05x30 - The Case of the Lonely Eloper

[bunniefuu]

[floor boards creak]

## [string quartet]

She walks in beauty like the night.

The question is-- why?

Escape from the wicked aunt?

Lure of forbidden pleasures?

Or do you just want a neighbor
to play jacks with you?

No, I apologize for that last remark.

You have grown up, little cousin,
in a manner of speaking.

Is that it?

Have your tender ears picked up whispers?

Well, it's all true, darling.

I'm depraved, unregenerate,
a deceiver of women.

So you slink over here by moonlight
in your most fetching negligee,

clutching a teddy bear.

No, no, little cousin.

Not you.

Merle?

Good heavens.

Come along. You'll sleep better
in your own little crib.

Merle?

Merle?

Merle, what are you--

You forgot to lock her
in your garret for the night.

I might have guessed, Julian.

This is simply unforgivable.

Before you carry that evil thought
to its obvious conclusion,

let me point out
she slept through our whole visit.

Merle?

She was walking in her sleep?

A fact I find infinitely more intriguing,
Aunt Olivia,

is she came directly toward
my poor next-door hovel.

Do you suppose that indicates

a subconscious preference
for another guardian?

Don't be ridiculous, Julian.

The court appointed me--

To be technically correct,

the court,
in accordance with her father's wishes,

appointed Uncle Howard.

It's all the same thing.

Wake up.

Wake up, dear.

Somebody was ringing the doorbell.

I came down to see who--

Was it you, Julian?

Come along, dear.

I'll tuck you in again.

He's wicked, isn't he?

Was there anything else, Julian?

One of these days, Auntie,
somebody will cut that iron umbilicus...

and maybe your throat in the bargain.

Go to bed immediately, Merle.

And see that you stay there.

Hello, Corbett. Is Merle ready yet?

Miss Gilbert, won't you come in?
I'll tell her you're here.

Thank you.

Well, good morning, Miss Gilbert.

How very nice to see you again.

Hello, Mr. Langley.

Where are you two young ladies
off to this time?

Lunch, fashion show.

I'll be taking some pictures
if sleepyhead doesn't make me late.

Merle had a restless night.

You know, Mr. Langley,
it's always been my one great ambition

to be able to sleep in till :
every morning.

Well, you'll just have to marry a rich man.

Unfortunately,
they've all been spoken for--

especially the handsome,
distinguished ones.

Gina--

Well, it's about time, lazy bones.

Hello, Mrs. Langley.

Good morning, Gina.

You're looking very attractive today.

Thank you very much.

I wish I could have clothes like that.

This? It's only . .

But it's so sophisticated.

It's hardly the style for you, dear.

I asked the chauffeur
to bring the car around.

I do have a cab waiting.

Howard can take care of that.
I would prefer it if Corbett drove you.

As you like.

- Merle, we'll be late if--
- Goodbye, Aunt Olivia,

- Uncle Howard--
- Enjoy yourselves.

But be back by : , remember?

You need your rest, Merle.

We'll remember.
Come on, Merle, let's go.

Bye-bye.

She's quite beautiful, isn't she, Howard?

Miss Gilbert? Yes, I suppose she is.

Still, on the whole,
I think you'd prefer Margo Stevens--

[chuckle]--
if you had your pick, that is.

Must we go through this every time--

Oh, don't flatter yourself
that I'm jealous, Howard,

of Margo or any of the other silly
young creatures

that you mentally pursue.

It's the effect of your behavior
on Merle that I'm thinking of.

Oh, good heavens.
Merle will be next week.

And as her trusted trustee,

can you honestly say
that Merle is mature enough

to even pick out her own movies,

let alone watch her uncle
make a fool of himself?

Oh, Olivia, for heaven's--

Howard, I think you'd better
pay off that cab driver, hadn't you?

I wish Aunt Olivia would let me
buy dresses like that.

I wish I could afford dresses like that.

Good afternoon, ladies.

If I'm in time for lunch,
I think I'll have a watercress sandwich

and a little bowl of fruit.

Oh, aren't we funny. Sit down, lover boy.
Don't be conspicuous.

Thank you.

Merle, you remember Danny Pierce.

I guess so.

Miss Telford,
I hope I'm not intruding again.

I guess not.

Well, did you get all your pictures?

No, not yet.
I'll sh**t them in the dressing rooms.

