04x25 - The Case of the Misguided m*ssile

[bunniefuu]

( noirish jazz theme playing )

( machinery grinding distantly )

( man speaks indistinctly
over speaker )

MAN ( over radio ):
On switch. Go on. Arm light on.

MAN ( over radio ):
Station command to internal.

( man speaks indistinctly
over radio )

Major.
Mm?

Lots of luck,
Major Reynolds.

Thanks, sergeant.
We can use some.

MAN ( over speaker ):
T minus seconds
and counting.

( man speaks indistinctly
over radio )

Minus seconds.

Minus seconds. Thirty-five.

MAN:
Water system ready?

MAN ( over radio ):
Affirmative.

I have a prepped complete light.

Locked, tanked and secured?

MAN ( over radio ):
Locked, tanked and secured.

Relax, Mr. Morgan.

Relax?

Ha!

That's easy to say, major.

That Scepter out there
is my baby.

My own flesh and blood.

I've got a lifetime
tied up in it.

Yeah, I'll relax, all right,
after it flies

and this time it better fly.

MAN ( over speaker ):
Minor .

Status check.
Command on intel.

MAN ( over radio ):
Affirmative.

Telemetry in launch condition.
MAN : Affirmative

m*ssile, intel and AC?
MAN : Affirmative.

Pressurization complete?
MAN : Affirmative.

Status check.
Bring safety arm light on.

MAN :
Affirmative.

Drain's ready?
MAN : Ready.

Count.

MAN ( over speaker ):
Minus ten, nine, eight,

MAN :
Ignition.

It's got to fly.

MAN :
Main stage.

It's got to fly.

...Three, two, one, zero.

Plus one, two, three,

four, five, six,

seven, eight, nine, ten...

Go, honey. Keep going, baby.

Keep going, baby.

Destroyed. Destroyed.

Destroyed. Destroyed.

MORGAN:
There's no reason for it.

There's no reason
for that bird not flying.

No reason at all.

You know it had to fly.
Take a look at that screen.

Take a look at
what's happening out there.

Tell me why. Why!

( dramatic theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

Hello, Helen.
Hello, Jerry.

All right, then,
call the man.

I'd like to talk to Ms. Rand.

They're testing a standby bird

on the hydraulic pumping unit.

Now, tell them to check out
the gimbal shafts

on both booster engines.

That's the only thing
that fits the pattern.

Yes, sir.

You look as tired
as I feel.

Reporters still
riding you hard?

( sighs )

Jerry, isn't there
something we can tell them?

Sure. Tell them we're testing
our reactions to failure.

We all passed
with flying colors.

I put that out
and the Morgan m*ssile Company

will be searching for
a new public relations counsel.

The Scepter isn't
an Air Force bird. Not yet.

It's Morgan's baby, until the
Air Force accepts or rejects it.

The next test shot's
the last one, Jerry.

Unless the bird flies right,

this could be goodbye
Scepter contract for Morgan.

You know that.

It'll fly,
on schedule, on course.

( phone rings )

You're not canceling
next Friday's shot?

No.

That bird can fly.
And it will.

Telephone, sir.

Oh, thanks,
sergeant.

Here.

Major Reynolds.

( man speaks indistinctly
over phone )

Mm-hm.

Well?

Well, I-- I pick--

Picked up this thing.

Uh, but I-- I'm sure
it was after they, uh--

They cleared up the debris
off the range yesterday.

Uh, no, major.

( laughs )

Uh, I haven't the faintest
idea whether the part

was, uh,
off your m*ssile.

But there's something
on it, uh--

I think you should see.

Well, fine.
Then you'll run it over tonight

when you've finished
for the day.

Thank you.

Well, some civilian engineer
found something on the base

that could be or could not be
part of the destroyed Scepter

and maybe does or doesn't
show significant marks.

( phone rings )

Major Reynolds.

( man speaks indistinctly
over phone )

Uh, I'll leave now.

Yes, sir.

( sighs )

Jerry?

( dramatic theme playing )

I might just be relieved
of the whole problem.

A man named Colonel Sloan
is arriving in half an hour

at the airfield.

( dramatic theme swells )

The only reason
I'm taking over, major,

is so you can concentrate
on the technical side.

It goes no deeper than that.

You're not being reprimanded,
believe me.

Then I stay on
as project officer?

Of course, Jerry.

We simply want you
to be free of the detail work

so you can get
that shot off next Friday.

Oh, Major Reynolds,
Captain Caldwell.

Mike flew out
with me from Washington.

It's been a long time, Mike.

I heard you made major.

Congratulations,
even though they are late...

sir.

SLOAN:
I borrowed Mike

from the Air Force
inspector general's office.

He'll be in charge
of investigating the possibility

of something other
than your functional failures

on your m*ssile aborts.

Other than functional failure?

The right-handed monkey wrench

on a left-handed nut and bolt.

