All language subtitles for Perry Mason S05E02 The Case of the Impatient Partner.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

All right, Mrs.
Murdock. All right.

Now, please.

Do you or don't you live
in that neighborhood?

Well, let me see, now.

1929.

My husband and I
were living on Figueroa.

And it wasn't until...

until 1934 that we
moved to Sheldon Place.

And you've been living at
your present address ever since,

is that right?

Oh, no, Mr. Fallon.

After my husband died, I
moved a number of times.

Had me a bungalow,

on Delsey, a flat on...

Is something wrong?

No.

No, no. Nothing wrong.

I think that will be
all, Mrs. Murdock.

I'll see you out.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you, sir!

Thank you.

Drake Detective Agency.

One moment, please.

For you, Mr. Drake.

Amory, you called me

and practically forced
me to come along with you.

And I have no idea
what this is all about.

And I don't think Paul
Drake does, either.

I called you because
you're my brother-in-law,

and I may need a witness.

Now, don't ask questions.

Just-Just be patient.

Well, I think Paul Drake
is losing his patience.

He's going to want to
know the truth, whatever it is,

long before you find

this mysterious old
woman you're looking for.

I found her.

Mrs. Murdock.

Yes.

I-I usually walk down Sheldon

when I go visit my sister.

There's a bus stop on the cor...

Were you at that
bus stop last night?

Monday night?

Amory, last night was...

Between 7:00 and 7:30?

Sunday night, I was.

Monday. Monday
night, Mrs. Murdock.

No, I'm sorry.

I was in all evening.

Thank you, ma'am. Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Amory, you asked her
about Monday night.

Does this have something
to do with the fire?

Never mind.

Well, now, what's going
on? What is all this?

I said, "Never mind." I'll
tell you when I'm ready.

But Mrs. Murdock, you
were sure she was...

The coat she was wearing,
that's what fooled me.

That coat.

How are you feeling, dearie?

Not at all well, Agnes.

Not well.

What was it all about?

If I hadn't have been sick,

I'd have gone down with you

to that nice detective's office.

Oh, and tell me.

Was there any, uh,
any money involved?

No, not real money.

Only a few dollars for our
trouble in going down there.

Oh, by the way, thanks
for the loan of the coat.

You're welcome, Agnes.

Fallon Paint Company.
Good morning.

Oh, Mrs. Fallon.

Just a moment, Mrs. Fallon.

Your wife is calling again, sir.

I'm busy. I can't
talk to her now.

I'm well aware of how many
times she's called, Miss Ames,

but I don't want to
talk to Mrs. Fallon.

Is that clear?

Just a moment, sir.

Mr. Fallon.

I wasn't quite sure about
you, so I did some checking.

When you left me last night,

you called on Mrs.
Murdock, didn't you?

Now, look here, Drake.

Just relax.

Fallon, I've got a
license to protect,

and I don't like being
played for a fool.

You didn't tell me, so
I found out for myself

that you're one of the
owners of Fallon Paints,

that you had a fire and
explosion here last Monday night

and the chances are,
it was a case of arson.

Well, I... And...

the story you gave
me when you hired me

was nothing but a pack of lies.

You were going someplace, Frank?

That'll be all, Miss Ames.

Uh, please sit down, Mr. Drake.

I had a reason for
telling you what I did.

Yes, this does have
to do with the fire.

You're right.

The morning after the fire,

I-I received a phone call from
somebody in the neighborhood.

A man.

He said he had some information

that might be important.

This man, what was his name?

Well, he, uh... he
wouldn't identify himself.

He said that he had gotten
off a bus near our plant here,

uh, a few minutes past
7:00 on Monday night.

He noticed an elderly
woman sitting on the bench,

waiting for the next bus.

Now, she must have
been there until 7:30,

which was just
before the explosion.

She, uh, might have seen someone

either enter or,
uh, leave the plant.

Mr. Fallon, why not
tell all this to the police?

Let them find this woman.

Or is there a reason for
not telling this to the police?

No, I don't want to withhold
anything from the police.

If this woman can
identify the arsonist,

I simply want to
know who he is, fast,

to protect myself
and the company.

What you're not saying
is you think the arsonist

is someone in your company.

Oh, excuse me, Amory.

I just wanted to leave
these contracts with you.

I have to be out of the
office for a few minutes.

Why don't you look them over

and we can discuss
them when I get back.

Haven't we met somewhere?

I'm Ned Thompson.

Oh, excuse me, um,

this is my business
partner Ned Thompson.

This is Mr., uh, Mr. Henry.

Mr. Henry.

Nice meeting you, Mr. Thompson.

I'll be running
along, Mr. Fallon.

Amory, we haven't
had much opportunity

to discuss your trip. I...

There's nothing to discuss.

Nothing to discuss?

Well, you've been
gone a whole month.

We get a wire from you...
Suddenly you're on the way back.

I figured you'd
hit something big.

Really lined up something.

What about the Carrera deal?

Didn't you see Carlos
Silva in Mexico City?

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

A number of things may work out.

It's too early
to tell, that's all.

All right.

But what about your wife?

You got back Monday morning.

Today is Wednesday.

Almost three days.

You haven't been home.

Didn't you say you
had an appointment?