That's gonna k*ll half the afternoon.

At least I have a job.

Oh, sticks and stones will break my bones,

but unemployment will never hurt me.

Why don't you try and be amusing
for Merle while I go to work, hmm?

Hello, darling.

I feel sick.

It'll pass.

- You kissed her.
- Just on the cheek.

If I don't stay friends with her,
how will I see you?

I could meet you just the same.

How? Your aunt never lets you
out of the house.

And even if she does, that chauffeur
follows you everywhere he goes.

Oh, pooh on Corbett.
I can fool him any time I want to.

Once, maybe,
but you'd never get out again.

If you'd just let me come to the house,
I could convince Aunt Olivia--

No!

Look, baby, you're years old.

Not till next Saturday.

I'm going to have a birthday party.

So you are.

Okay. But I'm going to talk to her then.

Danny, I could run away.

After my party, I mean.

Maybe to San Francisco.

If you want to.

If I want to?

Oh, little one, I'd run off
to Anywhereland with you.

But I don't have any money.

That's easy.

I can't really have any of my money until
they say I'm ready for it or something.

But I can get tickets on a plane.

I can charge them.

After we're gone, she'll never know
where to look for us.

All right, Danny?

"All right, Danny?"

All right, Merle.

Who needs money?

Anywhereland, here we come.

No, silly.

I meant San Francisco.

I knew what you meant.

[chattering]

Wait here for me, Corbett.
I'll only be a minute.

Whatever you say, Miss.

[no audible dialogue]

Your conduct is absolutely disgraceful.

If there is one thing I can't stand,
it's a sneak.

Who told you?

That's quite beside the point, Merle.

Just let me assure you that I am
informed of everything you do

It was Corbett, wasn't it?

Now, don't try
and change the subject, Merle.

I would like an explanation.

What exactly did you think you were doing?

- Eloping.
- Ha ha ha.

Well, we'll forget all that romantic
nonsense for now.

But your Mr. Danny Pierce
can consider himself fortunate

if I don't have him arrested.

How did you know his na--

Why can't I get married?

Because you are still a child.

I'm nearly .

I wasn't referring to birthdays, Merle.

Some girls are ready for marriage
at that age,

but others, like yourself--

Well...

what I'm trying to say is I'm afraid
that you should never get married.

You're--

You're just not well enough.

I'm sorry to have to tell you this.

But it's better to face it now.

There will always be unscrupulous men
after your money.

No. Not Danny.

I'm afraid so.

I'm having him investigated,

and I'm sure we will find he's nothing
but a cheap fortune hunter.

That's not true. You're lying.

Now that's enough of that kind of talk
out of you.

You'll go to your room immediately.

For punishment,

you wanted to wear Grandmother's
diamonds to the party.

I'm afraid that's out of the question.

I don't care.

You're always taking them away
so you can wear them yourself.

Merle!

All I want for my birthday is Danny,
and I'm going with him.

Now you stop this.

I hate you. I hate you!

If you try to stop me, Aunt Olivia,
I'll k*ll you.

You know, she just might do it.

Hey, not bad.

What name did you register under?

Lenore Adams.
I hope that meets with your approval.

Hey, now come on, come on.
This is the big night.

This is what we've been waiting for.
candles, remember?

I still think it's a dirty trick.

That poor little nitwit has fallen in love
with you, hasn't she?

Next I suppose you'll say
you want to marry her.

If I married every girl
that had eyes for me,

I'd have them strung out from here to...
Anywhereland.

Oh, yeah, you're quite a rocket.

All right, how much do you think
you're gonna get for the diamonds?

$ , , easy.

Merle's worth a quarter of a million--

or she will be

as soon as Uncle Howard decides
she's old enough to handle it.

That's the way her trust is set up.
Did you know that?

No, I didn't know that.

And, uh...how do you know that?

I keep my ears open, too.

[whistles]
A quarter of a million dollars.

That's a lot of money.

But not for Danny boy.

Somebody else can marry that teddy bear.

I'll just take the $ , and--
[whistles]-- blow away.

Just thought I'd mention it
to see what you had in your mind.

Yeah?

You, uh...

You wouldn't be thinking
of running out on me, would you, lover?

Do I have a choice?

No.

Not unless you want the police
in Chicago to know where you are.

All right, you made me set it up for you.

