04x26 - The Case of the Duplicate Daughter

[bunniefuu]

( noirish jazz theme playing )

( mellow theme playing )

"The glorious gifts of the gods
may not be cast aside."

"Behold,"
the noble Homer said.

"Cometh the java,

hot, black
and delicious."

Is something wrong, Dad?

Wrong?

No, no, no.

Eggs the way
you like them?

Oh.

Just not enough,
that's all.

Muriell, baby,
I'm awfully hungry this morning.

How about another egg

and some more
of that venison sausage?

( sighs )

Of course.

Thank you, baby.

Here we are.

( mysterious theme playing )

Dad?

Your breakfast
is getting cold.

Dad?

What is it, Muriell?

Dad.

He didn't finish
his breakfast and I--

I'm looking for him.

It's obvious he's not here.

Sorry, Nancy.

( sighs )

( dramatic theme playing )

Oh, what are you doing

banging around
this time of night?

I'm sorry
I woke you, Glamis.

Oh, it's not me, silly.

You might have
wakened Hartley.

Hartley?
Hartley Elliott, here?

Mm-hm.

In the guestroom.

Something went wrong
with his car

when he brought me home,
so of course I asked him

to spend the night
in the guestroom.

Well, Dad didn't
finish his breakfast,

and he hasn't
left for the office.

Well, I just don't know
where he is.

Well, did you look out
in that smelly old shop of his?

( sighs )

( clicks tongue )

( mysterious theme playing )

( tense theme playing )

( screams )

( crying )

Muriell Gilman. Mm-hm.

Now for the address.

Vauxman.

Oh, fine, Miss Gilman.

Yes, and try
not to worry too much.

I'll have Mr. Mason call
as soon as he comes in.

You're very welcome.

Bye.

Gilman.

Carter Gilman.

( door opens )

Morning, Della.

Morning, Perry.

A young woman just called
and she's lost her father

and she seems
terribly frightened.

What do you mean
she's lost her father?

Well, it just so happens
that he disappeared

right in the middle
of breakfast.

A good place to disappear.

Perry, she found your name

on a list of appointments
in his briefcase.

Do I know him?

Not that I know of.
Carter Gilman?

That rings no bells.

Perry, yesterday afternoon,
late, a man called.

He wanted an appointment and
said it was of extreme urgency.

I gave him
an appointment at : .

Here, : this morning.

"Mr. Edward Carter."

Edward Carter,
Carter Gilman.

Mm-hm.

Carter Gilman's address
is Vauxman.

Mr. Edward Carter
also left an address.

Vauxman?

I think we better
get in touch

with your frightened young lady
right away.

The red stain
on the floor

is not blood.
It's paint.

Oh, thank heaven.

But there was obviously
quite a fight in here.

This must have been knocked over
during the struggle.

Your father's workshop?

Yes.

Woodworking is his hobby.

He's very good at it.

He certainly uses fine woods.

A hundred of these bills
scattered on the floor.

Ten thousand dollars.

But where
did it come from?

I don't know.

That money isn't mine,
I don't want any part of it.

All right,
Miss Gilman,

I'll hold it
for a while.

Now, other than
you and your father,

who was in the house?

Nancy, my stepmother.

Glamis Barlow,
my stepsister.

And-- And Hartley Elliott,

Glamis' boyfriend.

He spent the night here.

I saw him leave
a few minutes ago.

Now, you said your father
seemed preoccupied

with something outside
the dining room window?

I guess he saw something
out there.

But why didn't he tell me?

Mr. Mason, do you think
he saw someone

coming into this workshop?

Or someone leaving it.

Now, suppose you find me
a recent picture of your father.

What are you
going to do, Mr. Mason?

Call the police?

No. Not yet.

I'll wait and see
what happens at : .

( intercom buzzes )

DELLA ( over intercom ):
He's here, Perry.

Uh, bring him in.

Tell Gertie
to get hold of Paul for me.

DELLA:
Mr. Edward Carter.

Mr. Mason.

Uh, won't you sit down,
Mr. Carter?

I believe
you told Miss Street

this was a matter
of extreme urgency.

I'm acting
on behalf of a friend.

A very dear friend.

A woman who happens
to be married to a man

who is also
a friend of mine.

And her name?

Gilman.
Nancy Gilman.

I'm visiting her
and her husband at the moment.

What about Mrs. Gilman?

Mr. Mason, Mrs. Gilman
is being blackmailed.

And, uh,
you being her friend,

want me to do
something about it?

Yes, sir,
that's why I'm here.

I wanna know
what's in her past

so that we know what hold
the blackmailer has over her.

Do you know
who the blackmailer is?

Yes, sir, I do.

A woman private detective
named Vera M. Martel.

She has an office
in Las Vegas.

I'd like to know a little more
about, uh, Nancy Gilman.

About her husband,
for instance.

Well, Mr. Gilman
was married before.

