04x17 - The Case of the Wintry Wife

[bunniefuu]

( noirish jazz theme playing )

It's pretty fantastic,
Mr. Randall.

This underwater
sounding equipment

could revolutionize
maritime navigation.

Is Nautronics
interested?

Yes, definitely.

If the field tests
work out,

you've got yourself
the deal you asked for.

Thanks, Mr. Johnson.
Thanks.

Believe me, Nautronics
will never be sorry.

Heh. You have your lawyer
draw up an agreement

the way we outlined it.

And you call me
at Nautronics.

We'll set up the field tests
just as soon as you're ready.

Good night, Mr. Randall.
Good night, Mr. Johnson.

And thanks. Thanks again.

Right.

( sighs )

( phone rings )

Hello.

Walter, she's getting angry.

They've started dinner
without you.

You'd better get home.

Phyllis,
they're going to buy it.

They're going to buy it!

It's everything
we ever dreamed of.

Oh, Walter.

Oh, Walter,

I don't know
whether to laugh or cry.

WOMAN:
Phyllis?

PHYLLIS:
Laura's calling. Please hurry.

LAURA:
Phyllis?

( suspenseful theme playing )

Well?

Did you speak
to my husband?

Mr. Randall is leaving now,
he's coming home.

Shall we wait
for dessert?

No. We'll finish without him.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Walter, you're over
two hours late.

You knew Roger and Amelia
were coming to dinner tonight.

And Bruce.
I'm sorry.

Excuse me,
all of you.

Laura,
if you're finished

I want to talk to you alone.

I'm sure that anything
you have to say

can be said right here
in front of everyone.

Don't get up,
please.

I wanted to tell you that
I agreed to a deal tonight

to sell my sounding device.

Well, congratulat--

Did you buy it,
Bruce?

Wish I had.

No, old friend Walter here
saw a fit to turn down my bid.

I'd like to talk with you,
Roger.

Phyllis, would you drive
Amelia home, please?

But Roger and I have tickets
for theater tonight.

Goodnight, Amelia.

Uh, you better run along.
I-I'll see you there.

Bruce, would you like
my secretary

to drop you off somewhere?

No, thanks.

I have my car.

Good night, everybody.
Good night.

Good night.
Good night.

Well, I'm sure you don't just
want my congratulations, Walter.

Laura, we've both
been through enough

to understand
the situation.

Must be very a nice
thought to you,

that of being financially
on your own finally.

Ah, you know the money
isn't the important thing.

( car engine starts outside )

Acceptance
in my own field,

that's what
I've been working for.

Laura, it's no go.

We haven't had a marriage
for ten years.

We both know that.

Laura,
I want my freedom too.

A divorce?

Yes.

( tense theme playing )

Very well, Walter.

You may have your divorce.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you very much.

Over my dead body
he'll get a divorce.

( ominous theme playing )

Roger!

Uh, yes. Yes, Laura.

That invention
of Walter's, that--

That device of his.

I want it destroyed.

( dramatic theme playing )

Do you understand?
I want it destroyed.

( dramatic theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

Let's see. Preliminary
tests are completed,

one final acceptance series
on the sounding device,

then the Nautronics
Corporation takes over

complete ownership
and title.

That's right, Mr. Mason,
for $ , .

All right,
Mr. Randall,

I'll have
the contracts drawn up.

Thanks, Mr. Mason.

Miss Street.

Oh.

there's, uh,
just one other thing.

I'm making arrangements
to obtain a divorce.

You know my wife, I believe.

I met her only once.

She's an invalid, isn't she?

That's an impression that Laura
does her best to create.

Ten years ago,
on our honeymoon,

she almost froze to death
in a blizzard.

She isn't ill, then?

She has a slight
circulatory trouble,

but nothing serious beyond being
a little cold all the time.

Just cold.

Perpetually cold.

Well, anyway I'd appreciate
your expediting this matter.

That's all I really
meant to say anyway.

The sooner everything
is cleared away,

the safer I'll feel.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( door opens )

Oh. It's you.

Roger, Laura's in the house.

Laura's come here?

The invalid can get around
pretty well when she wants to.

And right now my dear sister
wants to talk to you.

Roger,
what is going on?

Nothing is going on.
Tell her I'll be right there.

You didn't go
to the office this morning.

Instead you go out and buy
a collection of crazy things.

Amelia, it's got
nothing to do with you.

Roger, I'm no fool.
Shut up!

Please tell me.
Will you get out of here?

Tell her I'll be right there.

Please. Please, Amelia.

