05x21 - The Case of the Mystified Miner

[bunniefuu]

Yay! The pirates are coming!
The pirates are coming.

[typing]

Yay, the pirates are coming.

Carlton Campbell,

what on earth are you doing here?

Shh, don't tell her. Here.

What's this?

Treasure.

[Woman]
Carlton?

Don't let the pirates get it.
They're after me.

[Woman]
Carlton.

- Carlton--
- Hello, Miss Dow.

Oh, I might've known.

I bring him all the way downtown

to have his hair trimmed
by Mr. Campbell's barber,

and now I'm worn out

before I've even got the boy
tied in the chair.

I take it he got away from you.

Hm. "Governess."

I ought to be called a goatherd.

What are you doing
in the building on Saturday?

About thousand things.

Mr. Campbell wants everything in order
for Miss Corning when she gets here.

Oh, yes, the royal visit.

I suppose that's why he's playing golf today.

Well, Miss Corning's arriving
from South America on Sunday, tomorrow,

and there are all sorts of statements
and reports on her holdings

that I'm sure she'll want to inspect.

Why doesn't she keep her nose
out of things?

Mr. Campbell has been handling
her company perfectly well

without her, hasn't he?

Miss Dow, I'm terribly busy,

but I think I just might know
where to find Carlton.

Now, why don't you go on downstairs
to the barber shop?

I promise I'll send him along
in the next elevator.

Very well.

Manage things your own way.

All right, Carlton, come along now.
The coast is clear.

- [door closes]
- I don't want a haircut.

Carlton, where on earth did you get this--
this treasure?

Oh, that's Daddy's.
We traded.

It's what?
You what?

Sure, we do it all the time.

I've got a box in my closet,
and I gave him one to put in his closet.

I keep all sorts of valuable things.

But this particular box--

He doesn't mind.

You see, last night,
I put my treasure in his room--

It's safer there--

and this morning I decided
to take his instead.

That's all.

Carlton, if your father doesn't know
you have this,

well, don't you think
maybe I better keep it for a while?

Why?

I know.

Why don't we put it in the safe,

and then nobody could touch it,

not even pirates or anybody.

That's a wonderful idea.

Besides, you have to run along now.

I promised Miss Dow.

Well, if I can have it back whenever I want

so Daddy won't get mad.

Of course you can.

There. Now, scoot.

Press the button in the elevator
marked "one."

Miss Fisher, don't you like me anymore?

Of course I do, darling.

I'm just upset today.

I still so much to do
before Miss Corning comes,

and I'm all alone--

There.

Hello, South Lake Country Club?

I want to speak
to Mr. Endicott Campbell, please.

This is his private secretary speaking,

and it's extremely urgent.

But I just have to speak to him,

- even if he's playing golf or-- or--
- [phone rings]

Excuse me, would you hold on?

Corning Company, mining and investments.

Well, I'm sorry,
but we're closed on Saturday.

Oh, is that so?

Well, this is Amelia Corning speaking,
whoever you are.

What? Who?

You heard me, young lady.

I'm Amelia Corning, and I'm sitting here
in the Los Angeles Airport and--

Well, don't just splutter at me.

When I arrive anyplace,
I expect to be greeted.

I expect to be met right now.

I tried to reach Mr. Campbell.

I thought I knew where he was this morning,

but the place I thought he'd gone
couldn't seem to locate him--

Where was that,
country club or race track?

Well, of course not.

Mr. Campbell isn't the sort of man--

Do you like Mr. Campbell,

or do you just think
you ought be loyal to him?

Well, I've really only worked for him
about a year.

What I meant was--

You're a very poor liar, Suzanne.

Susan. Susan Fisher.

That's it.
Speak louder.

Now, here.

You take care of all the baggage payments
and get us a taxi.

My eyes aren't very good,

but there are some $ bills in there,

and you'd better take several

because first I want you to take me
to the hotel to register and then--

But these are hundred-dollar bills.

That's right.
So they are.

The tens are on the other side.

There.

I think you and I are going to get on
very well, Susan.

After we leave the hotel,
you'll take me straight to the office.

But on Saturday, with no one else around,

I really don't know enough
about the business to--

Well, I do, young lady,

and I'll give the orders.

Why do you think I arrived here a day early?

Hm?

I'm afraid that's all I can find
on the Oklahoma property, Miss Corning.

All right,
now what about this Mojave Monarch?

- Mojave?
- What do you know about it?

Well, it's a subsidiary company,

gold mining.

They have just that one mine, I believe.

You're lying again.

No, I'm not.

But those books are all we have here,

and the cancelled checks.

I'm sure any other records
would be out in Mojave.

There's a man there
named Ken Lowry there, I believe.

Hm.

If you like, I can read you
the figures we do have here--

I can read very well myself, thank you.