He has one daughter,
Muriell. She's .

He married again
and the second wife, Nancy,

has a daughter
by a prior marriage.

Glamis. Glamis Barlow.

I'm very fond
of the entire family,

and particularly
the two daughters.

They're as different
as night and day.

But where Mr. and Mrs. Gilman
are concerned,

they're duplicate
and devoted daughters.

But you think there is something
in Mrs. Gilman's past

which would, uh,
lay her open to blackmail.

Uh, Mr. Carter,

perhaps what you need
is a good private investigator.

But you don't understand,
Mr. Mason.

I want you
as an attorney.

Yes, of course,
hire anybody else as necessary,

but you do it.

Do you happen to know
if there's a workshop

someplace around
the Gilman house?

Why, yes, of course,

I-- I've seen it there.

Why do you ask?

Mr. Carter, I'll take your case
on one condition:

I want you to assign to me all
your right, title and interest,

whatever it may be,

to the contents
of that workshop.

All those contents
that exist at the present time

or existed at any other time
during the day.

Well, I'll sign anything,
Mr. Mason,

but, quite obviously since
I'm only a guest at the house

and own nothing in the workshop
or any place else there,

uh, such a paper
would be a legal absurdity.

Hm. I'd simply
like to have, uh,

what we lawyers call,
"color of title,"

to give me a legal right
to explore the premises.

Now, if it's agreeable,
I'll have my secretary

get together with you
in the outer office,

draw up a bill of sale
and we'll go right to work.

Look, Mr. Mason.

Apparently I have no choice.

Thank you.

Perry,
what on earth?

If that $ ,
from the workshop

now locked in our safe

is money he collected
to pay blackmail,

I'd have a legitimate excuse
to, uh, hold it.

Moreover, I couldn't be accused
of suppressing evidence,

you understand?

( knock on door )

Hi, Perry.
You wanted to see me?

Suspected blackmail victim,
Mrs. Nancy Gilman.

Nancy Gilman
is supposedly being blackmailed

by a private investigator
named, uh, Vera Martel,

who evidently--
Wait a minute.

Wrong tense.

Was, not is.

Your lady private eye
isn't blackmailing anybody.

She's dead.

Where's Gilman?

He called his office

and, whatever it was
his secretary told him, he--

He signed the bill of sale
without even reading it

and just hurried out.

Well, no hope
of catching him now.

Paul, are you sure
Vera Martel is dead?

Well, I didn't check the corpse
personally, but I'm sure.

What happened?

The highway patrol
found a body

down a ravine
in the Hollywood Hills.

Turned out to be
one Vera Martel.

Accident?

Supposed to look like it,
but it wasn't. It was m*rder.

She was strangled
sometime this morning.

Pretty funny routine too.

What do you mean?

Well, Vera's clothes
were loaded with sawdust.

Sawdust from
real expensive wood yet.

And one spot on her dress
was all smeared with red paint.

Figure that one.

I can.

It won't take the police
long either.

What?

I've been playing a blind hand
and I've just been raised.

Paul, I'm gonna start
a little rough probing

in the hope I can push
someone into running.

If they start running,
I'll wanna know where they go

and what they do.

All right.

We checked his office,
he wasn't there.

Now, do you still insist
none of you knows

where Mr. Gilman is?

If you doubt
our answers,

why waste our time and yours
with stupid questions?

Would you also characterize
m*rder as stupid?

It's Dad. I knew
something was wrong,

I knew it.

Oh, relax.

If if he were dead,

Mr. Mason wouldn't
be asking where he is.

Mr. Mason, is there
anything else you wish to know?

Yes.

Did any of you withdraw
$ , from the bank?

Does any one of you
know if Mr. Gilman

withdrew $ ,
from the bank?

Do any of you know
Vera Martel?

Thanks.

You've been a big help,
all of you.

Mr. Mason.

You pick a name out of thin air
and you throw it at us.

Who is Vera Martel?

She was
a private detective.

Possibly
a blackmailer.

She was m*rder*d
this morning.

GLAMIS:
Well, what has that
got to do with us?

I have reason to believe
the police are going to claim

that she was strangled
to death

in the workshop
behind your garage.

And that $ , ,

either a bribe
or blackmail payment,

was left
in that workshop

while someone disposed
of Vera Martel's body.

You're either
drunk or crazy.

( doorbell rings )

That is probably
the police.

When they're finished,

let me know if you think
they're drunk or crazy.

Well,

Perry Mason
answering doors.

Counselor,
we traced a taxi receipt

in a dead woman's purse
to this address.

I have
a search warrant here.

You'll find the sawdust
and the red paint

in the workshop
behind the garage.

Excuse me.
Sergeant.

( dramatic theme playing )

( engine starts )

( suspenseful theme playing )

( engine starts )

( dramatic theme playing )

Paul.

Hi, Alan.
Is she here?

Uh, you were right.
She did come here to Las Vegas.

