Original subtitles

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I guess your husband didn't know you were coming, Mrs. Gilrain.

Oh, but I'm sure he won't be late getting home.

Uh, he so seldom is.

If there's anything I can... No.

Well, it's simply marvelous having you back.

Thank you.

Good evening. Club Cadenza.

Uh, is Mr. Grimes there?

Mr. Gunner Grimes?

Un moment, s'il vous plaît.

I will see.

And now, ladies and gentlemen,

making his first Los Angeles appearance...

the Club Cadenza proudly presents

Mr. Charlie Hatch.

Charlie?

May as well warn you right now,

I'm one of the sick comedians.

Rheumatism.

I enjoy being here in Los Angeles, though.

It's a wonderful town, absolutely wonderful.

I've only been here two days, and already I...

I've received a picture offer.

My doctor wants to have my liver x-rayed.

He's quite a doctor.

All his patients are sick.

He sent me to a psychiatrist the other day.

Sent me to an Irish psychiatrist.

This psychiatrist doesn't have

a couch, he has a Murphy bed.

Welcome home, darling.

I, uh...

I couldn't stand that place any longer.

And I really am better. I'm a lot better.

Yes, that's, uh, quite apparent.

Oh, you might as well finish it now.

But then you've got to go back.

Please, Tom.

Please, just give me some money and-and let me leave town.

Leave?

Now, if you'll all fasten your seatbelts,

I'll try to get this big clunker off the ground.

Oh, that's where you want to go,

back to your saloon comic.

No, I-I didn't know he was there, really!

I didn't know.

Please, I don't need to go back to the sanitarium.

Just give me some money, and I-I'll go anywhere.

Dr. Iverson, please.

Mr. Gilrain.

It's my money!

And you have no right to keep it from me.

Doctor?

Just what kind of a sanitarium are you operating out there?

You know what I mean.

I just came home and found my wife.

Of course, tonight.

Good evening, Mr. Gilrain.

One of these nights, I'm gonna strike a blow

for saloon comics everywhere...

I'm gonna kill a heckler.

Man, you sure fixed that punk tonight.

They laughed him right out of the joint.

At least you can work in the middle of the floor.

I tell you, in these small clubs

where a girl has to practically dance on the tables,

it's the pinchers that ought to be bombed.

So, put a song in your act.

Think of the high notes you'd be able to hit.

Charlie dog, you got a great audience here.

Multiply him ten times and...

Excuse me, a gentleman to see you, Mr. Hatch.

Send him in.

All right, I'll start. Hello.

End of conversation. Good-bye.

You left out the message in the middle.

I don't use language like that in front of ladies.

Rowena, are you a lady?

Are you kidding?

Take a short walk, kids.

I never thought I'd be glad to see you again,

and you know something? I'm not.

I see you haven't changed any.

Ah, that's where you're wrong.

Two years ago, I'd have belted you on sight.

Now, I'm more charitable.

What do you want?

Well, I'm just waiting for you to ask about my wife.

All right, how is she?

You have been seeing her.

They said there was a man out

at the sanitarium yesterday.

Sanitarium?

Where? What's wrong with her?!

Do you deny that she phoned you just a little while ago?

What's she doing in a sanitarium?

It doesn't matter.

She, uh, ran away tonight.

So, if you haven't heard from her yet,

you will shortly.

But I'm warning you right now, Hatch,

don't interfere!

Why was Anne in a sanitarium?

That's none of your business. What have you done to her?!

Tell me, Gilrain, or I'll break every bone in your body!

Hey, what are you trying to do? Stop it! I'll beat his head in!

Remember what I said, Hatch.

Stay away from my wife.

Brawling is not permitted in the Cadenza Club.

Wait a minute, Remy, wait.

He said she phoned me. Did I get any calls tonight?

No, Mr. Hatch.

Think. It was a woman.

Maybe when I was on the floor.

The only call was for Mr. Grimes.

Was it Anne who called?

Okay, maybe it was.

Why do you want to get mixed up with that dame again?

