04x21 - The Case of the Difficult Detour

[bunniefuu]

( noirish jazz theme playing )

Hey, got a sledge?

( speaking indistinctly )

She's in tight, Pete.

All right, Charlie, come on.
Let's get her rolling. Here.

( grunts )

Pete, I just totaled
our progress

and I made a projection on the
completion of the access road.

Now, at , cubic yards
per unit--

That's figuring
the mean average units per day

for the past two weeks.

--I think that we--
Now, look. Look, Chet.

Even if I understood
this schoolbook talk of yours--

Which I don't half the time.

--mean average units
are not going to tell me

what I've gotta know.

Do we finish the roadbed
on time?

We just about live
or die on that one.

Well, Mr. Mallory,
on your very first contract

with your own company

I am pleased to inform you
that the access road

will be completed a day
and a half ahead of schedule.

Now, now, wait a minute, Pete.

There's nothing wrong
about that, is there?

Back on schedule again,

considering all the delays
and the trouble we've had.

Wrong?

Chet, do you realize
what this means to me?

Sure. Another week
and there'll be more money

than we know what to do with.

Yeah, money.

Money and a lot more.

Chet, couldn't have done it
without you.

( horn honks )

PETE:
Hello, Stu.

Pete. Chet.

How's it going?
Hi.

Good, good.

Got enough money
to last me another week?

Chet, here, he figures
we'll make it on deadline.

Hey, wonderful.

Remind me to give you a lifetime
pass to Bentonville Park.

Heh. The perfect
vacation resort.

Well, you can forget
about that pass.

Just you make that payment
on deadline and I'll be happy.

The minute you finish,
I pay.

Excuse me, Mr. Benton.

Company coming.

Gentlemen,
I'm Sergeant Landro.

Is one of you
Stuart Benton?

Well, that's me, officer.
What can I do for you?

Peter Mallory?

I'm Mallory.
What's the trouble?

This access road you're building
from the south side of the lake

to the north side,
you responsible for it?

Yes, I am.
What about it?

Well, Mr. Mallory, it seems
you've been trespassing.

Trespassing?

A Mr. Ames is the owner
of the west sections

of land up to the high-water
mark on the lake.

He claims your road
and equipment both

are on his private property.

Well, there must be some mis--
Easy, Pete, easy.

Officer, I'm sure Mr. Ames
is mistaken.

Afraid the judge will have
to decide that, sir.

Mr. Benton?

For you.

Mr. Mallory?

For you.

These are court orders
to stop all the work.

Stop all the work?

You can't do this. I've got men
up here. I've got equipment.

Sorry, Mr. Mallory.

But I'm afraid
you've also got trouble.

( dramatic theme playing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

The Mallory
Construction Company

rushing a project
to completion, huh?

( chuckles )

I've seen more life
in a graveyard.

Benton told me
what happened. Thanks.

You know, Harry,
this could be my graveyard,

weren't for guys like you.

Your equipment's
in good shape, though.

Layoff gave us a chance
to do some servicing.

You go to court tomorrow?

Yeah, we get rolling
right after that.

Don't worry,
we'll come in on time.

Ooh, I am not worried
about that. Uh--

What about your crews though?

They gonna work
without pay?

With this delay,
just paying my crews

is gonna take
every cent I have

to finish the access road
by deadline.

And you expect me
to carry the rental

on my stuff until then?

Well, Harry, I am just asking
for credit for a week or so.

What's the problem?

Well, I don't like courts

and I can't afford charity.

Sorry, Pete.

I gotta have your check
by tomorrow

or I am going to have
to pick up the equipment.

( dramatic theme playing )

( dramatic theme swells )

STU:
Oh, you give me the right price
and there'll be nothing

but Galaxy Outboards sold
on my lake.

The exclusive concession for
the right price. How about it?

Well, look, I've got the
same deal with Southwest Gas,

an exclusive concession
for the right price.

Oh, Artie Hellman himself
told me to call you.

( indistinct speech over phone )

I'll have my wife send you
the literature, hm?

Why don't you
sit down, Pete?

Thanks, Sheila.

Okay. I'll see you next week.

Bye.

I just talked
to Harry Parker.

He wants that check by tomorrow
or I'll lose the gear.

He can't do that.

PETE:
Look, Stu.

I need that advance payment now,
not next week.

Well, according
to your contract,

I can't pay you
till you've completed.

Oh, no, look, look.
Don't worry.

Now, tomorrow in court the judge
will say Ames is wrong.

That means he's liable
for any losses you've had.

Yes, but I'll have to sue.

I can't wait that long.