Yes, I have.

But if you...

These, uh, letters
need your signature, sir.

Thank you, Miss Ames.

Miss Ames, hasn't it
been standard procedure

to keep the current files
in this section of the plant?

Well, yes, of
course, Mr. Fallon.

Monday night, I
came back to the office

to do some work on those files.

They weren't here, Miss Ames.

Well, I know that, Mr. Fallon.

Do you also know

that those files were
moved to another office?

Conveniently moved

to where they just happened
to be destroyed in that fire?

Why, Miss Ames?

Why were those files moved?

Well, we were
rearranging the offices,

and those files were
transferred there

over a week ago.

On whose orders?

Why, Mr. Thompson's.

Mr. Thompson's.

Of course.

That's all, Miss Ames.

Mr. Fallon, your, uh...

your wife called
again, and she left a...

I said, that's all!

Oh, it's you, Mr. Fallon.

Who did you think it was?
Your friend, Mr. Thompson?

Well, no, sir.

It's just that, uh,

the insurance investigators
are still snooping around.

I thought they'd already
pretty much decided

that it was a neighborhood gang

that broke in and
started the fire.

Mm. You think so, huh?

Well, why, Nickols? Why?

Well, there are still some
traces of paint on the walls

where the kids, uh, scrawled
some rather indelicate language.

Mm. Well, maybe
that was just a cover-up

to make it look like the
work of young hoodlums.

Tell me, uh, did you give
the investigators your version

of how the explosion
might have occurred?

I don't have any
version, Mr. Fallon.

It could have happened
any number of ways.

How about these
two, uh, chemicals

coming into sudden contact?

That could do it,
couldn't it, Bert?

Uh, do it and how,

and just about blow
the roof off the place

and take some
careless guy along with it.

Mr. Fallon, would you please
be careful with that stuff?

Why aren't these
dangerous chemicals

in the supply locker
where they belong?

Well, I've, uh...

That is, Mr. Thompson and I
have been working with them.

On the Martin experiment?
The one we canceled out?

Well, actually, I, uh...

It was the Martin
experiment, wasn't it?

Now, answer me!

Mr. Fallon, uh, there
was a phone call for you...

Not from your wife...

From a gentleman
named Carlos Silva.

He was calling from
the Downtown Hotel.

He was very anxious
to talk to you. Shall I...?

No, no, no, no, no. I'll,
uh... I'll take care of it.

Uh, it's past quitting time.

Uh, you two go on home.

Look, Viv, I know a nice
little quiet bar over in...

Yes, I bet you do.

Not only little,
but inexpensive.

Come on, Viv.
Don't be like that.

Bert, you're a nice boy.

You're a lot of laughs, but
you're strictly minor league.

Look, Viv, wait a minute.
I want to talk to you.

Bert, will you forget it?

It's over. It's finished.

Look, wait a minute.

If Thompson asked,
you wouldn't say forget it.

Look, don't kid me.

I know you two are pretty cozy.

Well, it's time you
forgot him now.

He's got himself
a string of dames,

and you're not even
on the first team, sister.

Carlos Silva. Hello.

Oh, hello, Mr. Fallon.
How are you?

Yes, I flew in from
Mexico City this afternoon,

and I'm all set to sit
down and talk contract.

I wonder if you could give
me a few more days, Mr. Silva.

Uh, we've had a
fire here at the plant.

Everything's in a mess.

Oh, I see.

Well, whatever
you say, of course.

Tell me, Mr. Fallon.

How does your partner
feel about our deal?

Well, as a matter of fact,

we haven't had too
much time to discuss it,

but, uh, I can assure you,
he's very excited about it.

Hmm. He certainly should be.

It isn't very often that
two partners like you

get a quarter of a million
dollars worth of business

dumped in your laps.

Well, Mrs. Temple, the man
who just left... is he the one?

Nope. Afraid not.

Like I said,

I did see a man
on the street here

the night of the fire.

And I'm sure I'll recognize
him when I see him again.

Amory.

Well, what are you
doing here, Edith?

I know you park
your car back here.

I was hoping to catch you.

Amory, please.

What's wrong?

Why haven't you been home?

Why won't you talk to
me on the telephone?

I've been working
late every night.

It was simpler
to stay at a hotel.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I...

Amory, please, talk to me.

There's nothing
to talk about, Edith.

Look, I have an
appointment. If it's me,

if it's something
I've done, tell me.

Just tell me.

Edith, I...

I...

It's not that I don't lo...

Were you looking for me, Edith?

Tell me!

Were you looking
for me or was it him,

Ned Thompson, you were
sneaking around here in back to see?!

Tell me!

No. No.

I never want to see
or talk to you again,

do you understand?

Never!

Mrs. Temple, so far, you haven't
been able to identify anyone

as the man you saw
the night of the fire.

So this is the...

Don't see him,
can't point him out.

Of course, Mrs. Temple.

Now, this is the building where
a Mr. Ned Thompson lives.

You think this Mr. Thompson's
the man I seen?

Well, I don't know, but
he's the last one on the list.

All right, you know what to do.

You go upstairs,
knock on the door,

take a good look at
him, if he answers.

Then, well, you made a
mistake, wrong apartment.

