07x02 - The Case of the Shifty Shoe-Box

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

(horn honking)

(crickets chirping)

(thudding)

(g*nsh*t)

Hey.

Who's out here?

(truck horn honking)

BOY:
Go, catch it. Catch it.

Now catch this one, stupid.

Please, Chuck.
It's getting so dark, I can't.

It's over by the fence.

Of all the lousy outfielders!

Didn't you ever
play baseball before?

Hey, hurry up before
my mom starts yelling, will you?

Look for it!

Miles? Where are you? Miles!

- Well, where'd you go?
-(truck horn tooting)

It's right around here
some place.

Kid?

Miles?

If you stole that ball,
hear me, kid,

you'll get chased out of this

town so fast, you won't even...

Here.

Why didn't you yell?

Can't you do anything right?

Hey, what you been doing
out here?

I got better things to do
than chase your ol' ball.

Well, what do you want me to do,
give it to you?

I already gave you my mitt,
didn't I?

Listen, Miles, there's no point
in you hitting any

until you learn
how to catch, see?

You got to know something about
something before you can...

I know something what you guys
don't know. Listen, Chuck...

Kid, why do you always act
so people want to hit you?

WOMAN:
Charles!

- You're lucky.
- WOMAN: Charles!

You don't even have a ma
to yell at you.

Chuck, I do know something...

WOMAN:
You come home this instant!

...if you promise not
to tell anybody else.

WOMAN:
Charles!

Yeah, your mom sure is
a big foghorn, isn't she?

Please, Chuck.
It'll only take a second.

I know a secret that...

Who cares what you know, stupid?

(buzzer sounds)

Miles, that's the doorbell.

Would you answer it, please?

All you have
to do is let him in, you...

I thought you were watching TV.

I'm sorry, Aunt Syl.

Honey, if you're gonna
stay here with us,

you're gonna have to stop saying
you're sorry all the time.

Excuse me.

Well, I mean, you don't have
to watch it, you know,

but... but till my brother gets
back from the bowling alley...

- I'm sorry, Aunt Syl.
-(buzzer sounding)

Honey, just go on,
answer the door, will you?

I'll be right there, Bill.
Just a second.

Hello, son.

I think
you better tell your mother...

She's not my mother.

She's not even my real aunt.

I don't even have to live here
if I don't want to.

You can come in, I guess.

Where do you live?

Where is your mother?

I don't know, but I've got four
of 'em some place. I really do.

Oh, excuse me.

I didn't realize...

Miles, run along.

Mrs. Thompson, my name is Mason.

I was having dinner
with Mr. Downing.

Oh, of course, Mr. Mason.

You're, uh, spending the night

at his country place,
aren't you?

Won't you come in and sit down?

Joe said you would be expecting
Bill Sheridan

and might be worried.

Joe needs you
at the trucking office.

He thought we'd save time
if I stopped to, uh, explain.

Well, what's the matter?
What happened?

Miles, will you please
go watch TV?

Now, don't be alarmed,
but the police called.

There's been a sh**ting.

Your office was just robbed.

CHESTER (on TV):
Mr. Dillon.

DILLON (on TV):
Chester.

Good night, Miles.

Your Uncle Flick will be home.
Don't worry.

DILLON: Hey, uh, think I'll get
bit if I sit down here, Doc?

DOC: Well, you're taking quite
a chance, I'll tell you that.

DILLON:
How long has this been going on?

DOC: Oh, this is
just the second time...

Look, I wasn't shot.
I'm all right.

The doctor
should have stayed here.

For what?
For a bump on the head?

That's all it was. I was out
for a couple of minutes.

I'm just sorry I loused up
our date, that's all.

Bill, don't be ridiculous.

Mrs. Thompson, will you help
the sergeant there?

Take a look in that safe.

I want to know exactly
what's missing here.

Of course, Mr. Downing.

Don't pick on her, Joe.
She likes me.

Bill, tell Mr. Mason here now
just what you told me.

I stopped by here
to do a little work.

What with all the, uh, big brass
descending on us in the morning,

I thought
it might be a good idea

to make sure the,
uh, ashtrays were clean.

You've, uh,
managed this branch office

for quite some time, I take it?

Los Angeles, huh?

It's got suburbs on the moon.

