07x12 - The Case of the Badgered Brother

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

♪♪

Well, Mr. Baylor,
what do you think?

A real knockout,
that number, isn't it?

I guarantee you,

you put the line in your stores
coast-to-coast,

and it'll be the hottest item
you handle in years,

a real natural.

Sure... if Baylor stores
had bargain basements.

That'll do, Nicolai.

Thank you.

I, uh, I could maybe knock

another couple of bucks off
the price.

What do you say, Mr. Baylor?

Well, as my father would say,
were he here, "An abomination.

An affront
to taste and decency.”

But he isn't here.
He's dead and you're...

I'm sorry, I, uh, I don't mean
any disrespect,

your father just passing away,
but...

But now that I'm running
the stores, you hoped possibly

I had less taste
than he did, hmm?

Mr. Baylor,
I didn't hope anything.

I'm here because you asked me

to come with a sample
of my new line.

So I did.

Orin Leslie Clothes, hmm.

Borrowed designs,
the cheapest possible material,

the shabbiest manufacturer
in the industry.

Nicolai was right.

Bargain basement rags,
nothing more.

The last things in the world
for a quality chain

of women's stores like Baylor's.

But you knew all that
before you sent for me.

Or, uh, are you saying,
with your father gone,

it might be possible to, uh,

to talk business?

My brother is due in Los Angeles
in a matter of minutes.

He'll be meeting me
in Perry Mason's office

for a reading
of my father's will.

In approximately two hours,
Mr. Leslie,

I shall be sole owner
of Baylor's.

So I'd say yes.

More business
than you ever dreamed of.

George Baylor was my friend
as well as my client.

I have here
his completely ex*cuted will.

I also have a tape recording
he requested I play for you.

Della.

(on tape):
Martin, Todd,

if you're together,

then you're together
because of my death.

My only sorrow is

that we could not have stayed
together in life.

Todd, I know now
that your leaving my home,

your leaving my business,
which I thought you loved, too,

all those bitter mistakes
of the past were

even more my fault than yours.

I know it's too late
to heal the breach between us.

Just please remember that
you have never left my heart.

But now this matter of a will.

I leave the legal details
in the hands of Perry Mason.

This is essentially what I want:

Martin, as my loyal firstborn,

I leave you ownership and
control of all the Baylor stores

with one exception,

which I am sure
you'll understand and applaud.

As you know, I planned
to leave Todd at least $ ,

so, wherever he is,
he may better enjoy life.

But if you're here now, Todd,

and if, by any chance,
you'd like to stay here,

then I'll make you
a proposition.

Take over the management
of the home store

as you tried to once before.

In one year show an increase
of four percent in profits,

and then, Todd, I will leave you
a full half ownership

of the entire Baylor chain.

And that's it, boys.

My love to both of you.

He changed his will.

Just the week
before he passed away.

As of this moment, Todd,

you have exactly hours
in which to make up your mind:

the cash without strings

or a long-shot gamble
for, uh, well,

for half the business.

Todd.

You remember my name.

(chuckles)
Well, how could I forget?

I mean, when a girl receives

such wonderful long letters
every week

and every month
and every year...

Well, my fountain pen
was broken.

...telling me all about where
you are and what you're doing

and how ugly the girls are
in France, in Spain.

Okay, okay, I'll start over.

The bad penny has returned, yes,

but he's, he's learned
a few things.

Like how much he missed
Carla Rinaldi.

You know, in three years,

a guy starts remembering
every freckle.

Todd, I, I ought
to be getting back.

I work at the store now,
you know.

Assistant buyer to Jane.

Ah, yes,
one of the happy family.

So I've heard.

Part of the team, huh?
Bully for you.

I heard about your father's
will, Todd.

Is it true you're going to take
over, run the store for a year?

Are you kidding?

"Bad penny,” I said,
not the prodigal.

Besides, I don't eat
humble pie very well.

But isn't there a lot
of money involved?

I mean, it, it is
your inheritance.

There's enough money
the other way.

Dear brother Martin's offered
to add $ ,

to Father's ,
bad-conscience dollars.

That's all I need.

Oh, but, Todd, the store
is in your blood.

So I should take a gamble

on making a four percent
profit increase in one year?

Your father gambled
on his own belief in himself

and he turned one store
into a whole national chain.

Sure, sure, and when I tried
running things,

I all but landed in jail.

No, Carla, I'm on my way back
to Mexico City, : tonight.

You haven't really learned
a thing...

have you, Todd?

Hey, wait a minute.

Carla, we've got
six whole hours yet,

and I've got a thousand
important things...

I'm sorry, Todd,
we have a buyer's conference

this afternoon in,
in Martin's office.

Carla, please, I meant
what I said before.