Understand, Mrs. Temple?

Oh, uh, there he is!

Uh, th-that's the man
that was in the, at the fire!

Hey.

It was just after 7:00,
the night of the fire,

when I, when I
bumped into this woman

on the street outside the plant.

She asked for a match.

Well, I didn't have any.

But before I entered the plant,

I noticed that she had stopped
at a doorway down the street.

Somebody was
lighting her cigarette.

He's right, Perry. I
checked with Mrs. Temple.

There was a man in the doorway,
and he did give her a match.

But she can't identify
him; it was too dark.

I went into the office where
the files had been moved to,

stayed there for
20 minutes or so,

remembered I'd left
something in my car,

went out to my car and...

Right then is when
the blast occurred.

And after that?

Well, I... I realized
that if I hadn't

gone out to my car as I did,

I would've been
killed in that explosion.

Well, I... I just
stood by my car...

shaking for a few
minutes, and...

and then I called
the fire department.

From what you've told me,
Mr. Fallon, I gather you suspect

the man in the doorway
was your partner,

Ned Thompson. Well, yes.

Mr. Fallon...

I don't wish to appear
harsh or unsympathetic,

but I somehow feel that
this trouble that concerns you

is of your own making.

The whole thing's in my mind.

That's what you're
trying to say, isn't it?

To some extent, yes.

Well, I don't have to take...

You don't have to do
anything except face the truth.

Now, if you'll permit me,
I'd like to be able to help you.

Please, Mr. Mason.

Please, I-I can't
stand it any longer.

I've got to know about...
my wife... Thompson.

Well, let's look at the facts

and see what we can
make out of those facts.

You met your wife at the
rear entrance of your plant.

Thompson appeared.

She came there to see
him, just as I told you.

Or, Mr. Fallon, she came to
see you, just as she told you.

That's possible, isn't it?

It's also possible that
Mr. Thompson's appearance

was purely accidental.

Well, yes.

Yes, I... I suppose it is.

Now, you spotted a discrepancy
in your company correspondence

the day you
returned from Mexico,

the same night you
decided to check the books.

And I would have, too, if
it hadn't been for the fire.

So you assume the fire was meant

to destroy the
books or you or both.

Now, did anybody,

anybody at all,
know that you were

going to be there that night?

Nobody knew.

So even though arson
may have been involved,

it's highly unlikely that
murder was involved.

You could be mistaken
about Thompson and your wife.

You could be mistaken

about Thompson and
the books and the fire.

I-I don't know, I don't know.

I'm-I'm all mixed up.

I... I don't know what
to think, what to do.

Suppose you go
back to your hotel room

and get a good night's rest.

Tonight, if you like, I'll
see this Mr. Thompson

and get at the truth,
once and for all.

Mr.-Mr. Mason...

earlier tonight, when-when
I was at Thompson's place,

I-I rapped at the door.

He... Thompson wasn't there.

I...

I was drunk, I'm afraid,

and, well, pretty
angry and upset.

I wrote a note.

Now, I don't remember
what I wrote in that note,

but I do remember pushing
that note under the door.

I'll straighten it all out
with Mr. Thompson.

And I'll get back
your note for you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

Well, good evening, Perry.

Paul.

This is a surprise.

I didn't know you were
acquainted with Mr. Thompson.

We're not, Lieutenant.

Well, it's too
late for that now.

Mr. Thompson's dead.

He's been murdered.

You, um, didn't know that
he had deceased, Perry?

No, I didn't.

My visit here had to do with

a business matter I'm
handling for a client.

When did all this happen?

Well, the way we figure now,
uh, between 7:00 and 8:00.

Well, uh, since the coroner
hasn't had a chance as yet

to examine the body, I gather
you must have other evidence

fixing the time of death?

Well, a woman talked

with Thompson on the
phone earlier in the evening.

She called back several times,

got no answer and
became worried.

She then phoned a
neighbor of, uh, Thompson's

and asked him to look into it.

And the neighbor found him?

Thompson was struck
a number of times

on the back of the head.

That statuette was
lying, uh, beside him

right there on the floor.

Oh, Perry, by the way,

uh, your client,
uh, wouldn't write

a note like this, would he?

"You can't hide
from me. I'll be back.

You'll get what's
coming to you."

Where'd you find that?

In the murdered
man's, uh, pocket.

I just can't remember
what happened, Mr. Mason.

Everything's so mixed up.

It's a, it's a nightmare.

I don't even know why I
went up to that apartment.

You must remember something.

I recall knocking at the door,

pushing that note
under the door.

Then I became
dizzy; sick inside.

It was so-so hot
in that building.

And you'd been
drinking, heavily.

Yes.

I'm afraid I don't drink
very much, Mr. Mason,

and so it hit me pretty hard.

Now, I think...

I'm not sure, but I
seem to remember

that I, that I sat down,

to, uh, to clear my head.

Uh, after that...

Well, the next thing I remember
is walking out of the building.

You didn't go into
Mr. Thompson's apartment?

I-I don't think so.

All right, Mr. Fallon.

Let's go back to this afternoon.

What did you do after you
left your wife and Thompson?

Well, I went to the
neighborhood bar

and had those drinks.

Did you talk to
anyone at the bar?

