07x19 - The Case of the Fifty-Millionth Frenchman

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

(small dog barking)

Phillipe!

Entrez, vite, vite.

Bonsoir, Ninette.

Phillipe... oh,
I am so frightened!

Why?

See how I tremble?

Has something else happened?

Of course not, my silly!

I am frightened when you are
not here, that is all.

Oh.

My Phillipe, do you know
what it has meant

meeting someone from home,
someone who is kind...

who is good, who is strong?

Well, I would have been here
sooner,

but I had to sweep out
the bookstore.

What? Chérie, you... you did not
have time to go to the bank?

Oh, that.

Yes, of course.

Oh, how can I ever...

ever thank you?

Well, there is no need.

Only, I do need it back,
you understand, so...

In one week, my darling.

I will call you, do not worry.

No, I, I didn't say it
because I was worried.

Phillipe, I want you to know
you are saving my life.

The world, the whole sky
will have stars again.

(car door closes)

(gasps)

What is it?

Armand, my husband!

Oh, no.

Phillipe, you must go.
Hurry! Hurry!

No, no!

L'autre porte.

Phillipe!

Hurry! Hurry! He is coming!

(key rattles in lock)

(door bell jingles)

Oh, it's you.

Anything wrong with being me?

All right, you can go out
to lunch now, Phillipe.

Uh, no, thank you.
I'm not very hungry.

Nonsense.

You'll go out
and you'll eat two hamburgers.

Oh, you've been looking much
too peaked these days.

I'll go later, maybe.

You'll do no such thing.

You go out and eat a steak
sandwich and a malted milk...

(phone rings)

Well, what's the matter?

Uh, the phone, it's ringing.

Bookstore. Hello.

Is it for me?

Who? No, this is
not the gas company.

(chuckles)
Well, whom were you expecting,

Elizabeth Taylor?

I think I'll put the
dictionaries on a lower shelf.

Oh, please, stop that, Phillipe.

Oh, I don't mean to tease you,
but what on earth is the matter?

The way you've been acting,
these past three or four weeks.

Phillipe, you've lost
at least five pounds!

I'm perfectly all right.

Please, Mrs. Kransdorf,
I'm fine.

All right, I won't pry.

Anyway, whatever it is,
it's going to be cured.

Pardon?

I, uh, I didn't have anything
to eat today, Phillipe.

I, uh, I went with my husband
to see his doctor.

And he's going
to be just fine...

Oh, that's wonderful.

...in Arizona.

In Arizona now, Phillipe,
not next year. Now!

Oh.

Yes! Now you understand.

The bookstore.

The, the bookstore.

It's going to be yours,
Phillipe.

Well, don't look
so scared about it.

You've got $ , in the bank.

You showed me your passbook
once, remember?

$ , .

We want you to have the store,
Phillipe.

So what we thought was,
one day this week

we go down
to that real estate office...

Uh, please, please,
Mrs. Kransdorf,

I think maybe I will have
a bite of the lunch.

(door bell jingles)

- (gasps)
- Ninette, why do you hide?

Ninette...

No, Phillipe, no!

Why do you hide?

Why do you not call,

not answer the phone,
not answer the door?!

Please, Phillipe, please,
I am so ashamed.

And now I am in trouble.
I need it back!

I need my...

Oh, what happened?

He hit you?

How could I let you see me now?

Ninette, you know how I feel,
how much I want to help you.

And this is nothing.

Last week, it was my whole arm,
from here to here!

I will k*ll him.
I will k*ll your husband.

Don't talk like that. It is bad!

But, Ninette,
I don't understand.

You said if you had help;
money to pay bills,

you could leave
this man Armand.

Yes, and my parents in France,

they will pay the money back,
Phillipe.

But why doesn't it happen?

Mon pauvre chérie,
you are much to good

to understand a man like Armand.

To settle these things,
we must talk,

we must sign papers,

but he will not even come home
from his job in the mountains.

And when he does,
it is only to drink

and to call me bad names
and to strike me!

Oh, and now even you are mad
with Ninette!

Oh, no, no, no.
Why should I be... mad?

Only, it is...

Because I make you wait another
day, another week,

perhaps another...

Ninette... won't he even talk
to you about the divorce?

Yet, it was when I said that
word that...

that he did this.

We grew up in the same town,
Ninette and I, in Dijon.

That's near the Swiss border.

Yes, I've been in Dijon.

She was-- how do you say it--

the most beautiful girl
in the town.

But me, you understand,
I was nothing.

Seems to me you're doing
all right in this country.

Been working
for Mrs. Kransdorf

for almost three years now,
haven't you?

Yes, yes, at the bookstore.
I work very hard.

But what else is there to do,

when you are not the sort of
person who, who meets people?

DELLA:
Well, you met us, didn't you?

We wouldn't buy anywhere else.

That was not quite my meaning.