It just takes a little time, that's all.

Well, what about this
Smelting Company report?

- Do you still want to see it?
- Don't change the subject.

If it makes you nervous to talk
about the Mojave Monarch,

then say so.

Miss Corning, please, if you'd just wait
until Mr. Campbell comes...

Will you stop dragging him in?

He may be your immediate superior, Susan,

but once and for all,
I am the Corning Company.

Furthermore,
I think these checks are phonies.

What?

You heard me.

I'm going to take these records with me
to the hotel,

and I'm going to have
a handwriting expert look at them.

I'll bet Endicott Campbell
endorsed all these checks himself.

Oh, no. No.
Why, that would be--

Forgery or embezzlement, of course.

Maybe both.

Now, I want you to put these books
into the dispatch case there.

and find another so I can carry the rest.

Miss Corning, please, don't you think that--

What in heaven's name is that?

Well?

It's-- It's mine.

Yours.

Don't tell me you keep shoes in the safe.

Unless, of course,
it's the lunch you didn't eat today.

No, it's-- it's letters--

I mean, the only reason I put them in there
was because you phoned,

and then I hurried out--

Never mind, my dear.
It's all right.

But now, run into one of the other offices

and find me another briefcase

so we can put these things together.

I'm going to meet your boss
for the first time at my hotel room tonight

and I intend to be quite ready for him.

I don't blame you for being upset.

Poor dear, for one reason or another,

you really think the same thing I do,
don't you?

This Endicott Campbell I hired
is nothing but a crook.

[phone rings]

Hello?

Oh, Mr. Campbell, where have you been?

I've left messages all over for you.

Well, Miss Corning's in town,
and she wants to see you.

Miss Corning?

What in the name of--

What did she say?
What did she ask you?

Why can't you tell me?

Wait, Mr. Campbell.

There's something else,

something you have to know first.

Your son Carlton came by
the office this morning, with Miss Dow,

and he had a shoebox of yours,

and it was full of money.

Money?

At-- At least what?

Two-hundred th--

Susan, you're crazy.
Absolutely crazy.

He might have had my dress shoes, but--

Well, of course I don't believe you.

Now, stop all this lying nonsense.

But it's true.

The box is still down there
in the office safe.

Mr. Campbell, I am not a liar.

Well, I think you are.

Of all the stupid, vicious tales,

and to drag my son into it.

All right, Mr. Campbell,
if you won't even listen--

Well, I was only trying to protect you,
and--

and goodbye.

You're positive the little boy
didn't look into the box?

I'm sure not, thank heaven.

Why "thank heaven"?

Even a seven-year-old witness would help.

I don't understand.

You didn't actually count the money,
did you?

Well, what if someone should accuse you
of taking some of it, Susan?

But it's Mr. Campbell's money.

Carlton wasn't lying.

Well, why should anyone
want to accuse me?

To discredit you.

Susan, I gather you've been concerned
with certain irregularities within the company.

It's the Mojave Monarch,

the mine that sends all the bills
for us to pay.

Well, the record of income from it
is supposed to be kept out there.

What's the matter?
Isn't there a record?

A couple of weeks ago,

I learned something quite by accident.

I have a boyfriend who's a rock-hound,

and we were out in the desert,

and coming home,

we saw this sign,

an arrow that said "Mojave Monarch."

Well, I thought it would be fun
to go out there

and see what the place looked like.

Well, there isn't anything there anymore.

It's abandoned, deserted, for years.

What time did Miss Corning
want to see your boss, this Mr. Campbell?

: .

Della, you take care of locking up, will you?

Right.

Come on, Miss Fisher.
I think we'd better attend that meeting.

We?

I'm afraid you are going to need a lawyer.

[Campbell]
Susan,

what the devil are you doing here?

Hello, Mr. Campbell.

We're going up to see Miss Corning.

Oh, no, you are not.

You've made enough trouble already.

Mr. Campbell,
my name is Mason, Perry Mason.

I'm with Miss Fisher as her attorney

Attorney?

Of all the nerve.

And I suppose she's told you
that cock-and-bull story about the money?

It's absolutely true.

And you've told him
who your witnesses were,

who saw you find it,
put it in the safe?

Susan, you've made up this whole thing
to cover some of your peculations.

I don't know what they are yet,
but before I fire you, young lady--

Now, just a moment, Campbell--

I'll have you know, Mason,
that I've been to the office,

I've looked in the safe,

and there's absolutely no such box there.

It-- It's gone?

Of course it's gone.

Mr. Campbell, who were your witnesses?

I beg your pardon.

Another thing for you to think about--

the Department of Internal Revenue

takes a very dim view of people

who keep
such large amounts of money hidden.

Now, shall we go upstairs?