Never can tell, can you?

So give him everything
you've got or know about,

or he asks for.

Turn that aspect
of the job entirely over to him.

Anything you say,
Colonel Sloan.

Jerry, all I want you to do
is to concentrate

on making
that next shot a success.

The Air Force could use a bird
like the Scepter.

Just leave the rest
of the details to us.

Now, let's see about quarters.

( jet flying overhead )

( machinery humming
and buzzing )

( inaudible )

Sergeant.

Come here.

( machinery buzzing stops )

You don't seem to be taking this
very seriously, doctor.

I hardly think
that's called for.

Well, you haven't
learned exactly

what caused that failure.

Well, we're trying
to find out for sure, captain.

A guess is meaningless
in science.

Dr. Bradbury,

you've been senior
Morgan Company scientist

on the Scepter project
since the beginning.

Now, tell me,

were you just as heavy a drinker
then as you are now?

That--

That's none of your concern.

The Air Force
and the American people

have spent millions of dollars
on the Scepter so far.

And that's a pretty expensive
bar tab, doctor.

You usually supervise
the preflight tests.

You didn't
before the last sh**t.

Who ran those tests?

Major Reynolds.

Major Reynolds? Alone?

Well, the regular staff,

some of the Air Force personnel.

I guess some
of our people helped him. Uh...

Yes, Dr. Harrison gave him
a hand, I think.

Dr. Harrison.

I told you my activities here

for the Morgan Company
are restricted to one thing:

working on a radically new,
all-inertial guidance system.

For the man
that comes up with this

radically new
inertial guidance,

it could be worth a lot of money
to him, couldn't it?

If the man you mean is me

and I did develop the system,

it would belong to
the Morgan Company, not to me.

It might be to your advantage
not to complete it

as long as Morgan
was still in business.

By the way,
you took Dr. Bradbury's place

before those last
preflight tests, didn't you?

Yeah. Dan Morgan and I helped
with his checkup.

Now that you've all
but intimated

that I sabotaged the Scepter,

why don't you ask Mr. Morgan

if he didn't destroy
his own m*ssile?

I may do that, doctor.

I may very well ask him.

( dramatic theme playing )

Mr. Morgan.

I thought you'd finished here.

All the troubles
you've been having.

Your company's
in pretty bad shape.

I know that
better than you do.

That's the reason
the shot Friday better--

Well, can't fail.
Well, what if it does?

The Huxley Company
is just waiting

for something like that
to happen.

The Huxley Company.

What, is that
a competitive bidder?

If that Scepter shot
washes out Friday,

they pick up the contracts.

But it won't.

I hope not.

Mr. Morgan, I--

Oh, it's you.

My job is not to hurt anybody,
Ms. Rand.

But it is to find the truth

regardless of whether
anybody does get hurt.

Exactly what
do you mean?

Aside from the question
of patriotism,

or the survival
of the free world--

Hear, hear.

Well, however
you characterize it, Ms. Rand,

there also happens
to be the question

of the billions of dollars spent
on the m*ssile programs.

So I'm sure you won't mind

my thoroughly checking you
and your company,

as well as the, uh,
Huxley Corporation.

Oh, Perry, I'm taking a job
with the Huxley Corporation.

They have a fine reputation.

Good choice of, uh,
companies, Jerry.

Well, about a year ago
they opened a m*ssile division.

There's a good spot for me
with the company.

What's happened with you
and the Air Force?

I always thought that you
and the service

were made for each other.

Even back on Ulithi
I would have bet on it.

Hey, how about that.

Joint operations.

Navy and the Air Force
in a frontal as*ault

on the officer's bar
on Mug Mug,

the enchanted isle
of the Pacific.

Remember that, Perry?

When was it, ' or ' ?

Forty-four.

You know, you should be able
to retire in four or five years.

You, uh,
disenchanted, Jerry?

No. No, I love the Air Force.

It's part of my life, I guess.

Always will be.

No, it's my dad.

For years I've sent him every
cent I could scrape together

to keep his business going.

Now he's in the hospital.

Pretty expensively sick,
I'm afraid.

And that business of his
has left us both broke.

I'm very sorry.

Well, it's a good deal
at Huxley's.

Too much money to turn down.

Oh, like it or not, I'm gonna
have to resign my commission.

Have you signed with Huxley?

Oh, that's why I asked you
to come up, Perry.

Uh, these are the contracts.

I'd appreciate your looking them
over before I sign.

Something wrong with them?

Huxley's a strong competitor
of Morgan.

Now, am I running a danger
of conflict of interest

by signing with Huxley?

You work for the Air Force,
not Morgan.

Yes, but Huxley's project
is essentially the same

as the one
I'm supervising for Morgan.

Now, I don't want to put myself
or the Air Force on the spot.

I'll check out
the contracts.

Get in touch with you
in a couple of days.