You see... Well, anyway,
one day, I saw Ninette.

She remembered my name,
she spoke to me.

Wait a minute.

Isn't your wife in this country,
Phillipe?

My wife?

Unless I missed something,
didn't you

tell Della that you wanted
to see me about a divorce?

Oh, yes! I want a divorce
for Ninette from Armand!

The marriage is not successful.

Now slow down.
Just who is Armand?

Armand Rovel.
From Marseilles, she said,

the worst part.

They were married about a year
after I left France.

Where are the Rovels
at the present time?

Ninette is at home and Armand
is at the ski lodge.

He'd told her
he's an instructor there,

but more likely he shovels
the snow.

He's a swine, Mr. Mason!
He beats her!

Which ski lodge?

Classic Mountain.

Then they are residents
of California, also.

But of course.

They came here right after
they were married.

Please, try to pay attention,
Mr. Mason.

I'll do my best.

But you've been seeing Ninette
alone, I take it.

Yes. She needed someone
she could talk to, a friend,

someone she could trust.

It was, for me, a great honor.

Phillipe, just how deeply
are you involved?

Oh, everything has been
very proper.

You haven't done anything
foolish, have you?

You seemed very upset
when you came in.

Please try to understand,
Mr. Mason,

everything will be all right
if only she starts the divorce!

I'm afraid you have
some misconceptions

about the laws here.

If Ninette wants a divorce,

she'll have to get it
for herself.

But I am here on her behalf!

You mean, she asked you to come?

No, not exactly in so many
words, but...

- Here, why don't we phone her?
- Hmm?

(phone rings)

Hello?

Oh, Phillipe,
I told you not to call.

You're what?

Why?!

No, no, Phillipe, I don't want
to see a lawyer!

Oh, Phillipe, you just don't
understand yet!

If there is any trouble, then
how will I get your money back?

And he will be angry, too.

Yes, yes, he took it!
Didn't I say that?

Armand took your money away
from me!

He...

No, Ninette, I can't wait.

But, Ninette...

(line clicks)

It's that Armand,
she's so terrified of him.

No divorce?

He beats her so she's...

I'm sorry to have bothered you.

Please, how much do I owe?

Why, nothing, Phillipe.

But if you'd just tell me
a little more about...

Thank you.

But I guess there are
certain things a...

a man must do for himself.

Excuse me.

MAN:
Yeah, thanks.

I guess I got one more
seat left in the lodge plane.

That's the only way
to get to Classic Mountain,

unless you want to drive.

But don't own an automobile.

And they said at the bus station
it would be tomorrow morning...

- In a hurry to break your leg?
- What?

Do your reservations
start tonight?

Oh, no. No, no.

I am going to see someone.
But it is urgent!

Very urgent, so please,
if you can...

Pete!

Oh, hi, ladies,
I was just waiting for you.

Well, where's Armand?

Isn't he going to fly us up?

PETE: Oh, I'm sorry,
nothing but the hired help.

But think how much safer
you'll be.

WOMAN:
Pete, darling,

don't you realize a woman
never feels safe with you?

All right, all right.

The plane's out on the runway.

I'll, uh, I'll be
with you in a second.

- You're blushing.
- Ah...

Now, look, pal,
it's $ round trip

and if you haven't got
a reservation...

That... that's Armand Rovel
they are speaking of?

Sure. Who else?

But the ski lodge,
they let him fly their plane?

Well, they've got to lure
the bunnies

up there some way, don't they?

Now come on, I'm in a hurry.

Oh.

Yes, yes, I'm coming!

(indistinct talking)

And now you, sir?
May I help you now?

Oh, yes, uh, please.

Um, excuse me. Um...

This one is
a friend of Armand's.

Are you the manager?

What?

Oh, no, no, scarcely.

I'm Miss Sutton,
the bookkeeper.

I'm just pinch-hitting
since poor Mr. McManus...

Well, I guess you heard about
our avalanche last month.

PHILLIPE:
Avalanche?

What kind of a room
would you like, Mr...

Bertain. Phillipe Bertain.

But, uh, please, I only
wish to locate someone.

Armand Rovel.

I understand he's
one of your employees,

so perhaps I should go to
the kitchen, or the garage?

MAN:
Well, who do we have here?

Another Frenchman?

Bonjour, bonjour!

Oh, bonjour, monsieur,
je cherche Armand Rovel.

Of course, of course!
We were expecting you.

What?

Yes, any friend of Armand is
a friend of mine, Mr., uh...

This is Phillipe Bertain.

Mr. Ogilvie is the owner
of the lodge.

Well, it certainly
is a pleasure.

I suppose I should
know your name,

but, uh, to be perfectly
frank with you,

on the sticks I'm not very much.

But, uh, real estate's my sport.

Perhaps, Mr. Ogilvie...

Linda, why don't you assign him
a room, if he needs one.

- No, no, no, please.
- Oh, come on, come on.