It would be nice if you could
find time to see my uncle.

I know he's dying
to talk with you.

Look, if I start bending elbows
again with your Uncle Joe, I...

Joe doesn't drink anymore,
Todd.

He's been on the wagon
a whole year.

You should see him.

He's back at his drawing board,

designing,
playing with new ideas.

Well, that's wonderful.

I know how much he means to you.

Yes, I've, I've never really
had anyone but him.

I mean, anyone who...

Carla...

Good-bye, Todd.

See you in China sometime.

- Mr. Baylor.
- Yeah?

The airline's office called.

They said you haven't confirmed
your reservation

for tonight yet.

I know you're checking out,

but I didn't know whether
to have them hold a space or...

Yeah, look, look, here, you take
care of it for me, will you?

Here's the flight number
and stuff.

Of course, be glad to.

Acapulco this time of year,
Cuernavaca.

Boy, do I envy someone like you.

Trouble is, a man gets tied down
with responsibilities, family.

Well, have fun while you can,
that's what I say.

Sure, just keep on running.

What?

Look, see if they can get me
a space tomorrow maybe

or the next day, okay?

Sure, Mr. Baylor, fine.

Rinaldi, Rinaldi.

Not as good as the cliff-top
restaurant in Laguna,

but filling.

As my niece points out, soup has
certain advantages over gin.

Let's eat, Todd.

Carla said something about
my-my brother helping you.

Are you working
for the store now?

Thanks to Carla,
Martin did help me.

No, I-l don't work for Baylor's.

But Martin got a man
named Leslie

to buy one
of my old dress designs.

Good, I'm glad,
really glad, Mr. Rinaldi.

The money?

Peanuts, less than nothing,
but Carla understood.

Faith, being needed,
being wanted.

She knew the river of gin
was, was only a substitute.

A way of drowning in self-pity.

$ , that's what Carla got me
for that old design.

$ and a new lease on life.

Mr. Rinaldi, why were you
so anxious to see me?

To twist your arm, boy.

But, of course,
you knew that before you came.

Carla's really serious,
isn't she?

About thinking I ought
to take another try

at running the store?

You don't happen to have a
miracle up your sleeve, do you?

To increase the profits
of Baylor's, Los Angeles

four percent in one year?

You've been thinking
about it, huh?

Just thinking, no more.

No, Todd, no miracles up my
sleeve, but, Todd, my designs,

will you look at them?

Sure, the soup's too hot anyway.

(whistles)

You... you like them?

Well, maybe I'm a little rusty,
but yes.

Yes, I think they're as good
as anything you've ever done.

Of course, I'm just
a kid amateur, but...

Joe, you're quite a guy.

An alcoholic has-been.

I wonder if anybody would take
a chance on me now.

No, no, these will never do.

Not for Baylor's
or for any quality outlet.

You were absolutely right,
Carla.

Tell the salesman to get lost
for me, will you, please, dear?

Will do.

Morning, Carla. Stick around.

Well, hello, Mr. Baylor.

Jane, you'd better start
calling me Todd.

You see, about an hour ago
I talked to Perry Mason,

gave him my decision.

Todd, did you...?

I told him I wanted to run
Baylor's, Los Angeles

for the next year.

Oh, Todd.

Jane, I take it you know
about the will?

Martin and myself, the stores?

But you've been, well,
pretty close to Martin

for some time now, and, uh...

Todd, are you asking me if
my loyalty is to Baylor stores

or to a man I've been going out
with over a number of years?

No, all I'm asking...

well, all I have the right
to ask for is your help, Jane.

I need you... and Carla.

Todd, those are
Uncle Joe's drawings.

That's right.
Designs by Rinaldi.

I want to convert these
into dresses.

An exclusive line
of custom clothes.

Aside from accessories
they'd be the only clothes

that Baylor's, Los Angeles
would carry.

Uncle Joe's designs exclusively?

You'll get better odds
from the bookmakers

playing Russian roulette
with a loaded p*stol.

Then I want to put on
a fashion show,

the biggest charity fashion show
this town's ever seen

to do nothing but publicize
the Rinaldi line

and the fact
that Baylor's, Los Angeles,

for the full season ahead,

will carry and sell nothing
but the Rinaldi line.

Do you realize
what you're doing?

You're putting all your eggs
in one basket.

I know, win or lose,

the one-shot gamble.

Well, I've decided
to take the gamble.

(chuckling):
Oh, Todd.

Martin, it's true, that's
what they're going to do--

fashion show, the works.

That crazy kid brother of yours.

I was over at the store
and I heard

this model talking to one of...

Martin, there's nothing
funny about this.

He can't do it. You've got
to stop him before it's...

Huh?

Oh...

You mean wait until Todd's
really out on a limb.