Will you please tell Miss Corning

that Endicott Campbell is here?

Is that the lady in the wheelchair?

That's right.

- She's not here anymore, sir.
- What?

She's checked out.

I took her down in the elevator myself,
about : .

Oh, no.

Did she say where she was going?

Search me.

One of the boys put her in a cab, though,
with her baggage.

Was there a dispatch case?

Did she take two very heavy briefcases?

That's right,

a whole batch of papers
and books and things.

Took everything, I guess.

Morning, Paul.
Want the Sunday funnies?

I am the funnies.

No luck?

Well, we traced her
as far as the railroad station.

Found a porter
who remembered the wheelchair.

Miss Corning was interested in some records

that were supposed to be up in Mojave.

Maybe she decided to go up there
on the evening train.

No, Perry.

Amelia Corning bought no ticket
and boarded no train.

She just went to the ladies' room
and disappeared into thin air.

Well, what about her wheelchair
and her luggage?

Well, the wheelchair's still there,
but not the luggage,

not all those confidential
company files your client handed her.

They disappeared with Amelia,
lock, stock, and barrel.

All right, Paul.

You'd better get out to the airport.

Why?

The airport's where we started looking
for old ladies in a hurry.

No, I don't mean Amelia Corning
would leave from there.

I mean you've got to go out there
and meet her when she comes in.

Perry, you were right.

She just came in on the plane.

I have one of my men
talking to her right now.

No, no, he gave her a song and dance.
He even checked her passport.

It's really Amelia Corning.

Thank you, young man,

but I don't understand all this folderol.

Who sent you to meet me?

Come, come, young man,
speak up.

My name is Amelia Corning,
and I expect answers.

I'll have you know I am
the Corning Company.

Oh, you're back.

What happened?

We saw Miss Corning.

She was really quite nice,

not nearly so expl*sive as--

well, that woman who pretended to be her.

I guess the real Miss Corning
doesn't have to put on any acts.

You mean you told her?

Everything?

I'm such a complete idiot.

Now, take it easy.

You're not in jail yet.

Oh, Perry.

Well, I ought to be.

Letting that creature come in and walk away

with every important record
the company has.

There's still the matter
of that money in the shoebox, Susan.

Miss Corning's not going to take
any action against you

until she gets at the truth.

But how can she get at the truth now, Perry,

without any record of the embezzlement

or whatever's been going on
at that company?

Mr. Campbell's at her hotel now,

trying to explain.

And I'll bet he's telling her all sorts of lies,

and I'll bet he put that other woman up
to what she did, too.

and now he's going to frame poor Susan.

Now, you take it easy, too, Della.

Della, get Paul in here, would you, please?

I want him to take a fast trip.

Trip?

To Mojave.

Now, look, I got no time to talk to you,
I tell you.

You've got time to stay out of jail,
haven't you?

- Now, see here, Mr. Craik--
- Drake.

I don't know what you think
you're talking about, but--

Oh.

Your name's Ken Lowry.

Supposedly you're manager of this mine,

though it doesn't look like much
of a mine anymore, does it?

Police or just private?

I'm trying to help a girl
in the Corning Company who's having trouble.

To me you look like the guy responsible.

Oh, no, I'm not.

I work for a living, mister.
I just follow instructions.

Whose, Campbell's?

I never met that bird.

Never met Amelia Corning,
as a matter of fact.

She hired me like she hires everybody,

from South America,

but, look, that don't mean there's
anything wrong with what I done.

Every month

you've been sending in a payroll bill
for almost $ , .

Then the Corning Company
sends you the money.

Who do you pay it to, gophers?

You're not funny, mister.
Now, get off my back.

Not till you answer me.

Look, about a year and a half ago,

just after Miss Corning hired me
to run this place,

the vein faulted.

I wrote Miss Corning.

She wrote back and said,

"We'll let the Los Angeles office handle it."

Then a couple days later
she telephoned long distance,

said that due to tax reasons

she just couldn't afford
to close down the mine.

I'm supposed to make out a payroll
every month,

just as if we're in operation.

Then I cash the company check,
take out my own pay and send the rest back.

In cash, send it where?

Corning Affiliated,

subsidiary company, I guess.

They've got a post-office box in L.A.

And to date

you forwarded over $ thousand
in cash that way, right?

I figured it was just a tax thing,

some sort of a write-off, maybe.

For tax things that are too fancy,
you get Alcatraz.

I know that, mister.

That's why I'm telling you all this.

What do you mean?

How do you think I've been feeling?

Look, a job's a job and all that,

but when this bird tells me
to keep my mouth shut.

What bird?

Campbell, of course.

Calls not more than two hours ago

and tells me not to answer any questions,

don't-- don't tell anybody anything.

Now, look-- look, my friend.