Thanks for coming up, Perry.

It was impossible
for me to get away.

I had to fly
to San Francisco.

No problem stopping over.

Say, would you care
to stick around for the sh**t?

I can arrange it.

Oh, sorry, Jerry,
no time.

I don't want to miss that plane
out of Santa Maria.

Oh, Perry.

I can, uh, get you
to San Francisco real quick.

( laughs )

Thank you, no.

I think jets
are fast enough for me.

Well, now,
Ms. Arrange-It-All,

exactly why did you fix it
for me

to see the shot of Vandenberg
tomorrow morning?

Why, Mr. Huxley,

to see the Scepter shot,
of course.

As a new prime contractor
in missiles,

you should be here.

Now, uh,
why should it be a problem?

And why else
would I want you here?

Yes, why, indeed?

Oh, um,
would you like a drink?

Hm.

George, that shot
tomorrow morning

will never get
off the ground.

You put an awful lot of stock
in wishful thinking, Helen.

This, uh--
This isn't a fairytale world.

Well, here's to the Scepter.

To Morgan's bird

and to the egg
it will lay.

MAN ( over speaker ):
Risky. Risky.

T minus ten seconds
and holding.

Repeat. Repeat.

Risky. Risky.

T minus ten seconds
and holding.

Why doesn't Major Reynolds
get back? What's holding him up?

The safety officer spotted
something on the range.

Reynolds went out
to check it.

Whatever it was,
it's been removed.

Reynolds is on his way back.

No need to get upset.
Everything's under control.

As soon as the major
comes back inside,

pick up and start
your final countdown.

Now, just take it easy,
Mr. Morgan.

T minus ten seconds
and counting.

T minus nine,

eight, seven, six--

Colonel, we've got
to scrub the shot.

No, that's crazy.
Don't stop.

What happened?
Never mind. Stop it.

Too late.
Nothing we can do now.

T plus one, two...

Go, go.

Go.

Come on bird, fly.

...six, seven,

eight, nine, ten...

Go, go, go.

Go. Go.

... , , ,

, ...

Go. Go.

... , , ,

, , , ...

Oh, you beautiful,
beautiful bird.

Jerry, what was this all about?

Why did you try
to stop the shot?

Captain McVey, colonel.
Air Police.

That, uh, delay--

Yes, Captain McVey,
the safety officer thought

it was some sort
of unidentified object

on the firing range.

There was no object, sir.

It was a man's body.

Captain Caldwell of the
inspector general's office.

Caldwell?

He's been m*rder*d.

( dramatic theme playing )

( jets flying overhead )

Mr. Mason. Mr. Drake.

I'm Mason. This is Mr. Drake.
How are you?

I spoke to you earlier
on the phone, Mr. Mason.

My name is McVey.

Yes, captain. Is Major Reynolds
waiting for us?

Yes, sir. He is.

Uh, Mr. Mason, uh,

Major Reynolds
has been relieved of his duties

and restricted to the base.

The restriction is in lieu
of arrest pending completion

of investigation.

Uh, he been charged
with m*rder yet?

Uh, technically, yes.

But, uh, whether or not
a general court-martial

is actually convened
depends to a great extent

on the investigating officer's
report.

That's my report,
Mr. Mason.

Now, uh, it's not my job to try
and work up a case against him

but just to see if there
is a case.

That seems fair enough.

Major Reynolds
is not only entitled

to counsel of his own choice
during a trial--

In case there is one.

--but also during
my investigation.

Defense is entitled
the same privileges

as the prosecution.

So, uh, witnesses,
physical evidence,

it's all yours
to study and question.

Now, uh, you've both
been cleared by security.

So in addition to the plane
the brought you up here,

there's a car
and driver for each of you,

and identification badges
to get you around the base.

So you're all set.

Your driver will take you
to Major Reynolds.

Thank you very much, captain.
See you later.

Well, my men should be
in Santa Maria by now.

We'll get located
and I'll put a tail

on everyone Reynolds mentioned
on the phone.

Some of them may still
be here on the base.

Uh, oh, Paul, that, uh,
civilian engineer

who made the phone call
to Reynolds

after the m*ssile failure--

Yeah, let me see.

Uh, thin voice,
Midwestern accent,

a tendency to stammer.

You told me that, uh, Reynolds
couldn't remember his name.

Doesn't matter. Find him.

Thanks a lot.
And where do I find you?

When I finish with Jerry,

I plan to see a man by the name
of George Huxley.

I understand he's in a hotel
in Santa Maria.

You'll be able
to find me all right.

( dramatic theme playing )

Well?

Well, then when Caldwell
was grounded

for having failed
to carry out an order,

he blamed me for his being
reprimanded and reassigned.

Claimed I'd never
given him the order.

I, uh,
never told you about it, Perry.

It was in Korea,
quite a few years back.