No.

Wait a minute.

Nickols was there.

Bert Nickols.

He's our plant chemist.

He was sitting in a rear, in
a rear booth with a woman.

I couldn't see her very well.

Did this Mr. Nickols see you?

Well, he may have. I'm not sure.

After you left the bar,

did you go straight to
Thompson's apartment?

Mm.

I-I guess so.

Did you, uh, see anyone
when you entered the building?

No, no, I... I don't think so.

You guess so,
you don't think so.

Do you know what time it
was when you left the building

and ran into Drake
and Mrs. Temple?

Oh, I really don't
know what time it was.

Thompson was killed
between 7:00 and 8:00.

You left the
building around 7:45.

Mr. Fallon's room.

Yes, Paul. Where are you?

Your office.

I just got back from
police headquarters.

Tragg's put the lid on,
and I couldn't get a thing

on who the woman was who
called Thompson's neighbor.

Perry, I think I'll take
a run out to the Valley

and have a talk
with Mrs. Fallon.

Good idea.

Oh, Paul, what'd you
find out about the fire?

Well, one thing.

The boys in the arson
squad aren't buying that bit

about a neighborhood gang

accidentally starting
the fire in Fallon's plant.

However, Fallon was
right, at least about that.

The thing was rigged.

Not a professional
job, but still rigged.

Thanks, Paul.

Mrs. Fallon isn't well.

She's in bed.

I'm sorry, but I just
can't let you see Edith.

This is important, Mr. Wells.

Mr. Drake, please
try to understand,

my sister has been
through enough as it is.

Now, with this terrible
thing happening...

Mr. Thompson being murdered...

I really think it's best you
don't see her right now.

Possibly you can tell
me what I want to know.

Has Mrs. Fallon
been here all evening?

You mean does she
have an alibi, Mr. Drake?

Look, I'm not trying to...

Don't worry, you don't
have to apologize.

I probably couldn't
help you anyway.

I don't know if she
was here all evening.

I wasn't here
myself all evening.

Well, would you
know if she phoned

a Mr. Ned Thompson
earlier this evening?

Phoned?

Well, why should...?

Oh.

Amory has been talking to you.

No, not to me, to his
attorney Perry Mason.

Well, for your and
Mr. Mason's information,

there isn't a
word of truth in it.

There never was anything

between Edith and Ned Thompson.

It's all in Amory's imagination.

Imagination or real,

did he and Thompson ever
have a fight over Mrs. Fallon?

Well, there was...

No, no, no, not really,
not that I know of;

just something that's
been growing inside Amory

and magnifying, torturing
him beyond reason.

Mr. Wells, how well did
you know Ned Thompson?

Not very well; I met
him six months ago

when I first joined the company.

Why?

Well, I was hoping you could
possibly tell me something

about who his
girlfriend might be.

Oh, no, I'm sorry.

Wait a minute.

There was Vivian.

Vivian?

Yes, Vivian Ames,

his and Amory's
secretary at the plant.

Now, I'm not sure,
but I heard some talk.

Well, I understand they
were very close at one time.

Vivian Ames. Hmm.

Thank you very much, Mr. Wells.

Thanks again.

Frank, who was that?

Well, it was nobody,
nobody at all.

Oh, I'm so worried about Amory.

This isn't like him.

I know something's wrong.

I've got to go to him.

I've got to, got to!

I've got to help Amory.

Hi, there.

Vivian not home?

She doesn't seem to be.

Miss Ames does live here?

Oh, yes, the lady lives here.

I was kind of hoping
she'd be home tonight.

I'm all set to let her have
my good shoulder to cry on.

A good neighborly gesture.

Then maybe that's
why you're here?

What I heard on
the radio, I mean.

You, uh, from the police?

No, I'm not from the police.

My name is
Nickols, Bert Nickols.

Viv and I work for
the same company.

You an old friend of hers?

No, I'm not an old friend.

I'm handling a
matter for Mr. Fallon.

Oh.

I just wanted a
word with Miss Ames.

Well, if you're tied in with
Mr. Fallon, you must know

what happened to his
partner, Mr. Thompson, tonight.

Yes, I know.

Here, let me take a crack at it.

We have, uh, kind of a
signal we use sometimes.

Say, uh, do you think maybe
she heard about it on the radio?

Mr. Thompson being
murdered, I mean.

She'd be pretty badly shaken up.

If she were shaken up,
do you have any idea

as to where she might be?

No, not the faintest notion.

She has a sister living here in
town, but I wouldn't know where.

Well, she's not
home, that's for sure.

No sense in waiting
around, is there?

No sense to a lot of
things, Mr. Nickols.

Never figured
he'd get it like that.

Thompson, I mean.

Wonder why anyone
would want to kill him.

Had you known him long?

Oh, I guess about six years.

He came into the
company as a chemist.

Next thing you know,
he's a production manager.

Then, boom, Fallon himself
makes him full partner.

And, uh, I'm still a chemist.

I understand he managed to
spend considerable time in the lab.

Couldn't keep him away.

All the time experimenting,
experimenting.

We, uh, worked on a
number of ideas together.

Like the Martin project?

How'd you know about that?

Oh, Mr. Fallon
happened to mention it.

