02x27 - The Case of the Deadly Toy

[bunniefuu]

( noirish jazz theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

( soft music playing
over speakers )

Hello, Mr. Selkirk.

My plane just got in
from Los Angeles.

Your office told me
to meet you here.

Well...

is Miss Allison still seeing
this Richard Benedict?

Apparently,
my little plan isn't working.

But this is
the tenth letter.

They come
at least twice a week.

And it's always
the same kind of story

about some woman being k*lled

because she left a man.

BENEDICT:
Quite a character,
your Mr. Martin Selkirk.

You can't imagine
how cruel he is.

He has a son, David,
by a previous marriage.

You wouldn't believe
how Martin mistreats him

when the boy spends
a weekend with him.

He says David
needs discipline.

Claire, this doesn't
look like typing.

CLAIRE:
The police say it was done
on a small hand press.

BENEDICT:
Oh?

Every envelope
postmarked Los Angeles?

d*ck?
Hm?

I've made up my mind that we've
got to stop seeing each other.

Claire...

you don't know
what you're talking about.

Now,
Selkirk's stampeding you.

This is exactly what he wants.

I admit it.

I'm afraid for both of us.

Well, I'm not.

Look...

I know a detective
in L.A. named Paul Drake.

If Selkirk is printing these,

there's bound to be
some evidence somewhere.

Look, Claire--

( grunts )

( menacing theme playing )

Why don't you look
where you're going?

( screams )

I'm sorry, Claire...

but your escort
was so clumsy.

( dramatic theme playing )

Good morning, Miss Allison.

Miss Walsh.
How's Mr. Benedict?

Grumpy.
That means he's doing fine.

( laughs )

Dr. Mayberry says
he'll be able

to leave tomorrow.

Oh, good.

Oh, incidentally, I brought you
and the other nurses

a box of candy.

You've all been so very nice.

Oh, thank you.
He's in the solarium.

Oh.

( rings )

Excuse me.

Third floor, Walsh.

Just a moment.

Miss Allison?
( elevator dings )

Miss Allison,

phone call for you,

long distance
from Los Angeles.

I'll tell Mr. Benedict
you're here.

Hello?

Yes,
this is Claire Allison.

Who?

Lorraine Jennings.

Lorraine Selkirk Jennings.

Selkirk?

I'm David's mother,

Martin's first wife.

Uh, your office told me

I might be able
to reach you at the hospital.

I do hope Mr. Benedict
is feeling better.

How did you hear about that?

Martin told me himself.

Oh, he was very subtle about it,

but I got the message.

Miss Allison,
I know how frightened you are.

I think I may be able
to help you

if you will come to Los Angeles.

No. No, it's impossible
to discuss on the phone.

But if you will
follow my advice,

Martin won't bother you again.

Besides,
it'll give you

an opportunity to see David.

He talks of you constantly.

Yes, he's right here.

Well, I can't make
any promises,

but I'll do my best.

That's all I ask.

She's coming, Ralph.

( ominous theme playing )

MAN:
Well, I had managed to take
the same plane as Miss Allison.

We landed in Los Angeles
about an hour ago.

Miss Allison was met
at the Los Angeles airport

by your ex-wife
and her husband, Mr. Jennings.

They drove immediately
to the Jennings home in Bren--

I know what
Mr. and Mrs. Jennings

did down here.

I don't need you for that.

Thanks.

I wanna know
what they did up there.

Well, Benedict gets out
of the hospital tomorrow.

Miss Allison
has seen him every day.

( chuckles )

She doesn't give up easily,
does she?

You, uh, sure are stuck
on that girl, aren't you?

All my life I've had
what I wanted.

A man gets used to that.

As for Miss Allison,

when I saw her,
I liked her.

And I want her.

Anybody else comes next.

( lonely theme playing )

He's probably fast asleep.

He's an angel.

( sighs )

( chuckles )

Now you go on back in
and look after David.

Go on. Scoot!

Heh.

That's Mr. Gus.
He's David's babysitter

when we can't get
Hannah Barton.