You see, I thought
my dear cousin Joey here

was being a great benefactor
when he handed me this job.

Actually, Perry,
it's been less than a year

because my partner, Frank Honer,
was setting up this yard

to service our Arizona traffic,

while I was up in Oregon
building that branch.

And now they have their own
building on Wilshire Boulevard,

where the lucky people work.

No sagebrush, no, uh...

Bill, you're wasting our time.

He doesn't care about that.

Sure, Joe. Okay.

I was, uh,

sitting at that desk.

Now, I had opened the safe
to check on some things.

The lights were on,
Mr. Sheridan?

Well, of course
the lights were on.

Go on, Mr. Sheridan.

That's about all there is.

I was sitting at the desk,

I didn't even
hear the door open.

The next thing I know,
I'm on the floor.

SERGEANT: You positive
you never heard a shot?

Yes, I am positive.

This slug only missed you
a foot or two, maybe.

Where did you find that slug?

I dug it out of the floor there.

What do you figure,
Mrs. Thompson? How much?

Uh, well, there was $ ,
in the driver's expense fund,

$ plus in petty cash.

It totals $ , that's missing.

Not a bad haul.

Oh, well,
it could have been much worse.

You know,
we sometimes have payroll

and... and, uh,
shipping deposits in cash.

So, the thief didn't know
your routine here.

As for this,

maybe he slugged you
with his g*n, and it went off.

You wouldn't have heard.

Several explanations,
and they all add up

-to simple robbery.
- Was anything else taken?

I don't think so.

Those, uh, pile of papers
are probably all messed up

because the money's
at the bottom, don't you think?

I could sit down and check.

No, never mind.
We'll let Harry lock up now.

I'll have Miss Frances
out from town

to check the records with me
the first thing in the morning.

Good night, everybody.

Joe? Joe?

What's the matter?

Don't you think
this was a simple robbery?

No, Perry, I don't.

Here's a late item
from the sheriff substation.

The local office
of the Honer and Downing

Trucking Company
was robbed tonight.

Several thousand dollars

were taken from the office safe
by an assailant

who apparently broke
into the building

about : this evening.

Branch manager
of the trucking company...

Uncle, is that you?

MAN (on TV): ...Mr. Bill
Sheridan has reportedly

slipped into unconsciousness...

MAN: You still awake?
What's the big idea?

- It's almost : .
- Wait.

MAN (on TV):
...over $ , .

The robber was reported as armed

with a . -caliber p*stol,

which he fired once,
fortunately without effect.

The man fled hurriedly,

and police suggest he may be
frightened and dangerous...

MILES:
Uncle Flick, don't!

Didn't you hear?

Aunt Syl's office was robbed.

Sure,
and somebody got knocked out.

And they stole thousands
and thousands of dollars.

You get to bed!

But it's true.
There's a man came here

a long time ago,
and he took Aunt Syl.

You want my sister coming home
and finding you downstairs?

You know how upset she's been
ever since you've been here.

But, Uncle Flick,
I want to tell you something.

Me and Chuck was playing
baseball...

I said, go to bed,
you little... Go on!

(door opens)

That's a good boy.

And don't worry.

Tomorrow,
I'll let you watch me play pool

like I promised, okay?

(door closes)

(crickets chirping)

Cal-i-ber...

th-thirty-eight.

(rustling in brush)

(whispers):
Uncle Flick.

(door opens)

Flick? Where are you, Flick?

He's probably in the kitchen,
sopping up the beer.

No, the light would be on.

I got to go upstairs
and check on Miles.

Honey, when are you
gonna get rid of that kid?

I mean, children are all right,
but he's such a nuisance to you.

I mean, ever since
he's been here...

Mmm.

My brother's still bowling.

I'll be down in a minute, Bill.

♪♪

(crying)

MAN:
Good afternoon.

- Hello.
-(door closes)

I'm Honer, Frank Honer.

Oh, uh, Mr. Downing's partner,
the trucking company?

That's right.

I just got in from San Francisco

and there was
a message telling me

that our little get-together
has been called off.

Now, Joe's up in the desert,

Miss Frances,
our chief accountant,

is apparently up there with him,

so, me, I'd just
like to know what's going on.

- Hello, Mr. Honer.
- Mr. Mason.

You were up at Joe's last night,
weren't you?

I guess you
want to hear about the robbery.

