07x23 - The Case of the Woeful Widower

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

(buzzing)

WOMAN:
Nellie.

Miss Conway, where are you?

(buzzing)

Nellie, I want some company.

- Nellie.
-(buzzing)

Can't you hear me?

Come up here.

(door opens)

(buzzing)

MAN:
Miss Conway.

Where the devil?

Haven't you got ears?

Mrs. Bain is calling you.

MRS. BAIN:
Nellie.

For the love of...

What is it, dear,
what is it, Elizabeth?

Is there something I can...?

You get away from here, Newton.

Don't you dare come in here.

Well, what is it
you want, Elizabeth?

Miss Conway doesn't seem
to be...

It's none of your business
what I want.

I want Nellie.

Hey, something I can do?

Elizabeth, you all right?

James, find Nellie.

She's supposed to give Elizabeth
some pills tonight.

I am not supposed
to have any pills.

The doctor didn't say anything
about any pills.

I guess Elizabeth knows best
about her own medicine.

Oh, now, look,
you've only been here one day.

There's a lot
you don't understand.

Well, I guess
I know my stepsister

about as well as you do, Newton.

Oh, for heaven's sake,
will you please just...?

Nellie, where are you?!

Look, James, I've got
this meeting tonight, and...

Its name is Carole.

You want to bet?

Carole Moray.

Oh, Jimmy, I don't know
what to do.

She's been that way
ever since the accident.

If I don't get
to this executive meeting

tonight on time,
my boss will simply...

Run along, run along, boy,
I'll hold down the fort.

Liz, old girl, what you need's
a male nurse like handsome Jim.

I guess that's better
than some hatchet-faced old maid

fussing around your pillow, hey?

I-I don't care
how many appointments

Mr. Mason has tomorrow.

I've got to see him.

Well, of course it's important.

I'm trying to stop a m*rder.

MASON:
Poison?

You think
these pills contain poison?

Well, of course they do.

Why else would he ask me
to give them to her?

Well, you said
Mrs. Bain had been

restless, uncomfortable.

The doctor might have
prescribed...

Oh, but he didn't.

Mr. Bain admitted to me himself

that it was
his own private idea.

I shouldn't tell the doctor

but I should give her the pills,
he said.

Now, doesn't that strike you
as strange?

Yes, it does.

Miss Conway, you're a registered
nurse, I assume, so...

I'm just housekeeper there.

You've been with the Bains
for some time?

Since before his first wife
died, as a matter of fact.

There was
a poor, sick little thing.

Mr. Mason, I've been in that
household nearly seven years

and I'm just beginning
to realize

what kind of a creature he is.

You said his present wife had
an accident.

In the car six months ago.

He, of course, walked away
from it, but Elizabeth--

oh, Mr. Mason, you've never seen
such a change come over a woman.

She used to be
so happy and cheerful,

and I was so happy
for both of them.

You mean, you didn't dislike
Mr. Bain so much then?

I felt sorry for him.

That's the kind of man he is.

He makes everyone
feel sorry for him.

Poor Mr. Bain,
being so patient all the time,

bearing up so bravely

under one tragedy
after another tragedy.

Did you tell my secretary that
Mrs. Bain hasn't allowed him

in her room since the accident?

Oh, she won't even let him
talk to her.

Oh, Elizabeth knows
whose fault it was, all right.

And that money,
all their money--

that's really hers, you know.

Miss Conway,
doesn't Mrs. Bain have anyone

to whom she can turn?

Who, that James,

that, that stepbrother?

No, I'm afraid

her stepsister Mary Douglas
is the only one

who could really help now,

and she lives in Honolulu.

Well, then...

But he didn't go to
any business meeting last night.

He went to see a girl.

Her name is Carole Moray.

Well, don't you understand?

He's already picked his next one

as quick as someone will take
those poison pills into her room

-so she'll...
- All right, Miss Conway,

I'll have someone check these
pills and then I'll call you.

(sighs)

Oh, thank you, Mr. Mason.

I knew you couldn't bear to have
a m*rder on your conscience

any more than I can.

(phone rings)

Yeah.

Oh, hi, Perry,
I'm glad you phoned.

I've been waiting for a call
from that lab guy

about those pills.

You know, the ones
from the Conway woman?

I told him it was urgent,

but, Perry, I'm sure they're
going to be nothing but...

She what?

When'd she call you?

Only a moment ago.

I just walked in the door.

She screamed at me
to come to the house,

and that's all I know,
except that she was hysterical.

It's happened;
Mrs. Bain's been m*rder*d.

Perry, I was sure
those pills were nothing but...

Meet me there, Paul,
and right away.

Oh, no.

I didn't do it.

I didn't do it, I tell you,
I didn't, I didn't, I didn't.

Lady, if you'd just stop crying
for one minute...

(doorbell rings)

Oh, Mr. Mason,
thank heavens you're here.

Tell them how fond
I was of Mrs. Bain.