It certainly is a pleasure
to have you here.

Want you to meet my sister.

She's the member of the family
that really talks your lingo.

As a matter of fact,
she talks it so well

she talked me into
buying this place.

Carole, I'd like you
to meet another Frenchman.

Name's Phillipe,
friend of Armand.

Oh! How do you do?

Hey, Ron, fix him up,
anything he wants.

Honey, I've got to make
some phone calls.

Now, you take
good care of him, okay?

- Okay.
- Mr. Ogilvie...

Certainly is nice to see you,
Mr. Bertain.

Happy schussing!

Well, what'll it be, friend?

Name your poison.

Uh... oh, uh,
gin and ginger ale.

One gin and ginger, coming up!

No! No, no.

Just the other.

The other.

Well, you sure meet
all kinds of Frenchmen.

Never mind, Ron.

Uh... vous parlez le Francaise?

Who, me? Oh, no!

My brother meant
I talk skier's lingo.

Oh.

But to tell you the truth,

I talk better than I do.

You see, Armand has been

trying and trying to get me to
bend my knees just right, but...

Then you know Armand?

Armand!

Does she know Armand...

Ron, if you don't stop it...

Oh, what I meant was everybody,
everybody knows him.

CAROLE:
Well...

Armand said he was contacting
some other French experts.

Experts?

CAROLE:
Only you look so... small.

You know what I mean, wiry.

But I'll bet you do
a lot of jumping, don't you?

Oh! Oh, so that's...

Oh, oh, please, Miss Ogilvie,
there's been a terrible mistake.

I, uh, I have never stood on
a ski in my life.

- Oh, Armand, how are you?
- (talking, laughing)

WOMAN: Will we have
our lesson how?

ARMAND: No, no, no,
I can't, I can't.

Tell me...
has anybody seen Carole?

- ARMAND: No?
- WOMEN: No. No.

ARMAND: Oh, Hans!
How are you? Glad to see you.

- We have a good race tomorrow.
- HANS: All right, thank you.

- ARMAND: Excuse me.
- Armand!

- CAROLE: In here, darling!
- ARMAND: Oh, Carole.

I, uh, I need my other poles.

- Quickly, hmm?
- Oh, wait a minute!

This man came up to see you.

ARMAND:
Oh, I can't now. Later!

Monsieur Rovel, my name is...

I'm sorry, but people are
waiting for me on the slope.

My poles, huh?

All right, darling.

I will see you later, good?

Oh, Mrs. Henderson!
How are you?

Why does everybody speak of
this Armand as if he's some...

some Greek god
down from Olympus?

Who, you mean the kid there?

She's young,
she doesn't know any better.

But don't get me wrong.

It's just that ski-bums
aren't exactly my idea of...

That Armand is a beast.

He is also a thief.

He is a lying,
worthless, cheating...

Now, now, now,
wait a minute, hold it.

Not so rough, huh?

That happens to be
the guy I got to work for.

Work for?

Well, sure,
since Mr. McManus is dead.

The owner's gonna make Armand
the new manager.

PHILLIPE:
Hey, you! Rovel!

Not later! Now.

My name is Phillipe Bertain

-and I want to talk to you.
- know who you are.

You are the man
who is trying to steal my wife.

No.

But you...
you have taken my money.

And you are taking the next bus
back to Los Angeles.

Oh, no.

Not until you pay me.

Not until you pay me $ , .

I warn you, boy. Go fast!

Get out before
I call the police!

Before I tell them
about you and my wife.

And before I take the law
into my own hands!

Comprenez?

(laughing)

(mumbling in French)

Garcon!

Look, buddy, it's almost
suppertime. Why don't you...

Ron, put a couple of teaspoons
of sugar in this for me,

-will you please?
- Sure.

And then I think maybe
you'd better take it over

to Mr. Ogilvie's office.

Armand's there now, I think.

Huh?

Oh, and tell Armand
the plane's been fueled,

so any time he's ready to go...

Plane? Armand?

Look, buddy, why don't you
go find yourself a room

and get some sack time, huh?

He's running away.

He's afraid of me.

Do you think he ought to be?

Oh, of course!

He stole from me.

And he lies, he cheats.

Oh, but... but you
wouldn't believe that.

He is your precious manager.

Oh, more than that.

Armand owns part
of this hotel now.

He what?

Since when?

Since he loaned
McManus some money

for a poker game last month.

And now Mike is dead, so his
part of the ownership is...

I don't believe that.

Where would a ski-bum
get that kind of dough?

Oh, it wasn't much money, Ron.

Just... $ , .

Five...

Here, give me that!
I'll deliver it!

- Hey, wait a minute.
- I'll show him!

Hey! Come on back here
with that thermos!

If you think this other
French ski instructor

will sign on with us...

I'll talk to him tonight.

I will fly him back from
Los Angeles in the morning.

