expect
to accomplish that?

Well, I... I hoped
to reason with him.

Did you talk with Mr. Barnaby?

No. No, I never
entered his room.

Then how did you
hope to reason with him?

By mental telepathy?

(STAMMERING) Well, I...

(CROWD MURMURING)

That's all, Mr. Lacey.

JUDGE: You may step down.

If I understand your
testimony correctly, Mr. Moore,

the plan was to
locate Charlie Barnaby

by placing this phony
ad in a magazine,

to let him fleece your
stepsister out of $50,000,

and then to turn him and
his confederate, Miss Coterro,

over to the police before they
had time to abscond with the money.

Is that substantially
correct? Yes, sir.

And everything went
according to plan?

Yes, sir.

Everything except the
m*rder. We didn't plan that.

Why didn't you let the
police in on this little scheme?

Well, Marylin was
afraid they'd interfere.

Of course Marylin was afraid.

But you wanted to include the
police, didn't you, Mr. Moore?

Well, I... You disagreed with
your stepsister, didn't you?

Didn't you?

MASON: If Your Honor
please, the district attorney

is cross-examining
his own witness.

Your Honor, this is
an adverse witness.

He has information vital
to the prosecution's case.

We had no choice
except to call him.

You may proceed,
Mr. Burger, but with due caution.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Mr. Moore, when you first
heard of this plan of your sister's

for entrapping the deceased,
what was your reaction to it?

I didn't like it. Why?

I didn't like it, that's all.

But Miss Cartwright decided to go
ahead with the plan anyway, didn't she?

Yes.

Because she believed Charles
Barnaby was responsible

for her sister's death?

Yes.

Thank you.

But what's wrong with trying to trap
the crook who caused Helen's su1c1de?

Nothing, Mr. Moore, provided the
scheme doesn't include a m*rder!

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Uh, Mr. Moore, it is your
wish to help your stepsister,

is it not? Naturally.

And it was because of you that
she surrendered to the police?

Well, I felt her only chance

was to make a clean breast of the
whole thing, if that's what you mean.

Thank you. Oh,

Mr. Moore, are you employed?

No.

Is it not a fact that you are
supported by your stepsister?

Yes.

So, naturally, you
are grateful to her?

Naturally.

Now, according to the terms
of your late stepfather's will,

should anything
happen to Marylin,

who would inherit her money?

Why, I would.

You mean, you would
be the sole and only heir?

Yes.

(CROWD MURMURING)

That's all, Mr. Moore.

BURGER: Now, Miss Coterro,
will you describe for us, please,

your actions on the
day of October 25th?

I do like always.

I pack suitcases,
Charlie's and mine.

I pay lady who runs motel.

Then I go downtown
to ticket office

and pick up airplane tickets.

After that, I keep out of
sight till time for blowoff.

When you say "like always,"

do you mean that this routine
you're describing never varies?

We do the same all the
time because it work perfect.

I see. Go on, please.

Well, then I wait
till it is time for her

to keep date with my Charlie.

At the Blue Bell Motel?

Yes. I listen at door,

then I break in when
they drink champagne.

I know then that
he have the money.

I bust up the place a little

and chase her out.

Now, is this routine
that you've described

the same one that was used
to fleece the defendant's sister,

Helen Cartwright?

I told you, Charlie do
the same all the time.

The exact same routine? Yes.

Thank you. That's all.

Why did he emphasize
the same-routine business?

Well, it was all in
your sister's diary,

so you must've known Charlie would
have had the champagne on hand.

Now, Miss Coterro,

how long had you
known Charlie Barnaby?

Answer the question, please.

No! I hate you.

JUDGE: Miss Coterro, I direct
you to answer Mr. Mason's question.

No, I don't help
him! He is with her.

She k*lled my Charlie!
I never answer them.

The witness will
answer the question

or be held in contempt of court.

BURGER: If it please the court,

this witness is not familiar
with our system of jurisprudence.

Given a little time, I can
explain matters to her,

and I'm sure that she will then
answer Mr. Mason's questions.

No, I never answer them!

Your Honor, I am perfectly
willing to expedite matters

by forgoing my
cross-examination of this witness

at the moment.

I appreciate that, Mr. Mason.

You may step down, please.

Call your next witness.

Dr. Lewis J. Palmer.

BURGER: Doctor, you
performed an autopsy

on the victim, Charles Barnaby?

I did, sir. What was
the cause of death?

Death resulted from
poisoning with prussic acid.

How would you say the poison
was introduced into the body?

It was probably ingested with the
contents of a glass of champagne.

How much prussic acid would
constitute a lethal dose, Doctor?

As little as one
grain, 65 milligrams.

Would one swallow of
champagne have been fatal?

Definitely.

Then would you say that the simple
fact that Marylin Cartwright is alive

is ample proof that she did
not taste the champagne?

Yes.

Thank you, Doctor. Your witness.

Doctor, did you, uh,

analyze the champagne
in Miss Cartwright's glass?

I did, sir.

Did it contain
prussic acid also?

Yes.

Wouldn't that indicate that
whoever committed the crime

intended to take the
defendant's life, as well?

(SCOFFS) Well, hardly.

I've known of dozens of cases where
the poisoner doctored his own drink

so that he wouldn't
be suspected.

Then you would have us believe

that Miss Cartwright emptied
part of a vial of prussic acid

into Barnaby's drink
and the rest into her own?

Not necessarily.

In this case, the poison
was placed in the bottle.

You mean,

the prussic acid was
in the bottle itself?