Does David sleep
out here very often?

No, but he's going up
to Camp Kilgore

tomorrow morning at ,

and he just had to break in
his equipment.

Mrs. Jennings...

Lorraine.

You said you could help me.

Let's go inside.

What we have in mind
is quite simple, Miss Allison.

We want you to testify
for us in court.

Testify?

About Martin's treatment
of David.

Well, y-yes,
I know, but--

You don't know
what this means

to my wife,
Miss Allison.

There's a new hearing
set for next week,

and I'm sure
that with your help

we can get sole custody
of David.

But I thought that
you a-and your husband

had some plan to help me.

This is part of it.

The testimony that we bring out
at the hearing

will tie in with those letters
and clippings

that he's been sending you.

It'll be obvious that
Martin's been threatening you,

and then you can go
to the district attorney, and--

Lorraine!

I-I'd love
to help you, but...

I-I just don't wanna
get any more involved.

Oh, please, Claire,
don't say no.

We have the whole thing
worked out.

I think Miss Allison
needs a good night's rest

before she makes
any decision.

Rest?

I haven't slept in months.

( chuckles )

Let me get you a sedative.

All right.

Good night, dear Ralph.

Don't stay up too late.

Just till I fix
David's train.

Good night.
Good night.

( quiet theme playing )

( g*nsh*t )

( ominous theme playing )

( shivering )

( suspense theme swells )

( sighs )

So I...wandered around
until it was light,

and then I called
the Paul Drake detective agency

because d*ck Benedict
mentioned his name.

Mr. Drake referred me to you.

As I recall, you said
you took a sleeping tablet.

( shakily ):
Yes.

You woke when you heard
the sound of a shot.

I think it was a shot.

But it could have been
a car backfiring.

It c-could have been.

I was very groggy.

You were very groggy,

and you were...still groggy

when you saw that printing press

in the closet.

Yes. But I did see it.

These clippings,
when did they start coming in?

Right after I first began
seeing d*ck Benedict.

Before that,
did Martin Selkirk

ask you to come back to him?

Oh, yes.

He told me
in just so many words

that if I didn't marry him,
I would never marry anybody.

Where is Benedict now?

Still in San Francisco?

As far as I know.

Della, get in touch with Paul.

I want him to look into this
whole situation immediately.

Mm-hm.
And let him see your notes.

Let's go, Miss Allison.

Claire, it's your prerogative
not to testify,

but why you had to go
to an attorney--

Ralph, this is Mr. Perry Mason.

Claire left here very early

this morning to go to him.

He's an attorney.

How do you do,
Mr. Mason?

Uh, please forgive
my appearance.

I suffer from arthritis.

This change in the weather
hasn't done it any good.

Mr. Jennings.

Well,
what's wrong?

Did you hear a g*nsh*t
during the night?

Did you, Mrs. Jennings?

No.
What about your boy?

Well, I'm afraid we can't
very well ask David.

He's on his way
to Camp Kilgore.

He didn't say anything about it

when I drove him to the bus
at : this morning.

When Miss Allison
was awakened

in the middle of the night,

she went to the linen closet
for a blanket.

She found
a small printing press

of the kind used
in printing her address

on certain envelopes.

Envelopes which contained

certain newspaper clippings.

We'd better investigate.

( suspenseful theme playing )

It was here last night!

Are you accusing us
of sending you

those horrible letters?

I did see the printing press.

Just a moment.

Who else has a key
to your home?

Hannah Barton, our
regular babysitter, has one.

And?

My former husband,
Martin Selkirk,

might still have one.

We lived here
before the divorce,

and the house was part
of the settlement.

Were you away last evening?

For about an hour,
when we went to the airport

to pick up Miss Allison.

Was your babysitter here?

No, we couldn't get her.

Are you suggesting
that Selkirk

could have planted
that press here?

Apparently,
he's the kind of a man

who would resort
to any expedient

to keep Mrs. Jennings
and Miss Allison

from pooling their forces.