Well, who says wait?

Right from the courtroom,
we'll go directly to the bank.

We get a loan
on your pending suit, hm?

PETE:
Well, can we do that?

STU:
Of course. So don't worry.

The judge will
be fair and we'll win.

He's already got the new survey
I had Phil Edwards make out.

I tell you
there's no problem.

Well, I sure hope you know
what you're talking about.

Bentonville.

The perfect vacation resort.

( chuckles )

( dramatic theme playing )

Gentlemen,
I have compared the surveys

as submitted by both sides.

The court finds
for the plaintiff, Mr. Ames.

Defendants are permanently
enjoined from entering upon

or occupying the property
without the express permission

of the plaintiff.

But Your Honor, the survey.

Agrees as to the boundary line.

What?

Mr. Mallory,
your equipment trespassed.

But--

But what about Benton's land?

Mr. Benton is not involved.

The fault is clearly yours
and yours alone.

Please, Your Honor--

Bailiff,
the next case, please.

Stu, what about the bank loan?

What are we gonna do?

Your Honor,
there must be some mistake.

Please, Your Honor.

Stu.

Stu, how about the loan?

Pete. Pete, I'll find out
about this. Call me later.

I know,
but the bank loan.

Well, I don't have the time
to talk right now.

Now, about
those escrow contracts,

Consolidated contacted me

about a sweetheart
of a proposition...

Mr. Mallory.

I'm sorry.

I realize how
financially embarrassing

the court's decision
must be for you.

Embarrassing?

Mr. Ames,
I'm just about wiped out.

I just wanted you to know

there was nothing personal
about this

where you're concerned.

Benton wouldn't have bought
that north side

from your daughter without

an easy access road
around the lake.

You appear to be the innocent
bystander who's being hurt.

What you need
is an attorney of your own.

There's just got
to be a mistake somewhere.

There's a man named Perry Mason.

He isn't my attorney,

but he's a friend
and coming to my house tonight.

Now, if you would like me
to arrange an introduction,

I'd be very happy to.

But where could
we have been mistaken?

Where?

( suspenseful theme playing )

Eighty-four point seven,
frontline J?

Check.

That's it.

But it checks out, Pete.
They're right.

There is no access strip.
There never was.

Only,
I don't understand.

Let's go out to the site.

Again, Pete?
We measured twice.

Well, I can't--
I can't believe it.

How could it happen?

Two other guys get in a fight

and I'm left holding the bag!

It happens. It happens.

It doesn't happen!

When Ames first served
those papers we measured it

and we were right.

It looked like it was,
Pete,

but it couldn't have been.

Well, you measured and I checked
the map, remember?

Yeah, yeah. Look, Pete,

why don't you go home?

I can't believe it.

I checked it.
I checked and it was right.

I--

What's the matter?

It's--
It's the wrong one.

It's a different map.

That's impossible.

It's got to be the same.

Yes. Sure,
it looks the same, all right.

Even-- Even with the smudges.

Somebody went through
a lot of trouble

to make it look the same.

Oh, no, no. You're wrong,
Pete. You're wrong.

Yeah. They even copied
the telephone number up here

on the right hand corner
just the way I did.

Only they didn't know
that I erased it later.

But Pete, why would anyone
wanna change the map?

Where are you going?

( car door slams,
engine starts )

( tires screeching )

( ringing )

Bentonville Park.

Sheila?

Chet.

Yeah. The worm
has finally turned.

Pete knows.
He just exploded out of here.

( dramatic theme playing )

What's the matter?

You fouled up
the original survey.

You're wrong, Pete.
My-- My survey is on record

at the Hall of Records,
it's correct.

Not the one you gave me,
it wasn't.

It had to be.
You did it deliberately.

You're crazy.

You filed the right one
and handed me a ringer.

Only who paid you to do it?

But--
Who?!

What are you talking about?

I tell you,
who paid you to do it?!

PHIL: Get away from me!
PETE: Who?

( crashing )

( ringing )

PHIL ( over phone ):
Hello?

I have to speak to Stu, hurry.

It's Mallory.
He's like a crazy man.

He's coming to your place now.

( in Southern accent ):
I'm sorry,

but you have the wrong number.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Put this in the car for me,
will you, dear?

I, uh, wanna
look over some papers.

Uh, when will you be back?

Oh, hard to say, uh,
two, three days at the most.

Fine.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( ominous theme playing )

STU: Pete.
PETE: I want to talk to you.

STU:
Look, I've, uh-- I've got to go
out of town for a few days.

Stock-issue business. I don't
have time to talk right now.