Forgive me, Martin,
I should have known

you'd already be
sharpening an ax.

There, that's it.

That's much better.

Oh, and, Debbie,
don't you dare gain an ounce.

A little more
to the right, Trixie.

There, see,
that's the line I want.

Only, Todd was going to check
this himself before we...

Wait just a moment.

Nicolai...

Didn't you tell Todd--
Mr. Baylor--

that we needed him
in here again?

Sorry, no see.

Then, Nicolai,
will you please go back and...?

Well, he wasn't in the office.

Gone out looking
for your uncle, I believe.

Looking for my uncle?

Seems your uncle was called
into Martin Baylor's office.

Then he steamed out of there
in a bright blue fog.

Or was it a three-quart tizzy?

Or whatever you drive
to the bottle shop?

Carla, no.

Your uncle isn't drinking again.

Well, of course
I've been drinking.

What about it?

Come on, Rinaldi, just
lie down for a moment or two.

You'll feel better.

I don't want
to feel better, boy.

I don't want to... you hear?!

It is all her fault.

Little old niecy Carla,
that's who.

This do-gooder.

And she did it, all right.

But she didn't do it good.

Do what?

TODD: I don't know,
I thought you'd tell me.

Todd...

Are you this store's manager
or handyman?

Whatever you have to say,

suppose we discuss it
in my office.

Why hide the obvious?

This breakage report--

$ , in the one month
you've been back.

$ , for what?

Dresses, coats, costume jewelry,

unaccounted for in inventory.

It's obviously some sort
of mistake, but we thought...

Mistake?

I should think so.

Stealing has always been
a mistake.

But then you're quite an expert
on stealing, aren't you?

All right, Martin, if you know
what's good for you,

-just knock it off.
- MARTIN: Now, look,

I'm not the same kind
of soft-hearted

and soft-headed fool Father was.

I'm not going to let you get
away with it this time.

Get away with what?!

(sighs)

Look here, Martin.

I've got a fashion show,

and something happened between
you and Rinaldi that I...

Oh, drop it, Todd.

Don't play the innocent with me.

In the same store under my nose,

are you going to pretend
that you didn't know about it?

- That Carla didn't tell you?
- About what?

Oh, a beautiful performance,
my dear brother, beautiful.

Go ahead now,
protest your innocence.

I remember how well you do that.

You didn't know
that I had a personal

cast-iron exclusive contract
with Rinaldi

for all his designs.

I just had to remind him
of it this afternoon.

- That's all.
- No, that's not true!

Now, Carla, you know
better than that.

You were the one who got him
to sign the contract.

But there wasn't
anything about a...

I don't believe it.

Well, then maybe
you'll believe this:

a court order
stopping immediately

this stupid fashion show
of yours.

Martin, you can't do this.

You can't!

Todd, no!

(screams)

-(crashing)
- Carla!

Carla...

Carla.

Todd, is she all right?

Call a doctor fast.

(crowd mutters)

Tell him Carla's
spending the night with me.

Yes, in Jane Alder's apartment

across the street
from the store.

Thank you.

Rinaldi's landlady.

The place is in shambles
and Rinaldi's gone.

CARLA:
But I'm all right now, Doctor.

Honest, I am.

Young lady,
it's raining outside.

Now, I want you
to stay right in bed.

(sighs)
Only a lump on the head

and a case of nerves,
that's all.

Here, give her one of these
sleeping pills if she needs it

and don't work her so hard.

As a matter of fact,

you two might try for a little
less exhaustion yourselves.

May I give you
an umbrella, Doctor?

No, that's all right.
I'll manage.

- Good night.
- Good night.

All right, go ahead,
say it, Todd.

Jane, how much do you know about
all this-- contract, Rinaldi?

Oh, I didn't know
about that, Todd.

-I just...
- Well, you're close to Martin.

He must have told you.

Well, I-I have known
that Martin wants to...

Well, he wishes to get rid
of you in some way, that's all.

But why?
It's my inheritance, too.

Does he hate me that much?

Oh, it isn't just you, Todd.

Martin has some sort
of a plan to sell the stores.

- And I think...
- To do what?

To sell them.

Sell the whole chain.

He won't get away with it.

I swear he won't.

No matter what I have to do.

ADLER:
Todd, Todd, wait.

Wait, please.

I just want to know where Martin
is, don't you understand?

I've got to find him.

Well, it is possible
that he may be dining

at the club this evening, sir.

He didn't really say.

But when did he leave there?

Look, this is his brother,
and I just want to find...

Well, why didn't you say so?

What girl?

No, Miss Nicolai isn't here.

She went out for a ride.

With Martin Baylor?

MAID:
No, Mr. Baylor called.

He had something to do
at the store.

She's pretty mad.

