05x07 - The Case of the Pathetic Patient

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

*

Palm View Medical Center.

(chuckles)

Well, now,
what do you think of that?

Dr. Wayne Edley.

(scoffs)

Miss York, what
on earth's going on?

It's that Mr. Widlock
who telephoned yesterday.

You know, the one that
was a patient last year.

I told him it was
after your lunchtime,

but it didn't seem
to do any good.

WIDLOCK:
Doc?

You in there?

Mr. Widlock.

Crutches-- I'm sorry.

You'll be a lot sorrier
when you see what's in here.

Why? What's this?

Since I phoned for
an appointment,

I thought I'd better have
somebody else x-ray my hip.

The hip you treated a whole
month for bursitis, remember?

Till I ran out of dough
and had to quit coming.

Go ahead, take
a look at it.

What do you see?

It looks like there was once
a small fracture there.

Well, now,
that's just

what the X-ray man in
Beverly Hills said.

And you know
something, Doc?

My hip was that way when
I first came to you.

I'd had a bad fall, and if
you look at your records,

you'll see I told
you about it.

Miss York.

Would you please bring me
Mr. Widlock's record, please?

Also, the X-ray we took
on his first visit.

Now, Mr. Widlock, I think
we're going to find

that you did not have
a fractured hip

when you were my patient
last year.

I remember very well.

Uh, may I see you
please, Doctor?

Yes, Miss York.

Excuse me.

Excuse us.

You've forgotten about
that fire last April.

What's the fire
got to do with it?

Over here.

There weren't many X-rays,
but the defective wiring did

burn some of the ones
between "U" and "Z."

Between "U" and "Z"?

That's right through
"W" for Widlock.

Ah, swell.

Well, Doc?

What's the matter, you afraid
to show me the snapshot

you took on that
broken-down machine of yours?

Let's sit down,
Mr. Widlock.

I think we ought
to discuss this.

No, I don't want to sit down.

My hip hurts.

Doc, if you got enough money
to build a brand-new clinic,

I guess you got
enough to pay me.

There's a thing
called malpractice,

and that's what I'm going
to sue you for.

For every penny
you've got.

Hi, Janice.

Grif, you didn't even
wait for me.

Well, we got
to the framing

a little earlier
than I'd figured.

Hey, hasn't Wayne
been out to watch?

No.

The least we should've done
is broken open

a bottle of champagne
over a sawhorse.

Now, your husband wouldn't
enjoy that half as much

as me and
the sawhorse.

(chuckles):
Oh, yes he would.

You just don't
understand Wayne.

It's only during office hours
that he's so serious.

Oh, I wouldn't change
him for the world.

Besides, this town can use some
of his respectable energies.

Particularly when it
keeps me in business.

Oh, Grif, if you knew
what the clinic means to him.

You know, ever since I persuaded
him to move out here,

that's all he's been able
to talk about.

(car door closes)

Wayne!

Excuse me, Grif.
Yeah.

Malpractice?

Well, he claims I was
treating him for bursitis

when he was actually suffering
from an undetected fracture.

I'd like to
fracture his head.

Oh, but there must be
some way of stopping him

so there won't be
anything public like a lawsuit.

Oh, he finally
got around

to mentioning a
settlement, naturally.

Gave me hours
to decide.

How much will he settle for?

$ , .

$ , ...?

But that isn't
so terribly much.

What? I wouldn't settle
for five cents.

I know that, darling.

And I also know we
don't have $ , .

Oh, you're darn right
we don't have $ , .

But we have
insurance, don't we?

Look, we've got
to be realistic.

We're in a small town--

even one breath of
suspicion can hurt you.

Well, even if you just couldn't
make a mistake like that,

if one person
says you did...

Don't be ridiculous!

Besides, nobody'd say that
about your uncle.

My uncle?

What's he got
to do with this?

Well, he was a radiologist,
wasn't he?

This happened last year.

I was still checking my X-rays
with him then, if you remember.

I'm sure I did in this case.

But he happens to be at
the other end of the world.

Oh, Wayne, even if
he weren't retired,

you certainly can't expect
him to remember one X-ray

out of the millions
he's looked at.

Dear, he used to make
diagrams for me

to illustrate
his conclusions.

Now, you just run along,
and I'll give you a call.

Oh, where you going?

Well, Miss York's canceling
all my appointments.

I'm going to drive
down to Los Angeles.

I was thinking maybe your
uncle's old laboratory

might have hung on to some of
these records and notebooks.

Darling, wait.

Hey, why don't you let
somebody else handle this?

A lawyer maybe or-or somebody
who knows about business things.

Someone like who?

Oh, you're so
quick-tempered.

No, no, someone like
who, Leslie Hall?

Well, you can at least
trust Leslie.

And he does know
about local things.

Well, he'd realize
what could happen

to your new clinic if it...

Janice, the last thing
in the world that I need

is advice from your
hick town boyfriend.

Now, there are
principles involved.