PETE:
I've got the whole story, Stu.

I thought you might
want to hear it.

What story?

I just came from Edwards.

I knew I couldn't make
a mistake and run through

that boundary line
without a push from somebody.

Now, look, Pete, uh,
before you say anything--

Quiet!

No more talk.

You've kidded me
long enough with talk.

I'll make it good, boy.

I'll-- I'll give you back
every cent. I promise.

Pete, don't lose your temper.
Pete! Pete!

( crashing )

( typewriter clacking )

( gasping )

Hey, lady.

( groans )

Oh, please.

My husband, he beat me.

He tried--

Well, the only reason I got away

was because somebody drove up.

Oh, please,
you've gotta help me.

All right, lady.
Take it easy.

Take it easy. Here we go.

( panting )

( suspenseful theme playing )

Don't come any closer.

He's dead.

( dramatic theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

I've been phoning all over town
for you. Where have you been?

Just driving around town.

Trying to think.

Chet, we're all washed up here.

Let's pack and get out.

Get out?
After what happened?

What are you talking about?

Stuart Benton was m*rder*d
tonight, beaten to death.

( suspenseful theme playing )

MASON:
That's a great technique.

Florentine, isn't it?

Mm-hm.
She has a wonderful touch.

Miriam promised one
for my, uh, apartment.

And I promised her
hundred dollars

for her favorite charity.

You did? When was that?

Just before you moved
to San Francisco.

You know, I haven't seen too
much of your daughter either.

( knock on door )

Mr. Mason?

MASON:
Yes.

I need your help.

I think I just k*lled a man.

( dramatic theme playing )

All right, sergeant.

Thank you very much.

Stuart Benton was k*lled by
a blow on the back of the head

with a blunt instrument.

Blunt instrument?

I just hit him in the face
with my hand, that's all.

Did he fall?
Yeah.

Did he strike his head
when he fell?

No, I don't think so.

He just fell
in the middle of the room.

As far as I can remember,
he wasn't even knocked out.

Did you ransack
the room before you left?

No, I didn't do that.

I left
just after I hit him.

I didn't touch a thing.

Why did you hit him,
Mr. Mallory?

He just stood there,
not a hair out of place.

A no-good, four-flusher looking
like he just stepped out

of a fashion plate.

After all he had done to me,
how could I help it?

Mr. Mason,
I don't like to hurt people.

But something just boiled up
inside of me.

I just had to shove my fist
in his face just once.

All right, Mr. Mallory,
I believe you.

But before I promise anything,
I want to speak to Mr. Ames.

Will you wait here, please?

Well?

Well,

Mallory's involved
in a m*rder.

He wants me to represent him.

I thought I should talk
to you first.

I assume you consider
I'm involved in some way?

The victim was Stuart Benton.

Evidently, he was k*lled
between :

and : this evening.

I see.

Mallory, Benton,

my land and my daughter's.

Yes. There--
There would be an involvement.

You're a good friend, Jim.

But you understand
if I do represent Mallory,

my first duty would be to him.

Between : and , eh?

Let's see now.

Oh, yes. Yes. I remember.

Right after dinner I excused
myself to answer the phone.

Said I'd be right back
but I was gone...

How long was it?

Uh, about an hour?

Perry,

I'm a bad host, perhaps.

But, uh, not a m*rder*r.

Then you don't mind
my taking his case?

You have a free hand
as far as I'm concerned.

I like Pete Mallory.

Go on, go on,
help the man.

( dramatic theme playing )

They're beating
the bushes for Mallory.

How nice we have him
in a hotel instead.

We? Am I, uh,
breaking the law again?

Not even bending it, Paul.

He's registered
under his own name.

But we do need a couple of hours
before he surrenders himself.

What else have you found out?

Well,
the m*rder w*apon was one

of those,
uh, steel markers

they stick signs
in the ground with.

What time did,
uh, Mrs. Benton

and the sheriff
discover the body?

Uh, : .

Mallory told Perry
he left at : .

That's ten minutes' difference.

And he denies
ransacking the place.

Well, it was
ransacked all right.

They're looking
for a missing briefcase.

Paul, Benton was packed
for a trip.

Do they know
where he was going?

No. Mrs. Benton
doesn't know either.

They asked her.

See if you can find out,
and fast.

All right.
Uh--

Check back through the office.

Will do.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( car engine starts )

Thank you, Harry.

A moment, please,
Mrs. Benton? May I talk to you?

I don't feel like talking
to anyone now.

Uh, this is important.

Come on, mister,
you heard what the lady said.

She doesn't wanna
talk to anybody.