I was just getting a report
from Mr. Drake.

Oh, I'm not interested in that.

We're insured.
Who cares about that?

Mr. Mason, Joe told me
he wanted to get together

and have an inspection tour of
all our branch offices, right?

He said he had
a real hot offer to sell

and that
after we looked things over,

we'd sit down and talk, right?

That's why Joe called me in.

National Trucking's
very interested

in buying your company,

and Joe wanted private legal
advice in case of a sale.

Well, maybe I'm not
too eager to sell yet.

Tell me something, is Joe being
a fussbudget about this robbery?

Is that why we can't sit down
and talk right now?

I really don't know his reasons
for delaying, Mr. Honer.

He just suggested
I come back to town for a day.

Did he, uh,
happen to mention

a worthless cousin by the name
of Bill Sheridan?

By any chance would this
have anything to do with him?

The way Bill's been running
things out there, maybe.

Joe's your partner.

Why don't you wait and ask him?

I won't have to now.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

Oh, and, uh, don't worry,

I won't ask Joe.

If he's uncovered
a private hornet's nest,

I guess he can take care of it.

(door closes)

Let's here the rest
of your report, Paul.

Full name, Miles Jefferson.

Dependent child of the court
since he was six months old.

Compton Orphanage, three years,

then a series of foster homes.

So that's how the boy
acquired four mothers.

Yeah, and bad luck
on all of them, I guess.

Anyway, several weeks ago,
a distant relative

named John Flickinger applied

and took the kid
to live with him and his sister

for a while on trial.

His Uncle Flick arranged it?

Sure. Guy's out of a job,

and the state pays about
bucks a month child support.

And if you happen to have
a softhearted widow sister

who's willing to do a little
extra cooking...

A little too softhearted, maybe.

That's what Joe's worried about.

He's finding things
in her books out there.

So what?

Perry, I still don't see
what's important about...

Paul, wouldn't it be
important to you

if you were eight years old
and still hadn't found a home?

Uh, I have to run back
to the office, Milesy.

You just had your lunch,
you know,

so don't play on a full stomach.

All right, Aunt Syl.

FLICK:
Miles!

Hey, boy!

Where you been hiding
all morning?

Thought you'd want to watch
a little pool today.

I thought I'd rather
play baseball, maybe.

Ah, you can do that anytime.

Come on, make a man out of you.

I thought I'd rather...

Ah, let's go,
let's go, huh, boy?

Let's go.

Ah, you see.

Now I want to make
the four ball,

but the corner's blocked
by the seven,

SO...

Miles, you listening?

Sure, it's interesting.

Only thing better is bowling.

You know how long
I bowled last night?

Four solid hours,

from supper straight on.

Yes, sir, four solid hours.

I never left
that bowling alley once.

What'd you do last night, kid?

Oh, I, oh, I sat in my room,

I watched TV, and I read.

You were, uh, gonna tell me
something, remember?

You, uh, said something about

playing baseball with Chuck?

What about the seven ball,
Uncle Flick?

Well, I must've sounded
a little rough last night,

finding you up so late,
I mean, or...

or maybe it was listening
to that robbery thing on TV.

I don't know,

it being your Aunt Syl's
office and all.

Now you kids, I suppose,

get all excited
about things like that.

Go scaring each other,

looking for clues,

snooping around...

Come on, Miles.

Please, Uncle Flick,
I want to go home

and just, just read
or something.

Wouldn't you rather
see that movie?

Well, sure,
but it's a double bill,

and if I miss supper,
Aunt Syl...

Ah, look, here, here,

here, go buy yourself
a couple of candy bars.

I'll fix it with your Aunt Syl.

Don't worry so much, boy.

You run along now,
I got things to do.

Go on, go on.

♪♪

Now what are you
messing up that file for?

I'll tell you
what I want to look at.

Miss Frances, put these
with the other figures.

Yes, Mr. Downing.

Look, you must be aware
that the final accounting

is done at the main office.

All I do is send
in the subtotals

and the money spent
by Mr. Sheridan.

You may turn on the lights.

I'm about ready
to start adding this up.

Uh, Mr. Downing,

you've been kind enough
to take an interest

in the little boy that my
brother brought to stay with us.

Well, he won't
get a bite to eat unless...

All right, go on.