Captain McVey tells me
that Caldwell was k*lled

at approximately a.m.

Now, where were you
at that time Friday?

The worst place
you can think of.

With Caldwell?

Well, I wasn't exactly
with him.

I just happened to run into him
at the Officer's Club here.

But it was an accident,
Perry, honest.

We had an hour
or so before final checkoff.

I dropped in to look for Helen.

That's Helen Rand.

I wanted to ask her about
a press release she did

on the sh**t.

She wasn't there.

Who was there?

Well, Dr. Harrison
and Caldwell.

All right.
Then what happened?

Well, Caldwell saw me.
He came over.

Grabbed my arm
all excited.

Began yakking away about
finally catching up with me,

being able to prove I wasn't
the bright genius

I was supposed to be.

Oh, a lot of stuff.

It didn't make
much sense to me.

Harrison saw and heard this?

Well, I guess so.

I walked away from Caldwell,

went outside to my jeep.

Did he follow you?

Yeah. Still dishing out
the insults,

same kind of accusations
he'd made inside.

I, uh--

I guess I finally lost my temper
and took a swing at him.

I knocked him down.

What happened
after you knocked him down?

Well, I, uh--
I don't know for sure.

I was just so boiling mad,

I-- I started walking
around the base.

I wasn't going anywhere
in particular.

I just--
Trying to cool off, I suppose.

Jerry, exactly
what did Caldwell say to you

that make you angry enough
to hit him?

That I really knew how
to take care of myself.

That he found out about the--

The cushy job
I'd set up for myself

with the Huxley Corporation
after I, uh--

( laughs )

--after I made sure
the Morgan Company would fold.

( dramatic theme playing )

And inasmuch
as I'm a late starter

in the m*ssile field, I'm--

I'm willing to overpay
to get top men for my company.

Major Reynolds
has a good reputation.

So it's as simple
as that, Mr. Mason.

If the Morgan Company went out
of business, Mr. Huxley,

wouldn't you be in line

for additional
Air Force m*ssile contracts?

Yes, it's possible. Very likely,
as a matter of fact.

But, uh, they haven't failed.
Not yet.

You were on the base at the time
of the firing, as an observer.

Did you by any chance, uh,
talk with Captain Caldwell?

The officer that was k*lled?
Yes.

No. I've never even met him.
Why should I have talked to him?

Well, I understand

he was making a thorough
investigation

of, uh,
last week's m*ssile failure.

You know, Mr. Mason,
I'm getting very tired

of these efforts to involve me
in whatever goes on

over at the Morgan Company.

All these efforts?

That's exactly what I said.

You now, and earlier today
a phone call.

Who was it
that called you?

I don't know. Some man.

He sounded quite drunk.

Insisted he meet me here

and tell me something
about the Morgan Company.

As if I cared whatever
he had to say

or anybody else.

Including you, Mr. Mason.

So now, if you don't mind,
I am a little busy.

Uh, just one more question,
Mr. Huxley, and I'll leave.

When was the last time
you saw Helen Rand?

Miss Rand?

Well, now, I--

I haven't seen her since

the Western Region Ballistic
m*ssile conference

about a month ago.

Why do you ask me that?

MASON:
Interesting shade of lipstick
on these filters.

Sorry to have
troubled you, Mr. Huxley.

Hi, Perry, I'd hoped
I'd catch you here.

News, Paul?
Uh-huh.

I found out that Helen Rand

took off from the base
just as we arrived there.

One of my men spotted her
in town and trailed her.

You'll never guess where.

Well, my guess
is that he followed her

right here to this hotel.

Why pay me to find out something
you already know?

( chuckles )

I didn't know.
It was just a guess. Go on.

Well, she was inside
for a while,

then she came out
and waited in her car.

A couple of minutes later a cab
pulls up and a drunk got out.

A drunk?
PAUL: A drunk.

He staggered toward the lobby
and Helen Rand spotted him.

She ran out of her car,
grabbed him,

started yakking at him
like a house afire,

put him in her car
and drove off.

That was, oh,
about half an hour ago.

Where'd they go?

She dropped him off
at the downtown hotel.

He managed to make it
into the lobby

and she took off for the base.

The drunk's name is Bradbury.

Dr. Bradbury.

Good work, Paul.

And there's more.

The engineer who called
Major Reynolds last week

and said he'd found something
that might relate

to the last m*ssile failure?
You've seen the engineer?

PAUL:
No, but we know who he is.

His name's Bert Springer,

and we're trying
to locate him now.

Do you, uh, wanna come along?

No.

No, I think I'll try my luck
with Dr. Bradbury.

Keep in touch.
Will do.

( ominous theme playing )

( groaning )

Dr. Bradbury.

Hm.

Dr. Bradbury.

Hm.

Who are you?

Perry Mason.

Major Reynolds' attorney.

