07x29 - The Case of the Tandem Target

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

WOMAN: You had no right to order
my friend out of my house.

Stop trying to run my life!

You're not infallible.

If I'm making a mistake,
that's my affair.

All you do is

lay down the law
for everybody around you!

MAN: Don't talk to me
in that tone of voice!

You may be over ,
but mentally you're a child.

I'm not going to argue about it.

I've made my decision,
and the matter is closed.

Con Bolton is a fortune hunter,
and you're not to see him again.

Someday you'll thank me
for this, Irma.

- Mother, you've got to...
- Irma, dear...

That's all there is to it!

The matter is closed.

You've been dictating to me
all my life,

and I've had enough of it,
you-you Napoleon!

- Irma, dear...
- I'm going to marry Con Bolton

and there's nothing
you can do to stop me!

What did he say?

Well, we really
didn't discuss it,

but I think a good night's sleep
would clear the air.

Oh, Irma, dear, your father

has so many business worries
right now.

He's not my father.

Yes, I know, but one
of the reasons I married Sumner

was so you would have a father,

and I do think you owe him

some respect.

He had no right to throw
Con out of this house.

I'm going to marry Con!

Irma, I'm sure Con
is quite a nice young man,

but how can he support you?

How can he?

He's working, isn't he?

Until he can get enough money
to buy a farm of his own?

Besides, when I get the share
of my real father's money

you've always promised me...

But, Irma,
suppose your stepfather were

to decide that he wasn't going

to give you that money
for a while yet?

He can't do that.

He can't stop me from getting...

I'm afraid he can, darling.

I'm afraid that's just
what Sumner said he would do

if you go against his wishes.

If he does,

I'll k*ll him.

(muffled sobbing)

(cries)

(g*nsh*t)

Sumner?

Sumner!

SUMNER:
Keep out!

Someone shot at me
from the garden.

He's still out there.

What's wrong?
What was the expl*si*n?

Somebody tried to k*ll
your father.

Stay back!
There's a maniac out there.

Wait till I get
the drapes closed.

All right, come in now.

Turn on the lights.

(gasps)

Dear heaven.

Sumner, are you hurt?

SUMNER:
Of course I'm not hurt.

But I don't mind saying
it was a near thing.

I heard the b*llet
go past my ear.

Well there's no sense standing
around, inviting disaster.

Upstairs to your rooms,
both of you.

I'll wait for the police.

- Police?
- Of course.

Now, go on up to your rooms
where you'll be safe,

Both of you, go on.

Irma?

Yes?

Your friend, Con,

when he left here tonight,

he seemed so upset.

Mother, I heard Con leaving here
on his motorcycle

right after he was thrown out
of this house by your husband.

Oh, well, I didn't mean...

Oh, yes, you did.

Unless you think
maybe I fired that shot at him?

Oh, no, Irma.

- Irma.
-(door closes)

Mr. Hodge,
Lieutenant Anderson is here.

SUMNER (over intercom):
Send him in.

What was that all about?

I don't know.

He's been in a state
all morning.

He just jumps
at every little sound.

Probably a traffic violation.

Oh, no, Lieutenant Anderson's
from homicide.

Say, Mr. Talley, I understand
that there's going to be

some changes made around here.

In fact, the rumor is

you're taking over the company.

(chuckles)
Check your sources, Miss Young.

The fact is I'm selling out.

Company's getting
too big for me,

all these expansion plans.

But what are you going to do?

Head for South America
with a pocketful of cash

and nothing
to worry about but myself.

Look, are you really sure?

Homicide?

It was a terrifying experience.

Nothing like this
has ever happened to me before.

Police protection, Lieutenant.

I insist on police protection.

I understand
there was a previous attempt

a couple of nights ago.

- A hit and run?
- Well, I'm not really sure,

but I was crossing
a dark street,

when a car came
around the corner,

going much too fast.

I jumped back just in time.

Where did this happen?

Pioneer Boulevard.

It was so dark for me
to get the license number,

and of course,
I don't really know...

Pioneer Boulevard
is an odd place

for a man like you to be,
Mr. Hodge.

I went there to see
a young fellow

that my daughter is
infatuated with.

You mind if I ask why?

Well, as a matter of fact,

to-to voice my objections,

but I'm sure there's
no connection between...

This young fellow, you said
his name was Con Bolton?

Yes, yes, Con Bolton.

The same Con Bolton who was
at your house last night

shortly before the shot
was fired?

That's right, but...

And you'd ordered him
out of the house?

Lieutenant,
no matter how unpleasant

this young man may be...

Would you say
this Bolton traveled around

with a pretty rough crowd?