Mrs. Jennings,

does your ex-husband maintain

a residence in Los Angeles?

Yes. He has a home in
Ocean Beach, on Kelton Road

at Coast Boulevard.

Thank you. Claire?

( dramatic theme playing )

( rings )

( ominous theme playing )

That Martin Selkirk?

Oh.

( ominous theme escalates )

Claire, come here.

That's it!

Do you wanna put your mark
on this . , lieutenant?

It's been processed.

All right.

Take good care of that.

Yes, sir.

Oh, uh, would you please step
in here, Miss Allison?

And would you
sit down?

You mind telling us
where you were

between and
this morning?

I was just walking around.

It's the truth.

I was waiting
for Mr. Mason's office to open.

What was the problem?

She doesn't
have to answer that.

Where did you find this,
lieutenant?

Over there, where we found
the printing press.

These are all the same.

Mr. Selkirk believed
in being prepared.

You were afraid of him,
weren't you?

Excuse me,
lieutenant.

Could I impose upon you

to give me your fingerprints?

Why should I?

Well, I think your attorney

will tell you
that we're within our rights.

All right, sergeant.

Will you please
step over here, ma'am?

We, uh, found this print
on the printing press.

If we can find
the one who left it there,

we may be halfway home.

( dramatic theme playing )

Well, operator,
do you have any idea

where we could reach
Mr. Benedict?

But he's definitely
left the hospital?

All right. Thank you.

( phone rings )

Yes, Gertie?

Who? Uh, just one minute.

A Mr. Horace Selkirk
to see you?

"According to the victim's
father, Horace Selkirk,

"president
of Wayne National Bank"...

Send the gentleman in,
Gertie.

Thank you.

What do you suppose
he wants?

I'd hate to hazard a guess.

Mr. Mason?

MASON:
That's right. Come in.

( door closes )

Sit down,
won't you?

This is my confidential
secretary, Miss Street.

You represent a young woman
named Claire Allison?

That's right.

I want you to represent me.

What for?

You didn't know my son?
No.

He was cruel, arrogant
and vindictive,

but he was my son,
my only son.

You know what that means?
I haven't anyone else.

What about your grandchild?

That's exactly why I'm here.

I want the custody of David.

The child belongs to me.

And not to his mother?

I think you can do something
about that.

I'm a businessman,
Mr. Mason.

I can help you
clear your client

if you play ball.

And...how do I play ball?

By proving that
my son's ex-wife k*lled him.

You're not interested
in finding the real m*rder*r?

That's the past.

I'm only interested
in the future.

David is the future for me.

What about it?

Sorry.

Mr. Mason, I intend to get
the custody of my grandchild,

with your help if possible,

without it if necessary.

Is that clear?

Perfectly.

( phone rings )

Oh.

Yes?

Hello, Paul.

He is?

d*ck Benedict's
in Paul's office.

No wonder I couldn't reach him
in San Francisco.

( strained ):
My jaw's still wired together.

So if there's anything you
don't understand, just stop me.

Why did you leave the hospital?

Well, I was worried
about Claire.

So you drove down here?

Yes.

What time did you arrive?

Oh, about : .

At quarter of ,

I was driving
past the Jennings' house

on my way to the motel

when I saw a man
washing down the driveway.

Before in the morning?

Yes. Ow.

Yes.

Now, just as he finished,

a woman and a little boy
came out of the house.

The woman
was carrying a valise.

The boy must have been David.

He and the woman got into a car

and drove off.

Can you describe the woman?

Well, she was tall,
and thin,

almost skinny.

You didn't talk to the man.

No, I was exhausted.

I drove to the motel
and went to bed.

When I woke up,
I got a paper.

That's when I read about Claire,
and called Mr. Drake.

Tell me something...

Did you know Martin Selkirk
had a beach house?

You think I might
have k*lled him?

Did you?

It's an interesting theory.

( door closes )

You believe his story?

About Jennings
washing down the driveway

and the woman
taking David away at : ?

Yeah, I think I do.

Jennings told me he drove David
to the bus at : .