Tell them I wouldn't do
anything to hurt her.

Exactly what happened
to Mrs. Bain, Officer?

Would you guys keep your voices
down so Elizabeth can get

to sleep?

What?

ELIZABETH:
James.

It's all right, dear,
it's all over.

You can go back to sleep now.

It's all right.

You're Mr. Mason, right?

I'm Sergeant Toland,
robbery detail, and...

Robbery?

Mr. Mason, tell them
I didn't do it.

I never stole anything
in my life.

Oh, yes, she did.

Show him your hands
under that fluorescent thing.

Elizabeth's jewel box was right
up there in the sewing room.

Wait a minute.

Sergeant, what's happened here?

Well, Mr. Bain says
that things have been missing

from the house here
for the past couple of weeks.

Now it looks like they caught
Miss Conway in the act.

I found one
of Mrs. Bain's bracelets

there in her purse myself.

Well, Miss Conway?

Mr. Mason, since you and I know

what's really going on
in this house...

Excuse me a minute, Sergeant.

How about it, Paul, did you talk
to the man at the lab?

The pills were aspirin.

Mr. Mason.

The man in the uniform said
that was you.

I mean, I called your office

and they told me
I'd find you down here.

Anyway, I'm Mary Douglas.

Oh, yes, from Honolulu.

I appreciated your calling me.

I've been intending
to fly over here.

I guess I should have come
a long time ago,

but, well, Elizabeth
hardly ever wrote to me.

It's technically none
of my business, of course,

but I thought
Mrs. Bain would be grateful

to see someone she trusts.

That house is rather upset.

Oh, yes, I know.

The things I've seen
in just two hours.

But what she's really worried
about now, Mr. Mason,

is that, that poor housekeeper.

They're taking her into court
this afternoon for stealing,

and there's no one
to speak up for her.

Well, that is none
of my business.

As I told Miss Conway the other
night, I am not her lawyer.

Wouldn't you defend her
if Elizabeth asked you to

or if I asked you to?

Miss Douglas,
any woman who goes around

telling wild stories
about poison...

Oh, I know, she's been
pretty horrible, I guess,

but, well, don't you see?

It's really Newton's fault,

and if he's allowed
to get away with this...

Look, Mr. Mason, I don't know
what the truth is yet,

but won't you help me find it,
help me calm things down?

Please.

MASON:
May it please the court.

Excuse this interruption,
Your Honor.

Hello there, Mr. Mason.

I'd like to appear
as amicus curiae in this matter.

Oh, a friend of the court, eh?

You don't wish
to represent the accused?

No, Your Honor.

My only interest here
is in justice

and in the truth.

JUDGE:
So ordered, then.

TOLAND: This is the jewelry box
the items were taken from, yes.

The lock, I'm afraid,
uh, can be opened

by almost any luggage key.

And this box you found
in its proper place?

Yes, it's been kept
in a small private study

next to Mrs. Bain's bedroom
ever since her accident.

But, now,
this powder you mentioned,

which you found dusted
over the box...

Well, it's a, uh,
neutral colored powder

which will fluoresce
to a bright blue

when exposed
to ultraviolet light.

When you arrived that evening
in answer to Mr. Bain's call,

did you put the box
under such a light?

TOLAND:
We did.

It helped us in getting such
clear fingerprints from the box,

as a matter of fact--

the defendant's fingerprints,
that is.

Did you place anything else

under the ultraviolet light,
Sergeant?

We did-- the defendant's hands.

They showed blue, too.

Every finger covered
with this same powder.

Anything else?

Well, her purse over there--
the one I found the bracelet in.

Fingerprints in the same blue.

PROSECUTOR:
And the bracelet itself?

Same thing, same fluorescence,
same prints-- hers.

Thank you.

I believe that's all, Sergeant.

Do I understand, Sergeant,
that your investigation showed

Mr. Bain himself had put

this special powder
on the jewelry box

obviously for the sole purpose

of entrapping the defendant?

Your Honor...

Well, I don't think there's any
harm in my answering that, sir,

because Mr. Bain didn't do it.

It was Mrs. Bain's stepbrother
Mr. James Douglas.

He's the one
who put the powder on the box.

Well, I've had
quite a bit of experience,

you see, in police matters.

Did a lot of work for the CIC,
Your Honor, back in the army.

Well, anyway, when Newton
told me he was pretty sure

jewelry was disappearing
from that box,

and me, well, I could see

what sort of person
that housekeeper was,

so I suggested we fix it
to try to catch the thief,

and we did.

I helped him inventory
every item not two hours

before one of them turned up
in Miss Conway's purse.

Yes, I think that part's
all clear enough.

Thank you, Mr. Douglas,

and now to clarify
one other little matter.

How did you happen
to be living in the house?

Oh, just visiting, that's all.

You see, I'm from up
in Portland.

But when I stopped by the other
day on a business trip...

Well, I'll say this, sir.