Even if he's unbalanced,
I'm not making any accusations.

I just don't want
any more attempts on my life.

That's all. I'm a tax payer,

a big tax payer,
and I demand police protection.

Where can I find this Bolton?

Oh, he's got a part-time job

as an itinerant folk singer,
I think.

Place called the Lone Pine Club.

♪ I gave my love a cherry ♪

I That has no stone.

♪ I gave my love a chicken ♪

♪ That has no bone ♪

♪ I told my love I

♪ A story ♪

I That never ends [

♪ And I gave my love ♪

♪ A baby -

♪ With no crying... ♪

Let me have a booth, please.

♪ Without a stone. [/

I How can there be

♪ A chicken... ♪

The man says you're a policeman.

That's right.

I'd like to ask you
a few questions.

(dissonant chord plays)

sh**t.

I've been talking
to Irma Hodge's father.

Stepfather.

I understand you two
have had some trouble.

Mr. Hodge says he had to ask you
to stay away from his daughter.

Well, that old man's really
got influence in this town,

getting the police
to do his strong-arming for him.

Now, you listen to me, mister,

-I don't care...
- You take it easy, son.

Mr. Hodge was shot
at last night.

What did he want?

Nothing.

Something personal, that's all.

In my place of business,
what's personal

with my employees
is personal with me,

when I have to protect a license
to stay in business.

Wait a minute, it was some kind
of mistake, that's all.

Just forget it, will you?

You forget it.

Coming to work, that is,
if that cop or any other cop

ever comes around looking
for you again.

And, Con, what I just told you,

don't you forget.

Con?

Boy, this is my lucky town.

This is my lucky day.

What did that man want?

Los Angeles, oh,

what a town
to mark time in, hey?

Sing for you supper

till you great big inheritance
comes along,

and then you drive off
in your great big car

to my great big ranch.

Con, please.

Only, you know what happens?

My great big inheritance

adds up to , lousy bucks.

And the only way
I'm gonna leave town

is with every cop
in LA sh**ting at my tail.

What?

Irma,

why didn't you tell me
that your old man got shot at?

Because I didn't think
the police would come to you.

Oh, they've got me
all lined up.

All he has to do
is slip in the bathtub,

and they're gonna
come looking for me.

Oh, Con, don't.

- Just because...
-Irma,

Irma, it's no good,
don't you understand?

I just don't belong
with a person like you.

Well, this hick's getting
out of town,

before I wreck everything
for you.

Con, don't.

Please, please, don't.

So the little corporal
vetoed you, young man?

So what?
Under this roof,

that is the finest
possible recommendation.

You don't like
her father either, huh?

Does anybody?

Of course, one assumes that Mona
has a certain affection

for the man
because she married him,

but that makes a rather
short list, don't you think?

I thought you were his brother.

Yes, that's right.

And I've known Irma here
since she was a little baby.

Her father, her real father,

was a fine man.

Ten million times finer

than the one
you introduced Mother to.

Tell him about it, Uncle Adrian.

Please help me.

Well, that was many years ago,
of course.

I had a small job there.

I introduced her mother
to my brother

so that he could help
straighten out the business.

I was a friend, Uncle Adrian,
the artist.

Well, Napoleon took charge
of the business

and her mother.

And now he's practically taken
charge of you, too, hasn't he?

Always the tactful one,
aren't you, darling?

You see, Mr. Bolton,
my sister-in-law

used to have an interest
in my business, here.

But Sumner made her stop,
didn't he?

He makes her stop anything
that's nice.

Yes, my...

My brother is not only a boor,

but he holds
a personal animosity toward me.

Well, I...

I nurture his ill-will.

On his last birthday,
I gave him a bust of Napoleon.

(chuckles)

I've seen it.

Now the b*llet smashed it.

The what?

Last night, somebody tried
to sh**t him.

The police came to see Con
about it.

So that's what
you're so upset about.

Con thinks he should leave town.

He thinks staying here will
just cause more trouble.

Well, there's nothing
to stop you

from leaving with him, is there?

Uncle Adrian,
I don't intend to leave

and I don't intend
for Con to leave!

Please, just talk to my mother
and your brother!

Get them to leave us alone!

And tell Sumner if he keeps
stalling about my inheritance,

I'll, I'll sue him!

Yeah, of course, of course.

Now why don't I brew up a nice
pot of tea,

and we'll discuss how to handle
this problem, huh?

Let me speak to Leo, please.
Leo Lazaroff.

I therefore
respectfully submit that...

(knocking)

Hi, Della, Perry.
Am I interrupting?

No, it's time
for a break anyway.

What have you there?