( line ringing )

Bruce?
Bruce, this is Roger.

Listen to me.

Couldn't you possibly
get that money back to me?

( Bruce speaking indistinctly )

But Laura won't wait.

Listen. Bruce, listen.

She's putting pressure on me.

Bruce, w-wait a minute--

( line hangs up )

Really, Roger. You know
he couldn't help you.

( sighs )

Laura, I--
I can't do this.

Suppose someone
is in the building.

You can't?

Well, then I suppose that
you're prepared to go to jail.

Oh. Come now, Roger.

No one's ever
going to find out

about that little
contraption of yours.

Wrap it up for me.

I have to pre-set the timing.

Eight-thirty.

I want it set to explode
at exactly : .

( ominous theme playing )

Yes, Laura.

Eight-thirty.

( ominous theme playing )

( door opens and closes )

Are you warm enough,
Mrs. Randall?

I'm never warm enough.

Never mind about
the sleeping pills.

I'll take one later.

You told me
the doctor ordered you

to take it right away.
You might forget.

It's a tablet,
I can put it in the milk.

All right.
By the way,

while you were at the drugstore
Mr. Randall called.

That, uh, package.

It has some important parts
that he needs tonight.

He wanted to know if you'll
take it down to the warehouse.

Oh, I can't leave you.

Oh, don't be silly,
I'll be perfectly all right.

I'll go.

But not until
you finish that milk.

The druggist said
you'd be sound asleep

in or minutes.

That way I won't have to worry
about you while I'm out.

Oh. Finish it up.

You'd better hurry,
Phyllis.

My husband
must be waiting for you.

Is there anything else
I can do for you tonight?

Shall I pull out
the quilt?

No, just adjust the heater
as you go out, please.

Oh, yes, this letter
to my broker.

You can, uh,
just catch the last mail

if you put it in the post office
on your way to the warehouse.

Of course.

( sighs )

( ominous theme playing )

Good night, Mrs. Randall.

( door opens )

Good night, Phyllis.

( door closes )

( suspenseful theme playing )

PHYLLIS:
The druggist said
you'd be sound asleep

in or minutes.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( tense theme playing )

( door opens )

Walter?

( door closes )
Walter?

( tense theme playing )

Walter?

( dramatic theme playing )

( body thuds )

( bat clatters )

( door closes )

( dramatic theme playing )

( siren wailing )

( ominous theme playing )

( door closes )

( sighs )

Come on, Perry, let's go.
It's late and I'm starving.

Mm-hm.

Well, that should do it.

( sighs )

They're signed and ready.

See that Walter Randall
gets his copies in the morning.

And then--

( dramatic theme playing )

Mr. Mason.

Mr. Mason.

( gasps )

You actually think

the person who struck you
was Laura Randall?

I only caught a glimpse
but it must have been her.

I don't see know how
it could be, but it was.

You said a policeman
helped you outside?

That's right.

The whole room
seemed on fire.

I remember there was
some sort of an expl*si*n

where I put down
the package.

And then there was
the policeman.

The next thing I knew I--
I was sitting in the alley.

Where did
the policeman go?

Back into the building,
I guess.

I heard him shouting for
anyone who still might be there.

And then
there were the sirens.

Why did you come to me,
Miss Hudson?

I didn't know
where Walter was.

I remembered
that you were his lawyer.

Walter said you'd be working
on his contract tonight.

I took a chance that
you might just still be here.

Maybe someone like you
could tell me what to do.

Mr. Mason, please help me.

All right.

I'd like you to spend
the night with Miss Street.

Paul, first take the girls
to the Randall house,

pick up some things
for Miss Hudson,

and then straight to Della's.

All right, Perry.

I want to look
that warehouse over.

I'll meet you all
at Della's later.

( dramatic theme playing )

(police radio chattering)

I don't need anything.

Please, let's get away
from here.

Well.

Good evening, Paul.

Della.

And Miss, um...?

Uh, Phyllis Hudson,
lieutenant.

We've come to get
some of her things.

She's going to spend
the night with me.

Oh?

Well, I want
Miss Phyllis Hudson

for some questioning tonight.

I'd like to take her
downtown with me.

Lieutenant,
what's going on here?

What are you talking about?

Mrs. Laura Randall was drugged
with sleeping pills

so she wouldn't wake up.

Then, uh, somebody
turned on the gas heater

without bothering to light it,
unfortunately,

and k*lled her.

( dramatic theme playing )

Miss Hudson?

( dramatic theme playing )

No, Mason,
no bail for Phyllis Hudson.

Then you've booked her.