I always thought Newton was

the one to blame for making
my stepsister so unhappy,

but when I got there
and saw what a troublemaker

he had around the house, ...

Your Honor, I see no reason
for this irrelevant...

Neither do I, Mr. Mason.

Just confine yourself to
answering the questions, please.

Mr. Douglas,

did you personally observe
any behavior

on the part of the defendant

that would lead you to suspect
Miss Conway might be

a troublemaker?

Well, telling everybody,
even telling me,

that she was afraid that Newton
might try to k*ll his wife.

I guess that's sure
troublemaking, isn't it?

Now, I can't blame Miss Conway.

She was loyal for years
and years, and...

Well, it is an upset household.

That's my fault,
I suppose, but...

Just answer the questions,
please.

Mr. Bain,
you've identified the items

taken from the defendant's
possession.

That's all we'll need from you
just now, I think.

Mr. Mason?

I didn't do it.

I didn't. I didn't. I didn't!

Tell us again, Mr. Bain.

What is the value of that first
item introduced-- the, uh,

-diamond bracelet?
-$ .

Isn't that a rather low value
for a diamond bracelet?

No, no, that's just imitation.

The stones are paste, of course.

Your wife is a very
wealthy woman, I understand.

She prefers paste diamonds?

No. No, we put the real jewelry
in the safe deposit vault

that very same day.

That was part of James's plan.

MASON: Then, actually,
the value of that

and the other items is barely
over the limit

of petty theft, correct?

- I suppose so. I...
- MASON: Tell me,

weren't you afraid your wife
might notice the substitution

and, uh,
question the housekeeper?

No. My wife hasn't looked

at her jewelry in months,
Mr. Mason.

She's such an invalid,
poor thing.

In a way, I guess
that's my fault, too,

-but... -Who has looked at it,
then? Only you?

No. No, several days ago,

I noticed Miss Conway

surreptitiously
handling the box,

and so I checked its contents.

What else was Miss Conway doing
at that time?

Moving furniture, perhaps?

Was she dusting the box?

Yes, I guess she was...
dusting, actually, but...

Let's just talk
about the people

who handled the box on the night
of the alleged theft.

According
to your previous testimony,

you asked the police

to bring with them
a certain ultraviolet light.

Now, did you, for instance,
put your hands

under that ultraviolet light?

Well, I helped put the dust
on the box.

So, your hands were blue,
of course.

Now, how about
James Douglas's hands?

NEWTON: Well, yes, naturally.
The stuff sticks all over you.

But we had a right
to touch that box.

Didn't the defendant have
a right to touch her own purse?

NEWTON:
I don't understand you.

Were you and James Douglas
together

every second of the time
that evening?

NEWTON:
No, but I don't see...

Are you prepared to swear

that he didn't take the jewelry
out of the box

and put it
into Miss Conway's purse?

Can he swear
that you didn't do it?

But we caught her
with the purse

as she was leaving the house.

We saw her open the purse,
we saw her...

Open her purse for what?

To find a handkerchief?

To look for her glasses?

To get a comb?

Your Honor, I object
to this manner of questioning.

I object to...

Mr. Prosecutor,
let me ask you something.

Have you presented the sum total
of your factual evidence

against Miss Conway?

What? Well, yes, sir,

-but... -I'm going
to stop this right now.

I realize
that the police can't be blamed,

and if someone wants
to prosecute,

then they must take
the necessary action.

But I think this case
comes dangerously close

to malicious prosecution.

When two amateurs
deliberately set out

to entrap someone like...

Miss Conway here, then...

Well, never mind.

Case dismissed.

You're free to go, Miss Conway.

Court recessed.

Did you see him, Mr. Mason?

Did you see how Newton Bain
squirmed and perspired?

Why, I could actually sue him,
couldn't I?

Malicious prosecution.

Slander isn't nice,
either, Miss Conway.

NELLIE:
You're just sorry for him.

You're sorry for him, too.

He's not the one
for whom I'm sorry.

(door opening)

GERTIE:
Oh, good morning, Mr. Mason.

Morning.

And congratulations.

For what, Gertie?

Coming in late.

You just missed
your favorite housekeeper.

Not Nellie Conway.

Twice she called.

Said she had to speak to you.

Maybe I'd better find something
to do in San Francisco today.

GERTIE:
No, no, you're safe.

It's exactly : ,
and for some reason,

she said she couldn't
possibly call back after that.

Anyway, Miss Mary Douglas
is waiting in there.

Oh. Mr. Mason,
thank you for yesterday.

Clear the air somewhat?

Well, he fired Miss Conway
last night,

and there wasn't any expl*si*n.

So now,
she isn't there any more,

and Newton's acting very proper
and embarrassed.

How about Elizabeth?

Well, she's written a new will.

I brought it along
for you to look at.

She's very anxious to make sure
it says enough to be legal.

In her own handwriting?

Holographic?
Is that what you call it?

Sit down, won't you?

Wants to guarantee

her husband inherits, uh,
none of her money.