Now I know something's wrong,

and I aim to correct it.

I aim to tell plenty of people.

Yes?

Excuse me,
I thought this was Amelia Corning's suite.

It is, but I haven't the slightest idea
where she is.

I suppose she'll be back soon.

My name is Mason, Perry Mason.

This is important.
Would you mind if I come in to wait?

Yes, I think I would.

I haven't had a chance to unpack yet, and--

It's Mason, the attorney, Sophia.

Oh, the one with that girl at the office

who's been stealing things
or whatever it is.

All right, make yourself comfortable
while I wash the airplane off.

I'm Sophia Elliot,
Amelia's poor relation.

You've just come from South America?

The afternoon plane.

Miss Elliot lives
with Amelia Corning down there.

Tries to keep up with her, you mean.

This is Gomez., Alfredo Gomez.

I met him on a boat once.

He plays marvelous shuffleboard.

At your service, Mr. Mason.
An honor.

I take it you've also come
from South America.

South Pasadena.

Amelia didn't leave any note or anything,

so you may have to stay here all evening.

How do you know about Susan Fisher?

I beg your pardon?

I gather you haven't talked
to Miss Corning yet.

No, it was the maid
who told me she'd gone out.

Then, may I ask,
how do you know about Susan Fisher?

Oh, Alfredo.

He knows everything
that goes on in that office.

Don't you, Alfredo.

I, too, work for the Corning Company,
Mr. Mason,

an associate of the general manager,
Endicott Campbell.

He's really the overseas shipping clerk,

and I'm sure it's really Amelia
that he'd like to meet someday,

but in the meantime he's sweet,

and he writes me letters.

[phone rings]

Oh, if you don't mind, Alfredo.

That's probably
the whirling wheelchair now.

Yes?

Oh, yes, he is.

For you, Mr. Mason.

Thank you.

Hello?

Perry, I can't find Susan.

I know you told her to stay
in her apartment,

but she's not there.

I'm in a drugstore now,

and they said that she was here.

She asked about the price of rental cars,

cashed a check, and then ran out,

and, Perry, they say she was wearing
a man's hat.

[Mason]
Susan.

Oh, am I glad to see you.

What on earth is that?

Well, I really don't know.

Susan, Amelia Corning left
just about the same time as you did.

Is there any connection?

Well, she phoned me.

I guess this getup she told me to wear

was so I wouldn't be recognized later on,

but, well, she never showed up.

Never showed up?
What are you talking about?

She gave very careful instructions.

I was to go
to a rental agency around the corner

and rent a car,

and then I was to drive
up Sky Mountain Road at--

that starts just off Sunset--

where her hotel is, you know--

I was to go to
the last service station on the road

and then / ths of a mile past that--

Of all the crazy--

Go on, Susan.

I was to leave the car on a wide place there

and walk back to the service station

and get a can of gasoline.

What in heaven's name for?

Well, she's a very old woman,

and she sounded frightened.

She thought there might be
some kind of an emergency

because, you see, I was to drive her
out to the desert, to Mojave.

And anyway, she wanted
the car to be there for half an hour

so that she could meet me whenever
she was sure her taxi wasn't being followed.

Only, well, she never showed up.

How long did you wait?

Until : .

Miss Corning said if she wasn't there by then,

it was because she couldn't get away
without attracting attention,

so I should just skip it,

so I threw away the gas can,
and then I came home.

I've been around the corner
for the past half hour.

I just had to have something to eat

so that I could figure it out.

Susan, really, of all the gullible creatures.

For one thing, a woman from South America

would scarcely know whereabouts

of the service station on Sky Mountain Road.

Um, Mr. Mason, I know how it all sounds,

but she was so nice to me.

She said she wasn't going
to prefer any charges

and that she wouldn't blame me
for those missing records

because she knew who was responsible

and I was the only one she trusted.

Susan, I want you to go inside.

I want you to lock your door.
Do you understand?

I want you to go inside, stay there,

and lock your door.

This must be the wide place.

Look.

- Don't touch it.
- Why not?

What are you looking for?

I smell gasoline fumes over this way.

It's those missing company books.

Yes, I know.

[gasps]

- He's dead.
- Who is it?

I've never seen him before.

Mojave Monarch.

Lowry, Ken Lowry.

So you were just out riding
on a pleasant evening,

and just happened to stop,

and just happened to notice a dead man.

Not far from the body,

some books and paper soaked with gasoline,

the k*ller maybe intended to burn.

Only you came along and--

Oh, this time it better be
good this time, Perry.

I'll tell you all I can, Andy.

You bet you will.

Wait up on the road for me, will you,

while the doctor finishes here?

Mind if I wait back at the service station?

I left Della there when we called you.

All right, but no further.

Who sold Susan the can of gasoline?

