03x07 - The Case of the Golden Fraud

[bunniefuu]

( noirish jazz theme playing )

( doorbell buzzes )

( sedate theme playing )

Hello. Are you
Miss Welles?

Come in,
Mr. Conners.

You understand what
I want you to do?

Yes, ma'am.

You want me to
bug this room.

Well, it's a little joke
we're playing

on a very good friend.

You see, it's his
tenth wedding anniversary.

Yes, ma'am.

I'll take this mike...

and I'll set it up
behind this picture...

and I'll run the wires
along the baseboard.

You understand what
you're to do later?

Well, it's like you told me
on the telephone.

Afterwards, I'll come back here,
and cut and splice the tape.

Make it come out
the way you want it to.

It can be done, can't it?

( chuckling ):
I mean, since it is a joke,

you, uh, can make something
that sounds innocent,

uh, come out
funny.

( chuckles )

You know, as though we're
having an emotional affair?

Sure.

Gag, huh?

Make it seem like
you and this guy are, uh,

secret lovers.

That's exactly right.

( slow, dramatic theme playing )

You'll have to tell me
how this thing works.

Oh, it's simple.

All you do is flip this forward
to start it

and flip it back
to stop it.

It will pick up everything
he says, won't it?

It'll pick up everything
this guy thinks.

How much do I owe you?

Well, look, why don't we wait
until the job's all finished,

Miss Welles.
You call me

at the shop
when you're ready, hm?

( door opens )

( door closes )

( cat meows )

( sedate theme playing )

MAN:
Not that the Quarter Noble
is valuable,

but in the firm's years,

Mr. Noble has presented
only eight of these coins.

The significance being
the promotion coming up?

No, now remember,

Fred Petrie's
got one too.

So that means that
the vice presidency

lies somewhere between
the two of us.

It'll be you.

( chuckles )

Come on, darling,
let's hurry.

The Robinsons are
expecting us at ...
All right.

...and it's five after
already.

( phone rings )

Hello?

( woman speaking
indistinctly )

Just a moment, please.

It's Miss Welles.

Hello, Miss Welles?

I'm so glad I caught you in,
Mr. Vanaman.

I just found out I must leave
for New York tonight.

Tonight?

Well, uh, Miss Welles,

did you study the prospectus
that I sent you?

So that we might
go ahead with it?

Yes. That's the reason
I'm calling you.

I must go over it with you
tonight before I leave.

Two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars is a lot of money...

and I do want your investment
company to handle it for me.

But, uh...

Yes. Yes, of course.

I'll be right over.

This happens quite
often lately,

doesn't it, Richard?

Working nights
with Miss Welles?

Franny, it's
a $, account.

It may be the little extra push
that Mr. Noble needs.

Now, I'll drop you
at the Robinsons,

and I'll pick you up
there later, okay?

No, I'd rather
wait for you here.

I'll see you later.

( slow, dramatic theme playing )

Your wife seemed cool
on the phone, Mr. Vanaman.

But then,
I don't blame her.

It was terrible of me

to interfere
with your plans.

Oh, thank you so much.

Not terrible at all.

Frances and I have
a wonderful marriage.

She understands completely
when I work nights.

Oh yes, the,
uh, prospectus.

Did you work this up
just for me?

Just for you.

Part of, uh,
Noble and Company policy?

No, part of my policy.

VANAMAN:
You notice the growth potential

of these investments.

They'll take care
of Sylvia Welles

for the rest of her life.

And you will keep a personal eye
on my commitments?

Oh, more than
a personal eye.

A constant
and a devoted eye.

A labor of love?
( cat meows )

VANAMAN:
Yes, I guess you might call it

a labor of love.

( cat meowing )

( slow, dramatic theme playing )

What is it?

( angrily ):
A microphone!

That won't stop it.

What's this all about?

Well...

Why do you want to record
our conversation, huh?

Why do I--?

I-I don't!
Somebody does.

Oh. Oh, it--

It must be
my husband.

I didn't know
you were married, Miss Welles.

Well, we're not
working at it.

Richard, he's
insanely jealous.

You'd better go.

Miss Welles, for several weeks
I've come to your apartment.

Perhaps imprudently.

Don't you understand?

If he's recorded
our conversation,

there's no telling
what he'll think.

Richard Vanaman
and me.

No, you can't
stay here.

Is this a badger game?

Are you planning
some sort of extortion?

I swear--

Because if you are,
it won't work.

I won't be blackmailed.
There are measures I can take.

Richard, please.

( exhales )

( mysterious theme playing )

Mr. Conners?

Ready now.

You can come up.

Oh, Franny,
where have you been?

The Robinsons--

I just went
for a walk.

Come on,
it's not too late.