Quite a revolutionary
idea, the Martin project.

I imagine it could be
worth quite a bit of money.

Yeah.

A lot of money.

The man who found
Thompson's body...

His neighbor, a Mr. Green...
Knows Vivian Ames.

He'd seen her several times
in Thompson's apartment.

That, of course, was before
she and Thompson broke up.

Anyway, Vivian Ames
calls this Mr. Green

a few minutes
before 8:00 last night.

According to Green,
she sounded real frantic.

Did he recall exactly
what she said?

Well, she was pretty excited and
wasn't making too much sense.

She kept insisting that Thompson
had to be in his apartment

and just wasn't
answering his phone.

Well, she was so worried
and upset that Green finally

went down to see if
anything was wrong.

Which leaves us right
back where we started.

Where is Vivian Ames?

After you left last night,

I checked her apartment
at least a dozen times.

No answer.

I checked the office, she
hasn't been there all morning.

You should've asked me, Paul.

Your switchboard operator
wanted to announce me,

but I told her it
wasn't necessary.

Oh, please, don't get up.

Please sit down, Perry.

After all, I'm practically
a member of the family.

Good morning, all.

You were going to say
something about Miss Ames.

Yes, I was, wasn't I?

Well, now, if you're
interested in Miss Ames...

And I gather you
are... She's at a hotel.

No wonder I couldn't find her.

For someone who's practically
a member of the family,

that was a dirty
trick, Lieutenant.

Oh, but I told her just
what Perry tells his clients

when they very
conveniently drop out of sight.

She's registered
in her own name.

With the city paying the bill.

Oh, that sharp legal mind.

Just exactly what do
you want, Lieutenant?

Well, I thought you
might be interested

in coming down to headquarters.

Now, why should
I want to do that?

Well, you do intend to represent

Amory Fallon, don't you?

Well, there's, uh, no need
for me to hang around...

No, no, no, no,
you're invited, too.

I had a charming chat

with a number of sweet
old ladies this morning.

One sweet old lady
would've been enough.

Mrs. Temple was a
fountain of information, Paul.

As a matter of fact, she even
told me how the two of you

saw Amory Fallon leaving
the murdered man's building

last night, around 7:45.

You're picking up Amory Fallon?

Picked him up and
booked him for murder.

There's some things we
want to discuss with him.

Particularly, why he lined up a
quarter of a million dollar deal

with a Mexican company

and forgot to tell his
partner a thing about it.

I'm a clerk and a
part-time bookkeeper

with the Fallon Paint Company.

We're concerned with something
you found in the company books

while the defendant was away.

Would you tell us about
that please, Mr. Grant?

Well, it was about a week

before Mr. Fallon
came back from Mexico,

when I accidentally
ran across this error

in the company ledger.

What was the error?

$20,000 unaccounted
for in the books.

What did you do, Mr. Grant?

Well, I went to
Mr. Thompson right away.

He was very upset about it.

What did he say?

Do you remember his exact words?

He said, "I hope Mr. Fallon
will have an explanation for this."

Now, Mr. Grant, can you tell
us, is evidence of this shortage

of the company
funds still in existence?

No, sir.

It was destroyed in the fire.

Thank you, Mr. Grant.
Your witness.

Mr. Grant, why didn't
you take this matter up

with the company
accountant, Mr. Wells?

Oh, anytime I
had a real problem,

I usually went straight
to one of the partners.

Why was that?

Mr. Wells was the kid
brother of the boss' wife.

If you know what I mean.

Anyway, at that time, he
had been sick for several days

and away from the office.

Besides, from what
I found in the books,

that error occurred long before
Wells came to the company.

While Mr. Fallon
was away in Mexico,

did Mr. Thompson have
access to those ledgers?

Oh, naturally.

He was one of the partners.

Thank you.

No further questions.

I had just returned to my home,

on the night of the murder,
when Mr. Thompson phoned me.

He, uh, asked me to
come to his place, at once,

to discuss some business.

And what time did you
arrive at his apartment?

Oh, 6:30, I'd say.

Now, while you were
with him from 6:30 on,

did Mr. Thompson
have any visitors?

Well, yes.

Uh, someone came,
pounded on the door

and called out and
wanted to be let in.

It was Amory.

Amory Fallon, the defendant.

Was he admitted
to the apartment?

No, no, Mr. Thompson
didn't want to speak to him.

And would you tell us, sir,
at what time the defendant

caused this commotion outside
Mr. Thompson's apartment?

Oh, it was, uh, 7:00.

Thank you, Mr. Wells.

That'll be all.

Your witness.

Mr. Wells, during the commotion,

did you open the
door to tell this visitor

that Mr. Thompson
wouldn't see him?

No, we sat quietly and
waited for him to leave.

You say this occurred at 7:00.

How can you be so certain?

Well, I was just getting
ready to leave myself.

What time did you leave?

Oh, five minutes
after 7:00, I suppose.

I'm not sure.

Now, Mr. Wells,

when you left
Mr. Thompson's apartment,

did you happen to see a note

that had been pushed
under the door?

No, I did not.

Thank you, Mr. Wells.

No further questions.

The night he was murdered,
Mr. Thompson called me.