( sighs ):
Oh, yeah, yeah, sure.

Major Reynolds.

He's a good man.

He's a fine
scientific mind.

Sorry.

I'm real sorry he's got
into so much trouble.

It's not good.

I, uh, thought you might
be able to tell me about it.

How did I help him?

He's a good friend, Jerry.

He's a good friend.

Is that why you called
George Huxley,

then tried to see him?

Huxley?

Who said I called Huxley?

Why, um, you did,
Dr. Bradbury.

You said you called him.

Oh.

Well, maybe I did.

What about it?

What are you gonna do?

I just wondered, uh,

what it was you wanted
to tell him

that Helen Rand was against
you telling him?

Bradbury.

Brad, I brought your key.

You've got to go upstairs
and get some sleep.

Come on.

( slurring ):
Can't you see I'm talking to,

uh, Perry Mason?

Uh, it's a very important
conversation, Dr. Harrison.

You're Dr. Harrison?

Mm.

He's in no condition to talk.

He wouldn't make any sense.

Come on, Brad,
on your feet. Come on.

Oh, but, I was--
Come on.

But you--

I wanted
to tell him...

( sighs ):
Perry.

I found that man
Springer for you,

but there's just
one trouble.

Yeah, I'm afraid
I found him first.

Afraid you found him first? Why?

Well, this is what Springer
discovered last week.

It's what's left
of the retainer bolt

from the yaw gimbal shaft
of booster engine number one

of the Scepter m*ssile that
was aborted last week.

Here, have a look.

They've both been
sheared off on one end.

MCVEY:
Yeah, it was cut halfway through
with a hacksaw.

And the rest of it just snapped

under , pounds
of pressure.

This two-bit
piece of hardware,

deliberately tampered with,

was very likely responsible
for the destruction

of a million-dollar m*ssile.

That's what, uh, Springer
called Reynolds about?

Mm-hm, instead of giving it
to Reynolds,

he turned it over
to Captain Caldwell

before he was m*rder*d.

We, uh--
We hadn't known that.

Although we had found the bolt.

You found that bolt before
Springer told you about it?

Where?

It was carefully tucked
inside a hardhat.

Whose?

The personal protective headgear

that Major Reynolds kept
at the launch control center.

I'm really sorry, Mr. Mason.

Sorry, captain?

I'm going to recommend

that the general
court-martial be convened

and that Major Reynolds
be tried for m*rder.

( dramatic theme playing )

Prosecution
is ready to proceed

with the trial
in the case of

the United States
v. Gerald Reynolds,

major, United States Air Force.

Sergeant Diamond has been
appointed reporter

for this court
and will now be sworn.

Will counsel representing
the accused

state whether
the legal qualifications

of the appointed member
of the defense

are, other than as stated,
in the appointing orders,

and will individual
counsel state

whether he's been
certified as counsel

by the appropriate
judge advocate general?

The legal qualifications

of the appointed member
of the defense

is correctly stated
in the appointing orders,

as certified by the office
of the judge advocate general.

Trial will proceed
on the charges.

The accused, Gerald Reynolds,
major, United States Air Force,

pleads to all specifications
and charges: not guilty.

The prosecution has
no opening statement.

Very well. Proceed
with the first witness.

The prosecution
calls as witness

Dr. Richard Stanton.

Dr. Stanton, please.

( door closes )

...And there were numerous
abrasions and, uh, lacerations

on Captain Caldwell's forehead,
cheekbone and chin.

And did you, uh, determine
the cause of death, doctor?

A heavy blow
in the cranial area,

directly over
the occipital lobe.

The left side of his skull
was literally caved in.

Death was instantaneous.

And the time of death?

Uh, between and :
in the morning.

I show you this rock.

Prosecution exhibit number one
for identification.

As I shall establish
subsequently,

it was discovered
near the body of the decedent.

Have you examined
the rock, doctor?

Yes.

There was cortical tissue
adhering to it.

Its size and weight conform
to the extent of the blow,

and, uh, specimens
of blood and hair I found on it

are similar in type
to those of the decedent.

In my opinion, that rock
was used to k*ll the decedent.

...And who was there
in the Officer's Club

when you arrived
in the very early morning?

Uh, Dr. Bradbury
and Captain Caldwell.

They were having
coffee together.

Did you join them?

No, I had some reports
to look over.

I sat at another table.

Then Dr. Bradbury
left the club

and Captain Caldwell
came over to me.

We chatted for a while and then
Major Reynolds came in.

What time was that?

About ten minutes later.

I'd say, uh,
a little before a.m.

And may I ask what
happened then, doctor?

Well, Major Reynolds
went over to the coffee urn,

and, uh, Captain Caldwell
followed him.

They got into rather
a heated discussion

and, uh, Major Reynolds
pushed him away and left.

Then Captain Caldwell
followed him out of the club.

Now, let me understand
this clearly, sergeant.