The fellow over there.
He's the only one on duty.

Keep him busy while I make a call.

You don't mind if my little brother
uses your phone, do you?

No, no, that's okay.

Your what?

Well, he's not really my brother,

but I did practically raise him.

Why, he's old enough to be your old man.

You don't see very well, do you?

Would you believe I'm ?

Well, it sure don't show.

Oh, thank you.

Say, tell me a little bit more
about that woman

that bought the can of gasoline.

Hello, Paul?

Start making notes fast.

Here's what happened.

But if her hair wasn't blonde, what was it?

Oh, it had some sort of touches of red,
I guess, more like yours.

Oh, I don't have any red in my hair.

It's brown.
Look at there.

But, of course, now, if you meant chestnut.

And you've got to find Amelia Corning.

If she didn't show up out here
and she hasn't returned to her hotel yet--

Right, Paul.

Yes, and the car Susan rented,

I want you to locate that in a hurry.

[no audible dialogue]

You're late.

Andy must have given you quite
a third degree.

We had to go down to headquarters
and make statements.

This the rental car?

Yep. I've already done what you asked,

had a lab man go over it thoroughly--

fingerprints, bloodstains, the works.

Will he keep his mouth shut?

Sure, but not forever.

If the police get interested in your client,

he's going to have to tell them
what prints he found,

and what if the police start looking
for this car and check it themselves?

All I want is time.

Until you find Amelia Corning,

my client is way out on a limb.

Della, you and Paul take my car.
I'll meet in the morning.

What are you going to do?

Maybe I can find a movie
that's getting out just about now.

[Boy]
Come on, fellows, let's go.

[Boy # ]
Wait a minute, I want to finish my malt.

[Boy]
Come on, fellows.

[tire hissing]

[hissing stops]

Well, of all the luck...

Hey, fellows.
Fellows, would you like to earn some money?

[Boys]
Yeah, sure.

I have an appointment in the next block.

I'm late,

have to have this tire fixed.

Here, would $ take care of it?

Twenty bucks, well.

Here's the keys to the trunk.

I want you to use the spare.

You better push it into the curb first.

I'll be back in a few minutes.

[all chattering]

- Come on, push.
- Come on, turn that wheel.

[Boy # ]
I'm turning, I'm turning. Okay.

Let's go.

Morning, Della--

Come in.
Come in, Counselor.

I'm sorry to say that your lovely secretary

has been detained again at headquarters.

Why?

Last night we told Lieutenant Anderson

everything we knew
about finding that man's body.

Yes, but you forgot to mention
certain matters

concerning the Corning Company,

and never once did you mention
Susan Fisher.

She's a client.
That's privileged information.

You have no right to ask.

Now, take it easy, Perry.
Take it easy.

We are asking Miss Fisher a few questions,

and we thought it might be a good idea

to ask Della some of the same questions...
from a different room.

That's all.

Tragg, this time you're going too far.

And this time you'd better be ready
to defend yourself

for concealing evidence.

We know all about that car
Miss Fisher rented last night,

the one observed
at the scene of the crime,

the one you had picked up later on.

All right, you've located the car.

You're waiting for them to bring it
right up here into the office?

Nope.

I'm waiting for a phone call.

Perry, if we find that you wiped that car off,

if you obliterated one single fingerprint of it,

I'm warning you--

[phone rings]

Oh, there.

Uh, may I?

No.

Uh--

Hello?

Hello-- Yes, speaking.

That's right. Put him on.

Police laboratory?

That's right.

Hello, Joe?

You what?
How many prints?

Oh, that can't be.

Skip it.

Something wrong, Lieutenant?

[slams down phone]

He says an army
must have played handball with that car.

We just threw out that evidence.

I came here to tell you
that we're booking Susan Fisher

for m*rder in the first degree,

Counselor.

Yes, from my examination
of the rock you hold there,

I'd say there's no doubt
that it's the instrument of m*rder.

There were not only
bits of skin tissue adhering to it,

but its conformation matches
the depressed area in the skull, as well.

Doctor, could this blow,
which k*lled Kenneth Lowry,

have been delivered by a woman?

[Doctor]
Oh, yes.

Any woman of ordinary strength
could have done it,

yes, indeed.

Now, Mr. Campbell,

as I understand what you've said,

the company
of which you are general manager

made regular remittances

to the Mojave Monarch Mining Company

for the purpose of underwriting
its operation, payroll, and other expenses.

- Is that correct?
- That's right.

Could you tell us, sir,

how much money was sent
to the mining company,

that is, to Ken Lowry,
in the last year?

Yes, it was $ , . .

And that figure would be reflected
in the books of your company?

Yes, but I wasn't personally familiar
with the mining operation.