Well, if you're going,
then here's a list of guests

-who'll be waiting to fly up.
- Oh, thank you.

Oh! Bonnie and Susie
are coming back, huh?

Well, not only good skiers,
but, uh...

Good-for-nothing,
woman-beating thief!

I'll k*ll you! I'll k*ll you!

I tried to stop him.

I told you to get rid of
this man two hours ago!

To put him on a bus!

Sorry, Armand,
I guess I forgot.

Well... give him a hand.

Take him down to the infirmary.

He's drunk, and crazy,
that's all.

What on earth was
he talking about?

Nothing, my partner, nothing.

He's a Frenchman.

Beware of all of us, huh?

(laughs)
Bye.

(phone ringing)

(music playing)

The bar.

Hello!

Oh, Armand?

No, he's not here now, lady.

No, no, I mean
he left the lodge.

A couple hours ago.

Yeah, he's heading for L.A.

Van Nuys Airport.

Come in higher, I said!

Higher!

Oh, these idiot amateurs.

TOWER MAN: Tower to NC Victor,
you listening to me?

Take another circle,
and then come in at...

Hey! Victor!

Tower to Victor!

Circle the field!
Pull it up!

TOWER MAN:
Pull it up!

Tower to Victor!

Pull it up!

Hit the gas!

(crashing metal)

All right, you can
stop looking hungry.

I'll be finished in ten minutes.

I hardly think so.
You have another visitor.

- Client?
- A night-blooming Frenchwoman

with a charming accent.

That's what makes
a Frenchwoman charming.

The accent.

And one black eye.

Of course, you have to
look hard to see it.

She has it covered with makeup.

Does she also have a name?

Mrs. Ninette Rovel.

Mrs. Rovel?
Come in, please.

Sit down, won't you?

Oh, merci.

Now, how can I help you?

Not me, Monsieur Mason...
Phillipe Bertain.

That so nice
but so young, young man.

You will help him, no?

Well, when he came to see me,

I thought it was you
that needed legal assistance.

Ah, of course.

It was from here that
he telephoned, oui?

Oh, poor petit Phillipe,
he just does not understand.

But all day since, I...
I feel so foolish, so ashamed...

You're not really seeking
a divorce at all.

Is that what you mean?

Oh, yes! Yes!

I would never live again
with such a beast as Armand!

But it is him that Phillipe
does not understand.

I'm not sure that I do, either.

Well... a Frenchman...

he can say his wife is no good,
he can hit her, he can beat her,

he can leave her forever,

but still the marriage
is proper, oui?

- Well...
- And so with the divorce!

What would mama and papa say,
if I did not end my marriage

to this... this beast,
this cochon,

but in a respectable way?

I'm still not sure ll...

Is it proper to divorce a...
a m*rder*r, Mr. Mason?

- m*rder*r?
- NINETTE: Yes.

Yes, Armand will k*ll him,
I know he will k*ll him!

Armand is so big!

He's so strong!
He' so excitable!

For another man
to speak of his wife,

to make insults
of his marriage...

Now wait a minute.

What makes you think...

NINETTE: Phillipe has gone after
him, don't you understand?

I have just heard:

Phillipe has gone up to
the mountain today!

Oh, and now who knows
what has happened?

Who knows where they are?

Della, ring Paul's office.

Up there, down here,
it makes no difference.

So pauvre Phillipe,
you must save him!

You must catch him!
You must stop him!

Hello, Paul?

Say, remember that boy in the
bookstore, Phillipe Bertain?

Well, he's getting mixed up
with a man named Rovel.

Armand Rovel.

It seems...

Yes, that's right,
a ski instructor.

Where did you...?

The radio?

I'll talk to you later.

Mrs. Rovel...

What? What, what is it?

There's just been a plane crash.

I'm afraid it's your husband.

(gasps)

(sobbing)

Hi, Andy.

Well, hiya, Perry.
What are you doing here?

Woman was in my office

when we heard her husband
had been in a plane crash.

She insisted
on coming down here,

but he died in the ambulance.

So, well, now they're taking
care of her.

Name wouldn't be Rovel,
would it?

That's right.

Andy, what are you doing here?

Same plane crash.

Something wrong with it?

Well, a guy in the Van Nuys
tower thought

Rovel was flying blind...
drunk, that is.

Only the receiving doctor here
reported no alcohol.

They're running more tests now.

Did you go out to the airport?

Mm. Nothing there to go on,
except maybe this.

Empty pill bottle?
What was it for?

No label.

But somebody said
the widow was here.

That's right.

Mrs. Rovel,
this is Lieutenant Anderson.

I'm sorry to bother you
right now, but...

Mrs. Rovel, was your husband
taking any medication regularly?

No, no, monsieur,
not that I know.

We found this out there
and thought perhaps...

Oh, oh, but that would not be
called medicine, would it?

He, he was always afraid
when he fly...