Report on Con Bolton.

Current address / Lupton
Place, Venice, California.

Place of employment, The Lone
Pine Club on Pioneer Boulevard,

also in Venice.

And your letter of last week was
personally delivered to Bolton

by his apartment house manager.

All right, it's nothing
important.

I just wondered why he hasn't
contacted me, that's all.

It might depend on
what was in the letter.

Notification of an inheritance.

A relative in Kentucky left him
$ , .

Maybe the young man expected
more money.

Did you talk to him, Paul?

No. He left the Lone Pine Club
half an hour

before my man got there.

He left with his girlfriend
Irma Hodge.

Oh, here, Della.
Here's her phone number.

Maybe you'll have better luck
than I did.

Is there anything in that
report, Paul?

This Bolton is only somebody
I was contacting

for a lawyer back east.

Well, young Mr. Bolton had
a visit last night

from the police; police named
Lieutenant Anderson.

Any luck, Della?

Miss Hodge has left
with her parents

for their cottage
at Lake Ganado.

And the maid isn't permitted
to give their number there.

(phone rings)

Hello?!
Oh, hi, Mrs. Wheatley.

No, no, they're out in the boat.

About an hour.

I'll tell them you phoned.

(knocking)

Come in!

Good morning, Irma.

Mr. Talley, what are you doing
up here?

Took me all morning
to locate Sumner.

Nobody at the plant had any idea
where he was.

Him and his, his "protection.”

All of a sudden, boom, we have
to go to the cottage.

No reason.
It just has to be.

We can't stay in the city.

You'd think he was a visiting
prime minister.

See his little friend out there?

Oh, you mean the deputy?

Yes. Oh, it's all
just too ridiculous!

Well, I've got these check
authorizations

the company lawyer wanted him
to sign.

I suppose I could
just leave them.

(phone rings)

Hello?!

I'm in the village,
Can you come on down?

If we're gonna do it,
we got to do it now.

Oh, Con, do you mean it?
Do you really mean it?

Okay.

Now don't worry, understand?

We'll be in Los Angeles in
an hour and a half.

I love you.

I've got to go down
to the village, Mr. Talley.

You mean you want a lift?

No, no, thank you.
I'll take our car.

I won't be here when
my parents get back,

so if you want
to leave those papers,

you'd better leave them a note.

I

♪♪

Buy you a cup of coffee?

Look, Mr. Talley...

Irma, you're not going to elope
with him, are you?

Who?

That young fellow
your father doesn't like.

Who does he like?

Good question, Irma.

But I do think
he's right this time.

Waitress, this'll take care
of the coffee.

(phone rings once)

Sumner, it's Jack Talley
calling from the village.

So?

He thinks Irma has eloped.

Deputy, give me a ride
into town!

Good morning, Mr. Hodge.

Cooper, do me a favor.

Call and tell my wife
I'm driving into the city.

Be glad to.

Deputy, tell the L.A.
police I'm on my way down!

(tires squeal)

(screams)

Perry, can you take a break?

There's a distinguished visitor
here.

How distinguished?

Lieutenant Anderson.

Show him in.

Lieutenant.

I'm looking for a client of
yours, Perry. Con Bolton.

If you know where he is, I think
you'd better tell me.

Con Bolton?

Della, do we have a client
by that name?

ANDERSON:
Now never mind that.

I know you wrote him a letter
last week.

Here's the envelope.

I write letters to many people.

Where'd you find this?

In his room. He wasn't there.

To be honest, Andy,
I don't know where Bolton is.

I may hear from him,
but it's not definite.

Well, I'd better hear from him
promptly

or there'll be a warrant out
for his arrest.

Andy, just out of curiosity.

m*rder, counselor.

Della, do you have the phone
number of Bolton's girlfriend?

She's at Lake Ganado, remember?

And the maid wouldn't give
me the number?

But I'll try again.

(phone rings)

Hello.

Yes, this is Irma Hodge.

Miss Hodge, this is Perry Mason,
the attorney.

It's important that I find
Con Bolton immediately.

Oh. Well, he just dropped me off
to get a few things.

But I'm gonna meet him downtown
pretty quick.

Well-Well, couldn't it wait?

Well, can't he write to you
or something?

Well, all right, if you're sure

it won't take
more than a few minutes.

Where's Con meeting you?

That's not far. I can be there
in minutes.

Yes. Thank you, Miss Hodge.
Thank you.

Get the phone number of this
address so Paul can reach me.

Tell him to start digging in
a hurry.

Oh, good afternoon.

I hope you haven't been
kept waiting.

I have an appointment
with Miss Irma Hodge.