She went for a drive
all by herself.

Thanks.

Hey there, Mr. Baylor, I...

Is Martin Baylor in his office?

Well, yes, sir, he is,
up on the second floor.

TODD: Martin, you've gone
too far this time,

you're not going
to get away with it.

- MARTIN: Todd, no! (grunts)
-(crashing)

Lieutenant Anderson, Homicide.
Who called us?

I did, Lieutenant.

I'm Lewis, security officer.

Martin Baylor is upstairs
in his office dead.

- And you think it's homicide?
- Yes, sir.

His brother Todd Baylor
stabbed him in the back.

Now, wait a minute,
that's not...

Never mind.

Now, what were you saying,
Mr. Baylor?

Nothing.

I have absolutely nothing
to say.

All right, boys,
we're all finished here.

Let's wrap it up.

What happened, Andy?

Todd Baylor stabbed
his brother in the back

with a pair of scissors.

The security guard
heard them fighting.

When he got here, Martin
was lying there and, uh...

Todd was beside him,

practically hanging on
to the scissors.

Uh, Mr. Mason,
the sergeant here told me.

I, I can't believe it.

Who's this?

Name's Joseph Rinaldi,
Lieutenant.

I came to the building,
I expected to see Martin Baylor.

What about?

Business-- I design clothing
for the store.

Checks out.

Todd, where's Carla?

Didn't you get Jane's message?

Message?

Is there something wrong
with Carla?

She's asleep
in Jane's apartment.

Lieutenant, you don't need me.

Is it all right for me to leave?

Can I go see my niece?

ANDERSON:
Sure, Mr. Rinaldi.

You better stop by my office
in the morning, though.

Yes, yes.

I'd, um...

like to talk to Todd
alone now, Andy.

Fine, downtown, as soon
as we book him for m*rder.

Todd, I want you to say nothing
without advice of counsel.

ANDERSON:
He'll need more than advice.

I asked him if he did it.

He refused to deny it.

Did he admit to it?

Didn't need to.

With what we've got,
a confession

would just be icing on the cake.

(knocking on door)

Who is it?

Joseph Rinaldi.

Jane, where's Carla?

Well, she's in the bedroom
fast asleep.

I'd left a message.

Didn't you get word?

Joseph, what's the matter?

Martin...

What about Martin?

He's been k*lled.

Jane, Jane, are you all right?

When?

Well, about,
about an hour ago, I think,

in his office in the store
across the street.

Jane, I need some coffee.

We both do.

Coffee's cooking.

Jane, is Carla all right?

I don't know,
I haven't been in there.

Would you please look in on her?

She's fast asleep.

Well, she, she's...

been asleep for some time,
I suppose?

Well, search me.

The doctor left
some sleeping pills,

so I took one
right after he left.

I've been asleep
on the couch ever since.

The security guard heard you
thr*aten Martin.

I've been threatening Martin
since I was five years old.

- Why did you go there tonight?
- To talk to him.

- About what?
- A lot of things.

Todd...

Todd, did you k*ll Martin?

Todd, exactly who
are you trying to protect?

Nobody.

I've told you how it was,
that's all I've got to say.

I certainly don't think Todd
would feel it was necessary

to protect Carla.

She was sound asleep

in Jane's apartment
that evening.

All right, Mr. Rinaldi.

Now, what about that contract
for your designs?

I swear to you, Mr. Mason,

the contract Carla
asked me to sign

was for the sale of just one

and only one of my designs.

Yes, Carla said the same thing.

Apparently that's how
the contract read on page one,

but further on there was
a grant of exclusive rights

to the use of your name
and all your designs.

In small print
and ambiguous language

neither one of us
could understand.

Have you seen the contract,
Mr. Mason?

It's on file in court.

The original grant
was to an Orin Leslie.

Yes.

He paid me
the generous sum of $ .

And Leslie, in turn, had signed
the contract to Martin Baylor?

So Martin informed me.

I'm afraid when I left
his office that afternoon,

well, I...

I took my little header
off the wagon, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Rinaldi, there's something
else you can help me with.

There are only two people
who had their own private keys

to the employees' entrance--
Martin and Todd.

Lieutenant Anderson made
quite a point of that.

I understand from Todd, however,
that he had a third key made.

A key for you.

Well, well, yes,
I did have a key,

but only until my designs
were committed to clothes.

- Had no need
for a key after that, naturally.

He didn't mention
your returning it.

Well, I-I-I may have mislaid it.

I-I-I can't simply
remember exactly

what happened to the...

Or did you give it to Carla
perhaps,

and she forgot to return it?

Nicolai Wright?

Yes, can I help you?

I'm Paul Drake,
a private detective.

Is there someplace
we could talk privately?

Why?