(voice breaks):
that he fall asleep!

(sobbing)

Oui, that is maybe his...

his stay-awake pills.

(sobs)

The police?

MASON:
That's what I said, Phillipe.

They may be around
to talk to you.

But why? Why me?

Well, you were up at Classic
Mountain today, weren't you?

Yes, I just came back
on the bus.

Mrs. Kransdorf was waiting
to take inventory.

Phillipe, when was the last time
you saw Armand Rovel?

...I really don't remember.

Please, Mr. Mason, I'm very
sorry he died in an accident.

Armand died from falling asleep
at the controls.

- What?
- The doctors now say he had

enough barbiturates in him

-to knock out an elephant.
- Barbiturate?

And they're not exactly
stay-awake pills.

But I still don't understand
what...

It means he took something,
Phillipe...

or something was given to him,

perhaps, just before he left
Classic Mountain.

Armand was m*rder*d?

Now let's start over, shall we?

When was the last time
you saw him today?

Phillipe, I'm only trying
to help you.

Please, no, Mr. Mason.

I don't know anything about it!

Please leave me alone.
I only make trouble!

I-I only make a mess
of everything.

There now! All ready to start
the biographies...

Oh!

Good evening, Mrs. Kransdorf.

Mr. Mason!

Oh-oh, I'm sorry,
we really are closed.

You see, Phillipe and I are
just going to go over...

It's all right.
I found him here.

Thought I'd stop by and ask a
question or two, that's all.

Still can't think
of any answers, Phillipe?

KRANSDORF: Well, if it's
something I can help you with.

MASON: Paul and I are on our way
up to the mountains.

I guess we can do
our own research.

Thanks, Sheriff.

Well, now, Mr. Drake,
as I figure,

it isn't likely Armand Rovel
swallowed any drug

or anything here.
No, sir, not here.

- Why not?
- The amount that he took.

And those barbiturates work
very fast.

He would have never made it more
than halfway back to L.A.

He'd have crashed long before
he ever got to that airport.

Well, then where did he swallow
the stuff?

The plane maybe. In this maybe.

In what?

A man flying, he likes a nip
of hot coffee, doesn't he?

How about it, Ron?

What's that, Sheriff?

Never mind all that.
You know you've been listening.

Well, I didn't pour Armand
any coffee,

if that's what you're talking
about.

How about a thermos?

Thermos?

Of course he had a thermos.
Why don't you say so, Ron?

Thank you, Pete.

PETE: He always carried one
in the plane. So do I.

Well, who fixes it?
Who pours in the coffee?

Linda, Miss Sutton fixed it
for him yesterday,

as I remember.

Exactly.
And you put the sugar in it,

and this young Frenchman
took it into the office.

Well, you know all that--
what are you asking for?

Yeah, now look, Sheriff,
Armand didn't take off

until maybe an hour after that.

That thermos could have been up
in Ogilvie's office

or down in the infirmary where
we dumped that crazy kid.

Of course, of course.

So any number of people
could have had a chance

to put stuff in it!

Yes, but wait a minute.
The L.A. police didn't find

any part of a thermos
in that wreckage.

Yes, I know,
I'll admit that's the part

that's kind of a puzzle to me.

Both of you boys were down
in the infirmary?

We left Phillipe on a cot
down there to sleep it off.

You left him there?

What of it?

What are you driving at,
Sheriff?

Piece at a time, Drake,
piece at a time.

Cabinet in that infirmary
has got

a whole shelf full
of those pills.

Enough to put us all to sleep.

Avalanches?
Well, yes, Mr. Mason,

Classic Mountain's like any
winter sports area.

Same kind of slopes that make
good skiing

also make bad avalanches.

d*ck, it's the one that k*lled
my manager McManus last month.

That's the one
he's curious about.

Oh, well,

here's the storm report
for that day.

Lots of new snow on an existing
shallow depth hoar.

Look at it yourself.

This says the west slope was
posted "No skiing allowed."”

That's right. We've had a lot
of trouble up here at Classic.

The young kids are always hard
to control.

Threatened Mr. Ogilvie with
closing the slopes altogether

if his sister and her friends
didn't keep off the posted ones.

As for McManus...

The point is, Mason, McManus
was drunk that night.

He'd just gotten back from Reno,
he'd lost quite a bit.

But you think he did it himself,
is that it?

Just went out there drunk?

Oh, no. The slide started up
from up above him.

So you think it was
just accident?

That's what
the coroner's jury decided.

So did the sheriff.

We figure a snow cornice broke
off up there someplace.

But couldn't the cornice have
been kicked off by someone?

What do you think, Mr. Ogilvie?

Look, Mason, I don't know a
snowball from a baked potato.

But McManus was such
a friendly guy,

I don't see why anyone
would have wanted...

Then what do you think,
Mr. Jenkins?

Don't you think
someone could have

taken down your warning sign?