Oh, darling, I'm sorry.

I was just trying to...

I know.

But you let me
do this my way.

All right?

Bye.

When Gates retired
and went abroad to live,

he pulled up
most of his stakes.

But he did leave some of
his medical library here.

Thought I might
like to use it,

seeing that I'm renting the
building and the laboratory.

What I'm looking for are those
little black ledger books

that he used, Dr. Banning,
for notes and things.

Oh, yes, I remember those.

We boxed them up, I think,

with some of
his other personal things.

Where are they now?

What did you
do with them?

Well, we shipped them off
to storage, I suppose.

It's a cinch Gates wouldn't
want to be bothered.

Why don't you ask that fellow

who handles his business affairs
in this country?

Name's Hall.

Leslie Hall, I think it is.

Yes, I'm sure Hall will be
happy to advise you.

(phone ringing)

Hello.

Well, Wayne,
I'm glad you called.

Uh, look here, old boy,
about that trouble you're in...

What trouble?

Come on, don't give me that.

I just finished
talking to Janice.

She had no business...

Wayne, you know you can
trust in my discretion.

Don't blame Janice.

I-- Well, I pried it out of her
quite by accident.

But, uh, the poor girl's
really worried,

and, well,
I must say I sympathize.

Look, why don't the two of you
drop over tonight

and we can sit down
and talk this thing through.

Well, there's nothing
to talk about.

Look, all I want from you
is some information on those

little black notebooks
of Janice's uncle, Dr. Gates.

Oh, forget about those, Wayne.

If I were you, I wouldn't even
bother your insurance company.

Look, why don't you just
pay this character off

and be done with it?

If you're a little short,
I'll even lend you the money.

Leslie, I just want
to find the books.

Now, where are they?

Well, as I remember--

Let's see, you're in
Los Angeles now, right?

Yes, well, I think they're
out here at the old farmhouse.

I'm sure that's where
the box they're in is stored.

Yes, up in the attic
at the old Gates farmhouse.

(doorbell rings)

*

Hey, what do you think
you're doing?!

Oh, there you are.

Hurry up, Roger,
I want to get in.

Is that so?

Just whose house do you think
this is now, sawbones?

I'm sorry, Roger.
I didn't mean to break in.

There's just a few things

I want to get
out of the attic in a hurry.

My property, all of it,
you understand?

Yeah.

Taxes, mortgage,
dry well--

that's what dear
Uncle Gates handed me.

Unlike poor Cousin Janice
he ups and sends a
cool $ , to,

so you can hand out pills
in a fancy building
and tell all...

All right, Roger,
just quit moaning, will you,

and let me inside.

Wipe your feet.

Roger's not a very
polite young man.

Well, he, uh, he let me
go up in the attic.

And we hunted through
every box and crate

without finding a trace of
those little black notebooks.

I'm sure it must be
very frustrating,

but why have you sought
me out, Dr. Edley?

Well, you were the housekeeper
for Janice's uncle

for so many years,
I thought maybe

he might have stored
some things with you.

Personal things
that he might want to keep,

like maybe some notebooks.

The only thing he left with me

was the nicest
of all possible gifts:

an annuity.

Just imagine, I can spend
the rest of my life painting.

Well, you're very fortunate,
Mrs. Osborn.

Thanks again.

You know, if I were
you, young man,

I'd go right back
to Leslie Hall.

Oh, I don't think
that would do any good.

I know. I know.

Janice was engaged to him

before she suddenly
up and decided to marry you.

But I didn't say
you had to like him.

Just see him.

Dr. Gates used to say Leslie
Hall has a very shrewd mind.

There's a saying
among lawyers, Dr. Edley,

a saying almost as old
as the common law.

It goes like this: You can win,
but lose while you're winning.

Yes, I know.

I've already been reminded
of that by my wife.

She's timid and frightened
by something like this,

but if it's the last thing
that I do, Mr. Mason...

You can also just plain lose,

if there isn't any evidence
or corroboration

of your original diagnosis
of this man.

Well, there's my word,
isn't there, and my nurse's?

And on his part,
there's a hip

that was actually
once fractured.

If, as you say, you verified
the new X-rays he showed you.

You mean you think that I ought
to back off, too, is that it?

Let some character who's
obviously broken that hip

after I treated him

just walk all over
me for $ , ?

I didn't come here just
to have you tell me--

Come in, Paul.

You're just in time.

Paul Drake,
Dr. Edley.

How do you do, Doctor?

How do you do?

Mr. Drake has handled

a good many
malpractice investigations

for insurance companies.

Well, I haven't contacted
my insurance company yet.

I'm afraid of
their reaction as--

Suppose you let us
take care of it for you?

Mr. Drake can contact them
if necessary.

Perry, Della briefed me
pretty thoroughly just now.

As I understand it, Doctor,

this guy barged into your office
and threatened to ruin you,

both professionally
and financially.

Then, out of the blue,

he offered to let you
off the hook for only $ , ?