Go ahead, Mrs. Benton.

She called you Harry.

Could that be Harry Parker?

Look, mister,
I never did like reporters.

They're always prying.
I've got nothing to say to you.

Della. You know
where Mr. Ames lives?

Yes, I've been there.

Well, I'd like a copy,
if I can get it,

to the sales contract
between Miriam Ames

and Benton
for the north side parcel.

Tell Mr. Ames it's important,
otherwise I wouldn't ask for it.

Mm-hm.
Also, while you're talking

to Mr. Ames, uh,
just casually--

Mm-hm. Mata Hari,
front and center.

( chuckles )

Casually find out why,

after being away
for a good year

or so he suddenly returned
from San Francisco.

In time to get a restraining
order on Pete Mallory

on that access road?

Right. Pick me up here
when you're finished.

By that time
I'll have finished talking

to a gentleman named Parker.

(engine starts)

( suspenseful theme playing )

MASON:
As I understand it,

the Sheriff's Department
is all through here.

Now, look here, friend,
I told you I didn't want--

I am not your friend.

I'm not a reporter.

I'm an attorney representing
someone involved in a m*rder.

I'm sorry.

I didn't know, Mr...?

Mason.

Now suppose we have
a little talk, Mr. Parker.

Sure.

Anything I can do?

You just helped
Mrs. Benton to her car.

Where was she going?

She went
to the Blue Arrow Motel.

Can't blame her for not wanting
to stick around here, can you?

Does she plan to continue
with the park project?

It's funny you asked.
I just made her an offer

to take it off her hands.

How strange.

You didn't seem to believe
very much in the park project

the other day when you pulled
all your equipment away

from Pete Mallory,
now did you, Mr. Parker?

Hello.

Hello. I'd like
to see Mr. Ames, please.

Well, he isn't here
right now, I'm afraid.

May I help you?
I'm his daughter, Miriam Ames.

Oh, yes, perhaps you could.

I'm Della Street,
Perry Mason's secretary.

Oh. Mr. Mason's
representing Pete.

Uh, Mr. Mallory, isn't he?

Uh, yes, that's right.

Well, what did you want to ask
my father, Miss Street?

Actually, I think it's something
of yours that Mr. Mason wants.

Your copy of
the contract covering the sale

of the north side property
of the Bentonville Park Estates.

Well, of course,
if it would help Mr. Mallory.

It's right here in the study.
Won't you come in?

Mm-hm.

Mr. Mason
was here last night.

He talked about
being impressed.

Very impressed
with one of your paintings.

Oh, nonsense.

But, uh,

he didn't mention
your being here, Miss Ames.

I got in
this morning.

Oh.

Here it is.

Thank you.

Does your father plan on, uh,

living here for a little while?

Miss Street,
I assume your questions

reflect Mr. Mason's interest.

My father came down here
from San Francisco

because he received
a phone call--

An anonymous phone call.

--telling him
that somebody was building

a public road across
his own private property.

That's all I know.

( knock on door )

Come in.

Mr. Stark? Chet Stark?

Yeah?

Paul Drake.

Private detective?

That's right.
Mind if I come in?

( Paul sighs )

Well, pretty complicated.

I imagine it takes a long time
to learn a thing like this.

Not something, say,
a private detective

could pick up without training?

No, not very well.

Look, Mr. Drake, is there,
uh, something you want?

Something I can, uh,
help you with?

Mr. Stark, as I'm not horning
into your racket,

would you mind telling me
what an engineer is doing

making like
a private detective?

I don't know
what you're talking about.

No?

Three people:

The reservations agent
at the airport,

the desk clerk at the
El Mirador Hotel in Juárez,

and the leading
divorce attorney in Juárez.

Each told me
what I wanted to know.

Plus, one other thing:

That I was
the second person to ask.

The first person asking
questions was you.

( scoffs )

So?

So we both went to a lot
of trouble to find out

that Stuart Benton
was going to stay

at the El Mirador Hotel
in Juárez while he obtained

a Mexican divorce
from his wife, Sheila.

All right, we were both curious.

So there's nothing wrong
with that, is there?

I get paid to be curious.

And I made my investigation
the day after

the m*rder of Stuart Benton.

You made your investigation
the day before.

And a lot of people,
including the police,

are going to want to know why.

I'm afraid that's my business.

Yours and
Sheila Benton's?

How did you know?

I didn't know, Mr. Stark.

I just had a hunch.

I know how upset you must be,
Mrs. Benton.

But if you can help us
it might mean you'd

be saving a man's life.

Look, would you
just leave me alone?

I'll find out,
as will as the police,

if there was something
between you and Stark.