He must have changed his plans.

Why?

I don't know.

I wonder if
that boy saw something

he shouldn't have seen.

Like what?

Like m*rder.

What was the name
of that camp?

Kilgore. Camp Kilgore.

Yeah, it's, uh--
It's up at Crystal Lake.

How long does it take
to get up there?

Which one of us
is going up there?

( laughs )

( children shouting playfully )

MAN:
That's it. Run it out!
Run it out!

BOY:
Out!

( suspenseful theme playing )

Hi.

Hi. How do you do?

You, uh, one of the counselors?

That's right.

Thought I'd come and
look the place over.

Glad to have you.

( all shouting )

That's a wonderful
bunch of kids.

( chuckles ):
Yeah.

Yeah, they're all right.

Where's, uh--?
Where's David Selkirk?

David isn't here this session.

Oh, but I thought he--

Well, I did too,

but Mr. Jennings
called this morning

and said David
wasn't feeling well.

I guess they decided
to keep him at home.

( laughs )

I guess I'd better
get back on the job.

Yeah, me too.

Okay, kids,
let's talk it up now.

Here we go!

No, Mr. Mason, I will not
tell you where David is.

Moreover, I'd resent it
if you talked to him.

No, sir, I will not.

Benedict said
a tall, thin blond

picked David up
at : this morning.

Could that have been
Hannah Barton, the babysitter?

Could be.

( sighs )

How would you like
to pose as my wife?

During working hours?

You want a bonus?

( laughs )

Don't sell yourself short.

What's the plan?

Well, we can use my apartment,

but we'll need a baby,
and a babysitter

named Hannah Barton.

I'm sure
you can manage both.

( gentle theme playing )

Isn't she a sweetheart?

I wonder if she'll
come over to me.

Come on, honey.
Come on.

Come on, sweetie.

Come on, over here.
Come on. Come on.

Come on.

( gurgling )

Come on.
Come on. Come on.

Ah, that's a girl.

How's that?
( fusses )

It's just your fatal charm.

Come on, now,
I promised her mommy

I wouldn't spoil her.

( doorbell rings )

Here.

Here,
put her in the playpen.

Yeah.

Come on, sweetheart. Come on.

Come on.

HANNAH:
How do you do?

I'm Hannah Barton.

Oh, uh, won't you come in?

Thank you.

( door closes )

Darling, uh,
this is Miss Barton.

Yeah.
How do you do, Mrs. Street?

Uh, how do you do?

Uh...

( toy rattles )

Oh. Ain't he cute?

Yeah. Uh, won't you sit down?

Thank you.

Now, don't you folks
worry about me.

You just run along
and have a good time.

I'll find everything
and do a little reading.

Do you have television?

Ha-ha. Of course.

You, uh, understand,
Miss Barton,

this is the first time
we've done this kind of thing.

Oh. Ain't that just like a man?

Well, I'm a little
concerned myself,

but the Jennings said you were
so wonderful with children.

Oh, are you friends of theirs?
Mm-hm.

DELLA:
Now, where do you think
we heard about you?

Mrs. Jennings says
she wouldn't have David

with anyone else
but Hannah Barton.

You know, they made me promise

not to talk about David
to anyone.

Oh, I don't blame them.

I don't blame them at all,

his father
just being m*rder*d.

I told the Jennings
they needn't worry.

No one will get a word
out of me.

I'm a little surprised
they didn't call you

to take David away
this morning.

They did, but I couldn't
take off for Sonora, Mexico,

at : in the morning
just like that.

Of course not.

I hope David
enjoyed the flight.

You know how he is.

( scoffs )

A child's bound to be nervous

with a horrible father
like that Mr. Selkirk.

Why, the last time David

came back
from his weekend visit,

he was so nervous and upset

that the only way
I could calm him down

was to give him that--

Give him what,
Miss Barton?

Well, you were able
to calm him down?

Uh, d...
Yes, I just let him play

with his favorite toy.

Didn't you realize
that that could have been...

very dangerous?