It's about Martin.

Miss Wright, you were
a good friend of Martin's.

Very.

Very good.

I understand that occasionally
he dated Carla Rinaldi.

Oh, she pestered Martin to get

that drunken uncle
of hers a job.

She wasn't Martin's type.

Really.

Well, I guess
she had better luck

with her uncle
with Martin's brother.

(chuckling): Old Mr. Rinaldi
looked like he'd been

on the receiving end of a shot
of instant success, didn't he?

Did Martin resent
Carla's interest in Todd?

In getting her uncle a job,
I mean.

Oh, Martin didn't say.

We, uh,
never discussed business.

That's quite a set of threads.

Oh?

I imagine it'd be
pretty much of a letdown

to have to model
Orin Leslie's line of junk.

Do what?

Well, wasn't Martin dealing
with this man Leslie?

Look, Mr. Drake, I told you...

You told me that you were
very close to Martin.

You must have seen whom he met
and who he was dealing with.

All I know about Mr. Leslie is

that we had drinks
with him several times and...

Well, I did see Martin write him
a check once,

to pay for dinner, I suppose.

Now, Mr. Drake, that you have
that important information...

All right, Nicolai, I'll go.

Oh, uh,

did Martin give you
a key to the store?

Why would he do that?

Oh, just curious.

If you were my girl,

I'd give you a key
to the store any day.

I checked Todd's file for you,
Mr. Mason.

I couldn't find
any correspondence,

not from three years ago.

You were here at that time,
Miss Alder.

Perhaps you might
remember something.

Now, why did Todd Baylor leave
his job as manager of the store?

Why did he leave home?

Todd ever do anything

for which his father might have
sent him to jail?

Well, Todd was very young,
Mr. Mason,

and his father was
much too ambitious for the boy.

He just mismanaged the store,
that's all.

We both know that mismanagement
is not a criminal offense.

Well, there-there is one thing
I do know for sure.

That is...

Well, there was something wrong
with the books.

Todd was terribly,
stupidly careless or...

Did his father accuse him
of stealing?

Yes.

Yes, I'm afraid he did.

(knocking)

Excuse me.

What is it, Paul?

Well, I followed up
on something Nicolai told me,

and Martin Baylor gave
Orin Leslie a check, all right,

for $ , .

That would be Orin Leslie
the clothing manufacturer?

Is he one of your suppliers?

No, he hasn't been.

As a matter of fact, we always
considered his merchandise

rather inferior, I'm afraid.

In that case,
"Hello, Orin Leslie,

"and what on earth did
Martin Baylor write you a check

for $ , for?"

Obviously he gave me an order
for some merchandise.

Simple as that, huh?

Just as simple as that.

Come off it, Leslie.

You manufacture
a cheap line of trash

nobody in his right mind
would dream of putting

into a store as fine
as Baylor's.

I don't have
to take that from you.

But you are gonna have to tell
about the check,

either here or in court.

Now, what was the $ , for?

You know so much, huh?

Well, for your information,

Martin was buying
Leslie clothes

to put in all the stores,
including the L.A. store.

With a healthy kickback
from you, I imagine.

That, gumshoe, is something
you'll never prove.

How could Martin put Leslie
clothes in the Baylor stores?

How could he?

(chuckles)

The Rinaldi name.

That was the name we were going
to put on the clothes

Martin was buying from me.

In the trade Rinaldi was a bum,
a drunken bum,

but there was still
mileage left in his name.

And how long
would Martin get away

with a cheap stunt like that?

Long enough to make a k*lling.

Then he was gonna sell
the Baylor stores

to a fast-buck syndicate looking
for choice real estate spots.

Did Todd know about all this?

His brother's plans to sell out?

Well, of course he did;
he must have.

Why else do you think
he k*lled Martin?

And the defendant said, uh,

"Martin, this time
you've gone too far.

Now, you're not going
to get away with it."

Then Martin sort of called out.

He said, "Todd.”

He groaned,

he said, "No, no."”

BURGER:
And what did you hear then?

LEWIS: Well, there was a crash,
like something heavy had fallen.

When I heard that, I ran
down the hall to the door.

BURGER:
And what did you see?

Martin Baylor was on the floor

with a pair of scissors
in his back.

Todd Baylor was
on the floor beside him.

His right hand was bloody

and not more than two or three
inches from the scissors.

That's right, three keys
to the employees' entrance.

The security guards
have the only keys

to the street entrance.

And how did you get in,
Lieutenant?

I pounded on the door
of the employees' entrance

until the defendant
and the security guard Mr. Lewis

came down to let me in.

I worked at Baylor's
a little more than a year.

BURGER:
Yes, but aside from that,

what was your relationship
with the decedent Martin Baylor?

What I meant was,
did he confide in you?