I'll also find out the rest
of what happened last night.

The rest of what happened?

Pete Mallory will swear

that one of the reasons
he struck your husband

was because your husband was
almost aggravatingly immaculate

within seconds
of what you've described

as a knockdown-dragout fight.

And for some special reason
of your own,

you wanted that
deputy sheriff with you.

Why?

I don't know
what you're talking about.

You do know that your husband
was flying to Mexico

to get a divorce.

But you didn't want that,
did you?

Oh, no. Mr. Mason, please,

you've got it all wrong.

It's not what you think.

If you won't tell me the truth,
what can I think?

Only that you were afraid
of being cut off without a cent.

And that you--

Or that you and Stark took
advantage of Mallory's fight

with your husband
by k*lling him.

No!

We only wanted
to stop Stu's cheating.

His-- His pushing people around.
His double-dealing.

Oh, look, you--

You didn't really know
what he was like.

His sweet-talking women,
and his--

His-- His
hoodwinking businessmen.

He-- He was a con man.

If he was a con man,
then Bentonville Park

wasn't a legitimate operation?

It could have been.

But it wasn't.

( sighs )

It was like that
everyplace we went.

You see, Stu was too clever
to ever actually break the law.

You see, he'd tie up some big,

potential subdivision
for practically nothing,

and then
he'd sell off concessions,

and then he'd take
advance payments right and left.

And got away with it?

Well, there was always

some convenient middleman,

like Pete Mallory.

Stu would set up litigation.

Not against himself,

always against the contractor.

And then the litigation
made it impossible

to complete the development.

In this instance,

he hoodwinked Mallory
into building

a road on somebody's
private property.

Yes. That's right.

The court stopped Mallory

and the project was stalled.

Stu was legally out from under

so he'd just fade away
with his pockets full of cash.

Oh, but I couldn't let
that happen again.

What did you hope to gain

by having him arrested
on a false charge?

To keep him here!

For once, finally,

somebody was mad enough
to keep yelling

until the truth came out.

You mean Pete Mallory?

Well,
he was our only chance.

Nobody ever
fought back before.

But if Stu left town,

Pete would have
a chance to cool off.

Don't you see?
It had to be last night

because of the blackmail.

Blackmail?

Well, that briefcase,

the one the police
couldn't find.

Stu always
kept it locked up,

but last night
he had it with him

to take on the trip.

Your husband
kept blackmail evidence?

Against whom?

Well, I don't know,
but it was the only way he had

of keeping people
in line to--

To keep them from--
Excuse me, I'm Sergeant Landro,

sheriff's office.

Sergeant. You'll be
interested in this.

I'm interested
in Peter Mallory.

You Perry Mason?

Yes.

Where is Pete Mallory?

Perhaps you won't want
to see Mallory when you've--

If it concerns Benton
being a blackmailer, sir,

we already know about that.

We found that briefcase
she was talking about.

You found--

It was in a locker
at the bus terminal.

Key to that locker we picked up
in Pete Mallory's room.

Now will you turn him in?

There's a warrant says he's
wanted for first degree m*rder.

( dramatic theme playing )

Now, where was the body found,
Sergeant Landro?

The decedent was lying crumpled
in a heap near one of the desks.

I see.

I show you this coat,
and ask you if you recognize it.

Yes, sir. It was found
in the rooms of Peter Mallory,

the defendant.

It appears to have stains
of some sort on the sleeve here.

Did you find out
what caused the stain?

LANDRO:
Laboratory tests
proved it to be blood.

BURGER:
And what else did
the laboratory tests prove

about this blood stain?

That it was
the decedent's blood type,

not that of the defendant.

It's not.

All right, sergeant, I now show
you this steel marker stake.

I ask if this was also subjected
to laboratory analysis?

Yes, sir.
It's the m*rder w*apon.

BURGER:
How do you know that,
sergeant?

LANDRO:
Laboratory tests
proved there were bits

of hair and blood
on it that

were also the same type
as that of the decedent.

It was lying on the floor
next to the body.

I see.

Now, finally,
I show you this briefcase.

Yes, sir, we checked it out.

It belonged to Stuart Benton.

If it please the court,

I should like this coat,
the steel marker,

and this briefcase
entered in evidence

and marked for the people
Exhibits A, B and C.

No objection.

So ordered.

Now, sergeant,
would you tell us please

the circumstances
leading up

to the discovery
of that briefcase?

While searching
the defendant's room,

we found the key
to a public locker.

In the locker
we found the briefcase.

And then it too was subjected
to laboratory analysis?