We can always get you back
if we need you.

Good night, Sylvia,
dear, and thank you.

(whispers):
Bill,

what's the matter with him?

Do you think he found that
petty cash thing from April?

What are you talking about?

Joe's got ulcers, that's all.

When you lost that money
in Las Vegas.

You balanced it
on the other book, didn't you?

So...

(whispers):
So, we made it up.

Seven hundred dollars.

Sylvia, why don't you go home
and comb your hair.

There are other things,
other items.

I never have had full
bookkeeping out here.

There are certain things
I can't explain.

You know, my case of whiskey is
always missing a bottle or two?

Things happen here, so what?

I'll see you later, okay, baby?

Hey, come on, come on,
let me help you with that.

You sure you won't
strain yourself?

Hey, uh,

it's about time
for a couple of martinis

and a nice steak, isn't it, hmm?

MISS FRANCES:
What about your, uh, girlfriend?

BILL:
Hey, now, listen,

don't you go making remarks
about my mother.

(Bill laughs)

Miles?

Where are you, honey?
I'll bet you're starved.

Hi, Syl.

Guess the kid isn't home yet.
I just got here myself.

Well, where is he?

You could've
cooked something for him.

Say, uh, Syl, uh,

I thought maybe I'd duck out
for a few days.

My, uh, my back is bothering me.

Maybe a week
at the Veterans Hospital.

I.. uh,

I guess I better go
round up the kid, huh?

For heaven's sake, yes.

You brought the poor child here,
do something about him.

John, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry about your back.
I'll fix you a hot bath.

Oh, no, no, no, that's okay.

I- mean, sis, uh,

I didn't know the kid
was gonna bother you so much,

and if I'd figured maybe
you and Bill Sheridan

were gonna get married,
I never would've...

(phone rings)

Hello?

Yes, Miss Frances.

Well, I just barely got home.

Well, you do
whatever you like, dear,

but I'm leaving.

And, uh,

I thought you ought to know

that the minute
Mr. Sheridan left,

Mr. Downing
sent for his lawyer again,

so if I were you, ...

Look, um, uh,

I'll find the kid.
I'll fix supper.

Don't you worry.

(door opens)

(door closes)

Miles?

Miles, your supper's ready.

(cries softly)

(horn honks)

Hey, Miles.

Hi. Remember me?

Sure, sure, hi.

Hi, Mr. Mason.

You're a little late,
aren't you?

Want a lift home?
It's right on my way.

All right, I guess.

Just get out of the movie?

I guess so.

What's the matter,
worried you missed supper?

Maybe I can help you explain.

See, I found out
quite a bit about you, Miles.

You what?

You don't mind, do you?

Come on, shut the door.

We'll talk while we drive.

Talk about what?

Oh, whatever you want
to talk about,

whatever you want to tell me.

No, no, maybe I'd better walk.

Now, wait a minute, son.

Good-bye, Mr. Mason.

Son.

(dog barking in distance)

(engine starts)

Come back.

Hey, wait.

Sylvia, come back.

What's the matter?

- Joe.
- No, don't touch him.

Wait till I call the doctor.

He's been shot, I think.

Never mind the doctor.

Sure, barefoot's all right.

Only two blocks
to my house anyway.

Do I have to play
with your little girl?

Well, now,
it's not that painful.

At least for a while.

See you in the morning, boy.

We'll sh**t some more pool
tomorrow, huh?

Wo-Won't I get locked up
like Aunt Syl?

Oh, for gosh sakes, what for?

I fixed it up
with the sheriff's office

so we could make things
comfortable for you,

keep you here while the court
decided something--

about your aunt maybe or

about where you're gonna live
next maybe and...

(car door closes)

Oh, Mr. Mason,
the lieutenant already left.

I, uh, wonder if I might talk
with the boy for a moment.

Well, sure, I don't see why not.

I'll go and see
if I can find him slippers.

It's all right, Miles,
don't be scared.

Oh, I'm not scared of you.

It's just that, well,
Aunt Syl was funny sometimes.

She never said much, but then
one night she kissed me.

And now she's in
pretty bad trouble, isn't she?

Miles, you never had anyone
really to talk to, did you?

Huh?

I guess, I guess that's one
of the toughest things there is

when you're growing up--

not having someone to talk to,
to tell things to.