WRIGHT: Oh, yes, more than
with anyone else, I'd say.

Now, Miss Wright,
so that we may know something

of the state of mind
of the decedent,

would you please tell this court

what Martin Baylor told you
about his brother?

He told me he was going
to get rid of Todd,

force him out of the store.

Well, first of all, um,
Joseph Rinaldi signed a contract

allowing me to use his name
on my line of clothes.

BURGER: And a little over
a month later, what did you do?

I sold Rinaldi's contract
to Martin.

Uh, not to the Baylor stores,
but to Martin Baylor personally.

BURGER: Now, how would that
have affected

the defendant's plan
to stage a fashion show

using Rinaldi's design?

Eliminated it, period.

When Martin told Todd
he had Rinaldi all tied up,

told him the same day
he was m*rder*d,

well, that was sure the end
of Todd Baylor.

And Todd
must have realized that.

Thank you, Mr. Leslie.

Your witness.

This contract with Rinaldi--
who actually got him to sign it?

You? Martin Baylor?

No.

No, his niece.

MASON: Are you aware
Carla Rinaldi and her uncle

both believed the contract
she had her uncle sign

was for one and only one design?

I don't care what they thought,

I know what was signed.

I owned Rinaldi's name
and his designs,

past, present, and future.

That's what the contract said.

How much did you pay
for that contract?

Why...

Well, it was, uh,

a royalty arrangement, you see.

A dollar a garment,

plus an advance.

Of $ ?

All right, so I got a bargain.

You make it sound
like I committed a crime.

Didn't you, Mr. Leslie?

What?

No further questions.

Now, when Martin Baylor held out
the court order

stopping the fashion show,

what did the defendant do?

Well, of course
he wasn't pleased.

I didn't ask you to characterize
his attitude, Miss Alder.

I asked you to describe
what he did.

He grabbed hold of Martin.

As if he meant to strike him?

Objection, Your Honor.

The question asks for an opinion
from the witness.

Unless the prosecutor
not only wants the witness

to characterize the defendant's
attitude but also his intent.

Objection sustained.

BURGER:
Well, Miss Alder,

did something happen perhaps

to prevent the defendant
from striking his brother

-right then and there?
- Objection.

The question assumes a fact
not in evidence, Your Honor.

I appreciate Mr. Burger's desire

to have the record indicate
Todd Baylor struck his brother,

but the defendant
did no such thing.

Objection sustained.

Rephrase the question,
Mr. Burger.

Very well, Your Honor.

All right, Miss Alder,

what happened just when the
defendant grabbed his brother?

Carla Rinaldi accidentally fell
off the ladder.

BURGER: I understand that you
and the defendant

took her across the street
to your apartment

where she was examined
by a doctor?

That's right.

Now, we have introduced
evidence here

that the defendant left
your apartment after that

and went looking
for his brother,

first at the residence
of Miss Nicolai Wright

and then at the store
where he finally found him.

Did you say anything to him
at that point?

I told him about Martin's plan

to get rid of him
and then sell the stores.

BURGER:
And what was his answer?

"I won't let him get away
with it.

"I swear to it,

no matter what I have to do."”

BURGER:
Thank you, Miss Alder.

Your witness.

What did you do, Miss Alder,
when Todd Baylor left you?

I was upset, exhausted.

I took some sleeping pills
and fell right to sleep.

MASON: Was that before
or after Carla Rinaldi

went to sleep in your bedroom?

ALDER:
I'm really not sure.

MASON: Carla Rinaldi
did go to sleep, did she not?

ALDER: She was still asleep
an hour after the m*rder,

when I looked in on her.

How did you know it was
an hour after the m*rder?

(chuckles)

I remember.

He woke me up.

He told me
Martin had been k*lled

an hour earlier,
and we looked in on Carla.

He woke you up?

ALDER:
Joseph Rinaldi.

Mr. Burger,
I permitted myself to be used

by one despicable man
who was the tool

of an even more despicable man,
a man who deserved to die.

BURGER: All right, Mr. Rinaldi,
I'm sure you know that decision

is not one for you to make
or for me.

JOSEPH: Then, what are you
doing here now with Todd Baylor?

BURGER: That will be all,
Mr. Rinaldi.

Thank you.
Cross-examine.

The contract your niece
unfortunately, if innocently,

got you to sign-- where is it?

JOSEPH:
I haven't the faintest.

Now, wait a minute.

You, Mr. Mason,
you said something

about that contract being
in court

because of the court order
Martin had.

MASON:
And before I told you that,

did you know where it was?

JOSEPH:
The last I knew of it

was when Martin showed it to me
in his office that morning.

MASON: Before you went
out on the town?

Before I got drunk.