He asked me to pick up
the Carrera contract file

at the office and bring
it to his apartment.

But the locks on the plant
had been changed since the fire

and, uh, I didn't
have a new key.

So, I told Mr. Thompson I
would get one from Mr. Wells.

And did you, Miss Ames?

No, Mr. Thompson
told me I couldn't do that

because Mr. Wells had just left
him and he was on his way home.

Mr. Wells had just left.

What time was this call?

It was, uh, five after 7:00.

Thereabouts. I see.

Go on, Miss Ames.

Mr. Thompson suggested
that I go out to the office

and, uh, try to get the
cleaning man to let me in.

And that's what I did.

And I looked and looked for
the file, but I couldn't find it,

and then I remembered
what happened to it.

What had happened

to the Carrera contract
file, Miss Ames?

Mr. Fallon had asked
for it that morning.

He'd, uh, put it in his
briefcase to take with him.

And did you call
Mr. Thompson then,

and tell him that
Mr. Fallon had the file?

Yes, but he didn't answer.

I tried several times.

He'd been so insistent about
getting the contract file that,

when he didn't answer
my calls, I became worried.

And that's when I phoned
his neighbor, Mr. Green.

Miss Ames, were you worried
only because Mr. Thompson

had been so
insistent about the file?

No, sir.

It was also because of
what Mr. Thompson had said

when he first called
me that evening.

That, uh, Mr. Fallon had
tried to force his way in

several minutes before,

and if Mr. Fallon was still
hanging around the building

when I came back with
the file, I was to... avoid him.

Did he tell you why?

He said that Mr. Fallon
had been drinking.

That he was in an ugly mood.

Well, uh, it was a few days
before the fire at the plant

and, uh, Mr. Thompson and I
were coming back from lunch

and he wanted to stop in
this photographic supply store.

For what purpose, Mr. Nickols?

To pick up a camera
and several spools

of microfilm that
he'd purchased.

Did the decedent tell you

what he intended to
do with the microfilm?

It was his idea to film
some of the more important

company records and, uh,
store them in a safe place.

Do you know if he put
this plan into action?

Oh, he got right with it.

I saw him myself,
uh, photographing

some of the
ledgers in the office.

So, regardless of what
the defendant might do

to cover up the
shortage of funds,

Mr. Thompson now had a
valid copy of the altered records?

Yes, that's right.

Thank you, that'll be all.

Mr. Nickols, how'd it happen
that you were with the decedent

when he purchased the
camera and the microfilm?

Did you usually accompany
him on his shopping trips?

Why, uh, why, no.

It's just that, uh, well,
there was a matter that

Mr. Thompson and
I were discussing.

A matter of importance?

Yes.

But not to the Fallon Company.

Since you left the
plant to discuss it.

Isn't that so?

Yes.

Now, Mr. Thompson
microfilmed company records.

You saw him do that.

Did you not? Yes.

Did Mr. Fallon see those
company records being microfilmed?

No.

He was out of the country.

In Mexico at the time.

That's all, thank you.

You stated that, on
the day of the murder,

the defendant told you
that he had discussed

this quarter of a million dollar
business deal with his partner.

But when you went to see
Mr. Thompson at his apartment,

a few hours before the murder,

actually, he knew
nothing about it.

Now, Mr. Silva, what was
Mr. Thompson's reaction

when he learned about this deal

that had been kept
secret from him?

Well, he reacted violently.

He was angry.

He grabbed the phone,
but he was so upset

that he knocked a number
of things off the desk.

And then he called
Mr. Fallon's hotel.

But Mr. Fallon wasn't in.

And what did
Mr. Thompson do then?

After he calmed down, he
said he'd handle the matter

personally from then on in.

Now, you stated that

a number of things
were swept from the desk

when Mr. Thompson
reached angrily for the phone.

What were these things?

Oh, some papers, magazines,
oh, and a small cardboard box

that spilled open
when it hit the floor.

Did you happen to notice
the contents of that box?

Oh, uh, several
spools of microfilm.

Half dozen or so.

Mr. Thompson was photographing
the records of his company.

Now, Mr. Silva,
this is important.

Was the microfilm that you
saw on the floor exposed

or unexposed film? Exposed.

Thank you,
Mr. Silva, that'll be all.

Your witness.

Mr. Silva, you
testified as follows:

Quote, "When I went to see
Mr. Thompson at his apartment,

he actually knew
nothing about it." Unquote.

I take it you meant he
actually knew nothing

about the quarter of
a million dollar deal?

No, no, of course
not. I didn't mean that.

He knew that such
a deal was pending.

That's why Amory
Fallon went to Mexico.

But he didn't know that
such a deal had been closed.

I see.

By the way, Mr. Silva,

if Mr. Thompson didn't know
the deal had been closed,

how did he know
you were in town?

He did call you, didn't he?

No, I called...

I called him.

You called him?

Despite the fact that Mr. Fallon
was handling the deal?

Despite the fact
that he assured you

it would be all right?

Despite the fact that you
agreed to give him a few days

to make the final arrangements?

Despite all these things,

you still called Mr. Thompson

and went to his apartment?

Yes.

Now, when you saw
Mr. Thompson, it was in reference

to the same quarter
of a million dollar deal?