She's being booked
right now, Perry.

I understand the fire department
found pieces of a clock radio

on the debris
at the Randall warehouse.

But we didn't find any real
evidence of a time b*mb.

Really, Mason,
I don't see how you can hold

onto the untenable position
your client's putting you in.

The, uh, autopsy report

clearly shows
there was secobarbital

in the victim's body
for some time.

Definitely prior to the time
she's supposed to have

knocked out your client
in the warehouse.

Miss Hudson admitted
she gave Laura Randall

a sleeping pill
before leaving her.

Did you know
it was the Hudson girl herself

who bought those pills
just last evening?

Using an old prescription
of Laura Randall's

that hadn't been refilled
for over a year.

I suppose you gentlemen

have a motive to go along
with all this?

The best.

Phyllis Hudson was in love
with Laura Randall's husband.

If you're gonna be wrong,
why not be consistently wrong?

Why not also arrest
Walter Randall?

It's occurred to us.
We're, uh, looking for him.

Chamberlain, you're building
a case only on conjecture.

What about the evidence
of two witnesses?

Witnesses?

Putting Phyllis Hudson
at the scene of the crime.

A Mr. Bruce Sheridan
and a Miss Judith Baldwin

just driving up.

Both clearly saw Phyllis Hudson
run out of the Randall house

minutes after the fire
in the warehouse.

( dramatic theme playing )

MASON:
Last night you said

you came directly from
the fire to my office.

Why?

I was afraid
that you wouldn't help me.

I didn't know what to say.

Where did you go when that
policeman left you in the alley?

To my car.

And then I drove
directly to the house.

To find Laura Randall?

No, to find Walter.

I hoped that he just
might be there, but he wasn't.

You were also upset and angry.

You believed Laura Randall
had tried to k*ll you.

So you went in to confront her.

All right.
I guess I did,

but the house was so quiet.

When I finally went upstairs,
I smelled gas.

I opened the door to her room
and she was lying there dead.

I was so scared by then
I just ran.

And that's when I came to you,
Mr. Mason.

There's a warrant out
for Walter's arrest.

As your accomplice
in the m*rder of his wife.

Oh, no!

Walter's disappeared.
Where is he?

I don't know.

Are you sure?

Mr. Mason, I have
told you the truth.

That's all there is.
I don't know anymore.

Here. Pass these out.

Check all the industrial
and institutional chemists.

I want to know
if any of the seven people

whose pictures
are in these envelopes

bought a quantity
of red phosphorus

within the past month.

Red phosphorus like
they use on matches?

And in fire bombs.

Add a transistorized
clock radio

and you not only have
a fire b*mb, but a time b*mb.

As I understand it,
Miss Baldwin,

you were
with Bruce Sheridan

when Laura Randall's body
was discovered.

You mean when we saw Phyllis
Hudson running out of the house?

Yes. You were
with him all evening?

We went to dinner together
straight from the office.

Then we spent some time
together, yes.

We went for a ride,

out Mulholland Drive
for an hour or so.

And parked on
Mulholland Drive?

Yes, Mr. Mason.

It was a nice night and we
listened to Bruce's car radio.

Now, if there's nothing else
I can tell you,

you'll find Mr. Sheridan
in the lab.

Thank you.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( door closes )

( engine whirring )

Of course, there must be
a dozen companies

making similar radio-controlled
garage door openers.

But ours
is transistorized.

I make and sell it for
less than one-fourth the price

of the cheapest model
in the field.

( engine whirring )

You know, I'm surprised
Walter went to Nautronics

instead of coming to you
with his sounding device.

You were old friends,
weren't you you?

My company badly
overextended itself.

A defense contract
that was pulled away from us.

We've been on the verge
of bankruptcy for months.

Still pulling ourselves
out of the hole.

Then you couldn't have paid
him for his invention?

No.

Nor given him any assurance
that we'd be able to manufacture

or market it
in the next year.

I hate to say it,
Mr. Mason,

but Walter was right
in going to Nautronics.

Hm.

You could have
worked together.

We still might.

I haven't spoken to Walter,
but it's possible

his model was destroyed
in that fire.

That would set him back
a good six months to a year.

By that time, my company
might be in better shape.

What do you really know about
his invention, Mr. Sheridan?

Is it valuable?

Well, it hasn't gone
through final field testing,

but if it does
it'll be worth a fortune.

Pity you couldn't share it.

Big pity.

( dramatic theme playing )

Well, Wagner?

Finally found it.

This salesman identified
one of the pictures

as the person he sold
the powdered red phosphorus to

the day before yesterday.