So far as you knew,

that contract was still
in Martin Baylor's office?

I suppose so.

And so far as Carla knew,

it was in Martin's office?

JOSEPH: Why should she care
where it was?

MASON: It was because
of her you signed it.

Yes.

That contract was not only
important to Martin

if he was to destroy Todd,
it was important to Todd

if he was to succeed.

And it was important to you,
wasn't it?

It was life and death
to me, Mr. Mason.

MASON:
And to anyone who loved you.

JOSEPH:
Conceivably.

Mr. Rinaldi, to your knowledge

did anyone go to the store
that night,

planning to destroy
that contract?

I went there.

MASON:
But the contract wasn't there.

JOSEPH:
Martin Baylor was.

That's when I k*lled him.

-(gasping): No, Uncle!
- Your Honor, Your Honor!

Order. Order in the court.

Does the defendant wish
to address the court directly?

Todd, listen to me.

It's all right, Mr. Mason,
I know what I'm doing.

Your Honor...

One moment, Mr. Mason.

What is it you want
to say, Mr. Baylor?

The witness is lying
to protect me.

I don't want that.

Your Honor, I want
to change my plea.

I k*lled Martin Baylor.

All right, so the judge gave you
till tomorrow morning

to discuss it with Todd.

But will Todd change his mind?

Won't he insist
on pleading guilty?

I'm afraid so.

(door opens)

DELLA: What in the world
are you dressed for?

My appearance before the board

when they take away my license
for committing burglary.

Superintendent let you into
the lady's bungalow, didn't he?

Sure, he did.

The lady wasn't home,
and I had to fix the TV set.

But add to my breaking
and entering a little matter

of felonious taking
and carrying away.

Felonious taking?

Paul, I just wanted you
to run down that hunch of mine.

And a beautiful hunch
it was, too.

I've got a man out right now

digging for a marriage
certificate.

But, here,
look what else I found.

These were stuck way down
in the closet.

And they're only two
out of many.

And these were stolen straight
from Baylor's Los Angeles store.

I am fully aware, Your Honor,

that the request is
highly irregular.

However, in view of the fact

that this is
a preliminary hearing,

I feel confident
the court is more interested

in achieving justice than
in upholding rules of procedure.

Exactly what is it you want
the court to do, Mr. Mason?

Before action is taken

to permit defendant's change
of plea,

I beg the court's indulgence
to allow me to reexamine

some of the witnesses.

JUDGE:
Mr. Burger?

By all means, Your Honor.

Permit Mr. Mason
his reexaminations.

Who knows? We may even get
a third confession.

That, Mr. Burger,
is exactly what I plan.

What?

I should like to recall
Edward Lewis to the stand.

After the defendant let himself
in at the employees' entrance,

did you see him lock
the door again from the inside?

Yes, I did.

When you told him Martin was
in his office

on the second floor,
why did he run up the steps?

Why didn't he take the elevator?

Well, he, uh, well, the elevator
was on the second floor.

Then you followed Todd
up the stairs.

And did you stay up there
with him until you heard

the police pounding on the door
at the employees' entrance?

That's correct.

And when you came down
with Todd to let them in,

did you take the elevator down?

- No.
- Why not?

Well, we star...

Why, the, the elevator was
on the first floor.

Yes, we went up to the second
floor in the elevator.

Let's be very clear on this
point, Lieutenant Anderson.

When Todd arrived, the elevator
was on the second floor.

When you got there,
it was on the ground floor.

When Todd and Lewis ran
up the stairs,

someone must have, must have
come down in the elevator.

You found the door locked
when you arrived at the store.

Now, when you were admitted,
did you post a guard?

- Yes.
- Did you search the premises?

That's right.

Was anyone found in the store
or seen leaving it?

No, no one.

Then we're faced with a physical
impossibility, Lieutenant.

How did the person who rode
the elevator down

get out of the store?

Well, he, uh, he must
have had a key.

Or she must have had a key.

Now, you found one key
on the dead man upstairs,

the second key on the defendant
who had remained upstairs.

Now, who had the third key?

Why, Carla Rinaldi.

Take a close look
at this picture.

You recognize it?

Yes, it's one of the pictures
the police photographers took

at the scene of the m*rder.

Those items on the desk
aren't relevant, though.

They're just merchandise

which was scattered about
in the struggle.

Now, what about
this particular pin here?

Suppose I could show it was
private property?

You mean, something somebody
had dropped or lost?

Well, we checked that
pretty thoroughly, Mr. Mason.

Lieutenant, here's a photograph
taken at a rehearsal

of the fashion show
earlier in the day.

Now, do you see anyone wearing
a similar pin to this one?

Yes.

Yes, maybe I do.

You don't need to strain
your eyes, Lieutenant.

Here's an enlargement.