Why, certainly. What else?

Yes, Mr. Silva. What else?

Is it possible that there
were two deals pending?

Is it possible

that the second deal
involved one, two, even three

members of the Fallon Company,
but not Mr. Fallon himself?

We-Well, I-I...

Go on, Mr. Silva.

Thank you, Mr. Silva.

That answers the question.

Yes, it was a rather
warm evening,

and that's what struck me odd

when we arrived at
the murder apartment

and found a fire
burning in the fireplace.

Well, Mr. Silva testified

that he found half a
dozen spools of microfilm

in that apartment.

You did search the
apartment carefully, huh?

Yes, we did.

We found no microfilm.

It's possible, then,
that the reason

for the fire on the
warm night was

that the killer disposed
of the microfilm,

right there in the fireplace,
after murdering Mr. Thompson.

Chemical analysis of the
ashes in the fireplace confirmed

that film had been
burned in the fireplace.

Now, Lieutenant Tragg,

thus far, the defendant
has been placed

in the apartment house
on the night of the murder,

but not in the murder
apartment itself.

Now, Lieutenant, in
addition to the other things

you discovered when you searched

the murder apartment,
did you find anything

to throw light on
these two questions?

One: the whereabouts of
the missing contract file?

Two: whether or not

the defendant was, in
fact, inside that apartment?

We found it inside
the apartment,

in a briefcase belonging
to the defendant...

Amory Fallon.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Mr. Fallon remembers
having the briefcase with him

the night he went to
Mr. Thompson's apartment house,

but he swears he
didn't go inside, Perry.

That's the key to the
whole thing right there.

Fallon didn't get inside,
but the briefcase did.

I just got word
from one of my men.

You hit it, Perry.

Thompson was quite the boy
about town and a heavy gambler.

Good.

There's still one big if.

Everything fits in place

if Fallon was where
I think he was.

Mr. Mason, I don't know
whether I should have...

Oh, please, did I
do the right thing

in talking to you?

Will it help?

It was the only decision
you could have made.

You won't be sorry, believe me.

And Mrs. Fallon... thank you.

All right, Mr. Mason,
you may proceed

with your cross-examination.

Lieutenant Tragg will
return to the witness stand.

A moment, Your Honor.

I have no questions
of Lieutenant Tragg.

Instead, I should like to recall
Mr. Bert Nickols to the stand.

Mr. District Attorney?

I don't know what purpose
it'll serve, Your Honor,

but I have no objection.

Bert Nickols to the stand.

Well, it was around, um, 6:00,
a few minutes after, maybe,

when I saw the defendant
come into the bar.

Were you alone?

No. No, I was with a friend.

A Miss, uh, Claudia Bruce?

Is that right?

That's right.

I don't know how you found out

about Claudia, but that's right.

Did you also just happen
to notice what time it was

when the defendant left the bar?

No. I guess I didn't.

What time did you leave?

Oh, about 7:15, I think.

I had some work to do,
and I drove back to the lab.

Isn't it true that
you told Miss Bruce

that you were going to pick
up Mr. Thompson first and then

drive back to the lab?

Uh...

Yes, that's right, except
I went to my place first

and picked up some
notes that I needed.

And then you went
to his apartment.

You knocked on the door.

What then, Mr. Nickols?

Well, Ned Thompson
didn't answer,

so I figured he'd gone
on ahead, and, uh,

so I left, that's all.

And what time was it when
you called at his apartment?

A few minutes before 8:00.

Mr. Nickols, were you
ever out with Mr. Thompson

when he lost large
sums of money gambling?

Your Honor, I must protest

this obvious waste
of the court's time.

I see no

possible reason...

May it please the court.

The prosecution has sought
to create the impression

that the defendant
doctored company books

and stole company funds.

I intend to show that the books
had in truth been doctored,

but by someone else.

But, Your Honor, certainly
not by the decedent.

Counsel seems to have
forgotten that Ned Thompson,

in an effort to safeguard
evidence of a crime,

recorded that
evidence on microfilm.

What possible reason
would he have had to do so

if he himself had been
guilty of the embezzlement?

With the court's permission,

I believe I can
provide an answer

to Mr. Burger's question.

Mr. Wells, how
long have you been

with the Fallon Paint Company?

Six months.

You, Mr. Wells, are
a trained accountant.

Mr. Grant, who
testified yesterday,

is a clerk and a
part-time bookkeeper.

Yet, it was he, not you, who
discovered a $20,000 discrepancy

in the company books.

Your Honor, I object!

Mr. Wells is not on trial here.

The books of the Fallon
Paint Company were doctored

a long time before Mr. Wells
even joined the company.

I move that this whole
line of questioning

be stricken from the record.

Since there's no jury
present, Mr. Mason,

the court would be glad to hear

your explanation for
this line of questioning.

Your Honor, it's the
contention of the defense

that Ned Thompson was
guilty of embezzlement

before and after Mr. Wells
joined the company,

and that he had an accomplice
who covered up for him,

possibly even
participated with him

in further depredation
of company funds.

Your Honor, this is ridiculous.

If the decedent
was an embezzler,

it's the first time
I've ever heard

of a thief microfilming evidence

to prove that he was a thief.