Is that it?

I...I know it's a shame,

but apparently, he's done
some pretty horrible things.

She wants to leave
her entire estate to you.

Well, you needn't look at me
like that, Mr. Mason.

It was her idea, not mine.

You'll see, there's quite a bit
there, too, for my brother,

Jim Douglas and his wife.

The only thing I notice...

I leave it
to these beloved relatives

with the understanding that
they will take my property..."

MARY:
Well?

Look, Mr. Mason, I... I realize

Elizabeth may be terribly
neurotic about all this,

but she's afraid something's
gonna happen to her.

I merely noticed,

there's no period here,
that's all.

Oh, where?

The last sentence,
or is it a sentence?

I know this sounds trivial,
but it's the sort of thing

that might be questioned, well,
in case the will is questioned.

Oh, I... I thought
there was a period there.

Yes, I need to know
anything like that,

because until you can draw
this up properly...

Well, apparently,

he did try to k*ll Elizabeth
in that automobile accident.

The doctor, the police,
everyone knows everything.

It's impossible

that Newton Bain would try
any v*olence against Elizabeth.

Not now, not at a time when...

(buzzer sounds)

Excuse me.

Yes, Gertie?

Oh, yes.

It's for you.

Oh. Thank you.

Hello?

Oh, no.

Oh, yes, yes.

I'll be there
as fast as I can.

MASON:
Mary?

Miss Douglas? Miss Douglas?

...I didn't even get
the extension hung up.

It was some doctor, I think.

That Elizabeth Bain is dying,
Mr. Mason.

She's been poisoned.

Dead.

Now, Perry,
don't blame yourself.

You butted into the situation
as much as you could.

- So did we.
- What was it?

Well, some form of arsenic,
I think.

She didn't eat anything
this morning,

but she did take some medicine.

One capsule
with a glass of water.

Who gave it to her?

Day nurse wasn't here yet.

The, uh, stuff was
a regular prescription

for Mrs. Bain to take
the moment she woke up.

Uh, it had been left ready
for her on the bedside table.

- Who gave it to her, I said?
-(phone ringing)

That girl you got here to help--
Mary Douglas.

Excuse me.

Phone for you, Mr. Mason.

Thank you, Sergeant.

Mason speaking.

Oh, Paul. Any luck?

Yeah. At first,
it didn't make sense.

"Find the lady with maybe
her own initials-- N.C.--

on her baggage, who maybe
left the airport at : ."

Well, she told Gertie

she couldn't telephone
after that time.

Oh, she left, all right.

Nellie Conway's halfway
to New Orleans by now.

So are you.

You, uh, know what I want.

I'll drop by myself
as soon as I can.

Drop by? To New Orleans?

To the moon, if necessary.

♪♪

- Welcome to the French quarter.
- Hello, Paul.

Perry, this is Joe Duncan.

His men were working
ahead of me here.

You found Nellie?

She's got half the fourth floor.

Apartment B.

Had an advance reservation,
in fact.

Advance reservation?

Not in her own name, however.

The apartment was paid for
by Mr. Newton Bain.

What else, Paul?

Well, last week he reserved
both the suites on that floor.

Who's in the other suite now?

Pretty girl. Carole Moray.

Name mean anything to you?

So that's it.

You can take your men away
now, Paul.

Nellie Conway's going
to receive a visitor.

- Who?

Mr. Mason.

What on earth?

Oh, surely you didn't come
all the way down here

just for your money.

My what?

Well, you certainly should be
paid for defending me so nicely.

That's what I wanted to tell you

when I tried to call you
this morning before I left.

I said I'd send you
some money through the mail.

Here. Is-is $ about right?

You seem to have a good deal
more than that.

Oh. That... that's something
Mr. Bain gave me.

Well, I could have sued him,
you know.

And I don't think
$ , was too much to ask

for my agreeing not to.

$ , and a trip
to New Orleans?

Well, he-he's paying
for a little cruise

that I've always wanted to take
to the West Indies, yes.

What other favors did you do
for him?

For that creature?

When did he give you that money?

It arrived at my hotel
in Los Angeles this morning

by messenger.

You weren't in the house
at all last night?

Well, that's when he fired me.

And then when we...
made our little agreement,

I stayed just long enough
in the evening

to say good night
to Mrs. Bain, and...

Oh.

Well, I-l guess I did do
one little thing for him.

But it was only because
of the money.

Even when he started crying,
I didn't feel sorry for him.

What was that one little thing,
Nellie?

I gave Elizabeth
three of his pills.

You told her
to take pills that he gave you?

Well, it isn't as if I didn't
know they were just aspirin.

Mr. Mason... what's wrong?

She swallowed them
in your presence?

Well, I made certain
they were aspirin

because after he gave me
the pills,

I flushed them down the drain,

and then I went out
and bought some myself.

Mr. Mason, please tell me
what-what's wrong?

She died at : this morning.

Oh, that poor little thing.