Yes, provided the money
is paid within hours.

I'm sorry, Mr. Mason.
I didn't mean to sound angry.

Forget it, Doctor.

This doesn't give us
much time, Paul.

It'll be enough.

Don't worry, Doctor.

(laughing)

Well, well, well.

So you've been asking
questions about me, huh?

What did you find?
Police record?

Draft dodging? Baby k*lling?

(chuckles)

Mr. Drake, my car
is not even double parked

because I don't own one.

Let's just say I'm stubborn.

Suppose this whole business
was nothing more or less

than the old disappearing
X-ray stunt.

Now you see it, now you don't.

Oh, no. That X-ray I showed
Doc Edley today won't disappear.

And you can take , more
like it any day you want.

You see, the bone--

I mean the original X-ray.

The one that, uh, was destroyed
when the office burned.

Doc Edley's old snapshot?

I got nothing to do with that.

Suppose my investigation
proves you were in town

at the time of the fire?

You sure like to suppose,
don't you?

Well, please understand,
Mr. Widlock.

I'm not accusing you of a thing.

But-But just suppose
you were a confidence man.

There's something
you ought to know.

Insurance companies
keep elaborate files

on the modus operandi
of all these shakedown stunts.

By tomorrow morning, I'll have
the dope on every broken hip

that ever collected five cents.

Uh, any con man
who'd stick around town

comparing old aches and pains

should have
his head x-rayed.

Sure should.

(phone rings)

Hello?

Oh, yes, Mr. Drake. I've just
been waiting for your call.

Keep your fingers crossed,
but-but I think he'll run.

Sure.
I've seen hundreds like him.

He's just
as crooked as they come.

Oh, thank you, Mr. Drake.

You don't know what a relief--

Yeah, I understand.

Well, thanks again, Mr. Drake.

Yeah. Good night.

Janice? Where are you?

I think maybe it's over.

Mr. Drake just called,
and he thinks--

Janice?

Darling?

"Darling, going
to pick up my car

"and go to committee meeting
at country club.

Please don't wait up for me."

(dialing phone)

This is Dr. Edley.

Would you ask my wife
to come to the phone?

She's attending
some committee meeting.

There isn't?

Are you sure she's not?

Well, hasn't she been there
at all this evening?

No, no, it's all...
it's all right.

Thank you.

I guess I just misunderstood.

*

*

Hello, Wayne.

How'd you get in here?

Never mind that.

Janice was here, wasn't she?
I found her glove.

What if she was, old boy?
Nothing to be upset about.

How about a drink?

I suppose you think
this is nothing, too?

(knocking at door)

Uh, is everything
all right?

Well, certainly, Mr. Morgan.
Why shouldn't it be?

Well, one of the other tenants
just reported

somebody going through
your patio out back there.

I thought I'd just check in and
see if everything was all right.

Uh, sorry.

That's quite all right.
Thanks.

See here, Wayne, whatever
you think you found,

poking around in
my fireplace...

I don't think, I know.
This is part of the cover

of one of Dr. Gates's
notebooks.

No wonder I couldn't find them,
because you burned them up.

Why?

You trying to frame me
for malpractice?

Did you hire that guy Widlock?

You're out of your mind.

Why would I do
a thing like that?

I don't know-- to get even
because Janice jilted you.

You idiot.

The only reason she ran off
and married you

was because she knew

I was getting ready
to toss her overboard.

So before turning in
for the night,

I thought I'd check around.

You know how it is.

When you're manager
of a place like this,

you're responsible
for everything.

Well, this door
was partly open and--

Is, uh...

Is he?

Oh, yes.
Dead as they make 'em.

(phone rings)

Hello?

Perry. What time do you
get to work in the morning?

I was just going to leave this
message with your night service.

I had to come
by for my briefcase.

What was the message?

Well, Widlock left his hotel
at : a.m. in a hurry.

Then he boarded
a cross-country bus.

Where was he headed?

He bought a ticket to Phoenix.

You can tell your doctor friend
not to worry.

Widlock's been scared off.

Paul, obviously you haven't
read the morning paper yet.

Look on page two.

I just got a call
from the doctor.

I'm going out there now.

"Mr. Leslie Hall
was found stabbed to death

in his apartment shortly
before midnight last night."

Have a nice trip
to Phoenix, Paul.

Well, the police asked me
to cancel all appointments.

They said they wanted
to look around the place.

Sergeant Landro's
been very nice,

but so far, he hasn't
explained a thing.

All right, let's go
back to last night

after you had
the fight with Hall.

It was only a
couple of pokes.

After he flattened me, he
practically threw me out.

Unfortunately, he
was able to do it.

What then?

Well, Hall hadn't answered a
single thing I wanted to know,

and I-I guess I was
afraid to talk to Janice.

So, anyway, I left the car and
I walked about , miles,

I guess, trying to think.

Go on.

Well, it was after
: when I got home.

I went to bed without
waking Janice.