Good. Which one?
This is the one.

Yes.

I bought the phosphorous.

And you made a firebomb?
Yes.

For whom
did you make it?

Laura Randall.

She forced me to.

She threatened to turn me
over to the police.

For what?

Phillips handled
his sister-in-law's

business affairs.

And from what I can
smell out, none too well.

What was it, Phillips,
embezzlement?

A forged check.

Something came up.

Something big. I had
a chance to make a k*lling.

Look, I didn't take
that b*mb to the warehouse,

I don't know who did.

I had nothing to do
with Laura's death.

I wouldn't k*ll her!

All right, Tragg, book him.

Forgery, grand theft larceny,
suspicion of arson.

That ought to be enough
to hold him for a while.

What about Mason's client?

The Hudson girl.

The only question
in my mind is

whether the m*rder
was plotted and carried out

by her and Walter Randall
or just by her alone.

Now that your men
have located Randall,

we ought to know the answer
to that pretty quick.

( dramatic theme playing )

You must be mistaken.

Walter Randall's been
on this boat with us,

hours a day,
for the past two days.

Doing what?

Just completing the field tests
on his sounding device.

It's even better
than we hoped.

Nautronics will be in
production inside a month.

I thought his device was
burned in the workshop fire.

Fire?

What are you gentlemen
talking about?

Randall must have had the device
taken out of the workshop

and put on board here
the afternoon of the fire.

A fact which Phyllis Hudson
obviously didn't know.

How soon will you
have Randall up?

He should be coming up now.

k*ll Laura?

The whole thing is incredible.

Phyllis wouldn't hurt anybody,
much less k*ll.

No, no, no.
It's impossible.

You were in San Diego
last month?

Yes, I went to see the Navy
about my new device.

They couldn't do anything
about it at the time.

You wrote a letter to
Phyllis Hudson from San Diego.

Is this a copy
of that letter?

Yes.

Where did you find it?

CHAMBERLAIN:
In your wife's desk, locked up
with her private papers.

"Nautronics is our last hope.

"If they say no, I have no
choice but to stay with Laura.

"As long as Laura's alive,
there's no hope

of a life together for us,
Phyllis dear."

I guess that's enough.

Well, Randall,
you may have an alibi,

but we've got
Phyllis Hudson nailed.

No! She couldn't!

She not only could,
but I'm prepared

to prove it in court.

She's the only person
who could've k*lled her.

( dramatic theme playing )

Death was caused
by asphyxia

induced by the inhalation
of carbon monoxide

present in
illuminating gas.

Death was
extremely rapid.

The heater in decedent's
room was capable

of creating
a concentration of gas

in excess of , parts
per million parts of air.

Now, uh, doctor,
did your autopsy reveal

anything else of significance?

DOCTOR:
The body of Laura Randall showed
the presence of secobarbital,

which depressed
the nervous system,

lowered resistance and
hastened the onset of death.

I would say that death
occurred somewhere

between and :
in the evening.

Mr. Sheridan and I stopped
to visit Mrs. Randall.

We'd just pulled up
when we saw

Phyllis Hudson run out
of the side door,

get into a car
and drive away.

Now, what time was that,
Miss Baldwin?

Oh, about a quarter after--

Twenty after .

Mm-hm.

Now, what happened then?

We went up to the front door,
it was locked.

We tried to get in,
but we couldn't.

The lights were on, but no one
answered when we rang.

Well, what did you do then?

Bruce--

Uh, Mr. Sheridan,
and I drove over

to Mr. Roger Phillips' house,

got a key from Mrs. Phillips,

then drove back
to the Randall's house.

CHAMBERLAIN:
Now, what time was it then?

JUDY:
Oh, just about : .

I see. Please go on.

When we went inside,
we smelled the gas immediately.

Laura was in bed.

We opened the windows
to clear the room

and then we waited
for it to air out.

Now, who telephoned
for the police?

I did.

Mr. Sheridan sent me to the
gas station two blocks away.

He said I shouldn't touch
anything in the house.

CHAMBERLAIN:
Thank you. You may cross.

Now, Miss Baldwin,

prior to your arriving at
decedent's house at : ,

where were you?

With Mr. Sheridan.

We were spending
the evening together.

You spent every minute
with him

until you both
discovered the body?

Yes.

Every single minute,
without exception.

Thank you, that's all.

She was dead, all right.

The first thing I did
was to throw open

the window in her room
and turn off the gas

without touching
the control knob.

Then I sent Judy to the service
station to phone the police.