MILES:
Mr. Mason, I don't know...

MASON: 'Cause the more you hide
things, the bigger they grow,

but they don't need to.

The happiest people in the world
are the ones who can just,

well, open up,

share everything.

Mr. Mason, I'm not,

I'm not hiding anything.

Oh, sure, at first you think,
"Who do I trust?

"Another foster mother?

An aunt who doesn't
really want me maybe?"

Well, I'm a lawyer, Miles,

and part of a lawyer's job
is to keep secrets for people,

to never use those secrets
to hurt anyone,

to try to help people when...

Hey, uh, uh, what about
your toothbrush, huh, boy?

You remember your toothbrush?

Sure, Uncle Flick,
I got it, see?

- Yeah.
- Here are slippers, Miles.

All set?

Good night, son.

Mr. Mason,
thanks for, for asking me

if I wanted a ride home
from the movies yesterday.

I don't even see
why I need a lawyer.

I didn't k*ll Mr. Downing.

But I saw you running away from
there myself, Mrs. Thompson.

I went back to the office

to explain something
to Mr. Downing.

There were some things
he kept finding in the books.

They haven't been able
to locate all the records,

but apparently those figures
Joe was adding up show

that your branch has
an unexplained loss this year

of nearly $ , .

Well, now, that I can't explain.

Anyway, I didn't get a chance
to say anything to him.

When I got back to the office,
he, he was dead.

I guess I screamed.

I guess I heard somebody coming
and I ran.

All I could think of
was to run home.

And, of course, you were also
thinking that Bill Sheridan,

or someone else close to you,
must have k*lled Joe Downing.

No, no, that's not true.

At least I don't think it is.

Mr. Mason, you must think
I'm innocent,

or you wouldn't be willing
to help me.

Mrs. Thompson,
I'm not taking your case

because I believe
you are innocent.

What?

But if you are innocent, then
I think one small boy deserves

every possible break he can get,
don't you?

(gasps)

Oh, I've been so...

Well... what are we waiting for?

I'm sure you have
a great many questions.

My question, sir, is this:

At what time did you so clearly

see the defendant,
Sylvia Thompson,

standing over the dead body
of Joe Downing?

It was exactly : , sir.

I was just passing
the side of the building,

and... and I looked
in the window.

Did you hear anybody cry out?

Did you hear the sound
of a shot, perhaps?

No, sir.

But the trucks
were coming in and out,

making so much racket
of their own.

BURGER:
Of course. I understand.

But you did say
that you saw the defendant

put something in her purse.

Well, she was...
she was just raising up,

♪-I-just closing her purse.

Maybe I...
maybe I dropped my purse.

I don't know. I don't know.

But it was minutes past :

when our patrol car
reached the defendant's house

to apprehend her
for questioning.

The officers found no g*n
in her possession.

But you said it takes
less than two minutes

to drive from her office
to her house.

: to : -- that leaves
more than ten minutes

of her time unaccounted for,
doesn't it?

Yes.

On this business of disposing
of a w*apon, Your Honor,

I don't think it's out of line
for me to say that...

there's lots of sand and wind
in these parts, and anything...

Uh, Della, now is the time
to make that phone call.

Do you have the subpoena?

SERGEANT: I can recall
several cases where...

I think the court will be able

to draw its own conclusions,
Sergeant.

Thank you.

Cross-examine.

Uh, Sergeant, you stated
that a single b*llet

caused Mr. Downing's death,

and that it was fired
from a . -caliber p*stol?

Correct.

Now, the night
before the m*rder,

you recovered a b*llet
from the floor

which had also been fired
from a . .

- Is that correct?
- It is.

I suppose you ran a comparison
test on those b*ll*ts.

So, uh, tell us,

were the two b*ll*ts fired
from the same g*n?

Well, the first b*llet
smashed a nail,

so the ballistics man
couldn't give

an absolute yes or no answer.

Of course, maybe if he had
the g*n to check with...

Your Honor, the State
is not charging the defendant

with robbery, only with m*rder.

I think I agree, Mr. Mason.

I would like this hearing
to proceed

as expeditiously as possible.

Then I have no more questions,
Your Honor.

I call Mr. John Flickinger
to the stand, please.

Mr. Mason said what?