Okay.

( mysterious theme playing )

What's the matter?

Quarter Noble.

Have you lost it?

When I pulled out my pocketknife
in Sylvia's apartment...

You call her by
her first name now.

I must have dropped it
without realizing it.

I've gotta get
over there right away.

She's leaving
for New York tonight.

Mr. Hale?

Ah.

Here's your papers.

Thank you.

( meows )

( intense theme playing )

( cat meowing )

( dramatic theme playing )

( cat meowing )

( light knock
on door )

Stop!

Who are you?

What's going on?

( cat meowing )

VANAMAN:
Mr. Mason,
have you seen this?

Yes, in the morning paper.

What about it,
Mr. Vanaman?

Oh, please turn
to page five.

Squib in
the lower right corner.

"Gold Coin Found?"

Mm-hm.

"Parking meters in Los Angeles
have received

"their share of slugs,
washers and other objects

"designed to steal an hour's
free parking from the city.

"This morning, however,
the traffic department

"found gold
in a Westside meter.

"An old English coin which can
be claimed upon identification."

There's a very good chance
that coin might be mine.

Coin has a connection
with the m*rder?

I knew Miss Welles.

The woman that was m*rder*d.

I was in her apartment
last night.

I might have
dropped the coin there.

How do you suppose
it got into the parking meter?

I don't know.

It, uh...

it may not even be my coin.

Well, why don't you go
to the police and find out?

Well, you see, I can't do that,
Mr. Mason.

Miss Welles was a prospective
client of the firm.

And right now I'm up
for vice presidency.

The head of the firm
himself, Mr. Noble.

Henry Noble.
Noble and Company?

Yes.

He's a wonderful
man.

Honorable, full of
integrity. But--

But he hates publicity.

I happen to know
Mr. Noble.

I understand
his viewpoint.

We are investment
brokers.

We handle large amounts of money
belonging to other people.

We can't afford
publicity.

And...you think the police

might connect you
with the coin...

and the m*rder.

Oh, if the coin is mine,
they'll make the connection.

You see, mine had a hole
drilled in it by my jeweler.

That involves me with it.

How involved are you,
Mr. Vanaman?

You mean with the m*rder?

Not at all.

You were in her apartment
last night.

Early.

About :.

Was she alive when you left?

Yes.

Mr. Mason...

can you help me?

Mr. Vanaman...

just what do you
mean by help?

Well, I thought you might
send someone down to claim it.

If it's mine.
And...

well, if there are
complications, you--

You know best
how to handle that.

All right.

Della, please see
if Paul is in.

( ominous theme playing )

Ahem!

Lost or found?

Lost.

Oh, hello, Drake.

Hi.

You name it,

I'll see if we've
got anything like it in stock.

Well, it's a--

WOMAN:
Oh, you can't
print that. Heh.

Unless, of course,
it's syndicated.

Excuse me, sweetie.

Hi, darling.

I've lost something,
and you found it,

and I've come down
to get it back.

I'm almost afraid to ask.

I bet you even have
old jokes down here.

It's that
gold coin that was

written about
in the newspapers.

I wanna claim it.

Can you furnish a description
of the article, miss?

Oh, I sure can.

It's round, it's gold,

and it's called a Quarter Noble.

There's a picture
of the shield

of Henry VI
on one side--

The man with the chicken leg

--and there's some flowered
scrollwork on the other.

And there's a tiny little hole
bored through it.

Right?

Where did you lose
this coin, miss?

I put it
in a parking meter.

I told these gentlemen that
I'd tell them how it happened,

but I really don't think
I'd better.

Any particular
parking meter?

Well I don't put one
in every parking meter,

for heaven sakes.

It was on Santa Monica,
right near Fairfax.

Right down the street
from the International Bar.

( gasps )

The name is Lee.

L-E-E.
Miss Bunny Lee.

There you are, driver.

Thank you very much,
Mr. Drake.

I can handle it
from now on.

Uh, hold it.

I think you'd better
wait here.

Just until I can
get in touch with Perry.

It's quite all right.

Uh-uh.

This has all the earmarks
of a shakedown.

That girl doesn't
look like any coin collector.

More the paper-money type.

You wait here,
I'll be right back.

There's a phone booth
down the street.

( mysterious theme playing )

( doorbell buzzes )

Hi.

Are you the young lady
who claimed the Quarter Noble?

That's right.

Come on in.

Thank you.

MAN:
I've been waiting
for you.

( slow, dramatic theme playing )

Yes. Well, who are you?

I'm the night clerk
at her hotel.

Oh?

It's your coin,
isn't it?

Yes.

Did you find it
in her room?

Of course.

Where you dropped it.

All right.

I'll pay your blackmail.