But it, uh--
It all happened accidental.

I-- I ran across it in
the guest room one night,

and as soon as David saw it,
he wanted to play with it.

You know how children are.

Cowboys and Indians...

Anyway, I didn't see no harm.

It was empty.

You actually let him
play with a g*n?

Well, I told his parents
about it.
Hm.

How often did David
take the g*n to bed with him?

Now see here, Mr. Street.

I ain't sayin' another word.

I promised Mrs. Jennings
I wouldn't.

Now, if you want me
to sit for the baby--

( moans )

( moans )

I'm sorry, dear.
Something I can do?

Oh, I'm-- I think I'm getting
one of my headaches.

I'm afraid I won't be able
to go out tonight.

Oh...

Well.

If that isn't a nice
"how do you do."

You get me all the way
from Brentwood.

Ha-ha. We'll be calling
on you again.

Ohhh! Well, thank you very much.

I'm so sorry
about your headache, dearie,

but if you need me again,
you know my number.

As I said, we'll be calling
on you again.

Goodbye.

She permitted that child
to play with a real g*n.

That's what she said.

( sighs )

You think...

Well, you thought that
Mr. and Mrs. Jennings

were hiding David
because he may have witnessed

the m*rder of his father.

Do you think
it's possible that--?

That David k*lled him?

Yeah.

I don't know, Della.

Either way,
that little boy's

gonna be
in a lot of trouble.

I've gotta find him
before the police find him.

I'm going
to International Airport.

( dramatic theme playing )

MASON:
There they are, Katherine
Collins and David Selkirk.

The lady was tall, thin,
blond hair, fair complexion.

I-I think so.

Her companion was a boy,
about years old.

Oh, now I remember.

You know, they never did
pick up their reservations.

They didn't?

Well, no. They arrived
in plenty of time to sign in.

That's when I checked 'em off,
the lady and the boy.

Then they weren't
on that flight?

Well, no, you see,

these two men stopped 'em.

What two men?

Well, I don't know.

They had badges. They took
the lady and the boy away.

You know...

( voice lowered ):
if you ask me,

they were policemen.

( dramatic theme playing )

A . -caliber b*llet
entered the left side.

It ranged slightly backward

and lodged in the chest.

It did not go
all the way through.

Most of all the bleeding
was internal.

And was the b*llet you're
holding in your hand, doctor,

the cause of death?

DOCTOR:
It was.

Were you able to determine

the time of death?

DOCTOR:
Between and :

on the morning of July rd.

Thank you, doctor.
That will be all.

Cross-examine.

May I have a moment,
Your Honor?

You may, Mr. Mason.

( quietly ):
Perry, I'll swear the police

haven't got that boy.

I can't find him,
and I can't find anybody

at headquarters
who's even seen him.

All right.
Keep after it, Paul.

I'll try to stall
as long as I can.

All right.

Doctor,
was death instantaneous?

No.

I would estimate
death followed the shot

by about ten to minutes.

Could it have been longer?

DOCTOR:
Yes.

Could the deceased have been
ambulatory after the shot?

Yes.

Then the deceased could have
been shot, say, in Brentwood,

got in his car
and driven to his beach house

not really aware
that he was mortally wounded?

It's possible.

Yes.

Thank you, doctor.
That's all.

Yes, sir,
we found the printing press

in the beach house
of the deceased.

I see.

Lieutenant,
I show you this photograph,

and ask if you can identify it.

Yes, sir,
it's a photograph

of a fingerprint we found
on the metal ink plate

of the press.

And were you able
to identify the fingerprint?

Yes, sir.

It's the print
of the middle finger

of the defendant,

Claire Allison.

If it please the court,
I should like this photograph

entered into evidence
and marked for the people,

Exhibit M.

Now, lieutenant,
I show you this revolver,

previously entered in evidence,

and I ask
if you can identify it.

Yes, it has my mark on it.

It's a Smith & Wesson
. -caliber revolver,

registered to Ralph Jennings.

And it is the m*rder w*apon.