One of my men spotted her
coming into town.

How'd you figure?

Well, I tailed her
to Victorville.

Just outside of town,
I blew a fuel pump,

got stranded in the desert
and lost her.

But, Las Vegas
was the only place

she could have
been going to.

Well, we had
the same bad luck.

My man spotted her,
all right, but that's all.

Then he lost her
in downtown traffic.

But we'll find her,
don't worry.

And I may have
something for you

on the girl
knowing Vera Martel.

Vera Martel.

Are the cops crawling
all over her office now?

Not that I know of.

Have you got a car?
Yeah, I rented one for you.

Waiting out front
alongside mine.
Good.

( mysterious theme playing )

( clattering inside )

I had a hunch
you might be headed here.

Oh, I know
you're inside.

Now, the cops take a dim view
of breaking and entering.

But then,
I'm not a cop.

I'm a friend.
I work for Perry Mason.

So, uh, maybe you
better come on out now.

MAN:
Carter Gilman?

( footsteps approaching )

SHERIFF:
I don't know who you are,
mister. Not yet.

But you made us move in
before we wanted to.

This place has been
staked out for an hour.

Gilman,
you're under arrest.

You're wanted in Los Angeles
for the m*rder of Vera Martel.

( tense theme playing )

Thank you.

Uh, I'm lucky they didn't
toss me in the clink.

What about Carter Gilman?

Well, he waived extradition
and they flew him down to L.A.

I imagine they're
booking him now.

Glamis Barlow?

Oh, we found her,
all right.

She went straight to her
father's house and stayed there.

Her real father?

Steven A. Barlow.

He and Glamis' mother
were divorced several years ago.

He lives in Las Vegas.

There's only one trouble:

He really isn't
the real father.

Well, now,
that really makes sense.

Perry, I think
we hit the jackpot.

I had to get a friend
stoned to do it

and he'll probably hate me,

but I found out why Mrs. Gilman
was being blackmailed.

Before she became
Mrs. Nancy Gilman,

our girl was
Mrs. Steven A. Barlow.

Before that,
Miss Nancy Adair,

an, uh, uninhibited
Greenwich Village artist.

Uninhibited?

You mean, her daughter,
Glamis Barlow,

isn't Glamis Barlow?

You guessed it.

The real papa's
John Yerman.

Only it seems
this Yerman was a creep

and Nancy
came to despise him.

And, as to Nancy,

impending motherhood alone
was no must for matrimony,

so she left him.
Disappeared.

How in the world did you
get all this information?

Well, the answer to that
is part of the story.

Nancy then married
Steven A. Barlow.

Glamis was born,
years go by,

she divorces Steven A. Barlow
and marries Carter Gilman.

But in the meantime,

big things are happening
to John Yerman.

He inherits $ million.

And I suppose Yerman
wanted to find this girl

he'd never seen?

That's right.

However, he died
a little over a year ago

without ever seeing her.

Nonetheless, he willed
every cent of his estate

to the unknown child,
if alive.

Did his estate, uh,
locate Glamis?

Well, yes and no.

Glamis still doesn't know about
either Yerman or the money.

Nancy, Mrs. Gilman,
went to New York,

established
Glamis' identity

and settled
with the estate.

How much was involved
in the settlement?

Two million dollars, tax free,
on one condition:

That Glamis,
or anyone else,

need never know the true story
of her birth record.

As far as I can find out,
the money's in a secret trust

and Glamis still thinks
that this Steven A. Barlow

in Las Vegas
is her real father.

So...

...Muriell, Glamis,
Nancy, Carter,

and now Steven Barlow,
are involved.

Well, there's one more.

The Gilman's
overnight guest.

Glamis' boyfriend,
Hartley Elliott.

Oh, yes.
By the way, Paul,

I wanna
get to that boy first.

Tonight?

If possible.

I'll check with Della
right after my visit

with Carter Gilman.

Let's go over this.

You were eating breakfast,

you, uh,
saw something or someone

through the dining room
windows.

Someone
inside the workshop.

It looked like
Vera Martel.

You, uh, sent Muriell
to get more food,

so you could go out
to the workshop?

No.

I wanted to watch the workshop
without Muriell knowing.

But you did leave
the dining room

and go out there?

Later.

After I saw somebody
running out of the workshop

upset, frightened
and almost panicky.

Who was it?

A member of my family.

Which member
of your family?

Sorry, I'm not gonna
tell you that.

You, uh,
went to the workshop.

What then?

Well, I saw the money
scattered around the floor,

signs of a struggle,

and what appeared
to be a pool of blood,

but no Vera.

I ran outside,

I ran after--

The member
of my family.

But I lost her.

I looked around
without much luck

and found myself
at a bus stop.

I finally gave up took the bus
downtown from there.

I remembered I had
an appointment with you

and, well,
I came back to your office

instead of
going back to mine.

Why were you in such a hurry
to leave me office?