Look, Aunt Olivia's going to be
wearing the diamonds, not Merle,

so with that little piece of information,

will you please just get out of here
and leave me alone?

- And leave Merle alone, too.
- Okay. Okay.

- Okay, okay, okay.
- Danny.

How are you going to do it?

The same old way?

You know, you're too much.

Get out of here and leave me alone!
Leave Merle alone, too!

Danny, how are you going to do it,
the same old way?

What do you think I am, a sucker?

But I might tell a partner.

Oh, forget I asked.

You're blowing a great opportunity.

With all the contacts you can make
with that camera and my talent,

- we could retire in a year.
- I'm going to retire right after this one.

Then make it a good one.
I'll hit at : .

When the diamonds get here,
you check out.

- And don't let anyone see you.
- What do you think I am, an amateur?

No, lover.

You're just a reluctant old pro
trying to make a comeback.

So keep your fingers crossed.

[knock on door]

Come in, Paul.

Well, working kind of late, aren't you?

Yeah.

Well, hallelujah.

I just thought you peasants might like
a touch of glamour in your drab lives.

I'm impressed.

What kind of a singing job
do you do tonight?

Thanks a lot.

I happen to be going
to a very posh birthday party.

Protecting the family jewels?

No, a wealthy niece.

Her aunt thinks her young man
is a fortune hunter.

- Is he?
- Well, he's poor.

Anyway, the girl's today,

so Auntie had to let the guy
come to the party.

She's just afraid that later on,
when things get jumping,

the two kids might try and run off together.

If the girl's of age,
how are you supposed to stop it?

Well, I do know
he was married in Texas once,

so if I have to,
I can try and run a bluff on that.

Wasn't he divorced?

So far I haven't been able to establish it--

either way.

Will if the bluff fails,
you should try charming her yourself.

I must say you do look dashing.

Oh, you finally got around to admitting it.

Good night, Perry.
Good night, beautiful.

Good night.

Doctor, it's so nice of you to come.

My pleasure.

And, Mrs. Comstock,
what a heavenly gown.

How sweet. Thank you.

I believe you know Margo Stevens,
Doctor and Mrs. Comstock.

- How do you do?
- How do you do, Miss Stevens?

Margo is one of my husband's
little golf partners, you know.

It's a shame you've never
played yourself.

Oh, you'd be surprised
how much I know about the game.

Now be a dear and get
Dr. and Mrs. Comstock a drink

- for me, will you?
- Thank you.

You must come out some time,
Mrs. Langley, and give me lessons.

Psst. Danny.

Danny, I was afraid
you weren't going to come to my party.

I wouldn't have missed it
for anything in the world.

My bags are packed.

Everybody'll be squishy by .

We can sneak out then.

We'll drive, Danny.

Anywhere in the world.

: .

Anywhere in the world.

Meet me out at the old garage--

the one behind the gardener's shed,
the back road.

I love you.

[fizzing]

Hello, Howard.

Well, hello.

I didn't think you'd be here.

I thought your husband--

Oh, yes, he's off
on another one of those trips.

But why should that stop me from traveling?

See you later, maybe?

We had the pleasure of meeting him
last summer in Lausanne.

I'd taken Merle to Switzerland.

The trip was very beneficial, I thought.

Poor Olivia.

What was he like?

Oh, it was indeed a rare privilege.

He is such a quaint old gentleman.

He speaks perfect English,

but I am sure he learned it
from reading the classics.

[laughter]

He always referred to me
as Mistress Langley.

It sounded terribly elegant
but a little bit naughty.

[chatter]

[doorbell rings]

- [door opens]
- Good evening, sir.

[Paul]
Oh, good evening, Corbett.

Oh, uh, Mr. Drake,

I would like for you
to mix around and have fun.

I understand, Mrs. Langley.

- But keep an eye on Merle.
- All right.

I have a terrible headache.
I've got to lie down.

[knocking]

I say, old man,
have you seen Margo around?

Margo Stevens?

Sorry. I don't know the lady.

Oh, well, it doesn't matter.

I'm trying to locate a Mr. Pierce.
I don't suppose you know him.

Not intimately, but I do know of him.

And from what I've heard,
I suggest you check at the bar.

Thanks. Sorry I couldn't help you.

Don't give it a thought.

I'd like a messenger sent
to Mr. Julian Kirk's home, please.