I see. I'm Irma's uncle,
Adrian Hodge.

My name is Mason.

Ah, yes. Well, make yourself
at home, Mr. Mason.

(phone rings)

Excuse me.

Miss Hodge?

Yes. You must be Mr. Mason.

I wonder why Con isn't here yet.

(door opens)

Irma, ... I just had a
telephone call from the police.

Sumner's been k*lled.

I, I didn't get many details.

He was driving into the city,
and his car missed a turn.

Irma's stepfather,
my brother, Sumner Hodge.

I'd better call Mother.

(phone rings)

You all right, Miss Hodge?

I wonder what's keeping Con.

Are you sure he's coming?

Why shouldn't he come?

It's for you, Mr. Mason.

I'll take care of her.

Paul?

I got some fast action
this time.

A man named Sumner Hodge cracked
his car up in the mountains.

Yes, I know.

Any reason to think
it wasn't an accident?

Well, the state cops had none,

until they got a tip
from the L.A. police.

- Andy?
- Yep.

It seems there were two previous
attempts on Hodge's life,

so they took a closer look
at the car.

Perry, a mountain road is no
place to drive without brakes.

How do they connect it
with Con Bolton?

I couldn't find that out.

My source didn't know
and Bolton won't say.

Have you talked to him?

He's in Della's office
right now

in one big hurry to get
his inheritance in cash.

I have a hunch he wants it
for traveling money.

Sit on him until I get there.

But what's wrong?

Why can't I get
my thousand dollars?

I didn't tell him, Perry.

You don't know
Sumner Hodge is dead?

His car went down
a mountainside.

The police think the brakes
had been tampered with.

Did you take a shot at him
a couple of nights ago?

I'd advise you to see the
police, clear up any connection

you may have with the death
of Sumner Hodge.

How much is that advice
going to cost me?

It's free.

For a thousand bucks,
what would you advise?

The same thing.

I don't know anything
about his death.

I didn't have anything to do
with it, whatever happened.

Maybe Leo did it.

Who's Leo?

Leo Lazaroff.

Mr. Hodge stole
something from him,

an invention or something.

Irma thinks that maybe
he's the one who took

a shot at him the other night.

Why do the cops
want to push me around?

Why don't they go push
somebody like him around?

Sumner Hodge is nothing
but a crook.

You said he stole a patent from
your brother, Mr. Lazaroff.

Max-- that was my brother,
a nut.

Believe me, Mr. Mason,
a real nut.

Always monkeying around
with chemicals, acids.

Blew himself up
a couple of times.

Say, how are your teeth?

You have any fillings?

What'd they use-- gold, silver?

Plastic, that's the thing.

My brother Max, he came up with
a new type of guck

that was better than
anybody else's.

But Hodge, he stole it from him,
the crook.

I'd like to talk
to your brother.

So would ll. He's dead.

He had a seizure
a year ago last May.

Didn't leave a thing.

No formulas,
no patents, nothing.

So, Hodge has got it.

Did you talk
to Mr. Hodge about this?

Sure, I talked to him.

He said he'd look into it,
I should come back in a week.

And what happened?

I never saw him again.

He gave orders to throw me out.

Say, do you know
that somebody knocked him off?

Yes. Where did you hear it?

On the radio.

You know, I could have
done it myself.

I hated that man, Mr. Mason.

And I told that daughter of his

the same thing
when she was here.

Irma, tell me the truth.

Did you ever, for one minute,
think that Con might have

fired the shot at your
stepfather the other night?

No!

No, of course not!

Did you think it might have been
this Mr. Lazaroff, then?

No, not really.

But it had to be somebody,
didn't it?

Someone did sh**t at Sumner.

Mr. Drake said
you wanted to see me, Mr. Mason.

Yes, Mr. Talley.

Thank you for coming over.

Irma tells me you suggested

that she talk
to Mr. Leo Lazaroff?

Well, Irma was upset about
something her mother said:

that her stepfather
might try to interfere

with some money
Irma had expected to get.

They promised it to me,
both he and Mother.

How does that concern
Mr. Lazaroff?

I heard Adrian talking to him
on the telephone.

My stepfather was a crook,
Mr. Mason,

and he stole something
from Leo Lazaroff's brother.

Now, take it easy, honey.

I didn't like Napoleon
any more than anybody else did.

I'd given up any hope of staying
in business with him, in fact.

But there was never
any suggestion

of dishonesty on his part,
that I know of.

That's not what
Leo Lazaroff says.

Lazaroff.

A crank with a concocted yarn
about his wild-eyed brother

and a process the firm
had worked on for years.