At minutes after
in the morning,

you picked up Major Reynolds

walking alone on the range,

and you brought him directly
to the launch control center.

And the major stayed
inside the control center,

where you could see him,

until considerably later
that morning,

when you both left
the control center.

Yes, sir.

The final countdown
was stopped

when something
was spotted on the range.

The air police,
Captain McVey,

had discovered the body
of Captain Caldwell.

At : you picked up
Major Reynolds on the range.

Uh, tell me, sergeant,

where was the body
of the m*rder*d man

in relation to where you
picked up Major Reynolds?

About yards
further downrange, sir.

COOKE:
Thank you, sergeant.

The prosecution
has no further questions.

Sergeant,

when you were searching
for the major,

didn't it occur to you to try
the Officer's Club?

Oh, but I did look in
at the Officer's Club.

You did?
At what time?

About : .

Well, didn't Dr. Harrison
advise you

that Major Reynolds
had just left?

Why, no,
he couldn't have, sir.

There wasn't anybody there
at that time.

The Officer's Club
was empty at : ?

You're positive?

Yes, I am, sir.

So you saw no one in the club

or no one entering
or leaving the club at : ?

Yes, sir, that's correct.

But just as I got to the club,
a jeep was pulling away.

I called Major Reynolds
over my speaker,

but the jeep didn't stop.

You called Major Reynolds
over your speaker,

but did you have any idea
who was in that jeep?

No, sir, just someone
in a big hurry.

Thank you, sergeant.

Defense has no
further questions.

Please, continue, major.

Now, Dr. Bradbury,
the court has examined the bolt

to see how it was
deliberately tampered with.

Now, could you tell
us whether a bolt,

so tampered with,

could have been
a prime factor

in the failure
of the Scepter m*ssile?

By shearing and affecting
the gimbal control

of one of the booster motors,

it could have been, yes.

Now, on the day
of the successful sh**t,

who was in charge
of all pre-flight testing?

I was.

Going back a week
to the sh**t that failed,

who was in charge of all
pre-flight testing then?

Were you, Dr. Bradbury?

Well, no, I--
I was ill that day.

Major Reynolds
had assumed my duties.

So before the m*ssile failed,

the m*ssile carrying
this tampered-with bolt,

Major Reynolds
took over your duties?

Well, he...

( sighs )

Yes.

COOKE:
Previous to my placing this bolt

in your hands, doctor,

when did you last see it?

At the Officer's Club

the morning before
the successful launch.

Captain Caldwell
showed it to me.

Within minutes of the m*rder,

the decedent had this damaging
evidence in his possession?

Yes.

COOKE:
Thank you, Dr. Bradbury.

Prosecution
has no further questions.

Uh, Major Cooke, may I see
that bolt, please?

Thank you.

This, um--

This illness
which came over you

on the day of the m*ssile
failure, was it sudden?

Well, no, not sudden.

It-- It just happened.

Of course, you checked
with a medical officer.

Well,
it wasn't that serious.

No?

It prevented you
from carrying out

your pre-flight checkoff
duties, did it not?

Well, I'd-- I'd had
a couple of drinks.

I'd been under great pressure.

Great pressure, doctor?

Could that pressure
have been the result

of Captain Caldwell's
investigation?

No. No, he wasn't
accusing me.

Uh, he didn't even understand
the significance of that bolt.

I-- I had to explain it
to him.

Now, uh,
Dr. Harrison testified

that you left the club
a little before .

Is that correct?
Yes.

How well do you know
Helen Rand?

Well--

We're, uh--

We're good friends.

Defense has
no further questions.

...And this protective headgear
belonging to Major Reynolds

is always kept on top
of the clothes rack

just inside of launch
control center -B,

where the major
works during test sh**t.

What else can you tell us

about this particular
hardhat, captain?

Well, the bolt
that had been tampered with,

the one the decedent
had in his possession

prior to his death,

we found that bolt
tucked inside the headgear,

right here underneath
the webbing.

Thank you, captain.

One moment, Major Cooke.

Is it the contention
of the prosecution

that this bolt was placed inside
the protective headgear

by the defendant

when he was brought

to the launch control center

by his sergeant
sometime after : ?

COOKE:
Yes, sir.

BISHOP:
All this, of course,

hinges on the fact
that the decedent

must have had the bolt in his
possession when he was m*rder*d.

May I remind the court

that Dr. Bradbury testified

that the decedent had the bolt

and showed it to Dr. Bradbury

prior to leaving
the Officer's Club?

Subject to objection
from the law officer

or either counsel,

the court would like to recall
two previous witnesses

to clear up this point
before going on

with Captain McVey's
testimony.

Uh, well, Captain Caldwell
showed me the bolt

and then returned it
to his pocket.

To the best of my knowledge

he still had it when
I left the club.