Miss Corning, the owner of all the companies,

was in the habit of giving instructions

over the long distance telephone
from South America.

She got in touch separately with Mr. Lowry

and gave him special orders,

told him how to handle everything
out at Mojave.

At least that's the understanding I had.

Now, let's go back
to the matter of the shoebox,

which you learned about from the defendant
on the telephone.

Did she make an estimate

as to how many hundred-dollar bills

were in the box before it "disappeared"?

Yes, she said she guessed it contained
close to a couple hundred thousand dollars.

Did you have a conversation
with the decedent on that weekend?

Yes, I phoned Mr. Lowry Sunday morning.

I told him there was something fishy
going on in the office

and I'd appreciate it if he didn't discuss
any company affairs with anyone.

In her position as your secretary,

would the defendant have known
enough about the business

for her to deal separately
with Kenneth Lowry in some way?

Why, of course she would.
She was practically my financial assistant.

She handled many
of the subsidiary company records herself.

Thank you, Mr. Campbell.

I think that'll be all.

Your witness.

Mr. Campbell,

did Kenneth Lowry try to get
in touch with you

later that same day,
the day he was k*lled?

Yes, he did, as a matter of fact.

Miss Dow, my son's governess,

said he called the house
and would call back later,

but he never did.

That was about : , I think.

Now, concerning the shoebox full of money,

You say you were unable to find such a box

in the safe, where the defendant left it?

That is right.

Was there anyone with you
when you went looking for it?

No.

Then it's only your word
against the word of the defendant.

Isn't that right?

So far, Mr. Mason,

it is my word against hers,

and so far, at least, I am not accused
of k*lling anyone

to cover my defalcations.

So far.

Oh, Mr. Campbell,

would you by an chance happen to know

of the present whereabouts
of your employer, Miss Amelia Corning?

I haven't the slightest idea.

Now, Miss Dow,
you say that little Carlton Campbell

was carrying a shoebox

while you were driving the boy
downtown to get a haircut?

Yes, that's right.

Can you tell us, of your own knowledge,
what was in that shoebox?

Yes, I can.

How do you happen to know
what was inside it?

Well, after we were in the automobile,

I took occasion to untie the box
when Carlton wasn't looking.

I knew he'd taken the box
from his father's closet,

and I thought I should make sure
what it was.

Well, naturally, in a way, I felt responsible.

And would you tell us, please,
what you saw inside that shoebox?

A pair of black patent-leather dress shoes

belonging to Mr. Campbell.

Thank you very much, Miss Dow.
Your witness.

You were driving the car at the time?

I beg your pardon.

You were driving a car with
an energetic small boy in the front seat

and untying a box at the same time.

I did it just before we started the car.

You were able to untie and look into that box

without the boy even noticing it?

I tell you I looked, and I saw
nothing but shoes.

Did you stop anywhere,

leave the car at any time,

leave the boy at any time?

Absolutely no.

Well, not until he ran upstairs
to Miss Fisher's office, that is.

Before you left the house, then,

was there someone else near the car?

Well, no, other than the boy's own father

when he told us good-bye.

Amelia didn't expect me to come up
from South America,

but I thought she might need looking after,

so I sent her a cable,

and I arrived about : in the afternoon.

I see.

Did you ever have any dealings
with a man named Kenneth Lowry?

I never heard of him until after he was dead.

Now, one final question.

Defense counsel has tried to make something

of the fact that no one knows just
where Amelia Corning is at the present time.

Does this concern you?

Not particularly, not yet.

Amelia's a whirling dervish.

She's always off somewhere.

Well, it concerns me, naturally.

I seem to be the one employee
of the Corning Company

who's made an effort to keep
in personal touch with the family

in South America.

Now, about the decedent, Kenneth Lowry,

did you have a conversation with him

that same Sunday afternoon?

I did.

He telephoned the hotel about : .

Sophia, Miss Elliot,

was dressing for dinner at the moment,

so I answered the telephone.

[Burger]
What did Mr. Lowry say to you?

He asked for Miss Corning,

but, of course, she wasn't there.

He said he'd keep trying.

[Burger]
Do you remember any specific words

that Mr. Lowry used in this conversation?

Well, he sounded angry.

He said he didn't want to get blamed
for things that weren't his fault.

He said if Miss Corning
didn't straighten things out herself,

then there'd be darn well plenty of trouble.

Those were his words, you understand.

[Burger]
Thank you, Mr. Gomez.

That'll be all.

Mr. Gomez, do your various interests
in the Corning Company

include knowledge of the office safe?

I don't quite see what you're--

You know the combination of the office safe?

I most certainly do not.

Well, yes, I examined the rental car

for bloodstains and fingerprints.

Mr. Abert, you're a recognized expert
in this field.

As a matter of fact, you sometimes work
for the police department,

but this examination you made
at the request of a private party.