Mandolin Road in Bel Air.

To a Miss Lenore Adams,
Village Motel on Lankershim Boulevard.

Room number .

Yes, that's in North Hollywood.

I'd like your fast service on that, please.

minutes? That's fine.

[door opens]

[laughter, chatter]

Blue Streak.

It's all ready for you.
You made good time.

Not much traffic this late.

That'll be bucks.

Sounds like a party at the big house.

You ought to try reading with that racket.

You ought to crash it.

Bet there's nobody sober enough
to even notice.

Keep the change.

Much obliged. Good night.

Good night.

Danny.

Nope.

Miss Telford,
I'm afraid the elopement's off.

Who are you?

Paul Drake. I'm a private detective.

You can't stop me. You've no right to.
I'm .

No. That isn't the reason.

Your aunt--

Your diamonds have been stolen.

No one can leave till the police get here.

I don't care about those old diamonds--

Merle, let's go back to the house.

Merle,

my dear child...

Olivia, your aunt--

Mr. Drake told me.

Somebody stole Grandmother's diamonds.

But it doesn't matter, Uncle Howard.

I'm afraid it's more serious
than that, Merle.

Your Aunt Olivia is dead.

She's been m*rder*d.

You warned her,
didn't you, Cousin Julian?

You said somebody would cut her throat.

[Gina]
Just a minute.

Messenger service.
Package for Miss Lenore Adams.

All right.

Thank you.

[slam]

[phone rings]

Hello.

Oh, Paul. How's the party?

It died. So did the hostess.

What do you mean?

Well, somebody
stole the family jewels after all

and slipped a knife into Mrs. Langley
at the same time.

Perry, could you come over right away?

My responsibility here
is to the niece Merle,

and the way things are shaping up,
the poor kid's going to need help fast.

What kind of help?

Well, right now, the case depends
on who's got those diamonds,

which is like looking for a needle
in a haystack

because this place is enormous.

But there's one place
the police haven't looked--

Merle's luggage.

Why not?

They can't find the keys.

Paul, do you have the keys?

You guessed it.

Merle slipped them to me
with a pleading look.

Perry, I'd appreciate it
if you were here

when Lieutenant Anderson
forces the locks.

Okay, Sergeant, thank you very much.

All right, no one left the party early.

No one has those diamonds
in their possession.

So we're starting to search the grounds now
and that other house across the way.

Without a search warrant?

We didn't think you'd mind, Mr. Kirk.

No, no.

Anytime.

But in the meantime, this luggage.

Miss Telford, have you remembered
yet what you did with the keys?

I lost them, I told you.

Then I'm afraid we'll have to force the--

Good evening, Lieutenant.

Perry, come in.

You don't mind, do you, Andy?

Not at all. Come in, counselor.

I won't even ask who your client is.

I was about to spring the locks
on some luggage,

but I'll bet a lawyer could think
of a better way to get them open.

I, uh, do happen to have some keys
that might fit.

Worth a try, anyway.

[lock unlatches]

Well, what do you know?

Well, they're not here, either.

I don't understand it, but as evidence
of m*rder, they're not all that important.

Surely you don't think
Merle could have m*rder*d her aunt.

As a matter of fact, Mr. Langley,
from the information I've gotten so far,

it seemed entirely possible.

And this rather clinches it, don't you think?

[women gasp]

Of course, we'll have to establish
this as the m*rder w*apon,

but I don't think there's much doubt of it.

Isn't that slip lovely?

Aunt Olivia would have a fit if she knew.

She never let me buy clothes like that.

The nature of the fatal wound indicated

it had been inflicted by a sharp instrument
of rather peculiar shape.

Of a peculiar shape.

Doctor, I show you State's Exhibit ,

which was discovered
in the bag of the defendant.

Do you recognize this?

I do. It's commonly known as a dirk.

The blade exactly fit the wound.

Did you discover anything else about it

which would establish it
as the m*rder w*apon?

Yes. The blood stains
were also tested in my presence

and found to be the same type
as that of the dead woman.

Thank you, Doctor.

Mr. Mason.

Doctor, was the deceased intoxicated
at the time of her death?

I wouldn't think so, Mr. Mason.

Our tests did show a small percentage
of alcohol in her system, but not much.

Your tests showed something else,
didn't they?