Then got McManus out there,

then kicked down a slab of snow
to start the avalanche?

Well, it's certainly possible,
but if you're trying to say...

What he's trying to say is,
did somebody m*rder McManus?

- How would we know that?
- Exactly.

But don't you have any idea who
might have wanted him dead?

Quite a sight.

What?

Avalanche must be
pretty frightening

if you're skiing up there.

That wasn't anything at all.

There've been little slides
like that all day. Excuse me.

Miss Ogilvie, that night when
the manager here was caught

in that big one,
you were out skiing,

isn't that right?

What are you talking about?

Oh, I don't mean on
the west slope there.

It was posted,
no one was allowed on it.

Of course. I understand.

But you were skiing with Armand
Rovel that night, weren't you?

Mr. Mason...

Out in a quite different area.

Or at least your brother says
that's what Armand told him.

Please, I can't see
what possible use...

Miss Ogilvie, I realize what
Armand meant to you.

I don't want to talk about it!

Please help me.

I'm only trying to tie
some things together,

to find some other answers,
as fast as I can, before...

Oh, Mr. Mason!

Hello, Sheriff.

I thought you ought to know.

Phillipe Bertain,
I just had him picked up.

Bringing him up here.

On what charge?

m*rder, first degree.

But you don't even know
yet how the drug was...

Oh, yes we do.

We even found what's left
of the empty thermos.

Picked it up
on a little airstrip

about miles from L.A.

- Where? -Where your boy
got off the plane.

What's the matter,
that surprise you, too?

Shouldn't.
No, when Armand Rovel left here,

Phillipe was right
on that same plane.

I was hiding in the plane
when we took off.

After we were in the air,
I spoke up.

There were words between us.

I can imagine.

Finally, he landed
at some emergency place.

He put me off.

Do you remember
that thermos jug?

Oh, bien sir.

When I stepped off the plane,
he gave me a shove.

And then he threw
the thermos at me.

He even broke it.

You remember if it was empty
or full?

Oh, empty, I suppose.

While we were flying,
he drank coffee,

when he was not saying lies
about me, about Ninette.

He was furious.

I called Ninette from the
highway. I was furious, too.

But... but all I could do
was catch a bus back to town.

The sheriff picked up a story

that Armand stole
$ , from you.

Is that true?

Oui. My savings. I planned
to buy the bookstore.

But how did Armand get
the $ , ?

From Ninette.

Oh, yes, yes, yes, and how did
Ninette get my money?

How could I tell you this
before, Mr. Mason?

How could I admit

that I am not like those
million other Frenchmen

who know all about women?

Who could just smile
when she crawls,

who could just laugh
when she cries,

who could just... just...

But I only wanted to borrow the
money until my family in Dijon

could raise such an amount
and send it to me.

And the decedent, your late
husband Armand Rovel,

misappropriated those borrowed
funds from you?

Yes, Armand found the money.

He, uh, he hit me

and he took the money
for himself.

Now, when did the defendant,
Phillipe Bertain,

learn that his money had been
taken by your husband?

On the same day
he go up to the lodge.

Go looking for Armand.

Thank you, Mrs. Rovel.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

There's something I don't quite
understand, Mrs. Rovel.

Exactly when did your husband
take that money away from you?

Oh, maybe two weeks.

Or maybe that same night
when Phillipe gave it to you

nearly a month ago?

Maybe that is right.

And why didn't you tell Phillipe
what had happened

until just the other day?

Oh, but why should
I upset him so?

The money, I knew, I would
give back to him someday.

Oh, no, no, monsieur, a woman
should never tell a man

what he does not want to hear.

Because a man who worries
for his money is

no good for anything else,
n'est pas?

You mean he may not be good
for any more money.

That's all, thank you.

Yes, when we dumped the
defendant down the infirmary,

he kept mumbling things
in French.

But I couldn't understand it.

But were they friendly things?

Of course not! He'd just tried
to clobber Armand up in

the office, hadn't he?

No, sir, the defendant
was mad as a wet hen.

But then why did you leave him
alone in the infirmary?

Weren't you afraid he might try
to attack Mr. Rovel again?

No, we left him to sleep it off!

Anyway, how could a little guy
like that possibly hurt Armand?

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Hayes, earlier that day,

did Armand Rovel give you
any instructions

regarding the defendant?

Well, let me see, uh...

Did he tell you to put him on
a bus for Los Angeles perhaps?

Tell you to get rid
of Phillipe fast?

Yes, yes, he did.

And why didn't you do
as you were told?

Because if the kid were there
to make trouble for Armand,

that was just fine with me,
Mr. Mason,

because I hated Armand.

But I did not touch his coffee.

"Here, give me that coffee,”
he said.

-"I'll deliver his coffee.
I'll show him."” -And then?

And then he ran right
into the office.

I tore after him as fast
as I could, but...