Yes, sir.

Laboratory tests showed that it
had been splattered with blood

that was of the same type
as that of the decedent.

Now, sergeant, tell me this,

was there anything inside
that briefcase pertaining

to Mr. Mallory, the defendant?

Yes, sir.

There were
some papers and notes

in what was apparently
Stuart Benton's handwriting

mentioning
Peter Mallory by name.

Your Honor, since this
is a preliminary hearing,

I'm gonna ask Sergeant Landro

to describe merely
the general nature

of those notes
about Mr. Mallory.

Well, it was information
that could conceivably, uh,

well, hurt his reputation
if it was passed on

to someone sensitive
about the use of v*olence,

or concerned
about Pete Mallory's temper.

I think that'll
take care of the situation.

Thank you, sergeant.

Your witness.

Sergeant Landro,

if the defendant had
a fight with the decedent

and had bloodied his nose,
let us say,

isn't it possible
that blood from the fight

was what you found
on the defendant's clothes?

It's possible.

Now, uh,

concerning the contents
of that briefcase.

Were there, uh, other names
on those notes of Benton's?

I object, Your Honor.

Revealing any additional names
from that briefcase

at this hearing would be
pointless sensationalism,

and it might do harm
to innocent people.

May I remind the prosecutor
that he introduced the evidence

and that once having introduced
a portion of it,

the balance of it is subject to
disclosure on cross-examination.

It would appear that
the evidence, in total,

would be brought out
in any superior court trial.

Mr. Mason, are you asking
for a full reading

of all the material
in that briefcase?

MASON:
Well, no, Your Honor.

My question is limited
to who else,

by name,
is mentioned in those notes.

JUDGE:
Prosecution's objection
is overruled.

Answer the question, sergeant.

Yes, sir.

Well, aside from Peter Mallory,

the only other person
even remotely connected

with this case whose name
was mentioned was Harry Parker.

MASON:
Thank you, sergeant.
That'll be all.

Uh, you may step down.

Mallory blamed Stuart Benton.

He told me that Benton
better get him out of trouble

or he'd make trouble
for Benton.

Mm-hm. That'll be all,
Mr. Parker.

Thank you. Your witness.

Mr. Parker, on June th

you withdrew $ ,
from your account.

On June th,
Benton deposited , .

Now, you were seen together
during that period.

Of course.

It was a loan.

MASON:
Loan?

Yes.

No record of it
on the company books.

Now, isn't it true
that you are a silent partner?

That you were blackmailed into
becoming a silent partner?

As a silent partner,
buying into Bentonville Park

meant protecting
your initial investment

after Benton's death.

It was a sound business deal,
was it not?

Yes, it was.

Mr. Parker,
you were at the other end

of the squeeze play against
Mallory, were you not?

What I did
was absolutely legitimate.

He couldn't pay his debts
so I took back my equipment.

MASON:
When Benton told you
that Mallory knew the truth

and was going to expose you,
what did you do?

I never talked to Benton.

I didn't know anything
until I heard he was dead.

When was that, Mr. Parker?

When I read it in the papers.

And you can't prove
any different.

Perhaps not, Mr. Parker.

No further questions.

I was working late at my office

when Mallory came charging in.

It was about a quarter to .

Continue, Mr. Edwards.

Well, Mallory kept insisting
that he had been swindled.

That somebody had switched
the survey charts on him.

He, uh-- He asked--

No. I guess he told me
it was Benton and--

And threatened me
if I didn't agree with him.

So you agreed with him?

Well, I would have agreed
to anything at that moment.

Go ahead.

Well, he-- He--

He pushed me
and rushed out of my office

saying he was gonna
get his hands on Benton.

That's all, Mr. Edwards.

Thank you. Your witness.

Mr. Edwards,
do you frighten easily?

No.

MASON:
Come now, Mr. Edwards.

Isn't it true
that many things frighten you?

During World w*r II

you were restricted
to non-combat duty

because of
uncontrollable fear.

In you obtained a divorce
charging extreme cruelty

and specifying
that you were

afraid of your wife.

Your Honor, Mr. Mason

is embarrassing
this witness with questions

that are not even germane
to this hearing.

On the contrary, Your Honor,

the prosecution
has stated it wishes

to illustrate the mood
and temper

of the defendant
on the night of the m*rder.

I simply wish to illustrate

that this witness
was not competent

to judge that
mood and temper.

You've made your point,
Mr. Mason. Please continue.

Now, Mr. Edwards,

if the defendant
had reason to believe

he'd been swindled,
why did he come to you?

Isn't it true that
you were involved by, uh,

virtue of having prepared
a false survey?