Yes, chloral hydrate.

That's commonly known
as knock-out drops, isn't it?

That's right.

Thank you, Doctor. That'll be all.

Mr. Langley, as I understand it,

you are the legal guardian of the defendant
and the trustee of her estate.

That's right, sir.

Merle's parents died rather tragically
when Merle was only years old.

Isn't it true that in actual practice,

your late wife was the real acting
guardian of the defendant?

Well, yes.
She needed a woman to look after her.

And isn't it a fact that the decedent really
managed your niece's trust fund, too?

Someone had to look after things.

And then, Merle is simply not equipped
to handle large sums of money

and may not be for some time yet.

Large sums of money, Mr. Langley?
How large?

I believe the principal
is in the neighborhood of , .

That's in addition to real estate,
like the house you live in,

and personal property like
the still-missing diamond necklace.

- Is that so?
- That's correct, sir.

Mr. Langley, why was your wife
wearing the defendant's necklace?

It's extremely valuable.

As I've said before, Merle doesn't
understand of the value of things.

She could have lost them.

Yes, of course. As a matter of fact,

the necklace seems to be lost anyway,
doesn't it?

Although, of course,
there are a thousand places

where anyone who knew the estate
might have hidden it.

Mr. Langley, tell me this.

Did the defendant resent
your wife's wearing that necklace?

She cried.

Yes, I'm afraid they fought about it
several times.

Did your niece receive an allowance,
Mr. Langley?

Well, not in cash,

but she did have charge accounts
practically everywhere.

Yes, I have a charge slip here,
signed by the defendant,

reserving two seats on a plane.

The destination is San Francisco.

The departure time
is the night of the m*rder.

- Were you aware of this?
- My wife told me about it.

She cancelled the reservations.

Sid your wife also tell you who Merle
had intended to occupy the other seat?

Yes.

A Mr. Pierce.

It was just a childish
romantic whim on Merle's part.

I'm sure it was nothing serious.

But your late wife did object
to their proposed elopement.

Well, yes, but--

Enough to hire a private detective
to make sure to prevent it?

It was for Merle's own good.

Isn't it true, Mr. Langley, that your wife's
attitude toward Merle's young man

only led to angrier tears
and angrier fights between them?

Yes.

I have no further questions.

Mr. Langley, I believe the m*rder w*apon
has been identified as belonging to you.

Yes. It was something I picked up
in Italy on one of my trips.

It was of some historic interest.
I kept it hanging in my study

in plain sight for anyone, you understand.

Where were you
at the approximate time of the m*rder?

I was in the garden.

Alone?

No.

Then there's someone
who can verify your whereabouts?

Mr. Mason, I see no reason to involve
an innocent person in these proceedings.

Why not? Would it be embarrassing
to that person?

Or would it be embarrassing to you?

I simply see no reason
to reveal her name.

And neither do I.

If it please the court,

counsel is just employing
his usual shotgun method here.

I'll withdraw the question, Your Honor.

That'll be all, Mr. Langley.

I noticed a few minutes earlier

that the defendant had left the party
and changed her clothes,

as though for traveling.

Naturally, I was curious, watchful.

You say that you saw her later
in the upstairs hall. Where was this?

She came running out of her aunt's room.

The poor child was white as a sheet.

Terrified, I thought.

Naturally, I didn't let her see me.

Naturally.

But, Mr. Corbett, did you notice
anything else about her?

She clutched something
under her jacket with one hand,

and her other hand she held
stiffly away from her.

There was some dark moisture on it.
I can't say positively it was blood.

No, I can't, sir.

Just something dark.

And then she disappeared
toward the back stairway.

Mr. Pierce, am I correct in assuming

that yours and the defendant's
proposed flight to San Francisco--

or your proposed flight anywhere--

would have been
in the nature of an elopement?

Well, yes, Merle wanted to try it.

You anticipated opposition, then?

I figured that Aunt Olivia
would try to stop us if she could.

Did she object to you
on personal grounds, Mr. Pierce?

Well, no, not actually.

It would've been the same with anybody.

See, she just wasn't letting Merle
meet any men.

Objection.

The witness is stating an opinion.

Your Honor, I believe
the proper groundwork can be laid

to make the witness'
last answer admissible.

Very well, Mr. Burger. Proceed.

Mr. Pierce, how long
have you known the defendant?