Mr. Talley,
as Sumner Hodge's partner,

can you suggest
any possible reason why Sumner

was so afraid of Con Bolton?

Well, maybe it was
because of his threats

to withhold money
from Irma here.

You see, Sumner may have
exaggerated his fear of Con

a bit, you know.

You're suggesting
that he wanted an excuse

to keep the money from Irma?

Well, maybe he wanted
to stall her.

You see, Sumner was buying
my partnership in the business.

With cash?

$ , .

You see, when I didn't
get as excited

about the new process as he did,
he exploded,

as only he could do,

and insisted the company
buy me out.

And he couldn't do that without

tying up every asset
in the family?

You didn't know Sumner.

When he made up his mind,
it had to be now.

He knew I was interested
in a South American investment

that needed cash.

Well, look here, Mason, I don't
know what was driving Sumner,

but he was certainly under
some kind of pressure.

Of course, now that he's dead,

you won't get the cash,
will you?

The deal was never closed.

DRAKE: So the money stays
right where it is.

With the widow and daughter.

ANDERSON:
A pretty fair assumption, Paul.

An assumption Sumner Hodge's
k*ller must have made.

Mother.

Oh.

It's all right, darling,
it's all right.

I'd like to know who you're
representing here, Perry.

Me.

He's my lawyer.

ANDERSON: Then you'd better
advise him of his rights.

Because I have a warrant here
for his arrest, for m*rder.

Irma was only nine
when her father died.

His financial affairs
were in such disorder,

I was unable to make
any sense out of them.

And that was when Sumner
came to the rescue.

In what way did he do that,
Mrs. Hodge?

Well, first by
straightening out the business,

taking over the company himself,

and then offering
to look after us-- Irma and me.

I see.

Mrs. Hodge, would you
describe for us, please,

the unusual incident
that occurred

on the evening of April ?

Do you mean about
the shot that was fired

through the window
of Sumner's study?

BURGER:
Yes, that's what I mean.

MONA: It smashed a bust
of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Now, Mrs. Hodge,
was the defendant, Con Bolton,

at your house any time
that evening?

Yes, but he'd left
about an hour before that.

Sumner objected to him
being there.

And when did you next see
the defendant?

Two days later, just before
we left for Lake Ganado.

BURGER: And would you tell us
what happened that time?

They had a violent quarrel.

It ended when... when Sumner...

well, he knocked Con
down the front steps.

Al know is, my father--
my real father--

had quite a lot of money once.

And it was always understood
that when I came of age,

I'd be given a share.

That's what my mother
always said he'd planned.

BURGER:
But your real father,

of course, made no specific
provision for you in a will

or anything like that?

IRMA:
No.

And since that time,
it's been your stepfather

who controlled the family money?

He controlled
the family business.

It was a partnership.

BURGER: But what possible
legal claim

could you have
to any such share of the money?

There wasn't anything legal.

But it wasn't begging, either,
or trying to be greedy.

My stepfather and mother always
promised it to me, that's all.

Miss Hodge, when was the last
time you heard that promise?

Well, before ...

Before you started dating
the defendant, Con Bolton.

Isn't that right?

Wasn't it after that,

Sumner Hodge told you
he might change his mind

and wouldn't arrange
your inheritance?

I don't remember.

After you told your friend,
the defendant,

what your stepfather threatened,

what course of action
did Con Bolton suggest?

Nothing.

Con was just angry because
he'd lost an inheritance, too,

and... well,
I mean noth-nothing.

He didn't suggest anything.

Right here, the master cylinder
had been freshly punctured.

What would be the effect,
Lieutenant Anderson,

of driving a car
whose master cylinder

had been punctured
in this fashion?

After a while, continuing
to use the car's brakes,

the brakes would no longer
have hydraulic pressure.

They wouldn't be able
to stop the car.

Was a test made to determine
how long that would take

for someone driving a car
like the decedent's,

under the same conditions,
driving, that is,

from the village
down to Los Angeles?

Yes. Our tests showed
that the car would have

gone out of control
at approximately the same place

where Sumner Hodge
drove off the road

and down the canyon
to his death.

She ran out to Sumner's car
and drove down to the village.

And what did you do then?

First, I tried
to signal to Sumner.

He and Mona were out on the lake
in the boat,

but they didn't see me,
so I followed Irma.

And continued
your discussion with her

in the village, is that correct?

Just for a moment.

Then he showed up-- Mr. Bolton--
and they left.

Short of physical intervention,

there was no way
I could stop them.

Mr. Talley, would you
describe for us

the defendant's appearance
at that time?

Well, I noticed
his hands were dirty,

and in addition to a bruise,
there seemed to be

a smear of oil or grease
on his forehead.