How much do you want?

MAN :
Not for sale, mister.

Tragg, Homicide.

Come on.

Thank you,
lieutenant.

Well, Mr. Vanaman,

when you came to see me
earlier today,

you said it was to arrange
for the recovery of a coin.

Also to...

handle things for me
if it was necessary.

But you knew
it would be necessary.

I thought it might.

You also told me that
Sylvia Welles was alive

when you left
her apartment.

She was...

the first time.

Then I went back when
I discovered I'd lost the coin.

She didn't
answer the door.

And...?

Well, the peephole in the door
was open a crack,

I saw a light...

so I went in.

You went in.

Just like that?

The door
wasn't locked.

All right,
go on.

She was dead.

Why didn't you
call the police?

I didn't have time.

I-- I wanted to
find that coin first.

By the time I started
to search,

there was a knock on the door.

That Hale, the desk clerk,
came in.

That's when
I ran.

That certainly
wasn't very smart.

I know.

Mr. Mason,
there's something else.

What else?

That room
was wiretapped.

I discovered it
by accident.

Sylvia Welles said
she thought it was her husband.

Now, by this time,
Mr. Mason,

I knew I was
getting in pretty deep.

I love my wife.

I didn't want to hurt her...

even with something
that wasn't true.

How long have you known
this Welles woman?

I met her
recently at--

At a gathering.

A gathering where?

At, uh...

At Fred's house.

Fred Petrie.

Well, if she was a friend of his

and had a quarter of
a million dollars to invest,

why didn't she
let him handle it for her?

I don't know.

And Paul Drake told me
that you'd been booked,

otherwise I wouldn't
have known you were here.

Didn't Lieutenant Tragg allow
you to make a phone call?

Yes, he did.

I called someone else.

Who?

Henry Noble.

( mysterious theme playing )

Well, Perry...

you're looking fine.

Please sit down.

Thank you.

If you are here
because of this m*rder case,

the matter between
Vanaman and myself

is not open
for discussion.

Uh, he's no longer
in my employ.

You prejudging him guilty?

Has nothing to do with
whether he's guilty or not.

Noble and Company
simply cannot be associated

with this kind of notoriety.

I'm surprised
at your intolerance.

What if it wasn't his fault?

That makes a difference
to me personally,

but not to Noble and Company.

How old is the company?

Forty-three years.

I wonder how
it could have survived

under such righteousness?

What makes you so sure that
d*ck Vanaman is innocent?

Well, for one thing...

a guilty man uses
the one phone call allowed him

by the police to get in touch
with his attorney,

not his employer.

May I talk to
Mr. Petrie?

Hm.

( clears throat )

Ask Mr. Petrie
to come in.

What do you, uh,
want with him, Perry?

Oh, I think perhaps
a, uh, microphone...

and a woman.

( door opens )

NOBLE:
Mr. Petrie, Mr. Mason.

Perry Mason?

It's a privilege.

Mr. Petrie.

Mason is
representing Vanaman

in that, uh,
m*rder thing.

Oh. I wish you and d*ck
the best, sir.

Mr. Noble,

about that little rivalry
between d*ck and myself.

Well, I think
it would be fairer

to hold off any decision

until this has
all blown away.

You believe he's innocent
then, Mr. Petrie?

I've known d*ck
for more than years.

He's constitutionally incapable
of murdering anyone.

And if there's
anything I can do--

uh, character witness,
uh, anything

--just ask.

Why, thank you.

Did you know that
Sylvia Welles was married?

Did I know?

Should I?

Well, isn't she
an acquaintance of yours?

No, sir.

She was, uh, at a gathering
at your home.

Was she?

Wait a minute.

You know, I did seem
to feel something

when I saw her picture
in the paper.

I take it then
she wasn't your guest?

No.

She must have
crashed the party.

Or, um, been invited
by your wife?

( mysterious theme playing )

Hello?

MAN ( on phone ):
Is this the Petrie residence?

Yes.

Well, I don't know whether
you'd be interested or not,

but, uh, I got hold
of something:

a spool of tape.

Well, my name is Conners.

I did a job of work for a woman
over at the Revere Apartments.

Know who I mean?

And, uh, I haven't
been paid for it.

W-what's on this, uh,
spool of tape?

Are you interested?

I'd have to hear it.

Sure.

It's all fixed. Cut and edited.

If I want to buy it...

how much will it cost?

A thousand dollars.

All right.

But...I want every word
you recorded.

The Hi-Fi Roundelay shop.

Uh, I'll be wearing
a gardenia.

Frederick Warren Petrie.

Very bright and, apparently,
full of integrity.

His wife, Doris,
was formerly secretary

to Henry Noble himself.

Ambitious type?

Could be.