Oh, no. No.

(knocking)

(humming)

Newton, honey.

- Sorry. Name's Drake.
- Well, get out of here!

Mr. Bain may be delayed, but I'm
from Los Angeles, too, so--

Mm-hmm. Well, I don't care
who you are, mister. Just...

Oh, uh...

Bain? Did you say
a Mr. Bain?

Um, no, I don't know
anybody named...

What's he planning to do,
move in next door

when your friend Nellie Conway
goes on to the West Indies?

Well, I'm going
to call the manager

Though I can't
understand the formality,

now that his wife's dead.

Now that what?

Come on, Miss Moray,

it's already been
in the local papers.

You must have been
reading about it.

I didn't even read
the funnies yet.

I understand it kind of hit
your friend Nellie Conway, too.

Mr. Drake, that woman
in there is not a friend.

She's only stopping over
a few hours

until her boat sails.

But why here? Look, Miss Moray,
I'm not a police officer,

but I'm gonna have to tell
the police about you.

But I've got nothing to hide.

Obviously not.

But what is
Miss Conway doing here?

She delivered something
for Newton...

that's all.

I told him I didn't want
to see him anymore

unless he got them back and...

Well, you see, it's some letters

I wrote that his wife
got hold of and...

Well, you understand.

I guess things are kind of warm
between you and Newton.

Oh...

Oh, that crazy, crazy idiot.

Well...

I've got my own reputation
to think about.

I mean, meeting him out of town
on business trips is one thing,

but I didn't want my name
involved in any divorce action,

-or scandal, or...
- Or m*rder?

But I didn't do anything.

Maybe just started the fire.

You mean, they might think

that Newton could have
k*lled his own...

Oh, no.

Oh, well, you don't know him.

He may be stupid and bungling,
but...

I wondered what a girl like you
could see in a guy like that.

Besides his wife's money,
that is.

That's not true.

I felt sorry for him.

I've known him for many years.

He's had a terrible life.

But I...

I guess that's how everybody
feels about Newton.

Sorry for him.

You just wait.

You will, too.

Mr. Mason.

Uh, hello, there.
Um, good morning.

I'm Georgiana, James's wife.

Well, what did you find
in New Orleans?

It seems you were there too,
SO...

Oh, no, no, we just got on
at Houston.

Georgiana thought we should
intercept you, sort of.

My office told you I'd be
returning on this plane?

Well, that's all the girl
would tell us, though.

She just didn't understand

how much we want to help,
I guess.

Help whom, Mrs. Douglas?

Just what is it
you came to tell me?

It's about Newton Bain's
first wife.

She was an invalid too,
I believe.

Oh, not crippled or anything.

She just wasn't so healthy,
that's all.

Kidneys, maybe, or...

I'll tell it, if you don't mind.

She left that man over
$ , .

A little less, I think.

Well, since I already know
about that, it really isn't...

Do you know how she died,
Mr. Mason?

Natural causes,
I understood.

Sure, see she felt good enough,
as I understand it,

to leave for a camping trip up
in Northern California.

Only the first night out
or so she...

You didn't write to the doctor
on Tuesday.

I did.

What doctor, Mrs. Douglas?

The one up there in Susanville.

The doctor who wrote
the certificate of death.

Well, do you know what those
natural causes were, Mr. Mason?

Food poisoning.

Of course, I don't know how much
a thing like that

really means.

Mr. Douglas, please...

let your wife tell the story.

Go on, Mrs. Douglas.

(chuckles)

Andy,

you just saved me ten cents.

I know Paul Drake's been in
touch with the police by now...

Yes, and I wanted to thank you
for doing our legwork for us.

One of my men's flying
back with them now.

Wait a minute.

I know there are two more people
here you'll want to talk to.

Who?
What about?

Well, Newton Bain, of course.

I think it's quite clear
now what he did.

Bain? Oh, we cleared him up
hours ago, Perry.

Again, thanks to you.

Oh, and I also thought you
might like to know

we just served a warrant
on Mary Douglas.

First degree m*rder.

I don't know what kind of
evidence they have against me,

Mr. Mason...Of course I gave
Elizabeth her medicine.

Was that capsule
you gave her the kind

that can be pulled apart?

Well, I suppose so.

But it was left there
by the nurse the night before.

Why do they think
it has to be me?

Mary, they took that holographic
will out of your purse

when they arrested you.

Elizabeth's will, yes.

I saw it this morning
in Lieutenant Anderson's office.

It now has a period at the end
of that last sentence.

Why did you do that, Mary?

I didn't put that period there.

Honestly, I didn't.

Elizabeth did that herself.

Now, wait a minute.

When you ran out of my office,
she was already dying.

The doctor had already called
the police.

Yes, but they let me
in to see her.

Oh, it was awful.
She...

She told them
she had to see me alone.

And then she asked me what you
had said about the will.

So when you told her
there was no period

at the end of that sentence,

she calmly picked up her pen
before she died...