Well, I spoke to my secretary
on the phone.

She said there was a letter
from Vera Martel.

I rushed over
to have a look at it.

It, uh,

contained
a carefully worded suggestion

that she had something
that I might wanna buy.

Well, at that point,
Mason,

I decided that perhaps
I should handle matters myself.

So I went
straight to Las Vegas.

To do what?

r*fle Vera Martel's
office?

Somebody had searched
the place before me.

By the way, how did you
get into her office?

Well, I'd taken impressions
of Vera Martel's keys

and had duplicates made.
You what?

Well, she'd been
hanging around my office

asking questions
as a prospective investor.

I finally found out
who she was

and what she was.

One day, I found her car
next to mine in the parking lot.

I, uh,
use modeling clay

to make forms
for my woodworking lathes.

I had some
in the trunk of the car

and I used that
to take the impressions.

Who made the keys?

A locksmith.

I can't remember his name.

You will when
he's put on the witness stand

to testify against you.

Witness stand?

Mr. Gilman,

before the police finish,

they'll have a case
not only against you,

but at least one other
member of your family.

Now, I must have the truth,

all of it.

I refuse to tell you.

Very well.

Just think this over:

You may not have been
the only witness.

Someone else may have seen
the frightened person

who ran
out of that workshop.

And they'll likely
have no compunction whatsoever

about revealing, in court,
the identity of the person

you're trying to protect.

( tense theme playing )

You wanted to ask me
a few questions, Mr. Mason?

How well do you know
the Gilman family, Mr. Elliott?

Well, I don't.

Except, of course,
for Glamis.

And I have met her, uh,
stepsister, Muriell.

You've been going
with Glamis?

Yes.

We've been thinking seriously
of getting married, in fact.

Now, that particular night
when you brought Glamis home,

your car battery went dead,
I understand.

Yes.

I stayed overnight
in the Gilman guestroom,

had a new battery
brought over in the morning.

You got up early, then.

Did you see or hear
anything unusual?

ELLIOTT:
As a matter of fact, yes.

I happened to look out of
the window while I was dressing

and I noticed someone
running from the workshop

in back
of the garage.

Someone who seemed frightened?

Yes.

I must admit,
I was a bit curious.

But then Glamis
said something to me

that made me realize
I must have been wrong.

Glamis
said something?

Uh, sure.

She was the one
I thought I saw.

You mean, you saw Glamis
running out of the workshop

just a few minutes before
you heard Muriell

looking for her father?

That's right.

You tell that story
on the witness stand

and you'll be putting
the girl you hope to marry

into the gas chamber
for first-degree m*rder.

( chuckles )

He's kidding, isn't he?

No, I'm afraid not.

Well, if I'm not subpoenaed,
I can't testify.

And if I can't be found,
I can't be subpoenaed.

Mr. Elliott.

If you're thinking
of running away,

as an attorney
and an officer of the court,

I must tell you
it's your duty to testify.

You've done your duty.

Now, don't worry
about mine.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

There was a broken
hyoid bone

and distinctive
petechial hemorrhagic spots.

And could you tell us, doctor,
at what time death occurred?

Vera M. Martel had been
strangled to death manually,

sometime between
: a.m. and : a.m.

She had been dead
for some time

before her body was thrown down
the side of the cliff.

And there were
bits of sawdust

found under
the decedent's fingernails,

is that correct?

That is correct.

BURGER:
Thank you, Dr. Hoxie,

that'll be all.

This is another sample
of the sawdust

identical to the sawdust

found on the clothes
and body of the victim.

And this,
lieutenant?

Yes,
those are human hairs

identical to those
of the victim,

Vera M. Martel.

And finally this.

Yes, that's
modeling clay.

Now, lieutenant, would you
please tell this court

exactly where
you found the sawdust,

the bits of
the decedent's hair,

and the modeling clay?

In the trunk
of Carter Gilman's car.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Uh, continue,
Mr. Fellows.

Well, this man came to me
with clay exactly like this.

There were impressions
in the clay.

And, using them,
I made him a set of keys.

Now, these keys
in this case

belonged to the decedent,
Vera Martel.

I ask you to examine them

and to tell us
if there's any similarity

between Vera Martel's keys
and the ones you made up.

Yes they're absolutely
identical.

And would you
tell this court, please,

for whom you made a duplicate
set of Vera Martel's keys?

I made them
for Mr. Carter Gilman.

Now, Miss Gilman,
when you left the dining room,

where did you go?

To the kitchen.

I prepared the sausage and egg
that my father had asked for.

And then what?

Well,

when I came back...

...my father was gone.

BURGER:
That'll be all.

Your witness.

The defense has
no questions at this time.

The prosecution's next witness
was apprehended a few days ago

at the airport,
trying to leave town.

I call Hartley Elliott
to the stand, please.

Mr. Elliott, when you were
getting dressed

on the morning
of the m*rder,

you stood and looked out
the window?