There's something else you
ought to know, Mr. Mason.

Those scraps of Dr. Gates's
notebooks that I told you about,

the ones that I found burned
in Hall's fireplace?

What about them?

Well, the police
won't believe it

because they couldn't
find a trace.

By the time they got there,
even the ashes were gone.

Excuse me, Doc.
Oh, hi, Mr. Mason.

Oh, hello, Sergeant.

Doc, I thought
maybe you could tell me.

Um, this is a scalpel,
isn't it?

Yes, that's right.

No, no. Don't touch it, please.

Why not?

Well, for one thing,
there's flecks of blood there.

Doc, do you have any idea

why we'd find a perfectly good
scalpel like this

out in your incinerator?

There was part of a bloody towel
wrapped around it,

if that helps any.

Look, I swear I don't know
anything about it.

I swear I didn't k*ll him!

All right, I
hated the man--

Just answer
their questions

as simply and as truthfully
as you can, Doctor.

LANDRO:
Yes, sir, but I'm afraid
you better be doing it

down at headquarters
from now on.

Mr. Mason, we, uh,
we like Doc Edley around here.

If you're thinking
about helping him,

I'd sure suggest
you put on some speed.

Good morning.

Hey, you get
around, don't you?

Oh, on occasion.

So, what's
the occasion?

What else is new?

Perry, he says we're
barking up the wrong tree.

Well, it stands
to reason.

If I had anything to do
with the stabbing of--

What's his name? Hall?--

you think I'd let
your retriever here
catch up with me?

I never saw Hall in my life.

I didn't even know he existed

till you showed me
those headlines.

Are you asking us
to believe that you went away

merely because
you had a change of heart?

That you decided not to sue
for malpractice, after all?

Now, wait a minute.

What I had
was a change of bankroll.

A what?!

I got paid off.

By whom?

Well, first there
was this woman

who phoned me at
my hotel room.

What woman?

Oh, now, wait a minute.
She had a name.

Something like "Street"
or something.

Hold on, now.

Is there a Miss Della Street?

(chuckles uncomfortably)

Would you, uh, recognize
this woman's voice

if you heard it again?

Now, look, I had other things
on my mind--

, of them, to be exact.

Uh, that's what I settled for.

Asked for five,
settled for three.

Well...

at least I made
a good bargain.

For your information,
Mr. Widlock,

I'm Della Street.

Okay. Nice name.

But I never called you
in my life.

Well, have it your own way.

All I know is somebody did.

And I got the green stuff
to prove it. Here.

See?

Your witness,
Counselor.

What else did this woman
say to you

when she called you
at your hotel room?

She said she'd send somebody
over with the cash

if I'd sign some papers
and leave town fast.

So that's all there was to it.
That's what happened.

Would you recognize the man
who made the payoff

if you saw him again?

Probably not.
Only there a couple of minutes.

Well, go ahead and send me
to the DA, if you like.

I'll tell him the same thing.

I didn't want you
to ring the bell.

You see, Janice--
uh, Mrs. Edley--

is lying down.

My name is Mason,
Perry Mason.

Oh! Well,
that's different.

Do come in.

Well, I'm sure
she'll be awake soon.

Thank you.

Uh, please make
yourself comfortable.

I'm Mrs. Osborn.

Oh, yes. You were, um,

housekeeper
to the uncle, uh,

Dr. Eugene Gates.

Imagine you knowing
that already.

My, you just find out
everything, don't you?

Sit down.

Well, right now,
it's Janice who
needs caring for,

so I rushed
right over.

Oh, poor dear,
life just keeps on

bringing her up
so short.

How do you mean?

Well, she was
barely in her teens

when she lost both parents.

Her uncle was kind,
but like most bachelors,

he was quite
impatient.

She lived with her uncle?

When she wasn't away at school.

But even when she was
staying with us,

she was off visiting friends
most of the time,

but that was as much
because of Roger.

That would be her cousin,
Roger Gates?

He came from a broken home.

Dr. Gates took him in first,
and then,

when Janice came along...

Then we fought
like cats and dogs.

What else would you like
to know?

Oh, forgive me, my dear,
I had no idea.

This is Mr. Mason.

Oh.

Hello, Mrs. Edley.

Excuse me.
I have some coffee perking.

Mr. Mason, I really don't mind
your prying into my life

if it'll help Wayne.

Your husband thinks
this belongs to you.

And if it does?

The natural thing
would be for you

to ask where
he found it.

Unless you already know

and would rather not explain
how it got there.

Of course not.

I went to Leslie's apartment
last evening.

I needed his advice.

Wayne's just never understood
how a person can rely

on someone they've known
all their life.

And then what did you do,
call Mr. Widlock?

Who?

The patient who threatened
to sue for malpractice.

He claimed he was called
by a woman.

Why would I do that?

Your husband didn't want
to settle. You did.

Leslie Hall urged you
to settle.

Kept on urging you,
isn't that right?