He wanted you to know

that your uncle,
Uncle Flick, is here now,

and he'll keep him here
with something called a subpoena

for just as long as you want.

Why?

I'm not scared of...

Miles, all I know is,
there's some sort of a secret

between you and Mr. Mason,
isn't there?

Secret?

Yes, Miles.

About something
that you might know

that could help
your Aunt Sylvia.

Miles, you'd be a lot happier
if you'd just tell Mr. Mason.

Please, I don't know anything.

Well, look, honey,

Mr. Mason just wanted you
to have this number,

and they can call him
to the phone any time.

Uh, I-I didn't know if my sister
came home at : or : .

I tell you, I was out
looking for the kid.

But you knew the boy
was at the movies, didn't you?

Well, I didn't want
to tell her I knew.

I mean... I mean, uh,
that I passed him the money.

I-I mean that, uh, I just walked
around, that's all.

I knew he'd be home
pretty quick.

- It was your sister's money,
I suppose. -What?

Well, hasn't your sister
been supporting you

since you were fired from your
last job, your trucking job?

Well, I got this bad back, see--
a service disability.

Driving a truck, you...

MASON:
Be careful, now.

I have information
from the Veterans Hospital

that there's nothing
really wrong with your back.

They also have a notation
that reads

"record of malingering."”

Well, you can't always tell
about these bad disks.

No, you can't.

But just tell us this:

Who was it that fired you
from your trucking job?

Fired you for reporting
to work drunk?

It was, uh...

Mr. Downing fired me.

Yes.

I've examined
the company records--

uh, those books that Mr. Downing

was working on
the night he was k*lled--

as thoroughly as possible,
Mr. Burger.

And what was the exact
shortage or loss

in last year's operation
of that branch office?

The total came to just
a little less than $ , ,

but that doesn't mean
it's been stolen

or embezzled
or anything like that.

There's no record
to positively indicate

that the books
have been doctored by,

say, uh, Mrs. Thompson there.

BURGER:
Really?

You just admitted one $ item
that you found, didn't you?

HONER:
Well, that could be

very easily
the transferring of monies

from one account to the other.

That's all.

How much proof do you need
of embezzlement, Mr. Honer?

Your Honor...

I'll withdraw the question,
Your Honor.

Did you speak to Joe Downing
the day he died, Mr. Honer?

Yes, he called me in Los Angeles
at about : that night.

That may well have been his
last conversation with anyone.

Would you tell us
what he said to you, sir?

His exact words,
if you can remember them.

Well, he said that he
would tell me more

about it in the morning,

but that it looked like
he might have to fire Sylvia

for, as he put it, uh,
"dipping into the till."

Your witness.

Now, let's get this clear,
Mr. Honer.

Have either you

or the accountants
that have been called in

found any clear record
of actual theft?

No, we have not.

So, you'd be prepared

to write off
this $ , loss as what,

carelessness,

bad business,

mismanagement?

I guess that's probably
what it was.

Which, Mr. Honer?

Mismanagement.

But wouldn't mismanagement
have been the fault

of someone other
than the defendant?

Well, it certainly would have.

Bill Sheridan's the man
in charge out there.

MASON: Why isn't there
a more complete record?

Is there a possibility
that more than money was stolen

the night before the m*rder?

Is it possible
that the theft from the safe

was only a cover
for the destruction of records?

Records which would have proved
someone's criminal action?

HONER: I'd say
that was a definite possibility.

(bus hisses and toots horn)

Sylvia Thompson
and I were friends, that's all.

Well, sure,
I took her out a few times

in the last few months,
but nothing serious.

I mean, uh,
life can get pretty dull

in a place like that and...

But she did help you out

with a gambling debt once
or twice, didn't you say that?

Yes, yes, and I'll be
the first to admit that,

and blame myself, too.

BURGER:
And she did this

by manipulating
your office accounts?

Oh, come on,
there's nothing wrong with that.

You heard what Mr. Honer said.

BURGER: Then why didn't you
do it yourself, Mr. Sheridan?

If you were the man in charge?

If the funds were available
to you?

Well, uh, frankly,
I wouldn't have known how.

You don't know anything
about bookkeeping, Mr. Sheridan?

No.

No, I'm afraid I don't even know
how to work an adding machine.

No, I couldn't juggle
an expense account

any more than I could juggle
a... an elephant.