Yes.

You were able to see
the door of the workshop?

Yes.

Did you see anybody
running out of that door?

I don't remember.

Really, Mr. Elliott?

Well, let me be
more specific then.

Did you see Glamis Barlow
run out of that workshop door?

I refuse to answer.

BURGER:
On what grounds?

No grounds. I simply
refuse to answer.

JUDGE:
The witness will answer.

Unless the question tends
to incriminate or degrade him.

I refuse to answer.

Mr. Elliott, unless you
answer that question,

you are going to jail
for contempt.

I refuse to answer.

Very well.

It is the judgment
of the court

that you be committed
to county jail

for contempt of this court

and held there
until such time

as you either
answer the question

or give just cause
why you shouldn't answer it.

I refuse to answer.

Bailiff,

remove the witness
from the court.

All right, Mr. Burger,
call your next witness.

( whispers inaudibly )

Glamis Barlow
to the stand, please.

JUDGE:
Is Glamis Barlow in the court?

She will be shortly,
Your Honor.

I've had her subpoenaed

and, since
she's a material witness

and I was afraid she might leave
the jurisdiction of this court,

I had her taken into custody
a few hours ago.

If it please the court.

Just a moment,
Mr. Mason.

Mr. Burger,

this court is conducting
a preliminary hearing.

It is not intended
to function as a grand jury.

I'm well aware
of that, Your Honor.

Your Honor,
apparently Mr. Burger

would like nothing better
than to have Miss Barlow

joined as a codefendant
in a superior court trial.

But I will not stand by
and allow her to be maneuvered

into a situation
in which she might forfeit

her constitutional rights.

The court feels
as you do, Mr. Mason.

Great care
will be exercised.

JUDGE:
Will you take the stand,
please, Miss Barlow?

Raise your right hand,
please.

Do you solemnly swear
to tell the truth,

the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth?

I do.

CLERK:
State your name.

Glamis Barlow.

CLERK:
Be seated, please.

Now, Miss Barlow,

the court advises you
that you do not have to answer

any question which,
in your opinion,

may tend
to incriminate you.

Now, remember,
any answers you do give here

may be used against you
at any time.

Now, do you
understand that?

Yes, Your Honor.

Very well.

You may proceed,
Mr. Burger.

Miss Barlow,

are you acquainted
with the decedent, Vera Martel,

or were you acquainted
with her during her lifetime?

I do not know
a Vera Martel.

I call your attention now

to the morning
of the th of this month

and I ask you if, between
the hours of : and : ,

you were at your residence?
I was.

Between those times, or at any
other time during that morning,

did you have the occasion
to visit the workshop

of the defendant,
Carter Gilman?

Objected to, Your Honor.

The question
is leading and suggestive,

and a deliberate attempt
to make the witness

testify against herself.

The court is inclined
to sustain that objection.

Your Honor,

this witness has been
advised of her rights.

She hasn't been charged
with any crime yet.

Will you state
it is not your intention

to charge her with a crime

the moment this
preliminary hearing is over?

If it please the court,

I will make no statement
whatever at this time

as to the intentions
of the prosecution.

I believe that my question
is perfectly proper

and I demand
that this witness answer it.

Well, I want to answer
the question.

No, no, no!

I wasn't anywhere
near the room!

Mr. McCoy, will you please tell
this court where you reside.

I live in Las Vegas,
Nevada.

And what is
your occupation, sir?

I'm a card dealer.

Are you acquainted
with Glamis Barlow?

Yeah, I know her by sight.

And I've seen her frequently
around the casino where I work.

Did you happen to see her
on the th of this month?

Yes, I did.

Where?
If the court please.

This is a continued,
obvious attempt

to try Glamis Barlow as
a codefendant at this hearing.

It is the contention
of the prosecution, Your Honor,

that Carter Gilman k*lled
Vera Martel in his workshop,

and that Glamis Barlow was
his accomplice in that k*lling

and in disposal
of the body.

Carter Gilman had had duplicates
made of Vera Martel's keys.

The prosecution
further claims

that the defendant delivered
those keys to Glamis Barlow,

who then preceded him
to Las Vegas,

where she entered
Vera Martel's office

and searched there
for an incriminating document.

JUDGE:
Incriminating to whom?

Incriminating to Glamis Barlow
and Carter Gilman.

I, uh--

I am inclined to rule

that, uh, this line
of questioning

be permissible
as tending to prove motivation.

However, I would like
a statement from you,

Mr. District Attorney,

as to what you expect
to prove by this witness.

It just so happens, Your Honor,
that Vera Martel's office

is just across the hall
from the offices

of the casino
which employs this witness.

He is prepared to make
a positive identification

of Glamis Barlow
as the woman he saw

surreptitiously leaving
Vera Martel's office.

The same office
in which Carter Gilman

was later arrested.

We renew our objections.