Is that correct?

For Mr. Paul Drake, a private investigator,

although I understand him to be paid
by Mr. Perry Mason.

And what were your findings, Mr. Abert?

There were no bloodstains
on the automobile,

but there were identifiable prints.

I later turned these over to the police.

And were you able to recognize
whose prints these were?

Yes, we ran a comparison test
at headquarters.

There were the defendant's.

Her prints were on the steering wheel,
the dash, and one door handle.

And who else?

What other prints were found in that car?

Those of the deceased.

You found the fingerprints of Kenneth Lowry

in the car that was rented to Susan Fisher,

and in which she was seen driving
to the scene of the crime?

That's right, sir,

full palm, right thumb,
three fingers of the left hand.

Thank you, Mr. Abert.
That'll be all.

Your witness.

Mr. Abert,

who asked you to make this knowledge
known to the proper authorities?

You did, Mr. Mason.

[Mason]
No further questions.

Just a moment, Mr. Abert.

Did Counsel ask you
to make this disclosure

before or after his client was arrested?

After.

Thank you, Mr. Abert.
That'll be all.

Your Honor, this time I call
Carlota Aimes Jackson to the stand.

Well, late that afternoon,

I was in the alley behind
the Hotel Athenian.

See, I'm a maid there,

and I was getting off from duty.

Would you please tell us
what you saw in the alley?

A lady in a wheelchair,

an old lady.

She wore glasses,

and there was another lady
helping her into a car.

I didn't know it was a lady
at first glance

because, well, she was wearing
a man's hat

and a trench coat sort of thing.

Did you ever see this other lady again?

Yes, in police headquarters, in the lineup.

[Burger]
And who was this other lady

that you saw in the hat and trench coat?

Do you know?

It was her,

the defendant there.

[Burger]
And the car that they were getting out of,

did you ever see it again?

Yes, sir, at police headquarters.

It was the one they was getting
the fingerprints out of.

Thank you.
Your witness.

Miss Jackson, you say you identified
the defendant in the lineup.

Now, had you ever seen her before that?

Well, n-- I had a glimpse of her once, maybe,

when they were taking her
up to the show-up room.

Had you ever seen a picture of her
before that?

Yes, the police showed me one once

and asked me if that was the lady I saw.

How many conversations have you had
with the police, Miss Jackson?

Well, several, I think, maybe about--

As many as ?

Well, maybe.

So you weren't quite positive

about what you had seen

when you were first interviewed.

Well, I keep remembering details.

You know-- you know what I mean.

Then you weren't as positive
in your ninth conversation as you are now.

Of course I was.

[Mason]
Then why did you have
the th conversation?

[Carlota]
I don't know.

Well, let's take the eighth conversation.

Are you more positive now
than you were then?

Well, I guess, maybe a little, but--

And what about the seventh conversation?

More positive in the seventh conversation
than you were in the sixth?

- Well, maybe--
- More positive in the sixth
than you were in the fifth?

More positive in the fifth
than you were in the fourth?

More positive in the fourth
than you were in the third?

More positive in the third
than you were in the second?

More positive in the second
than you were in the first?

I think Perry made that testimony look silly.

And I think maybe his client's guilty.

Just suppose now--

Just suppose that Susan did lure
Amelia Corning out someplace

and disposed of her.

Heaven knows I can't find the old dame,

and personally I think Burger is laying
the groundwork in this hearing

so later on he can try Susan for two murders,

the old lady from whom she was embezzling

and the guy that knew too much about it.

Paul, why can't you find the first woman

who impersonated Amelia?

Hired stooge?
She could be in Timbuktu by now.

It's the real one I bet turns up dead
any minute.

Give me the rest of what you have there,
would you, Paul?

Well, I checked in Mojave
for any phone calls made to Ken Lowry

before he came to L.A.

Any results?

Yeah, to hang your client.

There was a message at his boardinghouse,

for him to call operator in Los Angeles.

Later on he must have done it.

That operator traced it for us.

The call was placed by a Miss Smith

from a public phone booth,

just around the corner
from Susan Fisher's apartment.

Paul, what about the rental car?

What about it?

Well, you jotted down the mileage
when you took the car out.

I noticed that between the mileage
in the company books

when Susan returned the car
and your figure,

there was nearly a -mile discrepancy.

Perry, I double-checked.

No one signed out for that car
between the time Susan had it

and the time I got it.

But if nobody else signed it out, then--

Wait a moment.

Another way, another angle.

Paul, I want you to move fast.

You'll have to go
out to the car-rental agency,

then right down to court.

Now, here's what I want you to find out.

May it please the Court,

before we decide whether
to offer any defense in this hearing,

I would like to recall a prosecution witnesses.