♪♪

Mr. Sheridan, you testified

that you left the office
around : .

Look, how many times
do I have to tell you...?

Yet, my investigator reports
that you weren't, uh, located

by the police until after : .

Ah. I can prove
that I didn't k*ll Joe Downing,

if that's
what you're driving at.

I was having dinner
and a couple of drinks.

You're quite sure you can
prove that, Mr. Sheridan?

Yes, I'm quite sure
I can prove that, Mr. Mason.

If you don't believe me,
you can ask her.

Yeah, ask, uh, Miss Frances.

Actually, I didn't have
any drinks, but...

But just to satisfy Mr. Mason,
you were with Mr. Sheridan?

I was with Mr. Sheridan.

I told you, they don't allow
kids in the courtroom.

If there's something
you want to give someone,

I'll, uh...

Hey!

Miss Frances, you say
you telephoned Miss Thompson

shortly after : .

Yes. I thought it only fair
that Sylvia had the chance

to explain matters
to Mr. Downing

before you arrived, that's all.

Didn't you just want
to get her back to the office?

I beg your pardon?

You heard the doctor testify

that the time of death is always
difficult to determine.

I don't understand.

Couldn't you have k*lled
Joe Downing?

Couldn't you have then tried
to involve the defendant in...

Mr. Mason, let's get
something clear right now.

I have never fired a g*n
in my life.

MILES: Mr. Mason!

Mr. Mason!

Let go of me!
Mr. Mason, help!

Let go of me, I say!

(gallery murmuring)

And then I put the box
under the house.

I was afraid to go near it again

'cause I was sure
Uncle Flick might see me,

but then today,
I went and got it,

and that's all there is,
I guess.

Only I didn't think I'd have
to tell it to everybody.

(chuckles) Well, you've done
the right thing, young man.

-I want to thank you.
-(door opens)

Here it is.
Thank you.

Now, uh, suppose you go
in the other room

and wait for Mr. Mason, hmm?

(sighs) Well, Hamilton, quite
a confused case you have here.

I don't think so, Your Honor.

It's the m*rder g*n, all right.

Has the lab test fired it?

Yes, they have,
and now they're positive.

Both b*ll*ts were fired
from the same g*n.

There were no fingerprints,
of course.

There never are.

But they also checked the box
he hid it in, Perry.

All right, now, never mind.

I don't want to hear any more
of this until it's evidence.

I'll go back in court
and declare a recess

until tomorrow morning.

Is that what you want?

Yes. We'll clear this up
fast, Your Honor.

Huh. Very well, gentlemen.

I wouldn't be too sure,
Hamilton.

That boy's uncle has a lot
of explaining to do.

All right, Perry.

We'll go hear
what he has to say now.

But even
if he did help her that night,

even if he was her accomplice,

it was Sylvia Thompson's
fingerprints

they found on that shoe box.

I certainly hope
you never have to explain

to those two
what you made the boy do to her.

But it's the truth, Mr. Burger,
same as I told your assistant.

Pitch dark it was in here.

So dark
I couldn't even see my own nose.

I just come
through this gate here...

Sergeant, are you sure
there was absolutely no evidence

of how the thief broke
into the building that night?

All right, all right,

so I borrow my sister's keys
once in a while,

but I wasn't gonna steal
anything.

I didn't even see
the safe was open.

How could I?
Black as the inside of a...

Now there's a likely story.

That safe was open
for over an hour.

-I was sitting right...
- Oh, no, you weren't.

Listen to me.

This thing jabs into my back,
see, and I grab for it.

And this voice says, "Hands up.”

And I grab for his g*n,

only then we fall down
and the g*n goes off.

I didn't know
whether I shot him or not.

Well, I run.

That's what I do.
Wouldn't you?

And I didn't take
a single dollar from this place.

I swear it.

He must have taken it
after I left.

Him, right there.

- Bill Sheridan.
- You're a liar.

- All right, break it up here.
- You're a liar!

You are lying, of course.

You must have come in here
to steal something.

I ain't gonna say one more word

till I get a lawyer
of my own, see.

But in my mind--
abstractedly, that is--

borrowing a bottle
from a man's desk

for a little after-dinner drink
just ain't grand theft.

It ain't, see.

Perry.

It looks like I made a mistake
having them out here together.