She's, uh, had a pretty busy day
today so far:

Called on the apartment
hotel clerk, Eliot Hale.

Went to her bank.

And then went to a flower shop
and bought some gardenias.

No wonder we
couldn't find her.

( phone rings )

Yes, Gertie?

( Gertie speaks
indistinctly )

Mr. Eliot Hale
in the outer office.

Have him come in.

Be right out.

Well, I've got
some work to do.

Thanks, Paul.

( door opens )

( door opens )

( door closes )

( door closes )

Mr. Mason,
Mr. Eliot Hale.

( door closes )

Mr. Hale.
Won't you sit down?

Thank you.

Now, what can I do
for you?

Mr. Mason...

you represent the man

I believe m*rder*d
Sylvia Welles.

Now, the only reason
I went to all that trouble

with the gold coin was,

well, I promised myself
that I would bring her m*rder*r

to justice, if it
was within my power.

Why the intense interest
in all this, Mr. Hale?

She was a lady, Mr. Mason.

That may well be...

but, you know, you may have
made quite a mistake

in believing the m*rder*r
to be Mr. Vanaman.

Well that's why
I'm here.

Della.

You see, a woman
called on me today.

She asked me if the police
had found any recording tapes

in Miss Welle''
apartment.

And you
told her what?

Well, that
I didn't know.

They had found evidence
of microphones.

That all
she wanted to know?

No. Then she asked me
if I knew

who could have installed them.

Did you?
No.

Did she, uh,
tell you who she was?

No.

But she left me a number
if anything came up.

Hollywood -.

Now as I understand you,
Mr. Hale,

you believe I should
look into this situation

of the woman
and the tape recordings?

If there are any.

Yes, sir, I do.

And if Mr. Vanaman is innocent,

it might help
to uncover the truth.

That's all I want, Mr. Mason.

All right,
Mr. Hale.

Goodbye,
Mr. Mason.

Miss Street.

Goodbye.

Miss Welles was a lady,
Mr. Mason.

A gentlewoman.

An angel almost.

As though a man
shouldn't...

touch her.

You know?

( door closes )

He was in love with
Sylvia Welles.

Still is, Della.

Now he has a fixation
to make the m*rder*r,

whoever it is,
pay for the crime.

That might be something to worry
about, if he knows more about

those tape recordings
than he's admitted.

That phone number, um...

same as Mrs. Petrie?

Mm-hm.

Let's try her again.

( phone rings )

Hello?

Hello, Mrs. Petrie.

I wonder if I might
have a talk with you.

Um, no, I'm afraid it's
out of the question, Mr. Mason.

( Mason speaking
indistinctly )

No.

I have an appointment.

No, I am sorry,
Mr. Mason.

And what makes you think
I would be interested

in helping
Richard Vanaman?

Doris.

If he is guilty, I don't want
my husband or myself involved.

Was that...Perry Mason?

Yes.

Who do you have
an appointment with?

A man.

What man?

I don't remember
his name.

What's the appointment for?

I am going to buy
a tape recording

made between Richard Vanaman
and the m*rder*d woman.

Tape recording?

And if it says
what I think it will,

it will prove that
they were having an affair.

And that's why he k*lled her?

I can't believe
that, Doris.

Well, you don't have to.

The police will.

You're going to buy
that recording

and turn it over
to the police?

Oh, can't you understand?

I am paying $,
for the vice presidency

of Noble and Company.

I don't want it
that way, Doris.

I don't want d*ck Vanaman
to pay for it with his blood.

Well...

I'm not a hypocrite.

I don't care
cents about him.

I want that
vice presidency for you.

I've got to go,

I'll be late.

You're not
going anywhere.

( dialing phone )

( light classical music
playing on speakers )

Mrs. Petrie.

You're late.

You know
how husbands are. I--

I didn't want him to think
I had anything on my mind,

except a sick friend.

Did you bring it?

Did you?

Well, that's very funny,
Mrs. Petrie.

Now, listen to this.

SYLVIA ( over tape ):
Darling, isn't it time

that we stopped--

Take it easy,
mister. Police.

Wait a minute. What's
going on here? It--

Well, Della,
where's Perry?

I'm right here,
lieutenant.

Oh.
( tape rewinding )

Saves you a little trip,
eh, Perry?

Did you?

Well, didn't I?
Down to headquarters?

Weren't you getting hold of this
just to turn it in to us?

SYLVIA ( over tape ):
Your wife--

VANAMAN:
Frances can be
terrible, Sylvia.

SYLVIA:
But she can't hold you.

VANAMAN:
Not the way you can.

I love you...Sylvia.

That's enough,
lieutenant.

Turn it off.
( clicks off )

All right,
Conners.