So after you left his place,
you called Mr. Widlock,

arranged to have $ ,
delivered.

No. No! How could I possibly
get hold of that much cash?

But that is what happened,
isn't it?

I'll come back later

after you've had a chance
to think it over.

Mr. Mason, I don't want
to hurt Wayne.

I understand, Mrs. Edley.

It's too bad you didn't listen
to your husband

rather than the rest
of the town, isn't it?

(sobbing)

Roger Gates?

What do you want?

My name is Mason,
I'm an attorney.

Dr. Edley's attorney.

Well, bully for you.

Ol' sawbones is really
in trouble, isn't he?

I'd like to be a help,

but right now
I'm in a hurry.

What did Leslie Hall
promise you, Mr. Gates?

Promise me? Hall?

Yes, for not telling
Dr. Edley

what you obviously knew;

that your uncle's notebooks
had been in the attic,

but that Hall had
taken them.

What do you mean,
I obviously knew?

I'm a farmer.

I don't pay any attention
to that stuff up there.

Anyway, Hall had his own key
to the place.

How did that happen?

He was my uncle's
business manager.

He used to be out here
all the time.

You knew that Hall could have
removed those notebooks

before the doctor
could get to them,

yet you failed to mention it.

Why?

Why should I?
Nobody does me any favors.

Now if you don't mind,

it's the cops that
are trying to ruin me.

The cops are trying to do what?

They just phoned.

Dragging me all the way
into L.A.

to see that old laboratory
my uncle used to own.

Well, don't look at me
like that.

I don't know why.
Just 'cause I had

a lot of work
to do out there.

That's the only way
I can figure it.

Hi, Paul.
Hi.

Find out what's
going on?

Yeah, and Sergeant Landro
has your client, too.

Hi, Mr. Mason.

Sergeant. What have you
got up your sleeve?

Oh, a green thumb,
among other things.

You know all about the man

who used to own this place,
of course,

that uncle of Janice Edley's
that sold out

and went abroad to live
about a year ago?

What about him?

Well, correct me if I'm wrong,
but the bank says

Janice and the doc received
a great big cashier's check

several months ago.

The doc claims
old man Gates had

his bank send it to them
through Switzerland.

The only trouble is...

that's Gates.

We confirmed the identification
with a dental record.

So you see,
he never went traveling

to Switzerland
or anywhere else.

Uncle's been dead
and buried

in that planter box
the entire year.

And all that time he was
treating me for bursitis,

when what I really had
was this little fracture.

It still hurts.

It hurts me
something terrible.

You see, a man's thighbone
sits up against the hip.

Mr. Widlock, I must remind you
the defendant is

not on trial here
for malpractice.

All the State contends is that
your visit to his office

the other day
set off a chain of events.

Events which resulted first
in the m*rder of Leslie Hall

and then in the discovery

of the year-old m*rder
of Dr. Eugene Gates.

Your Honor, may I
remind the prosecutor

that the defendant
is not on trial

for the m*rder
of Dr. Gates?

As a matter of fact, as I read
the police investigation,

their laboratory was unable
to prove

that Dr. Gates's death
was m*rder.

It seems obvious, however--

people don't bury themselves
in planter boxes.

Your Honor,
the State will contend

that both deaths were caused
by one person.

There is a proper time
for argument, Mr. Parness.

This is not it.

Proceed with

the examination
of your witness.

PARNESS:
Mr. Widlock, you say that...

Anything from Paul?

Not yet, but he thinks
the picture's a good idea.

And he said never mind
telling him to go
to Phoenix again.

He's already bought
a commuting ticket.

Now, Mr. Widlock, will you
look around the courtroom

and see if you recognize the man

who delivered
the $ , ?

Will Mr. Grif Roland rise,
please?

Well, yes, Janice Edley asked me
to handle the business.

Where did the $ ,
you paid Mr. Widlock

come from, Mr. Roland?

That was mine.
I loaned it to Janice.

You see, we very often
handle big payrolls.

I was able to get her
the cash in a hurry.

Did you discuss this
with Leslie Hall?

No, of course not.

Why "of course not"?

Did Janice Edley
specifically request

that you not tell anyone
what you were doing?

She obviously didn't want her
husband to know about it.

At least not yet.

And Les Hall, Janice
didn't even want him

to know she was
taking his advice.

Same way she didn't want

to touch any
of his money, I guess.

Why not?
Did she tell you why

she didn't borrow
the money from Hall?

No, but it's obvious
how upset the doc would be

if he discovered it.

You know, Wayne and Les,
they hated each other's insides.

I'm afraid everyone
knows about that.

Thank you.
That's all.

Mr. Roland, are you always
in the habit of lending

such large sums of money
on a moment's notice?

I owed it to Janice.

You know, she swung a pretty big
contract to my company

for the new clinic.

Is that the only reason
you were so willing to help?

Of course it was.

Except that I've known Janice
all my life, naturally.

Apparently, you had
also known Leslie Hall

for some time.