No, no it wasn't
that way at all.

I even had to hold her hand.
Oh, please,

Mr. Mason, you've got to
believe me.

I was crying so I couldn't see
what I was doing,

but she, she...

She died at : a.m.

The police doctor
verified her death.

Present also was Lt. Anderson,
as well as the defendant.

Tell me this, Doctor Stevenson,

did you happen to notice
anything unusual

about the defendant's hands?

Yes, I did.

She'd been crying.
I handed her a tissue.

Her right hand...

there was an ink stain here
as though a pen had leaked.

Cross examine.

Doctor, in your testimony
regarding the results

of autopsy, I believe you
neglected to say

whether the arsenic
which k*lled Mrs. Bain

could have been administered
the night before.

Oh, did I? Well, then
I'll say it right now.

No, it could not.

But isn't it possible that pills
given to Mrs. Bain

the previous evening
could have contained...

No, it is not possible.

She ingested the fatal poison
when she awoke about : a.m.

We found nothing else
significant--

Oh, except very faint traces
of what must have been,

in common terminology,
simple aspirin.

MASON:
One thing, though, Doctor.

Couldn't the unauthorized
administration of aspirin

to a woman in Mrs. Bain's
condition...

Mr. Mason,
those three aspirin tablets

would only have made Mrs. Bain
sleep more comfortably,

that's all.

May heaven forgive me,
but I lied to Mrs. Bain.

She wouldn't take sleeping
pills, she absolutely refused,

so I told her the aspirin was
the doctor's orders.

She finally swallowed them...

I said good-bye and left.

BURGER: And before you left
the room, Miss Conway,

did you notice
the prescription capsule

on the stand beside her bed?

Oh, of course.
It was a regular thing

left there every night
by the nurse.

Miss Conway, why did you lie
to Mrs. Bain about the aspirin?

Well, I assumed that...

Mr. Bain wanted her to sleep
soundly just for once,

so he could sneak out

without his wife
knowing about it, that's all.

BURGER: And you were anxious
to do this man a favor? This man

who had just fired you? Had just
accused you of stealing?

Most certainly not.

I made him pay
for every single thing.

Why just giving the aspirin
was...

$ extra.

BURGER: All right,
what happened the next day?

Well, he phoned me, early.

He said he was sending a package
along with my money,

and I was to deliver it on my
way through New Orleans to her.

That Carole Moray person.

(indistinct chatter)

(gavel banging)

BURGER: Do you know what
was in the package?

Some letters.
I didn't read them.

And you didn't
connect the letters

with the fact that Mr. Bain
wanted his wife

to sleep soundly for once?

NELLIE:
Not then. No, sir.

Now, let's get back
to the prescription capsule

which of course
the prosecution contends

later became a lethal w*apon.

Before you left, Miss Conway,

did you leave any instructions

regarding the administration
of that capsule?

Yes, I told her,
the defendant that is,

be sure to give it to Mrs. Bain
first thing in the morning.

I was only relaying the nurse's
regular instructions.

BURGER: Did you tell
Miss Douglas anything else?

Well, I, I admitted to her
what I'd done about the aspirin.

I thought someone
responsible should know.

I didn't want her to be alarmed
in case Mrs. Bain

slept later than usual.

So Mary Douglas knew
her stepsister

would be sleeping soundly,

even knew what Newton Bain
must be up to.

Tell me, was there anything else
that you two talked about?

NELLIE:
The jewel box.

She wanted to see the jewel box
I'd been falsely accused

of getting into.

Did either of you
actually touch the jewel box?

I didn't, but...

while I was leaving,
I saw Miss Douglas

running her fingers
across the top of it.

Thank you, Miss Conway.
Mr. Mason.

No questions.

Yes, I heard the police
testimony,

and yes, maybe I did use too
much of that dust stuff

on the box last week,

but my sister wouldn't...

Mr. Douglas, were you present

when the police technicians
found traces of that powder

on the water glass
by Mrs. Bain's bed?

Were you present
when they lifted

the defendant's fingerprints
from that water glass?

Well, actually...

Now you've been declared
a hostile witness.

Just answer yes or no.

JAMES: All right, yes, I was
there. Yes, I saw all that.

Did you see them find what they
describe as "strong traces”

of fluorescent powder
on Mary Douglas's hands?

Yes.

- Did you see them...-But in my
own police experience,

I never would have jumped to any
conclusions about...

Oh, that's right.

I'm examining an expert,
am I not?

An old CIC man and all that.

Whose service record
we just happened to discover

shows that you once spent...

three weeks
assigned to a CIC sergeant

as his jeep driver.

Well, I never,
I never claimed...

Now, Private Douglas,

will you please direct
your attention

to this holographic will

already entered in evidence
as People's Exhibit C?

Yes, sir.

As I'm sure you heard,
the intent of this will

is that you and your wife
were to get some money,

although the major part
of the estate of course

was to go to the defendant.