When you first arrived
at the Randall house,

it was about minutes
after

and when you finally got inside
the house, it was about : .

Are those
time elements correct?

Yes.

Thank you. Cross-examine.

Mr. Sheridan, You said you
parked outside the Randall house

and just sat there
for a few minutes?

Yes. We were listening
to a news broadcast,

waiting for it to finish.

You saw Phyllis Hudson
run out the side door?

Yes.

Now, during that time,
one, two, five,

even ten people could
have come and gone

through the back door and you
wouldn't have been any wiser.

Isn't that so?

I'm afraid not,
Mr. Mason.

Why not?

We could also see the back door
from where I was parked.

We were across the street.
It's a corner lot.

But while you were gone
for a key,

someone could have
entered or left the house

without your acknowledge,
wouldn't you say?

Yes. I suppose so.

Naturally.

Thank you, Mr. Sheridan.

Now, Lieutenant Tragg,
you testified

that the defendant purchased
the bottle of sleeping pills,

that her fingerprints were on
that bottle and on the glass,

and also on
the heater knob itself.

That's right.

Were there any other prints
on that heater knob?

Only Miss Hudson's.
Clear and unsmudged.

Thank you, lieutenant.

Cross-examine.

Since Phyllis Hudson was
Laura Randall's secretary,

almost a nurse to her,
would you say

that finding her fingerprints
on that bottle was unusual?

No.

Is it your expert opinion
then, lieutenant,

that because Laura Randall's
death was caused by escaping gas

someone turned
that heater off,

then on,
by using that control knob?

That's right.

Now if the central
gas supply was interrupted,

from the gas main
on the street, for instance,

that could have caused
the gas to go off,

then on,

without the use of
the control knob, could it not?

Yes, it could.

An interruption like that would
put out the pilot lights

on all the gas appliances
in the house.

And in this case?

No, sir.

They were all on.

Thank you.
No further questions.

Well, Laura had found
and stolen a letter

from Phyllis Hudson's room.

She told me about it.

She said she knew

that her husband and Phyllis
were in love.

Now, Mr. Phillips,
I believe

that you stated
your sister-in-law,

the, uh, m*rder victim
in this case,

was a very
possessive woman.

Yes. And very jealous.

Now, would you please
relate to the court

what took place
in the Randall house

on the afternoon preceding
the day of the m*rder?

Well, as I was
entering the study,

uh, Phyllis Hudson
came out of Laura's room.

She was crying,
s-she was almost hysterical.

I, uh-- I tried
to calm the girl down.

Laura could be
a nasty tyrant.

Uh, Phyllis...

Phyllis was very upset.

She called Laura an evil woman,
she said the world

and everybody in it
would be better off

with Laura Randall dead.

An evil woman.
Better off dead.

Your witness.

Mr. Phillips,
you participated in arson

because your sister-in-law
had been blackmailing you?

Yes, I did.

You had forged her name
to a check?

Yes.

For an investment
that collapsed?

Yes.

Now, according
to your testimony,

you telephoned
Mr. Bruce Sheridan

on the day of the m*rder
in the hopes

of getting some
of that money back.

When that failed
you committed a second crime

to cover up the first?

Yes. I told all that
to the district attorney.

Why not a third crime
to cover up the first two?

Why not m*rder?

The m*rder of Laura Randall?

No, no, no!
I didn't k*ll her!

No further questions.

It was about : or when
Bruce came and got the key

and went back to Laura's house.

I was worried.

So I called there, but
of course no one answered.

Where was your husband
during all this time?

He was in the garage,
in his workshop.

Did he leave
the premises anytime

between and : ?

He didn't leave
that evening or that night.

Thank you, that's all.

Mr. Mason.

Mrs. Phillips,
were you afraid of your sister?

Yes, I think I was.

She was a wicked woman.

Every life she touched,
she destroyed.

Just as she was
destroying Walter,

Phyllis.

MASON:
And your husband?

And my husband.

MASON:
Perhaps you were afraid
of Laura not for yourself,

but for your husband.

You wanted to protect him.

Yes. That's true.

I knew that she and Roger
were deeply involved

in something bad.

That's why I hired
the detective.

You hired a detective?

( man clears throat )

Thank you, that's all.

Well, now just a moment.
The witness stated--

Your Honor, I have
a question on redirect.

Mrs. Phillips, who was this
detective you hired?

He was a private detective.

His name is Ben Penner.

May it please the court,

I'll call this Ben Penner
to the stand right now.

Mrs. Phillips wanted the Randall
house kept under surveillance.