Had you ever had
trouble with him?

No, Mr. Mason.
I've always been friends

with just about everybody,
I guess.

PARNESS:
And now tell us, Doctor,

how many s*ab wounds
were there in the body?

Just the one.

In your opinion, Doctor,

would a person striking
such an unerring blow

have to have an expert knowledge
of anatomy?

In my opinion, yes.

What type of training would you
consider most likely

to give a person this knowledge?

That of physician or surgeon.

Thank you. Cross-examine.

Doctor, in your years
with the coroner's office,

you've been assigned to
countless homicides, I suppose?

Oh, yes.

Many of them stabbings?

Knives are pretty convenient.

Looking back
over all those stabbings,

do you recall any in which
the fatal wound was the same

as in this instance?

Why, yes, about five years ago.

Was that case ever solved?

Indeed.

Can you tell this court
the occupation of the person

convicted of that m*rder?

Bookkeeper.

Bookkeeper?
(gallery laughing)

Thank you, Doctor.
That'll be all.

I've told you
I can't identify it.

But you agree
this scalpel is

of the same
rare Swedish make

as other instruments
which belonged to Dr. Edley?

Yes, I told you that.

And you already admitted

that a knife
of this particular size

was missing
from those instruments?

Yes, it was, but...

Miss York, where are such
instruments generally kept?

In a locked cabinet
in the office.

But it's left open
during the day,

and any patient could
easily have stolen it.

Now, Miss York,
you've been instructed

to answer yes or no.

Isn't it true the doctor
always placed a bag

in his car at night

for emergencies?

So couldn't
this w*apon have been

quite handy, in other words,
on the fatal night

when he went angrily
calling on the deceased?

Yes, sir, my name's
Asa Cooperman.

And where do you
live, Mr. Cooperman?

Maple Road.

That's just across
the back lot

from Doc Edley's office.

Now will you tell
the court in your
own words...?

Excuse me.

Now, Mr. Cooperman, will you
tell us what you saw

on the night of the m*rder?

Well, I saw a man out back
of Dr. Edley's place.

I can't swear
it was the doc himself,

but it was about
his size, and, uh,

well, he moved quick
like the doc does.

What time was this,
Mr. Cooperman?

It was about midnight.

I'd been out smoking
for a couple of hours

while my wife was
watching television.

I wouldn't have noticed
ordinarily

because most of the time,

there was a woman out there;
Miss York,

the doc's nurse.

She tidied up
pretty late sometimes.

What was it
that caught your eye?

What did you see this man doing?

Well, he was burning something,
I guess.

Anyway, I-I heard the doc's
incinerator go clank.

Then I saw him hurrying off
in the dark.

This partially burned towel,
Exhibit five, was removed

from the incinerator
the following morning
in my presence.

We found the scalpel
wrapped inside.

Were you able to make any sort
of analysis

of the bloodstain, Sergeant?

We were. Traces of dried blood

on both scalpel and towel
were of type B.

And what was the m*rder victim's
blood type?

The same, B.

Were any other
laboratory tests made?

Yes, a couple of small hairs
adhered to the blood.

They were of identical type
and similar color

to the hair
of the victim.

What about this, uh,
this mark here?

It's an ownership mark,
the Palm View Laundry.

They've been supplying
Dr. Edley's office

for some time.

I think that's all
that's necessary

on this subject,
Sergeant.

Cross-examine.

Sergeant,
this particular laundry

supplies other places
with towels, don't they?

Places such as hotels, motels,
apartment houses?

If so, that towel could just

as easily have
come from

Leslie Hall's apartment,
could it not?

Yes, it could,
but wherever he got it,

the k*ller obviously
wrapped it

around the m*rder w*apon
and...

And isn't it also possible

that the traces of blood
went from the towel

to the knife rather
than vice-versa?

I, uh, don't understand.

Well, it is true, is it not,

that the stabbing blow
which k*lled Leslie Hall

could have been delivered
by almost any instrument

equally as sharp
as this scalpel?

Say, a paper cutter
or some kitchen utensil?

Well, we can't absolutely prove
that's the m*rder w*apon.

Then isn't it possible that
the m*rder*r could have taken

that stained towel
from the death apartment,

having perhaps wiped his hands
on it,

and then later,
wrapped it around

a scalpel belonging
to the defendant?

And if that happened,
wouldn't the results

of all your tests have
been the same?

Yes, I suppose they would.

Therefore, couldn't those items
you found in the incinerator

have been placed there
as an attempt by someone

to implicate the doctor rather
than being an attempt by him

to destroy evidence?

Thank you, Sergeant.

There's no need
for an answer.

Sergeant, there's another matter
I'd better check you on.

We already know that your
investigation of Hall's m*rder

led to the discovery
of the body

of Dr. Eugene Gates.

But can you
tell the court

how this seeming
coincidence occurred?

Yes, sir.

We, uh, examined Hall's
personal effects naturally,

both at home and at the office.