The district attorney has a
valid argument, Mr. Mason.

Your Honor, I'm sure we're
all interested in the truth.

With the court's indulgence

and some measure of latitude
in my questioning, I believe

I can demonstrate the truth.

Mr. Burger?

Well, what can I say
to that, Your Honor?

Naturally, the prosecution
is interested in the truth.

Very well, Mr. Mason.

The court is disposed to grant
you the latitude you request.

Your Honor.

Mr. Wells, if Thompson
embezzled $20,000, is it possible

he did have an accomplice
who doctored the books?

Not only to hide
the original theft,

but also to hide continued
embezzlement from the company?

Well, yes, it is possible.

Now suppose, without
Mr. Fallon's knowledge,

Thompson and some other
person from the company

planned illegally and secretly

to sell a company
formula worth millions?

And suppose the
accomplice stumbled onto this

and asked to be
cut in on the deal?

I don't know what
you're getting at.

Well, if the records

the accomplice had falsified
were such that only he,

and not Mr. Thompson,
would be incriminated,

they would then become
a threat to his safety,

and an obstacle to
his accruing a fortune.

Isn't that right?

Well, yes.

To remove both the
threat and the obstacle,

what logically would be
the accomplice's first step?

Well, to, uh...

to destroy the
falsified records.

Destroy them?

You mean, with
something like arson?

A deliberate fire,

such as the one at the
Fallon Paint Company?

Well, yes, that
certainly would do it.

But what if Mr. Thompson
had anticipated that,

and had recorded the
falsified records on microfilm?

I don't understand.

The accomplice then
could only do one thing.

Go to Thompson, get the
microfilm and destroy it.

Even if he had to kill
Thompson to get it.

Isn't that right?

No! No, it wasn't me!

I didn't do it.

Your Honor, I object.

Vivian Ames has testified

that when she talked
with Ned Thompson,

he told her that

Mr. Wells had
already left his place.

Yeah, now-now, that's right.

I was gone.

Your Honor, at this time,

I should like again to
recall Mr. Bert Nickols.

Amory Fallon was knocking
on Thompson's door at 7:00.

Mr. Fallon himself believes

he left the building
immediately after 7:00.

He was seen leaving at 7:45.

It would appear the defendant
doesn't know where he was

for 45 minutes.

Do you know, Mr. Nickols?

Why, I-I don't even know
what you're talking about.

How long does it take you to
drive from Thompson's apartment

to your laboratory at the plant?

Why, about...

It'll be easy to check.

How long does it take?

20 minutes.

You testified you were
at Thompson's apartment

a few minutes before 8:00.

Yet, the janitor
at the laboratory

not only saw Vivian Ames,

but he saw you when you
arrived a few moments after 8:00.

Now, how did you accomplish a
20-minute drive in five minutes?

Look, wait a minute. I...

I don't know. I must
have been confused.

You arrived at Thompson's
apartment at 7:30, not 8:00.

Isn't that so?

Yes.

And on your way up to
Thompson's apartment,

you saw Amory Fallon asleep

on the stairway.

Why, my, uh...

Amory Fallon,
unaccustomed to drink,

had fallen asleep.

He slept for 45 minutes
without knowing it.

But you knew it, didn't you?

You were going to see Thompson,

because the two
of you had a date

to sell the perfected
Martin formula

to Mr. Carlos Silva

of Mexico, so you
didn't dare wake Fallon.

All right, all right!

Fallon was there asleep.

I saw him.

But I didn't kill Thompson.

No?

The killer was
Thompson's accomplice.

He had doctored the books.

He had to then set
the fire to destroy

this evidence against himself.

But Thompson still
had the microfilm.

When the killer left
Thompson's apartment,

he found Amory Fallon's note.

He saw Amory Fallon
asleep on the stairway,

so he went back
to the apartment.

No.

No, what are you talking about?

The killer accidentally

overheard Thompson's
phone call to Vivian Ames,

a phone call setting
up a perfect alibi for him.

So he opened the door, went in,

and then he killed Ned Thompson.

No! No, I didn't
do those things!

I didn't kill Ned Thompson!

And you didn't plant
Fallon's note in his pocket?

No! No!

No, Mr. Nickols...

you didn't kill Thompson.

But you did, Mr. Wells.

Yes! Yes, I killed Ned Thompson.

I killed him!

I killed him! I killed
him! I killed him!

Mr. Fallon was
asleep on the stairs.

Wells took the briefcase
and planted it in the apartment.

I still don't believe it.

I honestly thought

I'd closed my eyes
for only a few minutes.

45 minutes?!

Of course, there was still the
question of motive for Wells.

The fact that, despite
his small salary,

he suddenly had large
sums of money to spend,

with no apparent
source for that money,

and with an insatiable
appetite for more money.

I think you ought
to know, Mr. Fallon,

that's where your
wife was most helpful

in telling us the truth
about her younger brother.

No need to tell me, Mr. Mason.

I know.

I know what that
decision cost you, Edith.

And-And I know
how stupidly wrong

I've been about you.

Thanks for your faith.

And yours, Mr. Mason.

I always have faith, Mr. Fallon.

Faith in what Judge
Learned Hand called

"the eventual
supremacy of reason."