Uh, a check made
on who came and went,

particularly her husband.

CHAMBERLAIN:
Were you on duty the night
of the m*rder?

Yes, sir, I was.

And did you keep a record of
who came and went on that night?

I did.

( courtroom murmuring )

Mr. Penner, would you please
read that record to the court

starting, let's say,
at, uh, : ?

Well, let's see.

" : , Phyllis Hudson left
the house, carrying a package.

" : , Mrs. Randall
left the house, hurriedly.

And no activity until : ,
when Mrs. Randall came back."

Was there anything unusual about
Mrs. Randall when she returned?

Again, she was in a hurry.

She also staggered slightly,

as though drunk or, uh,

under the influence
of dr*gs.

That's all.

CHAMBERLAIN:
Please continue.

" : , Phyllis Hudson returned,
pretty messed up."

Mm?

Disheveled, I mean.

"At : Mr. Sheridan
and his girlfriend drove up,

"parked across the street.

" : , Phyllis Hudson ran out,
drove away.

"Two minutes later,
Sheridan and his girl left."

They never got
inside the house.

Then nobody else
until : .

"Sheridan and his girlfriend
came back with a key,

let themselves in.
Ten o'clock--"

Never mind continuing,
Mr. Penner.

I just wanna
get one thing straight.

Now, all the time you were
watching this house,

could anybody have entered or
left it without your noticing?

PENNER:
No, sir. They couldn't.

Then from the time that
Laura Randall returned at : ,

until almost : ,

when Bruce Sheridan
unlocked that door

and let himself inside,
was there anyone--

Now, anyone at all,
Mr. Penner,

--with the exception
of Phyllis Hudson,

who went in or out
of that house?

No, sir. Just her.
Just the defendant.

Thank you, Mr. Penner.
Thank you very much.

Cross-examine.
No questions.

Your Honor, the state
contends it has established

a prima facie case

and moves that the defendant
be bound over for trial.

I object, Your Honor.

Defense has been given no
opportunity to present a case

challenging the credulity
or accuracy

of the prosecution's evidence.

State's motion is premature
and move it not be granted.

The hour is late, gentlemen.

Both motions will be
taken under advisement.

This court is now adjourned.

We'll reconvene at :
tomorrow morning.

( dramatic theme playing )

Here they are: Rust flakes
and stripped threading.

Both fresh and recent.

Not another single,
blessed thing.

I'm sorry, Perry.

Sorry? For what?

This is exactly
what I hoped you would find.

It is?
Mm-hm.

Paul, I'd like you
to charter a helicopter.

A helicopter?

Where are we going?

I'll fill you in
on that later.

We'll need it
for tomorrow.

Perry, we're
in court tomorrow.

Yes, I know.

( dramatic theme playing )

Now, normally,
in the presentation

of a prima facie case,

the court,
in a preliminary hearing,

will not weigh evidence
or resolve conflicts

in the evidence,
but will merely

bind the defendant
over for trial.

However, in the interests
of justice,

the court feels
that the present case

merits the fullest possible
presentation of evidence.

A motion to bind at this time
is therefore denied.

Now, Mr. Chamberlain,
have you any other witnesses?

Yes, Your Honor.
Mr. Walter Randall.

JUDGE:
Call Walter Randall
to the stand, please.

CLERK:
Mr. Walter Randall,
take the stand.

Of course we spent a good deal
of time together.

Everyone knew that.

Mr. Randall, the court has
ruled you a hostile witness.

So please, just answer
the questions "yes" or "no."

Are you and Phyllis Hudson
in love?

I can only speak
for myself.

Yes, I am
in love with her.

CHAMBERLAIN:
Now, Mr. Randall, did you
and Phyllis Hudson ever discuss

the possibility of doing
away with your wife?

Of course not.

And yet you admit writing
that letter from San Diego?

I'll put it this way,
Mr. Randall:

Did you and Phyllis Hudson
ever discuss the fact

that your problems
would be solved

if Laura were
out of the way?

Yes. That's only natural.

And there were two problems,
weren't there, Mr. Randall?

The means to supporting
a possible second wife,

plus the fact that you were

still married
to your first wife.

And then suddenly it seemed

that both of your problems
were going to be solved.

Your wife promised
to give you a divorce.

And you were about
to sell your invention.

Yes, that's correct.

Now, Mr. Randall,
did you ever say anything,

make a call, leave a note,
do anything at all

that would make it possible
for Phyllis Hudson

to know you had removed
your underwater device

from the warehouse and taken
it to sea for testing?

No.