Yes.

Would you tell me how the
defendant could've managed that

without it being observed
by the deceased?

BURGER: Objection. Sustained.

Thank you, Doctor. That's all.

Thank you, Doctor,
you may step down.

Here we are.

What about the ice?

Realism has its limits,
you know. Are you ready?

Yeah. This goes back here.

Now, according
to Marylin's story,

they were standing about here.

They talked about their
marriage plans for a while.

That's when he suggested having
the champagne to celebrate, right?

Right.

No. No. Marylin said that he
popped the cork back there.

My mistake.

(CORK POPS)

Now, this is when Marylin
said, "What about the glasses?"

They were back there, too.

Glasses...

"My mama always
said I'd forget my head

"if it wasn't screwed on tight."

(SIGHING) The police were right.

Marylin did have time
to doctor the champagne

while Country Boy
was getting the glasses.

Maybe your timing was off.

No.

Oh, it just doesn't make sense.

I know she was
telling the truth.

There must be another way.

I suppose so.

After all, I've seen models

of a clipper ship with full
rigging in a bottle like this.

I never understood
how they did it,

unless they cut off the
bottom and then re-sealed it.

No, no, they couldn't do
that. They'd go through the...

Della, I love you.
You're a positive genius.

What'd I say?

Come on, let's go.
Let's get out of here.

What about the champagne?
We'll leave it for the manager.

Your Honor, after the
adjournment yesterday,

I explained to Miss Coterro
the necessity for answering

the defense counsel's questions.

I'm sure if Mr. Mason
would care to continue

his cross-examination
at this time,

he will find her
most responsive.

Very well,
Mr. Burger. Mr. Mason.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I'm sorry to have to
question you, Miss Coterro.

Now, how long had you
known Charlie Barnaby?

Eight years.

Where did you meet him?

In Mexico City. I
run away with him.

And from then on, you
were his accomplice?

You mean, I help him? Yes.

I do anything Charlie ask.

Miss Coterro, this is exhibit B,

two plane tickets for Rio.

They were found on the
body of Charles Barnaby.

He picked these tickets up
the afternoon of his death.

We always go away
after we make score.

But you testified yesterday
that you picked the tickets up?

No.

You did not pick two tickets up
from the Wayne Travel Agency?

I made a mistake.

I don't know that
Charlie already get them.

But the tickets you
picked up were for Hawaii.

That's when you discovered Charlie
had already booked a trip for Rio,

a trip that did not include you.

You lie!

Charlie would never go
away with that woman!

He loved me, only me!

That isn't so, Delores.

Charlie Barnaby actually
intended to marry Miss Cartwright.

That's why you
poisoned the champagne.

You planned and you
wanted to k*ll them both.

You must not believe him!

I wasn't even in room
when Charlie was poisoned.

How could I have
put poison in bottle?

Miss Coterro, are you
addicted to narcotics?

What?

I asked if you used narcotics.

You think I am bad girl?

Would you open that, please?

Now, do you know what that is?

It's, how you call, syringe.

That's right. A
hypodermic syringe.

Now, Miss Coterro,

are you familiar with the
Clinton drugstore on Waverly?

Yes.

Well, if you are not
addicted to narcotics,

why did you buy a
hypodermic syringe

exactly like this one on
the night before the m*rder?

Because I have diabetes.

(CROWD MURMURING)

Now, are there any more
questions, Mr. Mason?

Perhaps you would like
to speak to my doctor.

You may step down, Miss Coterro.

Excuse me, Your Honor.

A moment, Miss Coterro.

Would you sit down, please?

Miss Coterro,

do you take insulin
for your diabetes?

Every day, 50 units.

And how is that
insulin administered?

In syringe like this.
This is why I buy it.

But isn't it usually
administered just under the skin?

Yes.

And isn't the size
of the needle, say,

a half inch or perhaps
three quarters of an inch?

Yes.

Then why did you
buy a 25-gauge needle,

a needle 2" long?

You could have bought it for
only one reason, Miss Coterro.

A needle long enough
to go clear through a cork,

so you could inject the prussic
acid into the champagne.

(PEOPLE MURMURING)

Isn't that right, Miss Coterro?

(SOBBING) He was
no good, my Charlie.

He say, "Delores,
you get lost now.

"I marry this Marylin."

I beg, I cry,

but he only laugh at me.

And I say, "Okay,
Charlie, I love you.

"If this girl is what you want,

"I don't make trouble."

He think I mean it.

He cannot understand
that I never give him up.

He is mi vida, my life.

If I don't have him, nobody can.

Nobody can!

I still don't see how you
pegged Delores as the k*ller.

Well, actually, it was
in front of us all along.

For example?

For example, her attempt to k*ll
Lacey. She fired five sh*ts at him.

And missed him every time.

Well, she wasn't
trying to hit him.

She did that just to avert
suspicion from herself.

Then there was
Paul's report. Huh?

Well, remember you said that
you followed the Country Boy

the day that he
met Marylin? Yeah.

He went into Van Dorf and
Cole and bought a wedding ring.

Was that part of his
usual routine? No.

Then obviously he had
different plans for Marylin.

He was really gonna marry her.

Does that answer
your question? Yes.

Good. Because I have
a question I'd like to ask.

It's exactly 10:20, and I
haven't eaten since noon.

Now, which of you two
handsome gentlemen

is going to take me to
dinner? Uh, just a minute.

Call it, Perry.

Uh, heads.

(CLINKING)

Well, we both win.

(LAUGHING)