Bradbury and Caldwell
were examining the bolt

and discussing it.

Then Captain Caldwell
put the bolt

back in his pocket.

When Dr. Bradbury left

and Captain Caldwell
joined you,

did he show you the bolt?
No.

BISHOP:
When Captain Caldwell went

to join Major Reynolds,
did he show him the bolt?

Not inside the club, no.

Did you see him give it
to anyone

or otherwise dispose of it
before he left the club?

To the best of my knowledge,

Captain Caldwell still had
the bolt in his pocket

when he and Major Reynolds
left the club.

I hand you prosecution
exhibit number six

for identification.
A regulation-issue flashlight.

You recognize it,
captain?

Yes, it has my mark on it.

It was found
in a clump of bushes

approximately yards distant

from the point at which
the decedent's body was found.

Since it was badly smashed

and there was considerable
blood on the top portion of it,

we checked it over carefully.

And what did you
discover, captain?

Well, the blood was
of the same type

as that of the decedent.

Additionally, the lacerations
and abrasions

of the decedent matched in size,

the top of the flashlight.

In my opinion, sir,
this flashlight

was the w*apon used
to inflict wounds

on the face and forehead
of the decedent.

And have you determined to whom
this flashlight belonged?

The flashlight
is Major Reynolds'.

One moment, Major Cooke.

I must object.

No possible foundation
has been laid

that would justify the statement

that that flashlight
has in fact been

in the defendant's possession.

May I?

How can it
be distinguished

from the thousands
and thousands

of identical flashlights
issued by the military?

No marks, and obviously no
fingerprints on the barrel.

Captain McVey,

why did you say the flashlight
was Major Reynolds?

Mr. Mason is right.

The outside barrel was smeared
as if by a cloth.

And even if it hadn't been,

it's doubtful if we could have
lifted any useful prints.

But inside,

on this reflector,

we did find two clear
fingerprints.

And whose fingerprints
were those?

The defendant's.
Major Reynolds.

( dramatic theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

Well, Paul, did you
get the lowdown

on the good
Dr. Bradbury's finances?

They're lean but very lean.

Except for a $ , check

he cashed and deposited

the day before
the m*ssile failure.

The teller in Bradbury's bank

has a memory
like an elephant,

especially where it comes
to $ , checks.

And especially
when they're signed

by no less
than George Huxley.

Guessing again?
Hm.

Well, it was signed
by Huxley, all right,

but it wasn't made out
to Bradbury.

It was made out to Helen Rand

and she endorsed it to Bradbury.

How's that for a triangle?

It's the kind of triangle
a clever Air Force attorney

like Cooke will turn into
an edifice of damaging proof.

Quite a lawyer,
that Major Cooke.

All the service attorneys
I've met are highly competent.

They're as dedicated
to the legal profession

as they are
to the uniforms they wear.

Well, where to now, Perry?

Paul, I think it's time
to get out the tackle

and do a little fishing.

Good luck.

( dramatic theme playing )

...And after that failure
it became apparent

that unless the next launch
was a success,

I would be finished
and so would the Scepter.

Did you know
that the defendant

was planning to resign
his commission in the Air Force?

Yes, he told me so himself.

And about his father
and about needing the money.

I offered him a job
but he turned it down.

For what reason?

He said he would have
to do better

than the ,
a year I offered him.

The prosecution
has no further questions.

Mr. Morgan, didn't you resent
Captain Caldwell's

investigation
of your company?

No, why should I?

You had no idea of what he was
reporting to his superiors?

Mm, not exactly, no.

But, uh, he kept me posted
on all his activities.

Would you mind telling me when
he last kept you posted.

It was, uh,
that Friday morning, early.

Before he was k*lled.

I was in my office
going over some reports

before the final countdown.

Captain Caldwell
came to my office

about, uh, : ,
I think it was.

He was very excited,
as a matter of fact.

Excited about what?

Well, he said he had
the final proof

as to the cause
of the prior failure.

He showed me a partly
sawed-through bolt.

Said it represented

the culmination
of his entire investigation.

And before Captain Caldwell
left my office he said,

"After I see Major Reynolds,

you won't have to worry anymore
about a failure, Mr. Morgan."

Major Reynolds
was resigning.

I offered him a job.
A good job.

Captain Caldwell was completely
aware of the situation.

At no time was there
any implication

that I was rating
either the Air Force

or the Morgan Company.

Without impugning
you personally, the fact remains

that with the Morgan Company
out of business,

you would have picked up
its contract

and Major Reynolds,
who could have insured

the Morgan Company failure,

was seeking employment with you.

What salary was the major
to receive from you?

Thirty-five thousand
dollars a year.

Are you aware that that's
more than double

what the Morgan Company
offered him?

No, I'm not,
nor do I care.

Major Reynolds was worth that to
the Huxley m*ssile Corporation

so that's what
I offered him.