How much did Miss Welles
pay for the job?

Well, it was supposed to be
a hundred dollars.

I was gonna get it later
when I picked up my equipment.

And when did you
pick up the equipment?

Oh, I got back there
about :.

You got there at :,
picked up your equipment,

Miss Welles paid you,
and you gave her the tape?

Yes, sir,
that's right.

And then you left?

That's right.

And Miss Welles was alive
when you left?

Yes, she was.

You mean, you went back
to the apartment later?

No, no.

Then how did you
get the tape?!

Listen to me,
Conners.

Let me see if I can
explain something to you.

The police department and
the district attorney's office

have caused the grand jury
to indict a man

for the m*rder
of Sylvia Welles.

This man is Richard Vanaman.

He's a highly respected
businessman.

He's not a hoodlum
or a gangster.

He doesn't have a record
of arrests and convictions.

Yes, sir.

We're preparing to take
our case into court.

It's a circumstantial case,

but we've found
that circumstances

are frequently more reliable
and less controversial

than witnesses.

And we think we have
a very good case

against Mr. Vanaman.

Look, I don't know
what you're getting at.

This tape gives you a motive
for Vanaman, doesn't it?

I should think
you'd be grateful.

Well we're not grateful, mister.

This doesn't help us.

This hurts us.

This is a fake.

What do you mean, a fake?

Oh, come on,
Conners.

Let's listen to it
again, shall we?

Lieutenant, turn it up
with the volume high.

SYLVIA:
Do you love me, Richard?

( popping sounds on tape )

VANAMAN:
Love you for
the rest of my life.

SYLVIA:
Your wife--

VANAMAN:
Frances can be terrible,
Sylvia.

SYLVIA:
But she can't hold you...

That's enough.

VANAMAN:
Not the way you can.

You know what
that popping noise is,

don't you, Mr. Conners?

When you cut the tape
to edit it,

you didn't use
demagnetized shears.

Well, I didn't expect
to be tested like this.

Where's the original
of this recording?

I used it up.

All of it?

Well, all I thought was useful
for the love stuff.

You mean
there's more?

Oh, yes.

When he found the microphone
near the drapes.

That's on this tape?

Well, you see,
we had two mikes going.

Oh, he accused her
of blackmail and extortion,

and, uh, how she couldn't
get away with it.

And how there were certain
measures she could take.

( clicks on )

( slow, dramatic theme playing )

VANAMAN:
A microphone...

( slow, dramatic theme playing )

There were fractures
of the hyoid bone

and the thyroid
cartilage,

with considerable accumulation
of the blood in the soft tissue

around
the windpipe.

Death occurred
between : and :,

from asphyxia, due to
manual strangulation.

Thank you, doctor.

HALE:
When the early- morning
edition

of the papers arrived
at five minutes after ,

I brought them up
to Miss Welles' apartment.

Sometimes, if
she was still up,

we'd chat for
a minute or two.

Mr. Hale...what happened
when you went to

Apartment on
the night of October th?

Well...the lights were on
in her living room...

the peephole was ajar, and...

her cat was yowling.

It was kind of strange.

There was no answer
to my knock, or the bell,

so I tried the door,
and it was open.

And I saw her
lying there.

Go on, Mr. Hale.

Well, then I heard a noise,

and I saw this man
making a dash for the door.

Did you get a good look
at this man?

Yes, sir.
I got a good look at him.

That's him.

The defendant.
Richard Vanaman.

Now, Mr. Hale...

I show you
this object,

and I ask if you've
ever seen it before.

HALE:
Yes, sir, I have.

Could you tell
the court, please,

what it is?

An old English coin,
known as a Quarter Noble.

And when did you first
see this English coin?

That night.
October, the th.

And where
did you see it?

Beside the body,

just after
I had called the police.

Then I dropped the coin
into a parking meter

and made sure the story
got into the papers.

Then I sent a third party
to claim the coin.

I notified the police...

and we were there
when he arrived.

"He" arrived?

Yes, sir.

The man I saw in
the apartment, Richard Vanaman.

If it please
the court...

I should like this marked
for identification

as State's Exhibit B.

Mr. Mason?

No objections.

Thank you,
Your Honor.

Now, Mr. Hale...

in your capacity as clerk
of the apartment hotel

where the deceased resided,

had you ever seen
the defendant before?

Yes, sir.

During the weeks preceding
October , several times.

But what about
the night of October th?

I saw him enter
at half past .

And did you see the defendant
leave that night?

Yes, sir,
just as I told you:

flying out of
Miss Welles' apartment,

with her lying dead.

Thank you, Mr. Hale.

Your witness.

Mr. Hale...

do you see everyone who goes
in or out of the building?

No, sir.