Then when Phyllis Hudson was
in that burning warehouse,

neither you, nor the Nautronics
people had said or done

anything that would alter
her obvious belief

that the invention,
your invention that meant

so much to both of you
was been destroyed?

No.

Destroyed by the woman who had
just tried to k*ll her.

The woman who stood between
her and the man that she loved

and wanted to marry?

You can make anything
sound bad.

And twist a good,
kind person to a monster,

if you use the right word.

I withdraw the question.
Your witness.

Why would your wife
have wanted to destroy

your underwater device,
Mr. Randall?

I don't know.

To hold me, perhaps.

And you didn't want that?

I wanted my freedom more than
anything else in the world.

Enough to k*ll for it?

Enough to k*ll for it.

Without getting into
the very complex nature

of your underwater navigational
device, Mr. Randall,

could you tell us if among
its other components

it contains
a radio transmitter?

Well, a secondary function
of the device

does involve
a small transmitter, yes.

Is the purpose
of that transmitter

to assist in remote control?

Such as, oh, let us say,
the remote control use

to change channels
on a home television set?

They're scarcely analogous,
Mr. Mason.

Except, of course,
they both do

and can use radio
to activate a motor.

You send a signal,
it's received,

it starts a motor going?

That's right.

You could also, for instance,
install a motorized valve

in a gas pipe,
could you not?

Motorized valve
in a gas pipe?

So that from a distance
it would be possible

to send a radio signal that
could turn the gas in that pipe

on or off?

I don't know.

Perhaps you could do that.

With the court's indulgence,
I would like to present

a demonstration
that may help the witness

answer more positively.

Mm-hm.
Uh, Mr. Chamberlain?

I object most strenuously,
Your Honor.

I fell Mr. Mason is trying
to turn this hearing

into a public circus.

Uh, objection is overruled.

Now, the court is interested
in a further development

of this line of inquiry.

You may proceed with your
demonstration, Mr. Mason.

Here is an old-fashioned
gas heater,

exactly like the one
in Laura Randall's bedroom.

This is a
standard gas hose,

which connects the gas source
to the heater.

Here is a valve,
which would turn on

or shut off
the gas to the hose.

Here is a
radio-controlled motor.

Mr. Bailiff, will you
light the heater, please?

Now, Mr. Randall,

what was
the approximate distance

from the boat you were on
on the night of the m*rder

to your house in town?

In a straight line,
that is.

Oh, about, uh, miles.

Mason calling.

Can you hear me, Mr. Drake?

MASON ( over radio ):
Repeat, can you hear me, Paul?

Come in.

Hello. This is Paul Drake.

I read you loud and clear.

Will you tell us
where you are, please?

I'm with pilot Nate Tiger.

We're in a helicopter
flying at , feet,

approximately miles
from the courthouse.

We're ready when you are,
Perry.

May I direct the court's
attention to the gas heater?

All right, Paul,
I'm starting the countdown.

Ten,

nine,

eight,

seven, six,

five, four,

three, two,

one.

Now.

First the valve is turned off.

( switch clicks )

Then the flame dies.

( switch clicks )

Then the unlit gas
is back on again.

Please.
( gas hissing )

All right, Paul,
thank you.

( switch clicks )

Mr. Randall, you saw
the demonstration.

Is your sounding device capable
of broadcasting a signal

which would do the same thing?

No!

Would never have occurred to me
to adapt something like that.

No! And I didn't k*ll Laura.

And I haven't slaved
ten years to develop

a highly complex electronic
navigational device

just as a gimmick
to k*ll people!

You're wrong,
absolutely wrong!

Your Honor, if I may be
permitted to interrupt

my cross-examination
of this witness,

I should like
to recall a witness.

Another electronics expert
who should be able

to clear up the question
of the technical adaptability

of a device of this kind to
the modus operandi of the crime.

Mr. Chamberlain?

No objection, Your Honor.

The witness may step down
for now.

Call your witness,
Mr. Mason.

Mr. Bruce Sheridan.

CLERK:
Mr. Bruce Sheridan
to the stand.

Yes, I'm reasonably familiar
with Walter's sounding device.

You are aware of the type
and frequency of signal

required to activate
a motorized valve

in the gas pipe
in the Randall home?

I think so, yes.

And such a valve could be
quite simple, quite small?

That's right.

It would have been no problem
then for Walter Randall

to have k*lled his wife
literally by remote control?

SHERIDAN:
No problem.

Would you say anyone familiar
with basic electronics

could have done it?

Well, now, I'm not sure.