There is no proof
Carter Gilman did, in truth,

give any office key
to Glamis Barlow.

Before ruling
on this objection,

the court wishes to take this
whole matter under advisement.

This court is adjourned
until a.m. tomorrow.

Perry,

I finally located
that ten grand

you found
in the workshop.

The blackmail money?
Good.

Maybe good, maybe not.

Who told you
it was blackmail money?

It had to be.

The money had to belong
to one of the Gilmans.

Obviously the one
who was being blackmailed

by Vera Martel.

Nope, you're wrong.

That money belonged
to Vera Martel.

Belonged
to Vera Martel?

She withdrew it from her
own account in a Las Vegas bank.

Ten thousand dollars
in dollar bills.

Well, good evening,
Perry, Paul, Della.

Well, Lieutenant Tragg.

What can I
do for you?

Nothing.
Uh, nothing for me.

Perry, unofficially, and as
a friend, I'm tipping you off.

Two hours after court,

Hartley Elliott cracked
and hollered for the D.A.

He's ready to go
on the stand and testify

as to whom he saw
running out of that workshop:

Glamis Barlow.

All right.

But you didn't just come here

to tell me something
unofficially now, did you?

Somebody else talked, Perry.

This is a subpoena.

Duces tecum directing you
to appear in court

as a prosecution witness.

And ordering you
to bring with you

the $ , you took
from the scene of the m*rder.

I'm sorry, Perry.

Really sorry.

Paul, with your men following
Glamis Barlow in Las Vegas,

wouldn't it have been
impossible for her

to have broken
into Vera Martel's office

without them seeing you?

I swear she never
went near the place.

This dealer, Glenn McCoy,

is prepared to swear
that he saw her

coming out of the office.

Perry,
he's got to be lying.

At the time he says
he saw her,

my men had her
under surveillance.

I wonder, Paul,
I really wonder.

Paul, outside
of the police department,

who is the best
lie-detector technician in town?

Uh, Cartman Jasper.

Della, get hold
of this Mr. Jasper.

I'll need him
and his equipment.

When?

Uh, about an hour.

Half an hour
if he can manage it.

Paul, when did, uh, Vera Martel
get that money out of her bank?

Ten days
before she was k*lled.

I wanna know
exactly what she did

every hour
of those ten days.

Where she went,
who she saw.

All right, Perry,
I'll check into it.

Perry, it's too late
for bail.

Now, just how do you intend
to get Glamis Barlow out of jail

for the lie-detector test?

The test
isn't for Glamis.

It's for her mother,
Mrs. Gilman.

( dramatic theme playing )

But why is Glamis in jail
in the first place?

If it's just because they wanna
use her as a witness,

it seems to me you could have
gotten her out, Mr. Mason.

You could have
done something.

The minute
we post a bond,

she'll be rearrested
and charged

as an accessory
after the fact of m*rder,

or as codefendant
in the m*rder.

You're sure
of that?

Yes, I'm sure of that.

For the moment, I'd rather
she stay right where she is.

Then exactly what is it
you're doing here?

What is it you want?

I wanna know whether or not
you ever knew Vera Martel.

I never heard
of the creature.

She wasn't
blackmailing you?

Mr. Mason,

I've lived my own life.

I assume by now you know
the truth about Glamis' birth.

Anyone could dig into my past
and find out about that.

I don't deny it.

You haven't answered
my question.

Not Vera Martel,
not anybody,

ever has or ever will
blackmail me.

Mrs. Gilman,
are you telling the truth?

Will you take
a lie-detector test?

Right now? Tonight?

It wouldn't be admissible
in court as evidence,

but if you didn't know
Vera Martel,

if she wasn't
blackmailing you,

then at least I'd want
the newspapers to know about it.

You have nothing
to fear, Mrs. Gilman.

The truth will help both
your husband and your daughter.

Well?

( tense theme playing )

JASPER:
Mrs. Gilman,
answer my questions

either yes or no.

The polygraph will
be checking on your pulse,

blood pressure,
skin resistance

and respiration
as you answer.

Avoid any
muscular movement

and try to think only
of the questions and answers.

Are you ready?

Yes.

Is your first name Nancy?

Yes.

Are you married
to Carter Gilman?

Yes.

Did you know a person
named Vera M. Martel?

NANCY:
No.

JASPER:
Do you live in Los Angeles?

Yes.

Has anyone
tried to blackmail you

during the past three months?

No.

Are you the mother
of a daughter named Glamis?

Yes.

Do you know
Steven A. Barlow?

Yes.

Very good,
Mrs. Gilman.

Now, we'll repeat
the same questions,

in the same order,

two more times,

just to make sure
of our results.

Are you ready?

NANCY:
Yes.

I just put her to bed
with a sedative.

She was about ready
to collapse.

Well, Mr. Jasper?

As far as your case
is concerned, Mr. Mason,

she's telling the truth.