Now, Mr. Talley,
would you describe for us

the condition of the road from
the cottage to the village?

Well, it's just
a short distance.

But it's winding,
it has a lot of curves.

Then it's very much
like the road

from the village
on down to the city?

Yes, the same steep,
winding road.

Now, did Miss Hodge appear to be
having any trouble of any kind

as she drove the decedent's car
from the lake to the village?

Well, none that I noticed.

She was going rather fast, and I
couldn't see her at all times.

BURGER:
But as far as you could tell,

the brakes were in good
working order at that time?

As far as I could tell,
yes, sir.

The Hodges have been coming up
to their cottage for years.

Of course, I knew him well.

Well, would you recognize
his car when you saw it?

I'm neither blind nor stupid,
Mr. Burger.

Anyway, I saw him
drive off in it.

Asked me to phone his wife,
and told the deputy sheriff

to let the Los Angeles police
know he was on his way.

Now, how long was it after
you saw the deceased drive away

that you first observed his car?

Seen it for a few minutes,
about a half hour earlier.

Then, didn't see it
till Mr. Hodge drove off.

Now, did you notice
anyone approach that car

on that first occasion,

half an hour before the decedent
drove away in it?

I sure did.

Him, that young idler.

He was underneath the car,
doing something to it.

That's how he got grease
on his hands and face,

doing something to that car.

I was trying to fix the brakes.

Irma told me that they were
pulling a little bit to one side

while she was coming down
from the cottage.

Did you touch
the master cylinder?

No, absolutely not.

If you were fixing the car,

why did the two of you
leave on your motorcycle?

Even after I adjusted
the brakes,

I still didn't like
the way they worked.

I never even looked
at the master cylinder.

I told Irma to forget
about the car.

I told her to leave a note
for Hodge

telling him to take it easy
till he got the brakes fixed.

Did you see the note, Con?

Well, no, she said that she...

No, I didn't.

According to his wife,

Hodge merely went to the village
to bring back the car.

Now, why did he decide
to drive on to Los Angeles?

To stop us from getting married.

You're both of age, Con.

Hodge knew there was
no way he could stop you.

He must have read
something in the note

that made him start
for Los Angeles.

Why would Irma write
anything like that?

I don't know.

Mr. Cooper, isn't it true
that before he drove away,

the deceased found
a note in his car?

I don't know where he found it.

But there was a note?

Yes. He tore it up like
he was pretty mad about it.

MASON:
That's all, thank you.

Your Honor, the prosecution
feels that it has presented

a sufficiently conclusive case
to move, at this time,

that the defendant, Con Bolton,
be bound over for trial

in Superior Court
on a charge of m*rder.

JUDGE: Mr. Mason,
before the court rules

on the motion presented
by the prosecution,

may I ask, is it your intent

at this preliminary hearing
to present a defense?

It is, Your Honor.

Very well.
You may proceed, Mr. Mason.

The defense calls as its
first witness Mr. Leo Lazaroff.

You see, dentists have
been using

plastic fillings
for a long time.

Only on the sides of teeth,
like a gum-line cavity.

You see, it wasn't hard enough
to bite with.

But that's what Max--
my late brother, Max Lazaroff--

that's what he figured out.

Were you familiar with
his process, Mr. Lazaroff?

Well, I'm not a chemist,

but, uh, yeah,
he explained it to me.

You know that new kind of glue
that they use on space ships

instead of rivets... epoxy?

He mixed that with the plastic.

It wouldn't expand
or contract like metal,

and he could make it the same
color as your own teeth.

But epoxy is toxic
in the human system, isn't it?

Sure...

Besides, it's poisonous.

But Max fixed that.

You see, that was
his real gimmick.

He should've made
millions out of it.

MASON:
Do you have Max's formula

or any of his notes
to substantiate this?

Nothing.

He told me just before he died

he turned it all over
to this guy Sumner Hodge.

To Sumner Hodge,
or to the company?

LEO: What's the difference?
It was the same thing.

But did he tell you specifically
to whom they were given?

I'm not sure,
but like I said, so what?

Tell us what happened when
you presented your claim

in behalf of your late brother.

Well, I went over to this
dental supply place

and Mr. Hodge's brother arranged
for me in to get in and see him.

Are you referring
to Adrian Hodge?

LEO:
That's right.

He was working there then--
kind of his brother's assistant.

But he got fired and Hodge
wouldn't even see me.

Mr. Lazaroff...

did you attempt to recover
Max's notes on his process?

Look, I couldn't even
get past that secretary.

MASON:
Let me rephrase the question.

Did you make any arrangements,

or a deal with someone
to obtain those notes?