Have you ever seen
this will before?

No, sir.

You mean the defendant
didn't even tell you,

a beneficiary, about the
existence of this will?

JAMES:
No, sir.

There was no time,
no chance to.

BURGER:
Well, can you explain then

why this will should have given
her the lion's share?

No, sir.

Weren't you both equally related
to Elizabeth Bain?

Yes, sir.

BURGER: Equally loved
by Elizabeth Bain?

JAMES:
Yes.

Well, then, what is this?

Mary Douglas's idea?

Something she told
Elizabeth Bain to write?

Yes. Yes, of course.

Thank you.

Mr. Mason, my husband is a fool.

Because he knows very well
Mary needs the money.

We don't.

He also knows he's very happy
Elizabeth thought first of Mary.

We both are.

Thank you, Mrs. Douglas.

Now, tell me if you will

when you first arrived
at the house.

Well, I was there that night,
of course.

James had been staying
in the back downstairs bedroom

doing nothing to make things
easier for poor Elizabeth,

so I joined him
to help Mary take charge.

But if you were in the house
that night,

didn't you see Elizabeth again?

Talk to her?

Well, yes, I talked to her.

It was about : , I guess,
just before she went to sleep.

Now, can you please tell us

what you and Elizabeth
talked about?

Mopping.

Just mopping.

Mopping?

Mm-hmm.

You see, Mr. Mason,
that house was

and still is a frightful mess.

And it wasn't the poor
housekeeper's fault, either.

The way Newton Bain
kept her upset all the time.

He wouldn't hire another maid.

He didn't want people
in the house.

He didn't even
want us in the house.

So, if you'd like to know

who could have put the poison
in the capsule,

why don't you ask Newton Bain?

Don't ask me.

I spent all my time
in the kitchen that night

mopping the floor.

I liked Elizabeth.

I was good to her, I think.

I-I tried to like the things
that she liked.

I know I'm not young
or attractive

or maybe not
very entertaining, but...

I tried to understand her...

her coldness.

Anyway... (sighs)

when I ran into Carole Moray
on a business trip...

...it was all so different.

She... she laughed
with me and...

she understood
my problems and...

And she wrote you letters.
Is that correct?

Yes, sir.

Several months ago, Elizabeth
found the letters, and...

she told me about it
one night in the car.

She started a fight.

She grabbed at the wheel...

(sniffles)

I'm sorry.

BURGER:
I understand, sir.

Now, after the accident,
Mr. Bain,

what happened to those letters?

Well, she'd hidden them.

She took them in her room.

She kept them by her bed.

They were tucked
into the mattress cover.

And when did you
next see the letters again?

Well, she wouldn't let me
into the room.

But I figured it out.

- Understood
where they were, but...

even at night, a pin drop
would wake her up.

I asked you, sir,
when you saw the letters again.

Uh, the night before she died.

That's when I went in there
and I got them.

That was the reason
for the aspirin.

There. I think we've cleared
that subject up sufficiently.

Now, Mr. Bain,
would you tell me, please,

if you recognize
this cardboard carton.

Yes, sir, I do.

That's a mark that I made
on it right there.

Really?
When did you do that?

When the homicide lieutenant
brought me out to the garage

and showed me the carton,
shortly after...

shortly after Elizabeth's death.

Now, Mr. Bain, would you explain

to the court, please, exactly
what this cardboard carton is?

The day before,
I had received a telephone call

from Mary Douglas at the office.

She asked me to go
by the grocery store

and bring home some things
that she had ordered.

Things like, uh...
oh, cleaning things mostly.

I know I saw dusting cloths
and a dish mop

and cleaning fluid,
things like that.

Did you particularly notice
this small can?

No, sir.

Not until the lieutenant
pointed it out

to me the next day.

I just left the carton

in the garage
where Mary told me.

I left it with her.

Really? Then you didn't
have a chance

to read the label,
which says "rat poison.”

No, sir.

BURGER:
Nor read the other words

on the label,
which so clearly say

-"contains arsenic"?
- No, sir.

BURGER:
Mr. Bain, tell me this.

Was this box open

when the lieutenant
first pointed it out to you?

The next day?

Yes, sir, it was.

Did the lieutenant point out
anything else to you?

Well, they had it
under that violet ray thing,

and I could see
the blue smudges on it.

Uh, they told me
that they had identified

Mary Douglas's
fingerprints on it.

But, of course,
we'll have to hear the police

say that for themselves,
won't we?

Your Honor, I should like
these exhibits marked,

and I'm finished
with this witness.

Mr. Mason?

Mary?

Did you open that can?

Yes.

I even used some of it.

That place was in
such a horrible mess.

I saw a rat in the basement.

If there's anything
I can't stand...

Well, Mr. Mason?

Your Honor,
since it's rather late

and my cross-examination
of this witness

may be extensive, uh...

Oh, excuse me a moment.

If the court please,
perhaps I can now dispose

of this witness rapidly.