Yes, I'd say that was
Carla Rinaldi's pin, all right.

Two completely innocent people

have already confessed
to this crime.

Shall we now point a finger
to a third?

I'll tell you what you want
to know.

Carla was still asleep.

I put on her coat and scarf
so that if anyone saw me,

they would just think it was
Carla doing some night work

in connection
with the fashion show.

I used the key that Carla
still had to let myself in,

took the elevator up,
and I searched Martin's office.

What were you looking for, Jane?

I love Martin Baylor.

Betraying Todd for him again
was just too much.

When was the first time
you betrayed Todd for Martin?

Was it three years ago, Jane?

It was Martin, not Todd,
who had taken money

from the store accounts.

I altered the records to...

The records you altered
three years ago,

that's what you were looking
for the other night?

I thought if Todd had them,
had the truth,

he would be able to put an end
to Martin's plans.

Did you get those records?

No, Martin came in
and found me there.

He shook me, almost struck me.

It must have been then
that I lost Carla's pin,

the pin that Joseph Rinaldi
must have seen and recognized.

Joseph thought his niece
had k*lled Martin.

He confessed to save her.

What about the defendant, Jane?

Well, I-I think
he must have seen me get

into the elevator to go down.

Of course, he must have thought
I was Carla.

While you were fighting
with Martin Baylor

in his office, can you remember

what, if anything,
he said to you?

He screamed that he was going
to fire me

along with the rest of the
thieves he'd been uncovering.

Had wanted to fire me
for the past year.

Why the past year?

That's when Martin
started flaunting

another woman in my face,
that model,

that Nicolai Wright.

I wouldn't call it flaunting.

After all, she was older
than Martin.

There was nothing wrong
with his being interested

in a younger woman.

As you stated
to my investigator,

he was very, very interested.

That's what I said, yes.

Miss Wright, do you have
any additional income

beside your salary
from Baylor's?

No.

Yet you live quite expensively.

You keep a maid.

Well, as I said,
very, very interested.

Baylor sells an original dress
for $ .

Simultaneously
some cheap outlet sells

an inferior but remarkably
accurate copy for less than $ .

WRIGHT: Someone got
an advanced look at the design

or, uh, or the work model
of the dress.

The day he was k*lled
Martin Baylor was concerned

about a continuing loss
through breakage.

And that breakage included
the disappearance

of a great many
of what you termed

"work models” of new clothing,

among them these items stolen

from Baylor's workroom.

You recognize them?

WRIGHT:
I'm, I'm not sure.

You should be sure.

They were taken
from your apartment.

The other man who visited you
occasionally,

he's your husband, isn't he?

WRIGHT:
My, my husband?

MASON: No longer altogether
husband and wife

but still very much business
partners, weren't you?

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

Martin Baylor's relationship
to you was

really just a casual one,
a matter of occasional dates.

No! No, I told you...

What you wanted
to have believed--

that he cared enough
to pay your rent.

He did.

Did he also supply the money
in the three bank accounts

in your name and the two joint
accounts with your husband?

All right, so I stole
those things.

You can't prove I k*lled Martin.

I didn't have a key
to the store.

But your husband, the security
guard Edward Lewis had a key.

A key to the front door
of the store.

While Lewis made his rounds,

you must have been shopping
in Martin's office.

Jane came in, you hid,
then Martin came in.

You heard them fight.

You heard Martin talking
about the other thieves.

You suddenly realized he'd found
out about you and your husband.

That could only mean he intended

to file criminal charges
against you both.

No, no!

When Jane left, you came out,
picked up the scissors,

and stabbed Martin Baylor
in the back.

He, he just stood there.

He didn't, didn't fall.

Th-Then I heard
somebody coming, and

it, it was Todd.

Martin fell, fell over
into his arms,

and they both fell over
onto the floor.

It was awful, awful.

I was frightened,
don't you understand?!

I didn't want to go to jail!

I-I didn't mean...!

I-I didn't!

Dark green silk velvet.

Stole of the same material,
trimmed with Russian sable.

Black soufel
over champagne crepe.

(applause)

Perry, that night,
I never understood,

with the police there, how did
Nicolai get out of the building?

When Todd and Lewis left
the office to let the police in,

she ran out and hid.

Lewis got to her
before the police did.

Then he let her out?

Yes, he never suspected
she just k*lled a man.

He was concerned only
with protecting his job

and his ex-wife.

With whom, I'd guess,
he was still in love.

Speaking of love, look, Perry.

That I love.

Me, too.

All right, Della,
consider the outfit yours.

Part of Todd Baylor's fee.

As for you, Paul...

Don't tell me.

If it's against the law,
I don't want to know.

Excuse me.

(Della chuckles)

(theme song playing)