Prosecution has
no further questions.

May it please the court,

I request that each
and every witness

connected with this trial

be physically present
in the courtroom

during my cross-examination
of Mr. Huxley.

The prosecution objects.

We see no valid reason to waive
the rules of procedure.

Before ruling on the objection,

the court would like to hear
from the law officer,

Colonel Fremont.

May I ask, uh, for what purpose
of the defense counsel

makes this request?

To establish voice
identification

in regard
to a telephone conversation.

Both the request
of the defense counsel

and prosecution's objections

are within the discretion
of this court.

The Air Force is interested
in justice, not form.

Subject to objections
from any member of the court,

the prosecution's
objection is overruled.

( dramatic theme playing )

Mr. Huxley, the day
following the m*rder,

you received
a telephone call

from a man purporting to have
important information for you

regarding the Morgan Company,
isn't that so?

Yes, I received such a call.

But that's as far as it went.

Wasn't the man who called

actually your contact inside
the Morgan Company?

Of course not.

Then why did you write
a $ , check

which ended up in Dr. Bradbury's
bank account?

I did no such thing.
That's absolutely untrue.

You deny the check?
Let me refresh your memory.

It was made out to Helen Rand,
endorsed by her to Dr. Bradbury.

No. No, I don't deny that check.

I gave it to Helen--

For what, Mr. Huxley?

Well, it-- It was a gift.

I-- I wanted her to buy
something for herself.

We're very old friends.

So the check was merely
a token of friendship,

or to put it another way,
a token of love?

Yes. Yes, of love.

You cheat.

You no-good cheat.

Brad, shut up.
You've got it all wrong.

I thought you were supposed
to be in love with me.

There'll be order in this court.

BRAD: That was just an advance.
BISHOP: Order!

I was to wreck that m*ssile,
put Morgan out of business

and then the whole world was
gonna be ours. Yours and mine.

Shut up, you fool.

BISHOP: Order!
Just shut up!

( gavel banging )
Yeah, sure,

I'm a weakling and I'm a drunk

but who made that Scepter go?
BISHOP: Order!

I did. Me.

I couldn't fail again,
not even for you.

There'll be order
in this court.

BISHOP:
Order.

The defense
has no further questions.

But with the court's permission,

I would like
to recall a witness.

Mr. Dan Morgan.

...And as I stated before,

Captain Caldwell
showed me the bolt

to assure me that he had
finished the investigation.

According to your testimony,

that was
at approximately a.m.

Yes, about that time.

That's most interesting,
Mr. Morgan,

considering the fact
the decedent had no idea at all

of the significance
of that bolt

until Dr. Bradbury
explained it to him

minutes later.

Well, I--

No--
Now, the only time

you saw Caldwell that morning,
was when you k*lled him.

Isn't that so, Mr. Morgan?

The Scepter was the most
important thing in my life.

I would have done anything
to see it fly.

Anything.

I would have, and--
And I did.

Many of the things I did
over the past few years

were wrong,
against the law.

But it was--
It was either that or stop,

and nothing
was going to stop me.

Captain Caldwell found out.

Enough to put me
out of business.

Enough to keep
the Scepter from flying.

Don't you understand?

He wouldn't let my bird fly.

I-- I didn't want to k*ll him.

But I--
I begged with him.

I-- I pleaded.
I-- I cried.

But he wouldn't listen.

The Scepter, my Scepter,

he wouldn't let it fly.

You don't understand
what it means

to build out of nothing
but a dream.

Why, jets hadn't even been--

They hadn't even been invented
when I was talking about--

About missiles.

M-Morgan, the fool visionary,
they called me.

But I fought it through.

Yes, I k*lled him.

( dramatic theme playing )

Let it be, no matter what,

I built the first Scepter.

And it flew.

It flew.

( dramatic theme playing )

( upbeat theme playing )

So it was Morgan's jeep
that your sergeant saw

pulling out of the Officer's
Club that morning.

But my flashlight,
how did that get involved?

Well, you must have dropped it
by accident

and Morgan saw it

and decided to try and frame you
for the m*rder.

He picked it up
with a handkerchief

and beat Caldwell with it.

And almost defeated himself

by wiping your fingerprints

from the barrel
of the flashlight.

But not the inside reflector.

No, Captain McVey,
not the reflector.

Morgan then took the, uh,
bolt from Caldwell's pocket

and completed the frame
by hiding it in your helmet.

Well, Perry, what can I say
but thanks.

Oh, it might help
if I told you that I've, uh--

I've decided not
to take this uniform off.

Somebody still has to nurse
the Scepter along.

I'd like it to be me.

Good, Jerry.

We can work things out

as far as your dad's concerned.

I think you'll agree
that, uh,

the uniform
belongs on you, major.

Be seeing you.

Captain.

Bye-bye.

( majestic theme playing )

( noirish jazz theme playing )