Not at all.

I think they're both telling you
the truth, Hamilton.

What?

Just as I think Sylvia Thompson
told the truth

when she said that shoe box
was empty when she handled it

half an hour before the k*lling.

Oh, now, look, Perry.

Maybe Flick got the g*n
like he said

and threw it away like he said.

And maybe the kid found it

and hid it under the house
like he said.

But later on,
that same g*n k*lled Downing,

and then flew right back
into the shoe box.

So, who else but Sylvia
or her brother,

or the two of them in cahoots,
could possibly have...

- (footsteps)
- Hold it.

Well, Mr. Burger, here we are.

Hamilton, I asked you

to have Mr. Honer
bring Miss Frances here

because I think everybody
is telling us the truth

and probably will continue
telling us the truth.

Good heavens.

What a thing to live up to.

Wait a minute.

Hamilton, if you believe

the building was dark
the night that Flick entered it,

then Bill Sheridan
must have already

been unconscious on the floor.

Someone else must have hit him

over the head
and rifled the safe.

The same person who jabbed
the g*n into Flick's back,

and then lost it to him in the
wrestling match in the dark.

Go on.

Well, don't you think
that person

would have been pretty anxious
to recover the g*n?

Been afraid of fingerprints
or, uh, other identification?

You mean whoever it was
followed Flick,

maybe spotted him searching,

finally spotted the kid
and the box?

And later that night,
stole the g*n back

from where the boy
had hidden it.

Perry, what is this?

Miss Frances, think carefully.

Were the records out here
thoroughly audited

before Bill Sheridan took over
as manager last year?

No.

No, they weren't, Mr. Mason.

Now, hold on, Perry.

Will you stick
to one subject, please?

That's what I'm doing,

because it's m*rder
we're concerned with.

And hiding a $ , theft
from your own company

is a pretty good motive.

Don't you think so,
Miss Frances?

Well, yes, I suppose it is.

Allowing a bad manager
to slowly mess up the business

is one way of hiding it.

Staging a phony robbery

is a quicker way
to get rid of records.

Oh, now, look here,
Perry, she...

But events had started moving
too fast, hadn't they?

Sudden possibility
of selling the company

made, uh... made Joe Downing
keep on digging.

Straight to the truth.

But Mr. Downing thought that it

was Sylvia Thompson
who was responsible for...

Did he?

Or did he just want to get

her part of things
absolutely clear

before he accused
the only person

who could have been responsible,

the man who built up this branch
and ran it originally?

His own partner.

That's why I asked
about the audit, Miss Frances.

Now, isn't it possible that
this branch was $ , short

before Bill Sheridan took over?

Mr. Honer...

the day after the robbery,
you let my secretary think

that you'd been
in San Francisco,

but my investigator, Paul Drake,
can't find any record of it.

Now...

weren't you actually
out here both of those nights,

right here in this office?

Answer him, Frank.

Say something.

Answer him?

He knows I can't do that.

But I still don't understand.

How did the g*n get back
in the shoe box?

Well, after the m*rder,
it occurred to Frank Honer

that if he put the g*n back

where he'd found it
the night before,

possibly Sylvia,
and maybe Flick,

would be blamed
for what he'd done.

I make such a nice patsy,
don't I?

Oh, now, Sylvia...

No, please.

I want you to understand,
Mr. Mason.

I told my brother
to go jump in the ocean.

You don't think I'm going
to object to that, do you?

No, but...

well, I want you
to realize that...

when a person starts feeling
too sorry for herself when...

well, for what's happened
to her life,

when she makes one mistake
after another...

Now, Sylvia, don't tell me
about Bill Sheridan.

Don't tell me about a thing.

- Hi, Mr. Mason. You know what?
-(Drake panting)

Never mind. Wait a minute.
Let me tell him.

Perry, I'll have you know

there are exactly steps
up to this floor.

(chuckling):
Oh, Miles, no.

Sure, Mr. Mason. It's true.

All right, Miles.

Now it's time to go home
with your Aunt Sylvia.

Sure, I know that.

We're having apple turnover.

But she can wait in the car,
can't she?

Mr. Drake said it was all right.

Oh?

What's all this about?

Oh, just a little bet, Perry.
That's all.

See how many steps you count
going down the fire stairs.

(theme music plays)