So the defendant
could have left the building

five minutes
after he'd arrived,

and later returned
without your seeing him?

Yes, sir.

As a matter of fact,
any number of people

could have visited Miss Welles
without your knowledge?

Yes, sir,
they could.

Now you said
you were in the habit

of delivering a newspaper
to Miss Welles' apartment.

Was that a normal service?

No.

Something special.

Just for
Miss Welles.

I didn't mind.

I wouldn't never have minded.

Thank you, Mr. Hale.

That will be all.

JUDGE:
Step down, Mr. Hale.

Lieutenant Tragg,
please.

The, uh, defendant's
fingerprints

were found in the m*rder room.

And, uh, one on
a picture frame

near the drapery.

On the picture frame?

Yes, sir.
And here,

a full handprint
and fingerprints

on an empty
highball glass.

I see.

Thank you,
lieutenant.

Now, I show you
this English coin...

marked State's Exhibit B,

and I ask you what occurred
in connection with this

in the apartment
of one Bunny Lee,

on the afternoon
of October th,

the day after
the m*rder.

Yes. The defendant,
Richard Vanaman,

came to the apartment,
admitted the coin was his,

that he dropped it
in Miss Welles' apartment,

and was prepared to pay
blackmail for it.

Really?

Thank you,
lieutenant.

Cross-examine.

No questions.

BURGER:
Mr. Conners,

I'm gonna play this roll
of magnetic tape for you

and ask you
to identify it.

Yes, sir.

Your Honor, we've heard
the testimony of this witness

that the first part
of this tape

has been edited
or tampered with.

Therefore, I would like to
play the part of it

which has not been touched.

Mr. Mason?

Your Honor, defense wonders
why the entire tape

should not be
played.
( scoffs )

Your Honor, it's
already been explained.

The first part of this tape
is a composite,

made up of words and phrases
taken out of context.

It has no meaning
in fact.

Very well.

No objection.

All right,
go ahead.

With the court's
permission.

SYLVIA ( on tape ):
What is it?

VANAMAN:
A microphone!

That won't stop it.

What's this all about?

SYLVIA:
Well--

VANAMAN:
Why do you want to record

our conversation, huh?

SYLVIA:
Why do I--?

I-- I don't!

VANAMAN:
Somebody does.

SYLVIA:
Oh. Oh. I-it must be
my husband.

VANAMAN:
I didn't know you were married,
Miss Welles.

SYLVIA:
Well we're not working at it.

Richard, he's insanely jealous.

You'd better go.

VANAMAN:
Miss Welles, for several weeks

I've come to your apartment...

perhaps imprudently.

SYLVIA:
Don't you understand?

If he's recorded
our conversation,

there's no telling
what he'll think.

Richard Vanaman and me.

No, you can't stay here.

VANAMAN:
Is this a badger game?

Are you planning
some sort of extortion?

Because if you are,
it won't work!

I won't be blackmailed.

There are measures
I can take.

SYLVIA:
Richard, please!

( door slams )

( clicks off )

( crowd chattering )

( tapping )

All right now. All right.

Let's have it quiet
in the courtroom.

( tape rewinding )

Proceed, Mr. Burger.

Mr. Conners...

can you identify
that tape for us?

Yes sir. It's
the one that recorded

in Miss Welles'
apartment.

And the part of it
that we just heard

has neither been touched nor
tampered with, is that right?

Yes sir,
that's right.

If it please the court,

I should like this tape
entered in evidence

and marked for the people
Exhibit D.

Mr. Mason?

No objections.

All right.

( tape player
wheeled off )

Cross-examine.

Now, Mr. Conners.
You testified

that you were hired
to do a job.

Now, who hired you?

Uh, Miss Welles.

Did she tell you
the purpose of this job?

No. All she told me
is to set up the mikes

and the recorders.

And you performed
the job

and then you left
the apartment?

That's right.

What time did you return
to the apartment?

Oh, a few minutes
before :.

For what reason?

Well, like I told
Mr. Burger,

I had to make a few
cuts and splices

in the first part
of the tape.

How long did that take?

Oh, about
a half hour.

And then...?

Well, then I took
my equipment and I left.

And Miss Welles was alive
when you left?

Yes sir, she was.

How much did she pay you
for this job?

We hadn't figured
that out yet.

Then you weren't paid?

No.

And after her death,
it occurred to you

that the recording
might be worth something?

I didn't have the slightest
idea what it was worth.

Then how did you know

who might be interested
in buying it?

What do you mean?

I mean, Mrs. Petrie.

You were selling her
the tape, weren't you?

Wasn't it Mrs. Petrie
you were supposed to meet

in the Hi-Fi
Roundelay shop?