- A few weeks.
- And how did you meet her?

I can't recall the exact circumstances,
but it was an accident.

Danny!

- You mustn't interrupt, Merle.
- But he remembers how we met.

- He must.
- Tell me later.

What do you mean
by accident, Mr. Pierce?

The watchdog went to sleep on the job--
Mrs. Langley's chauffeur.

Whenever Merle did get out of that house,
he was always sent along.

Really? How did you manage
to carry on your courtship?

Well, it wasn't easy.

We met in tearooms.

[spectators chuckle]

Mr. Pierce, the very fact

that the defendant continued
to see you under these circumstances

was a form of rebellion against
such strict supervision, wasn't it?

Why, then, since the defendant became
legally of age on her recent birthday,

did you find it necessary
to plan an elopement?

That didn't really mean anything.

You see, Merle was sort of like a zombie
as far as her aunt was concerned,

and she had to get fighting mad
before she'd stand up to her.

- Objection.
- Sustained.

The witness will refrain
from giving opinions.

I have no further questions, Your Honor.

[murmuring]
Tell me now, Merle.

I got to know Danny through Gina.

That's how we used to meet.

He couldn't have forgotten.

Who is Gina?

Gina Gilbert.

She's sitting in the back row,
next to Corbett.

I asked her to come and be moral support.

[Judge]
Mr. Mason, We await your pleasure.

My apologies, Your Honor.

What is your occupation, Mr. Pierce?

I'm unemployed at the present.

And when you are working?

A salesman.

Mr. Pierce, have you ever been
convicted of a felony?

- No.
- No?

Isn't it true you that two years ago,
in Fort Worth, Texas,

you were arrested for robbery?

But I was cleared.

Your Honor, I object to that.

The police are quite properly
investigating everyone

who conceivably could have
taken that necklace.

But a mere arrest is not
evidence of bad character

which can impeach a witness,
and counselor very well knows that.

If it please the court,
I'm not trying to impeach this witness.

I'm just attempting to cross-examine
him on his claim

that the objections of the deceased to his
marrying my client were unreasonable.

I think you've made your point,
Mr. Mason.

Objection overruled.

Now, Mr. Pierce, are you married?

No. Certainly not.

Are you acquainted with a woman

by the name of Jayne Simmons
of Fort Worth, Texas?

Yeah. I was married to her
seven or eight years ago,

but she got a divorce.

[Mason]
I see.

Your Honor, I would like to request
an adjournment until tomorrow morning.

Why, Mr. Mason?

Well, it is approaching
the hour of adjournment,

and my examination of this witness
may be rather lengthy.

I see. Mr. Burger?

Well, Your Honor,

If counselor really wants time

to prepare for this hearing
a little more fully,

I think the prosecution
might exercise tolerance.

I think that's uncalled for, Mr. Burger.

Court stands adjourned
till : tomorrow morning.

That certainly was a nasty crack
Burger made

when you asked for an adjournment.

Nasty but accurate.

If Burger had a client as confused
and frightened as Merle Telford,

he'd be stalling every other minute.

She certainly hasn't been much help.

After all the hours you've spent
talking to her,

for her to suddenly think
of this Gina Gilbert.

Apparently,
Gina became acquainted with Merle

while taking pictures of her house
for a magazine.

Then she introduced her to Danny

and subtly arranged for them
to meet a number of times.

Sounds like a well worked out campaign.

Yes, but not a campaign
for Danny to marry Merle.

His wife had never filed for a divorce.

Well, whatever it was between Danny
and the Gilbert woman,

it wasn't romance.

I don't know who yet,
but she's seeing somebody.

So perhaps Danny
was a business arrangement.

It'll be hard to prove.

And if Gina was anywhere
near the party that night,

I didn't see her, and I can't
find anybody who did.

At a big party,
that doesn't rule it out, Paul.

That's true.

Look, if Mrs. Langley
was unconscious during the theft,

there'd be no reason for Danny to k*ll her--
that is, if Danny was the thief.

No.

But there would be plenty of reason
for Merle to do it.

And the m*rder w*apon
was still locked in her bag,

so you can't very well say
it was planted there.

She admits putting it there, all right.

She planned to get rid of later.

She'd gone into Olivia's bedroom

to get some traveling money
from her desk.

She recognized the knife as one
belonging to her Uncle Howard.