Very well.

Mr. Bain...

how much do you earn?

About $ , a year
in... in salary.

MASON:
Almost enough to pay

for the gardening
at that house of yours?

Well, I have other income.

Yes, of course.

The money you inherited
from your first wife.

I never claimed to be...

Never claimed to be
self-supporting?

I see no reason...

All right, Mr. Bain.

Just tell us about the, uh,
death of your first wife.

Now, look here.

BURGER:
Your Honor, I object to...

You opened the door yourself,
Mr. Burger,

when you let the witness
tell his sad life story.

Now, was it your intention
to make us all feel sorry

for a poor fellow who just
can't understand women?

Well, it's my contention that he
understands them only too well--

one after another.

All right, Mr. Mason,
never mind.

But I'll overrule the objection.

I want to hear this, too.

Well, Mr. Bain?

Tell us about the death
of your first wife.

Well, my wife was taken ill
oh a camping trip.

I rushed her to the nearest
doctor-- Susanville.

From what was she taken ill?

The doctor said it could have
been something that she ate.

However, her stomach
was bad anyway.

And who did the cooking
on that camping trip?

Your wife, of course,
needed a great deal of rest.

We ate canned food or food
that we... we brought from home.

The doctor said
it could have been anything.

Food poisoning
was what the doctor wrote

on the death certificate.

But here's what
that doctor says now.

"If I made a mistake, Mr. Mason,

"if the poisoning of Mrs. Bain
was not accidental,

then I pray you will be able
to uncover my mistake.”

I didn't k*ll her.

I didn't k*ll Elizabeth, either.

I didn't k*ll anybody!

But it was only you
who gave information

to that doctor in Susanville.

Of course, the doctor did say
that there is someone else

we might check with.

A woman who helped you
in your time of sorrow.

A secretary
in the local funeral parlor

who later left town
for a better job.

A Miss Carole Moray.

(gallery murmuring)

(gavel tapping)

(murmuring stops)

Your Honor, I'm going to ask

for a recess
to these proceedings

until we hear
the autopsy findings

as a result of my petition

to the superior court
in Susanville

for an exhumation of the body
of the first Mrs. Newton Bain.

-(gallery murmuring)
-(gavel tapping)

Perry, if he's going to make
a run for it,

he sure is slow
in getting started.

And then what?

Are you really going to get
that exhumation order?

Lab boys say the chances
of finding anything now

are about one in , .

I know. I know.

That's what I tried to tell
the judge in chambers.

He probably realized
I'm mostly bluffing.

(car phone buzzes)

Yeah?

Uh-huh.

How about James Douglas?

Okay, I'll wait.

Nobody else moved?

Where's Nellie Conway?

Still downtown
according to the last report.

Now, look, Perry,
I can't let the department

get along forever without me.

Where?

Got it.

Car stopping
in front of the Bain house.

Who?

Carole Moray.

(woman screams)

(door opens and closes)

Help!

Joe, outside.

He... he was going to k*ll me.

He was going to k*ll me.

It's all right, now.
Take it easy. Take it easy.

He-he phoned me
to come out here.

He said I was to sneak
in the back way.

Why did you do it, Nellie?

For the money
he promised to pay me.

He knew I knew more things
I could tell about him.

I don't mean,
why did you come here?

I mean, why did you
k*ll Elizabeth?

What?

MASON: Isn't that why he
was attacking you?

Or was it that I convinced him

that his first wife
could also have been m*rder*d?

No. No.

And, of course, who could
have done that but you?

I won't listen to you!

What was it?

Poison in the special food
she took camping?

Food you must have prepared?

Stop it.

All right, let's talk
about Elizabeth, then.

You could have easily known
or seen what Mary Douglas

was doing about the rats
in the basement.

You already knew
what would happen

if she handled the jewel box.

And, certainly,
you'd know how to place arsenic

in a capsule
Elizabeth wouldn't take

until after you were gone.

You're lying!
You're lying! You're lying!

You.

(laughing)

Lothario.

You stupid little Romeo.

One after another after another.

And all of the things I did
to keep you, and ll...

(sobbing)

Then Newton really didn't know?

He never guessed?

Why would he?

As far as he was concerned,

Nellie was just an albatross
around his neck.

No matter what he tried,
he couldn't rid himself of her.

Never kiss your housekeeper.

She successfully blamed
her last m*rder on you, Mary,

knowing that Newton would
eventually learn the truth.

But she'd have him
so heavily involved,

he couldn't leave her.

But isn't that what he was
going to do with Carole Moray?

Believe it or not,
the guy was going to head

to Susanville with Carole
to authorize the exhumation.

Only Nellie showed up
on his doorstep first,

and, well,
that's where we came in.

And I got out, thanks to you.

It's too bad Bain

has to stand trial
for assaulting Nellie.

You know, in some ways,

you got to feel sorry
for a guy like that.

You've what?

Okay, okay, I take it back.

(theme song playing)