And where
was the w*apon found?

In the, uh, kitchen
of the decedent's beach house.

I see. Thank you, lieutenant.
That will be all.

BURGER:
Cross-examine.

Lieutenant,
how many fingerprints

did you find
on that printing press?

One.

On the ink plate?

Yes.

No place else in the house?

No, sir.

Not even on the m*rder w*apon?

No. No, sir.

As an expert in homicide,

don't you think that unusual?

Well, I've learned
there's something unusual

in every homicide.

Thank you, lieutenant.
That's all.

Yes, sir.

Claire showed these to me

at a restaurant one night
in San Francisco.

What did she say about them?

That she had received
several others like these.

Did she say anything else?

That Martin Selkirk
had been sending 'em

to her to frighten her...

because she had broken
their engagement.

MASON:
I see.

Thank you, sir.
That will be all.

Your witness.

May I, Mr. Burger?

Thank you.

Mr. Benedict,

Miss Allison having taken you
into her confidence

about the clippings
and letters,

the inference
is that you and she

had something more in common
than friendship.

I love Claire.

MASON:
You felt protective toward her?

Yes.

And when you heard
what Martin Selkirk was doing,

you were angry?

I was very angry.

I notice you still have
a slight impairment in speech.

Did you incur an injury
at the restaurant

that night in San Francisco?

Yes.

The decedent struck you?

Yes. With brass knuckles.

And if you're looking for
a motive for me, you've got it!

I hated him enough
to k*ll him!

Your Honor!

( gavel bangs )
JUDGE: Order!

The witness will desist
from any of these outbursts,

and confine himself
to a simple answer

without volunteering
any information.

Just answer
the questions.

I've no further questions
of the witness.

You may stand down.

Now, before
the next witness is called,

the court will take
its customary lunch period.

The court
is adjourned until : .

( ominous theme playing )

Miss Barton?

Well, Mr. Street.

Mr. Selkirk just passed you by
without saying a word.

Is he angry with you?

What's he got to be angry
with me about?

You weren't very fond
of his son.

He may have sensed that.

So what if he did?

He was certainly
no shining example

of a loving father.

Oh, the scenes
they used to have.

You saw them together?

Several times.

Where?

Over at Junior's place
in Ocean Beach.

I used to take David there.

You mean they argued
in front of David?

Argued? It was disgusting.

They fought like cats and dogs.

But Mr. Selkirk continued
to go to his son's house.

He had to if he wanted
to see David.

And he sure wanted to see him.

He loves that child
as much as he hated his son.

I see.

Thank you very much,
Miss Barton.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Miss Street, Mason.

Come over in the shade.

DELLA:
Thank you.

Won't you sit down?

I'm glad you reconsidered
my proposition.

I'm not here to represent you

in the custody matter,
Mr. Selkirk.

What are you here for?

I'm here to suggest
that we keep David

within the jurisdiction
of the California courts.

Where do you suspect David is?

Could be anyplace...

including
police headquarters.

What can I do?

Well, if the police have David,

you being his grandfather
can insist

they're violating the law
by detaining him.

And if Lorraine
is hiding him?

You could allege that he's
being held in illegal custody.

A writ of habeas corpus
would force her

to disclose his whereabouts.

There are several avenues
open to you.

All designed to uncover David.

Isn't that what you want?

More importantly,
it happens to be what you want.

Well?
You bring that boy to court,

put on one
of your three-ring circuses.

I can see the headlines now:

"Child tells story
of father's m*rder."

You'd like that, wouldn't you?

All I'd like is the opportunity

of talking with David.

I'll discuss it
with my attorney.

Time is short.

I'll call him
within the hour.

Good day, sir.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( engine starts )

( buzzes )

Hello, Miss Collins.

Well, hi, David.

Hi.
How are you?

Fine.

Let me fix your coat
for you, all right?

Who are you?
W-what are you doing here?

My name is Perry Mason.

COLLINS:
The lawyer?

That's right.

This is my secretary,
Miss Street.

How do you do?