In a locked file, we found
letters from a Dr. Banning,

the man who was renting
Dr. Gates laboratory building

in Los Angeles.

The lessee was upset
because he'd been told

he couldn't
redecorate.

Couldn't move
the large planter box

which half filled
the outer office.

He was also upset because
he'd been unable to reach

Dr. Gates in Switzerland.

Though Hall obviously had
tried to calm him down. He...

Just a moment here.

You're trying to introduce
these statements as evidence.

PARNESS:
I am prepared to introduce
both the letter file

and police summary
of content

which the sergeant
was now quoting.

Let's have them here.

Let's mark it properly.

Thank you,
Your Honor.

Another question
or two of this witness

will help to clarify

why I introduced the
subject at this time.

Proceed.

Sergeant, were there
any other places

where you found pertinent
personal records of Leslie Hall?

There was one other
we didn't find out about

until just this morning.

A desk which Mr. Hall
occasionally used.

It had its
own typewriter.

And where was this
desk and typewriter?

At the old Gates
farmhouse.

How did you
find out about it?

From the present
resident there--

Dr. Gates's nephew,
Roger Gates.

Hall told me he wanted
to keep some stuff out there

for convenience, that's all.

I didn't think anything of it.

He'd been handling Uncle's
business matters for years.

Helped him close out things
when he retired.

Uncle wanted to take mostly
cash and securities with him

when he went abroad.

Did, uh, the deceased
ever discuss

Dr. Edley's finances
with you?

Well--

about eight months ago
when sawb...

Excuse me.

When the doc and Janice here
got that $ ,

from Switzerland,
he did some photostatic.

A photostatic?

That thing in
your hand there.

It's a picture of the cashier's
check that was sent from Geneva.

Or had sent to themselves,
maybe. I don't know.

They didn't get
any personal note or nothing--

just the check.

How did Hall happen
to show this to you?

Well, he didn't.

I found it in
the desk this morning,

along with that other thing
in his typewriter.

Let the record show,
the witness is referring

to the start of a letter.

There, um, isn't
much to it.

Would you read this
for the record, please?

"Dear Dr. Edley,

"I know what's hidden
in Dr. Gates's laboratory.

"I know how you got your money.

"I know your whole secret,
and unless..."

That's it.

I guess he got
interrupted or something.

That's all there is.

Thank you, sir.

Cross-examine?

Mr. Mason, may I suggest
we both need a little time

to digest these matters.

Recess until : p.m.

Well, he didn't
send me any notes.

Hall never said
a word to me.

It's true Janice's uncle
didn't actually write to us...

Wayne, I can have
that note thrown out.

There wasn't any signature.

It was typewritten.

Yeah, but first the knife
and then the note.

They keep adding things
and adding things.

LANDRO:
Excuse me, Mr. Mason.

You're secretary's here.

Thank you, Sergeant.

Perry, I think we have

a little new
evidence of our own.

Let's have a look.

Number one, I had
Paul's office check
every bank as you asked.

Guess what?

Leslie Hall has
a number of accounts--

all new in the last year.

None of them very big, but
they're scattered all over.

Not much help, I'm afraid.

The prosecution
will just contend that--

it was blackmail money
from Dr. Edley.

All right, then.

Paul's been trying
to reach you.

Operator in Phoenix.

You what?

You got him?

Yep.
Just like the one you have.

Just like the picture.

Just exactly.

Good work, Paul.

Charter a plane and bring him up
here as quickly as possible.

Perry, there's something
else you better know.

My Mr. Widlock has $ , .

He's what?

All kinds of twins--

including twin payoffs
the night of the m*rder.

Yes, all right, what if we did
collect more than once.

There's nothing any more illegal
about two cash transactions.

There is if the money is gained

by pretense or fraud,
Mr. Widlock.

Well, I deny it. I...

Mr. Widlock, if you'd prefer
to be questioned in jail,

I can arrange it.

You were called
back to the stand

only to expedite this
hearing with the truth.

Yes, sir.
Excuse me, Your Honor.

If that's all you want,
I can certainly help you there.

I've got no fear
of the truth.

Except when it might
incriminate you.

All right, Mr. Widlock,

you were paid $ ,
by Mr. Grif Roland.

Now will you tell us

who it was that paid you
or your brother $ , ?

Well, to begin with,
it was me.

My brother, he was out of town
all the time.

(gallery murmuring)

I'm quite sure you're familiar
with the meaning of perjury.

Just tell us who it was
that paid you.

Mr. Leslie Hall.

Well, you see

he first ran me down
that afternoon.

He said he was a friend
of Dr. Edley's

and wanted to help
him out on the QT like,

and if there was
any hitch I should call him.

And then, when this lady
phoned me at my hotel

and said she'd have
the money delivered,

well, I-I called Mr. Hall.

And put the bite on him, too?

Well, sure.

It was so easy, it would have
been silly not to.

Anyway, I grabbed a cab
and I went right over

and Hall had the money
ready and waiting.