My charts were correct.

MASON:
Perhaps those
that you filed were correct,

but weren't you paid to give
the defendant a false survey?

No. That isn't true.
No! No!

Your Honor, Mr. Mason
is deliberately intimidating

this witness.

He's already demonstrated
that the man suffers

from unnatural fears.

I'm glad the prosecution concurs
in that Mr. Edwards

has unnatural fears
and would tend

to exaggerate
and distort events

because of
his own personality.

May I continue, Your Honor?

Yes, Mr. Mason. Go ahead.

Now, Mr. Edwards,

you did not falsify
a survey because of money.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

Then did you falsify a survey
because of fear?

No.

Well--

I, uh...

No.

No further questions.

Step down, please.

I call Mrs. Stuart Benton.

All right, Mrs. Benton,
Mallory had arrived

giving you a chance
to break away.

Where did you go?

I went to get the deputy,
like I told you.

And when we got back there,
Stuart was dead,

Mallory was gone, and--
And the briefcase was missing.

Thank you, Mrs. Benton.
That'll be all.

Your witness.

Mrs. Benton, you knew
your husband was leaving you.

Isn't it possible you used
the defendant's arrival

to your own advantage
by k*lling your husband

before you went to get
the deputy sheriff?

No! No,I didn't k*ll
my husband! That's a lie!

Your Honor.
SHEILA: That's a lie!

The defense attorney
seems to be

accusing everyone of this crime.
( gavel tapping )

That's quite enough confusion.

This witness is obviously unable
to continue her testimony.

This court is adjourned
until : this afternoon.

May we have a moment,
please?

You told me you weren't
being blackmailed.

Sorry, Mr. Mason.

It never dawned
on me that somebody

would make something of it.

Believe me.

What was in that briefcase
that concerned you?

Happened a long time ago,
San Diego.

I hit a man, too hard.

They arrested me,

spent a couple of nights
in jail.

Benton had the records.

I suppose he could
have embarrassed me

but he didn't need to pressure
me into doing that project.

I wanted to do it.

I guess I made it
rather rough for you?

Tell you what, Pete.

I won't let it worry me
if it doesn't worry you.

Good enough?

Good enough, Mr. Mason.

All right, bailiff.
Thank you.

Perry, do you think
what was in the briefcase

will be damaging?

I'm more interested in what
wasn't in the briefcase.

What wasn't?

Paul, of course,
you have some good contacts

with the phone company.

Yeah, I know a couple
of dolls down there.

Uh-huh.

Check out those two telephone
numbers for me, will you?

( dramatic theme playing )

SHEILA:
I know I would have profited,
personally, Mr. Mason,

but it was a matter of putting
an end to the defrauding

of the people
my husband had business with.

What you are admitting
is that you actually conspired

against your husband in an
effort to take over the project?

If a wife
must remain blindly loyal

to a despicable
philanderer who--

Who cheated and stole,

and who'd go on
cheating and stealing

and even blackmail...

Then, yes, Mr. Mason,
I am guilty of a conspiracy.

Now, then, on the night of the
m*rder you left the trailer,

altered your appearance
to simulate having been beaten

by your husband, and went
hunting for a deputy sheriff.

How long were you gone?

About minutes.

So you don't actually know,

of your own knowledge,

what time Mallory left

during that minute period,

or whether or not
someone else came in

and k*lled your husband?

No.

Did you k*ll
your husband after Mallory left?

No, Mr. Mason, I didn't.

But, well, suppose I had.

Would I have taken
the briefcase?

MASON:
Perhaps you
might have taken it

to plant in
the right place

and further convict
the defendant.

Uh, one more question.

Who else knew of the briefcase?

No one.

MASON:
You're under oath, Mrs. Benton.

Did Chet Stark know of
the briefcase and its contents?

Yes.

MASON:
Are you and Mrs. Stuart Benton
in love?

Yes.

It was our hope to get married,

if Sheila was ever free.

Is that why you both
conspired against her husband?

He had it coming to him.

He had what coming, Mr. Stark,

getting arrested
or getting k*lled?

That's not what I mean.

What do you mean?

Do you mean you were concerned
with what you had coming

along with Mrs. Benton?

A share in the park,

a share in $ ,
worth of insurance

on Stuart Benton's life?

What?

N-No.

No.

You-- You're twisting it all up!

Then Mallory and Mason
went into my study.

Mason came out saying Mallory
might be involved in a m*rder

and would I object
to Mason defending him.

How did Mallory look
when he arrived?

Apprehensive. Uneasy.

A little frightened, I think.