Hi, David.

Hi. I can wiggle my ears.

You can?
Well, let me see you.

Watch.

( Della laughs )

Why don't you come in here

and show me how to do that?

It's all right, David.

All right?
( mumbling )

Let's go. Come on.

( Della laughs )

Miss Collins,
do you know

you're technically guilty
of kidnapping?

Oh, no.

No, Mr. Selkirk told me--

Mr. Selkirk told you
he'd be responsible

for your actions
if you brought David here

instead of following
his parents' orders.

Mr. Selkirk, after all,
is the boy's grandfather.

And I assume he paid you
a great deal of money.

Now, what has he done
to make the Jennings believe

that you and David
are in Mexico?

He was gonna send
the Jennings a wire from Mexico

telling them
that David was safe.

Making you party
to still another crime.

( exhales )

David's grandfather has no more
to say about his custody

than the man on the moon.

Now...

why did Mr. and Mrs. Jennings

want you to take David
to Mexico?

Because...

Because David shot
his own father.

( tragic theme playing )

Shot Martin Selkirk?

Yes.

With the g*n he had
under his pillow?

( sighs ):
Yes.

Sometime in the middle
of the night,

his real father
slipped into the tent

when David was asleep.

David was awakened suddenly,

and, naturally,
he was frightened.

He pulled the g*n out

from under the pillow and fired.

Mr. Jennings kept telling him

it was all just a bad dream.

His grandfather
kept trying to tell him

it was a dream too.

What does David really believe?

( sighs )

Just a matter of telling him

over and over and over again
that it was just a dream.

Maybe someday
he'll come to believe it.

Della?

Come on, David.

We'd better go.

Goodbye, David.

Goodbye.
Heh-heh.

Goodbye.

Bye, David.

Bye.

Now, Mr. Jennings,
I show you this revolver,

and I ask you
if you've ever seen it before?

Yes, sir, I have.

I bought it three years ago.

Where was this g*n
usually kept?

In the top drawer
of the vanity table

in our guest room.

BURGER:
Well, that's the room
the defendant occupied

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

JENNINGS:
Yes, sir.

And where did you
spend that night?

On the sofa in the den.

Isn't that rather unusual?

( scoffs ):
Not too.

I'm troubled
with arthritis,

and whenever
my knee acts up

I find it difficult
to climb the stairs.

I see.

Were you disturbed
during that night at all?

Well, I awoke
once around : .

I thought I heard
the front door open and close.

Really? And when you
woke in the morning,

was the defendant
still in your home?

No, sir. She was gone.

BURGER:
Did you, by any chance,

check the guest room to see
if the g*n was still there?

Yes, sir, at--
At the request of the police.

It was gone.

I see.
Thank you, Mr. Jennings.

That will be all.
Your witness.

Oh, Mr. Mason.

Thank you.

Now, Mr. Jennings,
you testified

you kept this w*apon
in your guest room?

That's right.

Was it there
on the night of July nd?

It was.

Who knew where
the g*n was kept?

JENNINGS:
Just my wife and myself.

MASON:
No one else?

No, sir.

Are you familiar with a woman
named Hannah Barton?

JENNINGS:
Yes, Mrs. Barton
occasionally babysits for us.

And when Mrs. Barton

would spend the entire night
at your home,

where would she sleep?

In the guest room.

Did she know about the g*n,
or ever mention it?

She might have.
I-- I don't recall.

MASON:
Isn't it true
that Mrs. Barton allowed David

to play with the g*n?

I wouldn't know about that.

Well, I submit you would.

I submit Mrs. Barton
told you she had.

I don't remember that at all.

You did not
give David permission

to play with this g*n?

I most certainly did not.

A-a g*n is not
my idea of a toy.

Mr. Jennings,
where is David now?

Your Honor, would you please
instruct the witness

to answer the question?

You will answer the question,
Mr. Jennings.

JENNINGS:
He's in Sonora, Mexico.

When you and Mrs. Jennings
went to the airport

to pick up the defendant,
you left David alone,

asleep in a tent
in your backyard.