I'm sure she never knew
Vera Martel

and she's never
been blackmailed.

Well, what about this, uh,

identical reaction
each time to the same question?

There's
no doubt of it.

She's lying
about Glamis.

Could it be
a reaction of shame?

No, definitely not.

It's something else.

Some emotional disturbance
in connection with the statement

that she has
a daughter named Glamis.

DELLA:
Do you suppose
Glamis isn't her daughter?

JASPER:
That could be, I suppose.

Well, considering her real
father's $ million

and that Mrs. Gilman has already
taken two million of it,

that certainly should have been
a setup for blackmail.

Now what do you think,
Perry?

I think we'd better
get in touch with Paul.

Yeah.

Yeah.

What time?

: to L.A. Good.

Perry,
we found something.

Vera Martel?

For nine of
her last ten days,

she did nothing
out of the ordinary,

went nowhere unusual
and saw nobody special.

The tenth day?

Vera took a plane
to Redding, California.

She stayed there
half the day,

then she flew
to Los Angeles.

And, of course, she was
m*rder*d here the next morning.

What happened
in Redding?

I've got an operative there,
Alan Connors, he's a top man.

He's waiting to give you
a full report.

Go ahead, Connors,
this is Mason.

Well, Vera Martel was met
at Redding Airport

by Phyllis Monroe.

Phyllis drove her straight
to the Monroe estate.

Estate?

Well, the Monroe's are upper,
upper crust in Redding.

The mother's dead.

The father is, or was,
a big shot tycoon.

It's not common knowledge
but, uh,

the old man's had some rough
going business-wise lately.

The daughter, Phyllis,

is the most attractive dish
in town.

How long was Vera
at the Monroe place?

A couple of hours.

Vera took the first plane
out of Redding,

the : to Los Angeles.

Connors, get all you can
on the Monroes.

Most important of all,
get pictures of them.

I want you to fly
the stuff down here tonight

so I have it in my hands before
court convenes in the morning.

Charter a plane
if you have to.

But please
get that stuff down here.

Alan, let me know what time
you're going to arrive.

I'll meet you.

If the witness
will now answer

all questions
willingly and fairly,

he will be deemed to have
purged himself of the contempt,

and the sentence
will be revoked.

You may proceed.

Mr. Elliott,

did you see Glamis Barlow
at approximately :

on the morning on the th day
of this month?

Yes, sir.

Where was Glamis Barlow

and what was she doing
when you saw her?

She had just come out
of the workshop

and she was running away.

BURGER:
You're sure of that,
Mr. Elliott?

She was not walking,

Glamis Barlow
was running away?

Yes, running away.

No more questions.

Your Honor,

I had Mr. Mason
served last night

with a subpoena
duces tecum.

I should like to know
at this time,

if he brought
to court with him

the evidence
that he surreptitiously

and wrongfully removed
from the scene of the crime.

Your Honor,
I must certainly object.

One moment, Mr. Mason.

Uh, let me understand this.

The prosecution calling
the defendant's lawyer

as a witness against
the defendant himself?

Yes, Your Honor.

When he has certain knowledge
of the commission of a crime,

even the defense attorney
is a proper witness.

I have never defied the process
of this, or any other, court.

Nor do I intend
to start now.

When I've completed
my cross-examination

of this witness
and I am called to the stand,

I will answer
any and all questions.

Very well.

The inquiry as to compliance
with the subpoena duces tecum

will be suspended until after

Mr. Mason's cross-examination
of the witness.

You may proceed,
Mr. Mason.

How long have you known
Glamis Barlow, Mr. Elliott?

About two months.

I understand you're
a manufacturer's agent.

Within what territory
do you operate?

The state of California.

Exactly where do you live?

( chuckles )

Well, I travel a great deal.

Actually, I don't have
a residence as such.

But you do have a legal address,
a place where you vote.

I believe
it's the, uh, city of Redding,

isn't that so,
Mr. Elliott?

( chuckles )

Uh, yes, that's right.

Now, Mr. Elliott,
will you please tell me the--

Your Honor,
may I have a moment?

Very well, Mr. Mason.

But please be brief.

We're waiting, Mr. Mason.

You, uh, said you lived
in Redding, Mr. Elliott?

Yes.

In Redding, did you
happen to know a family

by the name of, uh, Monroe?

G.W. Monroe?

That's right.

( chuckles )

Yes, I-- I knew him.

And the Monroe daughter,
Phyllis?

ELLIOTT:
Yes, I knew her.

Now, uh, Mr. Elliott,

you testified
you saw Glamis Barlow

running from the workshop.

I show you
a photograph.

Is that the person you saw
running from the workshop?

I repeat, is that the person you
saw running from the workshop?

Yes.

That's very strange,
Mr. Elliott,

because that is not
a photograph of Glamis Barlow.

It's a photograph
of Phyllis Monroe.

Now, was it Glamis Barlow
or Phyllis Monroe

you saw running
from that workshop?