Could you have k*lled
Laura Randall in such a manner?

I beg your pardon, sir.

Mr. Sheridan,

we've heard
about a bad investment

made by Roger Phillips
with a forged check.

In whose company was that
bad investment made?

Mine. You know that.
It's no secret.

And your company
was all but bankrupt

by the withdrawal
of a defense contract.

Roger invested money with me
and lost it.

That's got nothing
to do with Laura's death.

It was Laura's money,

illegally given to you,
irresponsibly lost by you.

Perhaps Laura wasn't
threatening only Roger.

Perhaps she was
threatening you,

threatening to take over
your company, throw you out.

I resent that.
It's complete nonsense.

The things were starting
to pick up,

there would have been
plenty of money.

You were able to manage Roger,
but not Laura.

Wasn't it then
you decided to k*ll her?

Wasn't it then you got
into the Randall home,

and installed a motorized valve
on that gas pipe?

I certainly did not!

Somebody did, Mr. Sheridan.

If not you,
who could have done it?

Uh...

What about Roger? Sure.

Sure, he--
He made the b*mb.

He could have installed
that motorized valve.

Or even Amelia.

Or Walter.
Yes, Walter.

Walter Randall lived in the
house, he could have put it in.

You just proved that he could
have sent that radio signal.

Yes, he could have,
Mr. Sheridan.

Except for one thing.

Mr. Johnson,
will you please stand?

This gentleman, Mr. Sheridan,
is from the Nautronics company.

He is prepared
to take the stand

and testify that
the self-contained batteries

in the underwater device
were being recharged

without interruption from :
in the night of the m*rder

until past midnight.

And without power
in that underwater device,

it was physically impossible
for Walter Randall

to have transmitted
any radio signal.

All right, all right,

so he didn't send
the radio signal.

Can you prove that he didn't
install that motorized valve?

Can you prove that
any of them didn't do it?

The question, Mr. Sheridan,

is not who installed the valve,

but who removed it.

I have here in these envelopes,
Your Honor,

physical evidence I am prepared
to introduce and authenticate.

Flakes of rust,
newly scrapped.

Stripped threading from
a galvanized iron pipe.

A single gas pipe
leaving the main line

in the Randall basement
and going directly

to the bedroom
of Laura Randall.

A gas pipe I can prove was
just recently tampered with.

You can authenticate this?

Yes, Your Honor.

Somebody recently worked on this
gas pipe in the Randall home,

and my investigator
has learned

that there hasn't been an
authorized plumber out there

for more than a year.

Now, as I recall,
the police testimony

made no mention of anything
unusual about the gas pipes.

Exactly.

The police reported
finding nothing unusual

and the police in this city are
both efficient and thorough.

Therefore,
whoever installed that valve

must have also had time
to remove it

and before the police
got there.

Walter Randall couldn't have
done that, Mr. Sheridan.

He was aboard a boat,
remember?

That still doesn't prove
that I did it.

Mr. Sheridan, why did you park
outside the house?

Why were you so anxious
to be the first to enter

and discover the body?

Why did you invent a pretext
to send Judy Baldwin out

to call the police?

So you and only you
could remove the valve

you had installed
to k*ll Laura Randall.

( sighs )

Yes.

I k*lled her.

( dramatic theme playing )

I had to.

She poisoned everybody's life
she touched.

Destroyed them.

She was going to destroy me.

Take away everything I had,

everything I'd ever
worked for.

Funny, isn't it?

Roger, Amelia,

Walter, Phyllis, me.

Any one of us
had reason to k*ll her.

But I guess the others
couldn't do it.

All right, I'll tell him.

Right. Bye.

Perry say we go ahead
without him,

he'd be
a few minutes late.

You know, I still
don't understand

how Mr. Mason got on to the
whole idea of how it was done.

Well, the idea of a m*rder
gadget or a deadly device,

was just one faint
possibility originally.

But then when the prosecution
proved that no one else

came in or out
of the house,

Perry just had to assume
that maybe they were right.

In which case, the k*ller
just had to be Bruce Sheridan.

also he had
a two-way radio in his car.

Yes, his girlfriend said
he was tuning in a radio,

remember?

They were up on Mulholland,
where transmission is good.

And at the time he sent the
signal that k*lled your wife,

his girlfriend was sitting
right beside him

with not the faintest idea
of what he was up to.

DELLA:
He figured she'd be a pretty
good alibi for him, of course.

That's right.
It's all pretty obvious.

Well, anyway,
it's all pretty obvious now.

( dramatic theme playing )

( noirish jazz theme playing )