Is that correct?
Yes.

And didn't you permit him to
keep the g*n under his pillow?

No!

Now, Mr. Jennings...

I feel I must warn you.

David is right here
in Los Angeles.

I don't believe you.

He's with
a Miss Katherine Collins

of the Kingston Arms.

If necessary,
we can bring him into court.

Your Honor, may I request--

No, you can't bring him here!

He's just a child.

But he could tell us
what happened

on the night of July nd.

I'll tell you.

David did have the g*n
under his pillow that night.

But around : in the morning,
I removed it.

I put it on a table
in the entry.

Did David wake
when you removed the g*n?

No!

Aren't you lying,
Mr. Jennings?

Didn't you send David away
because he'd come running

into the house
in the middle of the night,

sobbing that he'd just
shot someone?

JENNINGS:
No, that's not true!

MASON:
What was your reason
for sending him away?

I wanted to keep David
out of this.

Lord knows,
I did my best.

You're right, Mr. Mason.

David did come
into the den that night.

He was crying.

He said he had shot someone.

I woke his mother

and went out to investigate.

And what did you find?

Martin Selkirk.

He was unconscious.

I decided to drive him
back to his home.

It was then that my wife
told me about Miss Allison

finding the printing press
in the closet.

I knew Selkirk
had planted it there.

So I took the press back too.

And when you returned,

you washed the bloodstains
off the driveway?

Yes.

And then you allowed

an innocent woman
to be accused of m*rder.

I didn't want David
to grow up

thinking he'd k*lled
his own father!

I had no choice!

I submit that you did.

I submit that you
could have told the truth,

that David did not
k*ll his father.

I tell you,
he fired a shot!

But that shot
did not k*ll Martin Selkirk,

because Martin Selkirk
was nowhere on the premises.

Then what happened
to the b*llet?

How long have you
had arthritis?

You think the shot hit me?

There's one way
you can prove I'm wrong.

You satisfied now?

Perfectly.

It was the dog,
wasn't it?

It was Mr. Gus that David hit.

I don't know
what you're talking about!

Where is the dog,
Mr. Jennings?

Tell him, Ralph.

Tell him the truth,
or I will.

Will you step forward,
young lady?

He did make me believe
that my child

had committed a m*rder,
Mr. Mason.

JUDGE:
Where is the dog,
Mrs. Jennings?

At Dr. Ferber's.

He's a vet in Brentwood.

If Your Honor please--

And with Mr. Burger's
permission.

--I would like to suggest
that Dr. Ferber be brought here

to testify as to whether or not

he removed a . -caliber b*llet
from that dog.

Your Honor,

I would like to join
Mr. Mason in his request.

JENNINGS:
No!

You don't have to do that.

( tense theme playing )

David did hit the dog.

I k*lled Martin Selkirk.

You've got to believe me,
Lorraine.

I did it for you.

( chokes )

Hi, beautiful.
Where have you been?

Down at, uh,
police headquarters.

Jennings just
signed a confession.

The funny thing is, he actually
did do it for Mrs. Jennings.

He felt sure that she'd
lose custody of David.

Well, what about
the printing press?

That belonged
to Jennings.

Well, then he was the one

who sent those letters
to Claire Allison.

Would you like to hear
the whole story?

Yes, Paul, go on.

Jennings felt sure
that Selkirk would be blamed

for those letters.

But when Claire discovered
the printing press,

that changed everything.

Jennings became rattled, and--

Well,
Jennings became rattled--

And when Claire
left the house,

he drove down
to Ocean Beach

and k*lled Mr. Selkirk.

That's the whole story.

Perry...

What's wrong?

I just remembered
I was supposed to take care of

Jill Carter's
babysitting problem tonight.

You know, sort of in payment
for borrowing her child.

I'd, uh, be very glad to help.

Oh, would you, Paul?

It would be my pleasure.

Good.

I have just the sitter
to keep you company.

Hannah Barton.

( laughs )

( noirish jazz theme playing )