When were you paid?

Well, about a quarter to :
that night.

Did you go inside
his apartment?

Oh, no, sir.

No, you're not going
to hang that on me.

I-I didn't touch him.
I didn't even go near him.

I was back at the hotel
by : .

At which time Roland paid you,
and left the hotel.

Then what happened?

Well, I packed my bag
and sat around

waiting for a bus out of town.

MASON:
Mr. Widlock,

it was so easy
to get two payoffs.

Why not a third?

A third?

You wouldn't have left town
without trying to get

at least a few dollars
from Dr. Edley, now would you?

Didn't you go
to Dr. Edley's office

about midnight?

Prowl around a bit
looking for him?

Now see here.

If you mean was I the guy
that man saw out back,

how could I be?

I heard him.

He said the man he saw

moved around spry and quick
like the doctor there.

Sure didn't say
anything about crutches.

I'm sure you don't need
crutches, Mr. Widlock.

Oh, I know you have
an old fracture.

But these crutches are
really just window dressing,

are they not?

You get ahold of a man's
pants leg, you don't let go.

All right, I'm a fraud.

Was that man by the incinerator
you, Mr. Widlock?

Yes, of course.

There was nobody in
around front,

so I went out back.

I smelled cloth burning.

I looked in the incinerator
and then I left.

That's all there was to it.

Your Honor, I'd like
to recall a witness.

No, I wasn't there.

I swear I left the
office before : .

I went to a movie
that evening.

But someone must have put
that towel and knife

into the incinerator,
Miss York,

between the time
of the m*rder

and the time
Mr. Widlock arrived.

Now, shall I ask
the reporter

to read back what was said
by your neighbor?

Please.

I know Mr. Cooperman
testified

that he only saw
the one person--

the one man, but...

And you recall Mr. Cooperman
was outside smoking

during all the time
in question--

the two or three
hours before midnight?

But that doesn't mean
he'd notice everything.

That's right.

He said he might not
have noticed

a woman at the incinerator.

He was so used to seeing
you there,

he said.

No, it wasn't I.

Do you happen to have any idea

as to just how rich
Dr. Gates was?

What?

Well, I guess everybody
in town knew

that he was at least
a millionaire.

So the gift of $ ,

would scarcely have used up
his fortune.

There still would have
been a great deal left?

Maybe.

I don't know.

I'm not going to answer
any more questions.

I didn't even know Dr. Gates.

And I didn't k*ll him.

And I didn't k*ll Leslie Hall.

I'm not the woman.

No, Miss York.

If any woman used the
incinerator that night,

it was the woman who was
trying desperately

to lay certain blame
on Dr. Edley.

The woman who had access
to the Gates's farmhouse.

Who also set up
false evidence there.

The woman who must have k*lled
Dr. Gates.

And then, having
been blackmailed

by one certain person
for the past year,

found she had
to k*ll him, too.

The blackmailer-- Leslie Hall.

The woman...

OSBORN:
Me!

Dr. Gates...

he was going away
without me.

Yes, I did it.

I went down to see him
in the laboratory.

And it was late at night,

and he was already packed.

And then after that,
Leslie kept on asking questions.

You know,
Dr. Gates always did say

Leslie Hall has
a very shrewd mind.

My Dr. Gates said that.

My Dr. Gates.

(sobbing)

In planning to go abroad,

your uncle's assets were
largely converted to cash

and negotiable securities.

Mrs. Osborn, of
course, knew that.

And after she k*lled him,

she managed to get her hands
on nearly all of it.

So she could arrange
to have you sent

that $ , without
too much strain.

She was
probably afraid

there would have
been questions

if we hadn't gotten it.

It had been promised
as a wedding gift.

The only trouble was
that Hall kept bleeding her.

In return, he kept the body
from being discovered.

Also, he had your uncle's
power of attorney,

which made it even
more profitable for him

to maintain
the illusion

that Gates
was still alive.

That's why Hall was so anxious
that Widlock be paid off.

He knew that if someone
started asking questions--

questions that could be answered
only by your uncle,

a ball would start rolling
that he couldn't stop.

And then he made the mistake

of trying
to scare Mrs. Osborn, too.

Of trying to make her give him
all the money she had left.

Unfortunately,
Mrs. Osborn turned out

to be tougher than he was.

The only thing
I don't understand

is just how the
Widlocks planned

to work this
racket of theirs.

Easy. One of them had
an old fracture.

So the one without the fracture
would fake some symptoms

and get some treatments.

If there was an X-ray,
they'd steal it or destroy it.

Later, the one with the fracture

would go around
and claim malpractice.

They were getting ready
to pull the same stunt

on several
doctors.

You mean several suckers.

That's as old as the hills,
that old con game.

A famous man once said,

"The oldest and best-known evil
is even more supportable

and tempting than one
that's new and untried."

That figures.

I always kind of liked
the old temptations best.

(laughing)

(theme music plays)