Tell me, Mr. Conners,

how did you know Mrs. Petrie
wanted to buy the tape?

Oh, I, uh, called her.

I asked her.

How did you know
she was the one to call?

Well, uh...while I was
working on the tape,

Miss Welles
made a phone call,

and I heard her mention
the name Doris Petrie.

All this working
on the tape--

this cutting and splicing
--must have been very important.

What was it for?

All I know is what
Miss Welles told me:

that it was a gag
of some kind.

But gag or not,
you figured it was probably

connected with Doris Petrie
and worth a good deal?

Well, I figured it might be.

As a matter of fact,
Mr. Conners,

you figured it might be
worth a great deal

in the way of blackmail,
did you not?

Oh, no,
not blackmail.

I just wanted
to make a few bucks.

Do you consider
a thousand dollars a...

few bucks?

Well it was just
a shot in the dark.

Now, look, I could have asked
for a lot more too,

but I'm no hog.

It's not a question,
Mr. Conners,

of whether or not you're a hog,

but whether or not
you're a m*rder*r.

That's all.

Uh, court will recess
until :.

What time did you
leave the apartment?

A quarter to .

And you arrived home...?

It's only
a -minute drive.

Conners said he left
the apartment at :,

and Sylvia Welles
was still alive.

If he's lying,
he k*lled her.

If he's
telling the truth,

then the time between
: and :

will be clear with
you and your wife.

No.

No?

When Richard got home,
I wasn't there.

( suspenseful theme playing )

I told Richard
I went for a walk.

But you didn't
go for a walk.

No.

I took a cab to Miss Welles'
apartment house.

Why?

I couldn't
stand it any longer.

I wanted to see her.

What time was this?

I got there after :.

About after.

And then what?

I went up
to the third floor.

Did the desk clerk
see you?

No. He'd evidently
stepped away.

And then you went
into Apartment ?

No, I didn't.

As I came around the bend
in the corridor,

I saw someone
standing outside her door.

Just standing there?

He seemed to be
listening.

Would you recognize this man
if you saw him again?

He was in shadow.

Anyway, suddenly
I panicked and ran.

Home, Mrs. Vanaman?

Richard was there...

waiting for me.

So I can't give him
an alibi, can I?

And he can't
give you an alibi.

( dramatic theme playing )

No.

Mr. Burger...

will you proceed, please?

I call Doris Petrie
to the stand, please.

Yes, I knew Sylvia Welles.

We went to school together
back home in Iowa.

Now did you ever have
a social gathering at your home

where she and the defendant
were present?

Yes, they met there.

Did you subsequently see
Sylvia Welles?

Oh, frequently.

And did she ever mention
Richard Vanaman to you?

Yes.

She told me she had
fallen in love with him.

She told me she had
begun to see him

two and three times a week.

She asked me
all about Richard.

The way a woman in love

wants to find out everything
she can about her man.

I told her
his marriage was

one of convenience,
not love.

That his wife
was rather drab,

but that she has
lots of money.

Did Sylvia Welles
ever tell you

that she was
seeing Richard Vanaman

because she wanted him
to handle her money?

Oh. How could she?

She didn't have a dime
to her name.

Really?

Thank you,
Mrs. Petrie.

Your witness.

Uh, Mrs. Petrie...

where were you between
the hours of : and :

on the night
of October ?

At home.

MASON:
Were you alone?

DORIS:
No, with my husband.

Did, uh, anyone call?

Anyone who could've
verified the fact

that you and your husband
were at home during that time?

No.

What does your husband do,
Mrs. Petrie?

He's an investment
broker.

He works for
Noble and Company,

just as
Mr. Vanaman did.

As a matter of fact, there
existed a kind of rivalry

between the two of them
for an executive promotion?

That's right.

And Mrs. Petrie...

do you know one reason
why Sylvia Welles

would have had a tape recording
made of her conversation

with Mr. Vanaman?

No.
No?

But you had a thousand
reasons, didn't you?

Well, that was different.

That was still
a large amount of money.

Whatever it was,

it certainly put the lie
to Richard Vanaman's claim

that Sylvia had a quarter
of a million dollars to invest.

She never--

Go on, Mrs. Petrie.

She never what?

Oh, nothing.

She never told him she had

a quarter of a million
dollars to invest?

If she didn't...

then how did you know
about that precise amount?

Oh, isn't it true, Mrs. Petrie,

that you had Sylvia Welles
entice the defendant

with the promise
of a large investment?

That you hoped for
a relationship between them

which might lead to scandal?

No.

And isn't it true
that the scheme didn't work.

That Richard Vanaman's
interest in Sylvia Welles

was only that of a client?

I wouldn't know.