Your Honor, I'll have to object to that.

This is a favorite trick of Counsel's.

We've already seen
how far he's willing to go

to delay the investigation of this case.

[Judge]
I don't think that's called for, Mr. Burger.

[Mason]
My only desire is to clarify certain points

in evidence, Your Honor.

[Burger]
And which prosecution witness

do you require to make this clarification,
Mr. Mason?

Mr. Endicott Campbell.

Very well.

Mr. Campbell will return to the stand.

But I've explained about that box
at least six times already.

You haven't yet explained

how the box came to be
in your son's possession.

Now, when you learned from the defendant

the box contained money--

I learned nothing of the sort.

Susan told me it contained the money.
That's all.

Why do you think
for a moment that I'd allow my son

to play games with shoeboxes
if I were hiding money in the house?

Then why did you take your son out of town

Saturday afternoon to stay with friends?

I beg your pardon.

Take him where he wouldn't be
available for questioning,

as you weren't available, Mr. Campbell,

when my investigator went looking
for you and your son the next day.

My son is seven years old.

Can't you understand that when I realized
there was obviously going to be trouble,

that something had been going on in the firm
that I didn't know anything about,

my first thought was to get him
away from all this upset?

Haven't you the sense to realize--

[Judge taps pencil]

The witness will refrain
from personal remarks.

Counselor, I think
the manner of your questioning--

Your Honor,
I'll have no more questions of this witness.

If I may be allowed a moment?

Very well, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Campbell, you may step down.

Your Honor, I would like to request
a two-hour recess.

Just a moment, Mr. Mason.

You badgered this last witness

for apparently no other purpose
than to use up time.

For this court to tolerate any further delay--

Just a moment, Mr. Burger.

Your Honor, we now have evidence
I would like to examine.

We will then offer that evidence

in pleading a case for the defense.

All right, I see no real objection.

Court is recessed until : this afternoon.

Perry, will you, for Pete's sake,

tell us why we're here
and where we're going?

Apartment .

Tragg, we figured the only person

who could take a rental car out
without a record of it

would be an employee of the rental agency.

And this dame's a typist there,

and we're right around the corner
from Susan Fisher's apartment.

Miss Cindy Hastings?

What do you want?

- I'm very busy, and I--
- [whimpering]

My little dog has been ill, and I--

Tragg, if you were to see Miss Hastings
in a wheelchair,

complete with gray wig
and wearing glasses,

[gasps]

Break it in.

[whimpering]

- Go on in, Sergeant.
- [whimper]

Tragg, listen.

[woman crying and gasping]

[Woman]
Help.

Help me.

[moaning]
Oh, help.

[groaning]

[Tragg]
Well, who in the name of--

[Mason]
I'd say Amelia Corning,

the first Miss Corning,
the real Miss Corning.

They-- They kept giving me something.

I can't move.

[Tragg]
You're all right, lady.

We'll take you to a hospital.

But who are they?

[groans]

Tragg, I think it's quite simple.

One of the witnesses on the stand lied,

had to lie, I guess.

If I just found that woman, she'll tell us.

[Miss Dow]
Cindy?

You shouldn't leave the door open like that.

Cindy.

I believe your accomplice
ran out the back way, Miss Dow.

I've always been Amelia Corning.

I'm strictly an original, Mr. Mason.

I'm glad you at least realized
who the imposter was.

Well, I didn't really,

not until the second Amelia Corning disappeared.

It was right after that cable
saying your relative, Sophia Elliot,

would be arriving at any moment.

It occurred to me

that the cable would scare
only an imposter into running.

It was Elizabeth who set up the whole thing,

like last year.

It was Cindy who called Ken Lowry
and gave him his instructions.

For a whole year he cashed checks

and sent them to a post-office box

here in Los Angeles.

Miss Dow's mistake was to take that money

and hide it in a shoebox.

Can you imagine her shock

when she found out that little Carlton

had gotten it mixed up
with his father's treasure?

I took that box out of the safe, dear,

when you were out of the office
for a moment.

It's still in the hotel manager's safe,

where I left it.

Which, of course,
is why Miss Dow could never find it.

I imagine she had
a couple of shocks that day.

First, she thought she had protected herself

by kidnapping you from the railroad station

before you could start off from Mojave,

but then Ken Lowry called
the Campbell home,

and she realized
he was going to talk so much

that she and her friend Cindy
would still be caught.

Everything they did, they did
out of sheer desperation.

They arranged a meeting with Lowry,

tried to buy him off,

he wouldn't play,

so they k*lled him.

And Mr. Campbell,

he had nothing to do with it.

He was really
just a good, honest businessman.

Now, how could he be a good businessman?

He didn't even believe his own secretary.

Hallelujah, dear.
We'll fire him.

Hallelujah.