You mean she swiped it
and ran out with it, just to protect him?

What else could she have thought?
It was his knife.

She tells me that Olivia was ten times
as rough on Howard as she was on her.

Yeah, but with a kookie kid like that--

Merle seems about years old

only because Olivia
deliberately held her back.

How would you have acted
in that kind of situation?

All right. Here's the rest of my report.

One of my men on another case

accidentally stumbled
on a messenger service boy

who made a pickup at the house next door
while the party was going on.

What time?

Late enough so the package
could have been the necklace.

But I couldn't see the guy.

I wouldn't know who it was,
in the dark like that.

He just handed me down
this thick envelope from the porch,

and I gave him a receipt and that's it.

Then you delivered the envelope here?

Yes, sir. The addressee was a dame
in room there.

I got it in the book.

Then what happened?

Well, I knocked on the door,
and she answered, and I--

She answered right away?

Yeah. Yeah, I think so.

Anyway, she opens the door,
and she sticks an arm out,

and I give her the package,
and she shuts the door.

Just an arm? That's all you saw?

Well, her head some
when she leaned out,

but she had a towel draped over it
like she was washing her hair, maybe.

With the light behind her,
I couldn't see what she looked like

When you make a delivery,
you get a signature, don't you?

Uh, well, yeah, only--

This one? This one right here?

Well, the trouble is, see,
she shut the door real quick,

and I-- I guess I sort of filled in
the signature line myself.

That could get you in trouble, couldn't it?

I know, mister, but, I mean,
the way she was and everything,

I just didn't want to push the door down.

What do you mean, the way she was?

Well, the bare arm and the towel--

Holy smoke, I just figured
she was maybe-- maybe naked.

All right.

Paul, you'd better go down
to police headquarters with him.

- Good night, Miss.
- Good night.

- And thank you.
- [Man] Yes, sir.

Della, I want you to get a subpoena for--

What's the matter, Perry?

Suppose the woman in that room
wasn't maybe naked.

Mr. Pierce, did you steal
that diamond necklace?

No sir, I did not.

Did you induce chloral hydrate
into Mrs. Langley's system?

No.

Isn't it true that you never had any
intentions of marrying Miss Telford?

No, that's not true.

Then you must have intended
to commit bigamy, Mr. Pierce,

because you knew all along
your wife had never divorced you.

I didn't know any such thing. She said
she was going to. I assumed she had.

Who's Gina Gilbert?

I don't--

She's a girl I know.
Just a friend, that's all.

She a friend of Merle's, too.

Objection.

Your Honor, if counselor
gets much farther afield, we'll--

I'll discontinue this line of questioning,
Your Honor.

And I'm finished with this witness...
for the moment.

You're excused, Mr. Pierce.

Call your next witness, Mr. Burger.

Then I call Mr. Julian Kirk.

That's right. My house is next door.

It was the guest house on the estate
when my grandmother was alive.

She left it to me in her will.

Was that all she left you?

Some other odds and ends of property.

All the real money went to Olivia--
I mean Merle.

Then you were familiar with the situation
that existed at the Langley house?

I was certainly aware of how completely
Olivia dominated Merle.

It's not the girl's fault she's neurotic.

Are you by any chance
a trained psychiatrist, Mr. Kirk?

Well, no, but all you--

Then you're certainly not qualified
to judge the defendant's mental condition.

Now, then, was your knowledge
of the situation of the house next door

based on personal observation?

Mostly.

But the chauffeur kept me informed, too.

Did you witness a quarrel
between the defendant and her aunt

a couple of days prior to the m*rder?

Well, Merle was annoyed because Olivia
objected to the elopement,

if that's what you mean.

Wasn't she more than annoyed,
Mr. Kirk?

Wouldn't it be more accurate
to say that she was fighting mad?

She was angry.

Perhaps the degree of her irritation
could be estimated

if you would tell us
what the defendant shouted at her aunt.

She said--

Yes, Mr. Kirk?

Well, she said,
"If you try to stop me, I'll k*ll you."

Your witness.

Mr. Kirk,

when the bulk
of your grandmother's estate

was left to your cousin Miss Telford,

were you annoyed, irritated,
perhaps even angry?

Furious, I think,
would be the best description.

But I recovered nicely in time.

You were on good terms
with your cousin?