I wasn't fast enough.

"Good-for-nothing,
woman-beating thief.

I'll k*ll you, I'll k*ll you.”

He tried to hit Armand
with the thermos,

but he tripped and fell.

They carried the boy downstairs.

Armand left just a moment
or two later,

and that's the last I saw
of either one of them.

PROSECUTOR:
Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Now at this time, Mr. Ogilvie,

Armand Rovel
was already your partner

in the Classic Mountain
Ski Lodge?

Well, no, not a partner exactly.

He had become owner
of a small piece, though.

Yes, he'd acquired
about a % interest

in the place from McManus.

You were also naming
Armand Rovel

as your hew manager,
is that correct?

Why, yes. He was very popular
with the ski crowd.

He seemed to know
the hotel business.

MASON:
Which you don't, I take it.

We've also heard testimony
suggesting

that your other employees
were scarcely fond of Armand.

So isn't it more likely,
Mr. Ogilvie,

that you wouldn't have given him
such a rapid promotion

if someone hadn't persuaded you?

Yes, I guess my sister
talked me into it.

But he was wonderful.

He was, well, so charming.

I mean,
all the guests like him.

And you were in love with him?

I thought I was, at least, yes.

MASON: You never once questioned
what sort of person he was?

You never noticed him

telling a lie, for instance?

What? No.

Not even about an avalanche?

Your Honor!

May it please the court,

I expect to demonstrate
a close link

between the death
of the former manager,

Mr. McManus,
and that of Armand Rovel.

I think I'd like to hear
the answer

to this question,
Mr. Prosecutor.

MASON:
Well, Miss Ogilvie?

Armand didn't really lie
to hurt anyone.

I mean, he was just doing it
to protect the lodge.

Perhaps we'd better
clarify this, Carole.

Several weeks ago,
Classic Lodge had been warned

by the forest service
that their slopes

might be closed
for the rest of the season,

if some of you young people
went out on the posted areas.

On the evening
when Mr. McManus met his death,

where were you, Carole?

I-I was skiing
on the posted area.

The west slope? The slope
where the avalanche occurred?

Yes, but I couldn't have caused
the avalanche.

Mr. Jenkins himself said...

Of course you couldn't.

The tracks they found
were yours, ho doubt,

but they were proved to have
no bearing on the slide.

Now, tell us,

wasn't Armand out there,

skiing with you that night?

No.

No, I was alone.

He only told people
I was with him.

Carole, have you finally
begun to realize

that he didn't tell that lie
to protect you,

to protect the lodge,

but only to protect himself?

CAROLE:
I should have known.

That Armand must have started
that avalanche himself?

That Armand must have
m*rder*d Mr. McManus?

Armand always claimed
that he went to Reno

just to bring back the boss.

(chuckles)
Poor Mr. McManus.

He's one of those kind of guys

that just couldn't stay away
from a poker table.

But isn't it possible
that Armand kept egging him on?

Drinking with him and parties.

I'd hate to tell you
how many times

I had to lie my fool head off
to that ski-bum's wife

when she'd phone here
to check up on him.

I gather Ninette
really kept tabs on him?

Nobody had to tell her
what kind of a no-goodnik

she was married to.

That guy was
his own worst enemy.

Well, like I told her
on the phone

the day that kid, Bertain,
came up,

I said, "Someday,

"somebody was gonna put the arm
on this bum

and scramble his hash but good.”

Perry,

we have the records
from the courthouse.

Transfer of the title,
copies of the promissory note,

everything they had.

Good, Della, good.

Uh, what about Reno, Paul?

McManus was in debt, all right.

Here's some figures.

What's all this got to do
about Armand getting k*lled?

Ron, do you have a metal jigger?

Yeah.

All right, Ron,
where's the earring?

(chuckles)

All right, I'm a sucker.

How did it get out?

That, my friend, is the secret
of the whole case.

It didn't get out,

because it never got in.

Miss Sutton,

I ask that you be recalled
in order to clarify this matter

of Armand Rovel's acquiring
an interest in the lodge.

You are familiar
with the details, I believe?

Yes, Mr. McManus asked me
to prepare the papers

just shortly before his death.

But didn't it seem to you,
Miss Sutton,

that $ , was hardly adequate

for the purchase of something
conservatively worth

several times that much?

Well, it was never intended
as a purchase.

It was just part of a loan.

You see, Mr. McManus
was in terrible trouble

and that's what caused it all.

He'd been gambling and losing
and gambling and losing,

and no one would
loan him money anymore.

Except Armand Rovel?

I heard Mr. McManus himself say

that if only he had one more
chance at that poker game,

if only he had $ , cash

to change his luck,

to get him out of debt
with those people in Reno.

So, the note,

his share of the lodge,

that was just
temporary security,

don't you understand?

Well, they wrote
the thing up themselves,

but they'd been drinking,

so that's the only reason I had
anything to do with the papers.