And then, didn't you
arrange with Sylvia

to hire a technician
and wiretap the apartment...

instructing him to cut
and splice the tape

so that certain
words and phrases

would have an entirely
different meaning?

Mr. Mason...

are you saying this was done

with the tape heard in court?

Uh...Your Honor...

part of the tape we heard
was the honest remonstrance

of a man who had
just realized

that, uh,
he was being tricked.

It's the first part, however--

the part we didn't hear
--to which I'm referring.

I see. All right,
continue.

Your Honor.

Now, when Mr. Conners called you
and told you he had the tape,

you were willing
to pay him $, for it.

Why?

It represented
a real value to me.

Maybe I was wrong,

but I was also doing
my duty as a citizen.

You were gonna turn the tape
over to the police?

Yes, of course.

Then why did you insist
on hearing it first?

Wasn't it because you felt
there might be something

on the tape which
would incriminate you?

No. No.

I didn't k*ll her.

And you didn't know
Mr. Conners?

No!

Your Honor, I think we can
establish the truth here

if I may recall
Mr. Eliot Hale.

Any, uh, objection
from the prosecution?

I have no objection,
Your Honor.

Mr. Hale to the stand, please.

You may step down, Mrs. Petrie.

JUDGE:
Mr. Hale, you're still
under oath.

Mr. Hale...

I now ask you
to repeat a conversation

you had with
Mrs. Petrie.

The conversation
in which she mentioned

the telephone number
Hollywood -.

Oh. Yes.

She asked about tapes
and a technician,

and she left a number
in case anything came up.

She specifically asked
about a tape recording

from Miss Welles' room,
did she not?

Yes, sir.

Now about : on the evening
of the m*rder,

perhaps a little later,

a woman entered your building,
crossed to the elevator,

and went up
to the third floor.

Yes, sir.

I spoke to this woman,
Mr. Hale.

When I asked her if you had
noticed her, she said no.

Well, that's true.

I don't recall
noticing a stranger.

She said you must have
stepped away,

because she didn't see you
there at your desk.

Arriving
on the third floor,

the woman said
she came out of the elevator,

she saw a man standing
in front of Miss Welles' door,

apparently
listening to something

that was going on
inside her room.

Oh?

Was that you in front of
the door, Mr. Hale?

No, Mr. Mason.

How could I be listening
to something out in the hallway?

Those doors are solid.

What about the peephole,
Mr. Hale?

You testified that
when you brought the paper up

at minutes after ,
the peephole was open.

You couldn't see very much,

but you could hear her
splendidly, couldn't you?

But why would I be listening?

Your Honor...

I would like the first part
of this tape recording,

Exhibit D,
played at this time.

Your Honor...

It's already
been explained,

the first part of this tape
is spliced, edited.

It's a fake.

Precisely,
Your Honor.

However, I would like
this section

of the tape
identified.

Hm.

Counsel's entirely
within his rights, Mr. Burger.

Mr. Technician,
you may proceed.

( clicks on )

SYLVIA:
Do you love me, Richard?

VANAMAN:
Love you for
the rest of my life.

SYLVIA:
Then get a divorce.

We can get married.

Your wife--

VANAMAN:
Frances can be terrible,
Sylvia.

SYLVIA:
But she can't hold you.

VANAMAN:
Not the way you can.

I love you, Sylvia.

A constant and devoted love.

( clicks off )

You thought it was a real scene
you were listening to,

didn't you, Mr. Hale?

You didn't know
it was a recording.

A fake.

Your angel was being defiled.

Your idol had--
Had slipped.

The woman with whom
you were so in love...

had revealed
feet of clay.

And so you waited
your chance.

Then you went
into the apartment,

and you k*lled her.

My mother was the same way.

I used to think of her
as an angel.

But then she...

Oh.

Not that I k*lled
my mother.

But I did k*ll Sylvia Welles.

( crowd chattering )

JUDGE:
Bailiff. Take this man
into custody.

( slow, dramatic theme playing )

For you, Mr. Mason.

Well, thank you,
Mr. Noble.

I promise not to put it
in a parking meter.

( chuckles )

Now may I satisfy my curiosity,
Mr. Noble?

Is Mr. Vanaman fired?

Well, if he was,
he's been rehired.

And who gets
the vice presidency?

Well, if I was
smart as Solomon,

I'd split the job in two
and give half to each man.

And that's what
you're going to do?

Mm, mm.

No, Della.

He's smarter than Solomon.

He's not gonna divide the job.

He's gonna make them
compete for it all over again.

I've always said what's good
for Noble and Company

is good for
its personnel.

Vanaman, Mrs. Vanaman,
come along.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

Your belief in Richard
never wavered, did it?

No more than yours,
Mrs. Vanaman.

( noirish jazz theme playing )