So Mallory knew
at that time that he was gonna

be accused of m*rder

and he deliberately sought out
Mr. Mason to get him off?

The question is improper,
Your Honor.

It calls for a conclusion
from the witness.

Uh, sustained.

No more questions. Mr. Mason.

Mr. Ames, there were
two important phone calls

made on
the night of the m*rder.

One at : ,
to a number in San Francisco.

And one at : from
that number in San Francisco

to you.

Yes.

Mr. Ames,

the person
Stuart Benton called--

The person who then called you
from San Francisco.

--was that person your daughter,
Miriam Ames?

Yes.

MASON:
Mr. Ames, isn't it a fact
that your daughter, Miriam,

and Stuart Benton were involved
in a whirlwind relationship?

A relationship
that suddenly terminated?

Miriam wrote to me
in San Francisco about it.

Stuart Benton came
to town, alone.

Apparently
an attractive man.

Yes, at--
At first it was just business.

His wanting
to buy her property.

But then Miriam became
interested in him.

Very much
interested in him.

They went out together
a great deal.

Her calls and letters implied
she had every reason to believe

he was seriously
interested in her.

But he was careful
to always take her

to out-of-the-way places,
away from town,

where they wouldn't be seen.

I-- I sensed what was going on
from her letters.

I--
I was deeply concerned.

I-- I tried,
without much luck, to warn her.

"Without much luck"?

Well, Miriam was happy
and excited.

She-- She had no reason
to suspect Stuart Benton

was anything
but what he claimed,

so she went ahead
and signed the land deal

without letting me or
an attorney even see the papers.

And then?

His wife showed up in town.

MASON:
He had fooled her,
swindled her,

shamed her
in her own eyes.

But he didn't stop there,
did he?

She--
She had written him some--

Some rather naive letters.

Because of her seeming
indiscretion with a married man,

he then tried to blackmail her?

Yes.

That's why he called her
the night of the m*rder,

using those letters to try
to extort money from her?

And that's why, uh,

frightened,
she then called you?

Yes, yes, yes.

Did you then leave your home,
Mr. Ames, go to see Benton,

k*ll him, and then remove
from that briefcase

any reference
to your daughter?

No.

So help me. No.

Somebody removed
those letters.

According to Sergeant Landro,

they were not in the briefcase,
were they?

I never touched that briefcase.

I never set eyes on it.

Besides yourself, Mr. Ames,

who knew Miriam
and liked her well enough

to have removed those letters?
Who?

Pete Mallory.

I see.

This is important,
Mr. Ames.

Just how did your daughter
meet Stuart Benton?

He came to the house.

MASON:
Alone?

No.

He was brought there
by the engineer,

Phil Edwards.

We used to see
a good deal of each other.

My wife and Miriam were friends.

In its way, it was a rather
chivalrous thing you did.

Mr. Edwards, you did remove
the blackmail evidence

concerning Miriam Ames
from Benton's briefcase?

Yes.

MASON:
There was
also blackmail evidence

concerning you
in that briefcase.

Evidence he used to force you
to introduce him

to Miriam Ames.
Evidence he used

to force you to switch surveys
on Pete Mallory?

Yes.

After you removed the evidence,

you checked the briefcase
in the terminal locker

and planted the key
in Mallory's room?

Yes.

And you were outside
when Mallory hit Benton?

And when Mallory left,
you went inside?

Benton was half-unconscious.

The briefcase was on the floor.

It wasn't enough just
to get rid of the evidence.

Mallory knew.

I had to discredit him.

And Benton could always talk.

That could
mean losing my license,

going to jail.

Don't you see, Mr. Mason?

I-- I was frightened.

( dramatic theme playing )

Uh, Pete, you did so very well
working for other people.

I wonder,
whatever prompted you

to gamble
all the money you had saved

and go into business
for yourself?

Well, it meant more money.

More, it proved
that I was a real somebody.

Someone who could--

MASON:
You know, Jim,
permitting that access road

to, uh, cross your property

would get Pete
out of a bad hole.

But it would
also allow you

to have a
substantial interest

in a profitable venture.

What? Me--

Me buy into--

No, no, no.
Not buy, just exchange.

Just deed that one
small strip of land, uh,

for participation
in the entire resort.

AMES:
But buying into--

Oh, Dad.

Uh...

Into Bentonville Park,
huh?

Hm.

Why not?
I've never turned away

from a good
business proposition.

( chuckles )

Suppose we, uh--
Suppose we talk about it, eh?

Suppose we do.

Tell we now...

( dramatic theme playing )

( noirish jazz theme playing )