And Mr. McManus' luck
did not change?

He-he never had a chance
to win again.

But you went ahead
with the papers?

You helped Armand Rovel collect
on that security. Why?

It was perfectly legal.

Mr. McManus had no heirs.

No one could get hurt
in that transfer.

And you never once suspected

that Armand might have
m*rder*d McManus?

How could I think such a thing?

I loved Armand,
don't you understand?

He was going to marry me.

Yes, me!

(sobbing)
Only a month ago,

Armand told his wife

he was going to divorce her
and marry me.

Stupid, foolish me.

(sobbing continues)

Your Honor,

perhaps if the wife could return
to the stand,

we might verify...

Now, just a moment, Mr. Mason.

Seems to me I've allowed
too much latitude already.

Now,
surely the prosecutor will...

On the contrary, Your Honor,

the prosecutor has
no objection whatsoever

to Mr. Mason clarifying
a quite obvious fact,

that despite what happened
in the past,

despite all these tears
caused by Armand Rovel,

there was no one
who had sufficient motive

for the cold-blooded doctoring
of his coffee

but the defendant.

Me?

A motive for k*lling Armand?

(laughs)

But of course I had one.

I am the exception, no?

I am only sorry
that so many hundred miles

separate me from that coffee.

Why, if I had known
all the awful things

I hear about Armand
in this room,

why, that beast was a monster!

- That's why he... -All right,
all right, Mrs. Rovel.

My question only referred

to the promises he made
to Miss Sutton.

Did you know about them?

Did you know
how he was using her?

A woman always knows, of course,

when her husband, uh...

MASON: And I don't just mean
the promise of future marriage.

But what else is important to...

Mrs. Rovel,

weren't you aware that Armand
was using Miss Sutton

to help him acquire
an ownership in the lodge

from Mr. McManus?

But that is business,
and I know so little about...

Because if you weren't aware
of his whole plan,

then how could you have known

how much money
to ask Phillipe for?

Monsieur Mason, you are trying
to make me admit

something that would not
sound nice,

something that poor Phillipe

would not understand.

MASON:
I think by this time,

Phillipe has begun to understand
what the badger game is.

No, I will not listen.

Besides, what if I help
Armand get the $ , ?

What then?

He hit me,
he leave me in Los Angeles

with nothing but bruises
and twisted arms and...

MASON:
Exactly.

But you still knew
what was going on

up here at Classic Mountain,

didn't you?

I-I do not understand.

Knew how Armand was climbing
the ladder of success,

how Armand was transferring
his attentions

to someone even more dangerous,
Carole Ogilvie.

No. No.

Because you had a friend
up here, didn't you?

A person you were
in constant touch with

right up to the time
of Armand's m*rder.

I know nothing about m*rder.
Please.

A person you telephoned times

during the last four days
of Armand's life.

times since Armand's
last flight up here,

a person you finally had
to bribe with money.

I didn't do it for her,
I didn't.

(gavel banging)

I did nothing
to make Armand's k*lling, no!

Then why were you so anxious,

so upset that you offered
to pay your bartender friend?

Just to talk with you
on the telephone?

Just to tell you when Armand
would be flying home again?

But, uh, I-l was in Los Angeles.

Of course.

It was in Los Angeles
where you really

committed Armand's m*rder,
wasn't it?

Monsieur Mason,

I heard things very clearly.

The-the autopsy man,

he said he found a bar...

barbiturates and coffee
in Armand's stomach.

I could not have put bar...
anything in the coffee.

I could not have touched that...

The fact that the coffee
and barbiturates

were present together
does not mean

they were ingested together,
Mrs. Rovel.

And you certainly could have
substituted something

for the stay-awake pills

your husband always carried,
remember?

It must have been quite a shock
when he didn't take them

during his flight up here.

No wonder you had
four days of panic.

But then finally, he flew back.

Mrs. Rovel,
do I need to tell you

that investigators
in Los Angeles

are even now tracking down
the place

where you might have bought
those pills?

Do I need to tell you...

I have only this to say.

He-he was going to leave me.

I am only sorry I could not
k*ll him ten times.

I've arranged with Mr. Mason
to advance you whatever money

you need to purchase
that bookshop, Mr. Bertain.

It may take some time
to untangle the legal mess

of Rovel's estate in court.

No reason
you should be penalized.

Oh, I don't deserve it.

Not after making such a fool
of myself about a woman.

CAROLE:
Hi.

Where do you think you're going?

Back to Los Angeles
with Mr. Mason.

I just found a pair of boots
that will fit you.

- Boots?
- OGILVIE: Yes. We'd like you

to stay with us for a few days,
give us a chance

to say how sorry we are
for everything.

Well, you do want to learn
how to ski, don't you?

Me on skis?

Sure, come on.

He'll learn.

Vive la France.

(chuckles)
Vive la sport.