A deal? Me?

Did I make a deal?

I see no reason for hiding it.

Yes, there was a deal
between Leo and myself.

Quite true, Mr. Mason.

And may I add, I felt no
compunctions about it.

How did you happen
to know Leo Lazaroff?

Well, I worked for
the company at one time.

I'm-I'm still in and out
of there occasionally.

I even was the one who
introduced Mona to Sumner Hodge.

He ended up running
the company, of course,

and married to her, as well.

Will you explain your efforts in
behalf of Mr. Lazaroff, please?

Well, since I was, so to speak,

responsible for
Sumner's presence there,

I felt a moral obligation
to Leo.

Felt that he deserved
some restitution.

And how did you accomplish
this "moral” restitution?

Well, for one thing,
I helped him try to find

his brother Max's notes.

I was sure that Sumner kept them
in a metal box that I'd seen

-in his office once.
- Once?

Yes, when I went back to try
to find it again, it was gone.

That's when Sumner caught me--

guessed what
I was up to, maybe--

anyway, that's when he told me

not to come around
there anymore.

In this search to prove
your brother a thief,

had you given him any reason,
by word or act,

to fear for his life
at your hands?

Oh, come now, Mr. Mason...

Me, a threat to Sumner?

You didn't say or do anything

that would force him to
seek police protection?

Sumner was never afraid of me.

MASON:
Did you ever hear him

identify the person
of whom he was afraid?

No... no, I didn't, Mr. Mason.

Was it consistent with
your brother's aggressive

and fearless character
to seek police protection?

Well, he-he pulled
a stunt like that once

when we were kids.

Not with the police, though.

A "stunt?”

Teacher gave him a licking.

Not a bad one. He deserved it.

But he added a few
bruises of his own,

some tears and a little blood,

and the poor teacher
nearly got fired.

And, uh, for your brother?

What were the results
of that stunt?

Got an "A" in the course.

Fixed it so that every other
teacher in the school

either felt sorry for him,

or afraid to raise
a voice against him.

MASON: But in school,
he complained of

make-believe injuries.

In this case, there were
attempts on his life.

Well, that's what he said.

He said somebody
tried to run him down,

but that doesn't prove
that anybody actually did.

Well, there was certainly
nothing imaginary

about the shot that
broke a window

and smashed the
bust of Napoleon.

But there's nothing to prove

that Sumner didn't fire
that shot himself,

to make the police think
that he was in danger.

To make them
give him protection.

Protection from a boy

who was only trying to
marry his step-daughter?

Well...

Of course, it's only your
opinion, not proper testimony,

so... let's talk about
that metal box.

What?

The one you didn't find
in Sumner's office.

Where else did you
go looking for it?

Well, I... I looked
all over the building.

Many places,
but it wasn't there.

Well, Sumner went
up to the lake.

Did he keep the box there
at his cottage, perhaps?

No.

You mean you also
searched the cottage?

No, uh... Mona told me.

You'd discussed all of this
with Sumner's wife?

She was helping your search?

It was Mona that needed help!

The way Sumner was acting,
I had to do try to do

everything I could to
find out what was going on,

to try to make things
a little happier...

Precisely when did you
and Mona talk about this?

It was that same day...
the day Sumner died.

But she was at the lake
that day.

So was I.

I was at the village.

I met Mona in the village.

MASON: The District Attorney
has kindly turned over to us

this metal box, found in your
Los Angeles home, Mrs. Hodge.

Do you recognize it?

MONA:
Yes, it belonged to my husband.

I saw him putting money
into it on several occasions.

As you can see,
it appears to have been

forced open quite recently.

It contains no money.

But there is a sheaf of papers.

Would you examine them, please?

(papers rustling)

I've never seen these before.

Is that your
late husband's handwriting?

No, it isn't.

Will you turn to
the last page, please?

The notation on the bottom...

...is that your
late husband's handwriting?

Yes. Yes, I'm sure this is.

Would you read
the notation, please?

"And don't forget the list
of agencies, Sally."”

Do you have any idea,
Mrs. Hodge, who "Sally" is?

Why, yes, my husband's
secretary... Sally Young.

I don't have to
look at them, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Hodge asked me to
type a copy of those notes

and give them to our head
chemist for further testing.

And Mr. Hodge's handwritten
notation to you... "agencies”...

What kind of agencies
did he want listed?

Private detective agencies.

What was the report
of the head chemist,

after further testing?

He said the process was perfect.

MASON:
Do you know why Sumner Hodge

was looking for
a private detective?

No, I don't know.

I'm only a secretary, Mr. Mason.