Well, I--
I don't know.

So now you are
not able to swear

it was Glamis Barlow
you saw?

No, sir.

Your Honor, I would
like to interrupt

my cross-examination
of Hartley Elliott

long enough to have
Mrs. Nancy Gilman

return to the stand.

Is Glamis Barlow
your daughter?

Yes.

What was
her father's name?

John Yerman.

Is Phyllis Monroe
your daughter?

Yes.

MASON:
Glamis Barlow
and Phyllis Munroe

are identical twins,

both daughters of John Yerman?

Yes.

Was Phyllis aware that she'd
been adopted by the Monroes?

No.

She was never legally adopted.

Nobody knew.

Your Honor, I have no further
questions of Mrs. Gilman.

I would now
like to continue

my cross-examination
of Hartley Elliott.

MASON:
Did you know Vera Martel?

( chuckles )

Well, uh, yes, I, uh--

I met her in Las Vegas.

Did you enter
into a business deal with her?

Mr. Elliott, when
you first met Glamis,

you must have realized
she was an identical twin

to Phyllis Monroe.

You saw a chance
to pick up some money.

Blackmail money.

You hired Vera Martel
to investigate both girls,

did you not?

Yes.

She found out about
the illegitimacy and--

And the estate.

But then you started
dating Glamis Barlow.

The two of you decided
to get married.

A half interest with Vera
in the blackmail money

was nothing as compared to a
half interest in Glamis' estate,

with the opportunity
to set aside the settlement

and claim
$ million.

You then told Vera Martel
to drop the whole thing,

did you not?

Yes.

But she lied to me.

She said she would,

but then she contacted
Phyllis Monroe

and she was going
to contact the Gilmans.

And that would have k*lled
your chance to share

in that $ million.

So you had to keep Vera
away from the Monroes

and the Gilmans.

Yes. Yes!

Now, the business
of your car not running

when you brought Glamis home
was all a fake, was it not?

When Vera Martel
arrived at the Gilman house,

you intercepted her.

You weren't
in your upstairs room

at : that morning,
you were meeting Vera.

You took her out to the workshop
to have a talk with her,

isn't that so?

Yes.

And someone interrupted you?

Phyllis.

She'd tried to catch Vera
at the hotel,

followed her out
in a taxi.

That $ ,
wasn't blackmail money.

It was Vera's.

She was using it as bait!

She'd, uh, given the money
to Phyllis earlier,

up in Redding,
is that correct?

Yes.

She told Phyllis that she'd
found out about some property,

willed to her
by a distant uncle.

A-- A ranch
or something.

Then sweet Vera
made a deal with Phyllis.

Ten thousand dollars
for a half interest

in whatever inheritance

Vera could produce
for Phyllis.

( chuckling )

Ten thousand dollars

for a half interest
in a $ million inheritance!

G.W. Monroe was having
business troubles,

he needed money,
so Phyllis accepted the , .

Then she got the truth,

the whole shocking truth.

Who told her?
Her father?

Yeah, old G.W.

He told her everything.

And Phyllis
came to Los Angeles

to catch Vera.

( chuckles )

It was funny.
It was real funny.

She she threw the $ ,
in Vera's face.

( chuckles )

MASON:
Then ran off.

Then what did you do,
Mr. Elliott?

You quietly put your hands
around the throat

of this woman
who stood in your way

and you--

Yes.

( tense theme playing )

ELLIOTT:
I choked her.

I didn't mean to k*ll her,

I only wanted to scare her.

But she fought with me.

Then I heard somebody
coming out of the house.

It was Mr. Gilman.

So I-- I jerked Vera
back into the garage.

I only wanted
to keep her quiet,

but when Mr. Gilman
left the workshop,

Vera--

She--

Sh-- She was dead.

( dramatic theme playing )

PAUL:
So it was Phyllis you saw

running out of the workshop,
Mr. Gilman.

And it was also Phyllis
that McCoy, the dealer, saw

coming out of Vera's
Las Vegas office.

She'd been there trying
to gather some evidence

of her background.

Since one person can't
be in two different places

at the same time,

either you or McCoy
were lying, Mr. Gilman.

Or you were mistaken,
or, uh--

Or there were two girls.

When were you sure,
Mr. Mason?

When Mrs. Gilman took
the lie-detector test.

She was telling the truth

when she said Glamis
was her daughter,

but she was only telling
part of the truth.

Glamis was only
one of two daughters.

Mr. Mason, what about
the Yerman estate

and the girls' share in it?

That's a tricky question.

Was the two million
on inheritance

or was it a settlement?

Will, uh, Phyllis get
the balance of the estate,

or will she share
with Glamis in the $ million?

It's a very
thorny legal problem.

GLAMIS:
Well, what can we do about it?

Well, simple.

Just hire
a good lawyer.

( all laughing )

( noirish jazz theme playing )