As much as Olivia would permit.

One night, Merle walked in her sleep
and came directly toward my house.

Subconsciously,
she preferred me to Olivia--

Objection, Your Honor.

The witness has previously testified
to having had no training in psychiatry.

Sustained.

Let us turn now to the night of the party.

Where were you at the approximate time
the m*rder occurred?

Well, in the living room, for one thing,
looking out into the garden.

Is there anyone who can verify that?

Yes. Mr. Paul Drake.

He asked if I knew
where he could find Danny Pierce,

and I asked him
if he'd seen Margo Stevens.

I'm sure he'd recall the conversation.

Mr. Kirk, since you were
looking out into the garden,

perhaps you saw
Howard Langley out there.

Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I did.

That's why I asked Drake
about Margo Stevens.

They were necking in the bushes.

That's a lie!

I wasn't in the garden
with Howard or anyone else.

Young lady,
I will not tolerate such outbursts.

But it's not true.

Any more interruptions, and I'll have
the bailiff remove you from the courtroom.

It was really pretty dark.
Maybe I'm wrong.

But I doubt it.

Then how can you be certain
the man was Howard Langley?

Well, I saw him go outside.

Your Honor, at this time, I would like
to recall Howard Langley to the stand.

Your Honor.

Counselor's strategy
is transparently obvious.

These desperate attempts
to cover his own client's guilt

by directing suspicion on others--

Mr. Mason?

If it please the court,
the suspicion is already in existence

and should be clearly established
or eliminated.

Surely our prosecutor, with his great
tolerance, can't object to that.

The suspicion exists, Your Honor,
in Mr. Mason's mind and nowhere else.

Neither the police
nor the District Attorney's office

could find any grounds for it.

Then by your own argument,

Mr. Mason can only weaken his own
defense by recalling the witness.

Howard Langley will return
to the witness stand.

Mr. Langley, at this time,
I ask you for the name

of the woman you say
was in the garden with you.

Mr. Mason, you have no right

to expose an innocent person
to this kind of notoriety.

Very well. If this court will agree

to hear your testimony in private,
will you then answer?

No.

No, I can't see that I must.

You realize that in refusing to answer,

you might be held in contempt of court.

I can only do what my conscience dictates.

Mr. Langley, didn't you go
to your wife's bedroom that night?

No.

And didn't you find her unconscious
from a drug she'd been given?

No.

Didn't you also find
that the necklace had been stolen?

And didn't you then k*ll your wife,
using this w*apon?

That's not true!

Not true that the necklace had been stolen?

Did you also take the necklace,
Mr. Langley?

No, I didn't.

No, I was in the garden, I tell you,
all that time.

I never left!

But a certain woman left that garden,
didn't she?

The nameless woman
you'd been embracing--

That woman left the garden, didn't she?

Well--

Well, yes. She did, as a matter of fact.

Who was that woman, Mr. Langley?

Gina Gilbert.

You filthy old man!
You didn't have to tell him!

[judge pounding]

Don't you know what I did for you?

Stupid, filthy, rotten man!

I knew Howard made a hopeful play
for every woman he ever met,

but I never guessed
he'd got around to Gina.

It had gone further than that,
Mr. Kirk.

Gina wanted to marry Howard
and help him manage Merle's estate,

if only Olivia could have been disposed of.

A divorce wasn't the answer
because Olivia had such a hold over Merle.

Then Danny came on the scene.

Danny was looking for someone
who had entree to the wealthy set.

Gina went along
with his plan to steal the necklace

because first he knew that she was
wanted by the police back east

and second because it afforded her
a perfect chance to m*rder Olivia.

Gina put on an evening gown,
slipped quietly through the party,

k*lled the unconscious Olivia,

and got back in time to meet the messenger
who delivered the stolen diamonds.

Oh, that's what you meant

when you said the girl at the motel
was not maybe disrobed.

Exactly.

It was her evening gown
Gina didn't want the messenger to see.

And, in the normal course of events,

Danny would have been
suspected of the m*rder.

But things are never normal
when little--

Hey, look at the new dress.

Della picked it out.

Oh, I did not. Isn't she pretty?

Sure is. How about a date?

Merle, I think you owe these people
a very, very large encomium.

What for, Julian?

Well--

thanks.

For saving your life.

Oh, I was going to give them all
a big kiss for that, silly.