Maybe his partner,
Jack Talley, knows.

I'm afraid I can't tell you
much more than Miss Young.

For some time I hadn't been
active in the company.

Because you were
selling your interest?

Yes, back to the company,

at the insistence
of Sumner Hodge.

The papers were to have been
signed the day after the m*rder.

Thank you, Mr. Talley.

Oh, before you leave the stand,

there is something
you could clarify.

Certainly.

I believe you testified that
when you observed Irma Hodge

drive from the lake cottage
to the village,

she appeared to be having no
trouble at all with the car?

JACK:
That's right.

MASON:
Based on that observation,

you concluded the car's brakes,

at least at that time,
were functioning properly?

The speed she was going at?

I would say so, yes.

If it becomes necessary,
Mr. Talley, the defendant--

and Irma Hodge-- are both
prepared to offer testimony

that she did have trouble,
that the brakes were defective,

and that Irma left a note
in the car to that effect.

And Sumner drove it off anyway?

That doesn't make sense,
Mr. Mason.

He was no fool.

Unless he never saw the note.

But you asked
Mr. Cooper about that.

He saw the defendant
working on the car,

and then he saw Sumner
tear up a note.

But Mr. Cooper saw those
two actions one half hour apart.

During that half hour,

someone else could have
slipped under the car,

tampered with
the master brake cylinder,

and left a different note...

a note calculated to
impel Sumner Hodge

to drive back to Los Angeles,

a drive calculated with
premeditated malice to k*ll him.

JACK:
Yes...

Yes, I guess someone could have.

Now about the contract
Hodge had prepared

to buy you out, Mr. Talley.

Payment was to be cash,
you said.

The bank informs me this cash
was to be in the form of

five separate $ , checks
made out to bearer.

Is that correct?

Yes.

But I don't understand what...

MASON: In other words,
checks which could be cashed

not only by you,
but by anyone presenting them.

Tell me, how many
of those checks

were really intended for you,

and how many did Sumner Hodge
plan to keep for himself?

Plan to steal from his own
company, in other words?

Oh, no, no, now look here.

Why would I let Hodge
keep any money that...

Because you, not Hodge,
stole Max Lazaroff's formula...

and Sumner could prove it.

How on earth could he prove
such a ridiculous...

MASON: Aren't you forgetting
the private detective

Sumner Hodge hired?

The detective he undoubtedly
hired to investigate

the formula you said
you had developed?

...I didn't forget.

So Hodge offered to buy you out,
using the company's money...

but he also blackmailed you
into promising to kick back

most of that money...

kick it back into
his own private pocket.

And the moment those
contracts were signed

and the checks received,

it would have been all over
for you, wouldn't it?

Unless, of course, Sumner Hodge
happened to die first.

That's why he engineered

an attempt on his own life,
isn't it?

Why he used Con Bolton as an
excuse to get police protection?

He was afraid of you.

A thief with police protection?

(laughs bitterly)

Sure, I fixed the brakes.

And left him a note, all right,

from Irma, saying she was taking

any money there was
in his strong box--

that same box he kept
the formula I stole,

that he was stealing from me!

Hearing dismissed.

Deputy, take this man
into custody.

Court adjourned.

Perry...

what is the name of that private
detective agency Hodge hired?

I, uh, haven't
the faintest idea.

You don't know?

You don't expect me to do all
your work for you, do you?

(Mason chuckles)

♪ This train don't
carry no gamblers }

♪ This train... ♪

♪ This train don't
carry no gamblers }

♪ This train... ♪

♪ This train don't
carry no gamblers }

♪ No crap-sh**t,
no midnight ramblers -

♪ This train don't
carry no gamblers }

♪ This train... ♪

♪ This train don't
carry no jokers ♪

♪ Well, this train... ♪...

♪ This train don't
carry no jokers ♪

♪ Well, this train... ♪...

♪ This train don't
carry no jokers ♪

I No high-toned women,
no cigar smokers ♪

I Well, this train
don't carry no jokers ♪

♪ Well, this train... ♪...

Adrian.

Now, where have you been?

I haven't seen you since...

Busy, and I wasn't sure
I'd be welcome.

- You know better than that.
- Mona, would you let me...

try to make up for some of
the trouble I've caused you?

It wasn't your fault, Adrian.

I brought you a peace offering.

For me?

(Mona laughs)

Oh, no...

(laughing):
Oh, no!

A decided improvement.

They say that two is company
and three's a crowd.

I'm not quite sure
where four fits in,

but it can't be here.

Say good night to Irma
and Con for me, will you?

Yes.

♪ This train don't
carry no gamblers }

♪ This train... ♪

(theme song playing)