Don't call her a dame.

Nearly ruined you two years ago... you know,

worrying about her Charlie. Don't do it again.

She's in a sanitarium, isn't she?

Yeah, Glen Haven...

Gilrain said someone was out to see her...

That was you, wasn't it?

I did it for your good, kid. I mean...

See, she sent you this letter a couple of days

ago, but it was kind of wild.

I knew there was something wrong with her, so I went out there

to see, you know, thinking to protect you.

Oh, so you stopped the letter, too, huh?

Take it easy, will you? Listen to me, now.

You can't do her no good.

She's sick.

Stay away from her.

Now, look, you've got to get ready for the next show.

Come on, I'll explain the whole thing to you later.

You've been with me a long time, Gunner.

But if you've messed anything up...

If I can't find Anne... You're out, understand?

Out for good.

You know the trouble with me, Mr. Brigham?

I'm always falling for the wrong guys...

The small-timers, the half-smart ones.

Well, maybe your luck's going to change.

I'm telling you,

the next guy is going to have assets.

And he's going to let me count them.

Or there'll be no deal.

Won't he have to have any, uh, charm, brains or muscle?

Oh, he'll have those,

if he comes up with the loot.

Well, I think I'll be running along now, Rowena.

Maybe I'll start saving my money.

Good night, Mr. Brigham.

Friend of yours?

I don't know yet.

If he's as loaded as he lets on,

he might become a very good friend.

Will you lay off that stuff and give me a chance?

I-I told you I was trying to work things out.

There's, uh... complications.

I may need a little help.

There'll be a phone call for me.

And if I'm not here...

If it comes in tomorrow sometime

during the daytime...

The club'll switch it over to your apartment.

Okay?

Who's calling?

Never mind.

Just take the message.

And then what?

And then, you start packing a bag.

We're going away: you and me,

and more than $50,000.

I was just a guy with a million laughs

and a rented tux.

Doing fill-ins mostly...

Private shows, private parties.

20 bucks a crack.

Afterwards, we'd sit in an Italian restaurant, Anne and me,

till they practically swept us out.

Hmm. You've come quite a way in two years.

Yeah, but all alone.

She married a guy named Gilrain.

How did that happen?

I don't know. He was there, I guess.

Probably gave her a snow job when she was

too cracked up to know what was going on.

See, she lost both her parents in an automobile accident.

I didn't know about it. I...

I didn't tell her I left town to take a new job.

Oh? Why not?

Well, never mind that.

What I want to know is the quickest way to get Anne

out of this mess.

There is no quickest way, Mr. Hatch.

As long as Anne is properly married

to Gilrain, you can't interfere.

The law is on his side.

But do you happen to know if he was married before?

Yeah, as a matter of fact, he was. But so what?

Well, we can certainly investigate

the legal status of that marriage, and if there's

anything irregular...

But Anne needs help right now!

Is that why she was in the sanitarium?

I don't know why she was in, but I guarantee you one thing...

She's not going back.

I'm afraid there's nothing

you can say about that, either, Charlie.

That's between Anne and her husband.

Suppose she leaves him.

No law says she can't get a divorce, is there?

That depends on whether

she entered the sanitarium voluntarily.

No, Gilrain probably put her there,

so he could get control of her money.

How about that, Mr. Mason, is

that legal?

If he had a court order, yes.

Then they gave him a license to steal.

Okay, I'll handle it my way.

Now, wait a moment.

Why? Seems to me I've wasted enough of your time already.

But thank you, Mr. Mason.

Thanks for listening.

I'm sorry there weren't any laughs.

Hello.

Uh, hello. Is Mr. Grimes there?

I... I have an appointment.

He's not here.

Well, I was told to call this number.

I-I'm sorry.

Wait a minute, honey.

D-Did you call the Cadenza Club?

Well, yes, but...

Okay. Mr. Grimes said I was to take a message.

He'll get in touch with me.

Does that make sense?

Yes. Uh, would you tell him that

I'll be waiting for him at Nico's at, uh, 10:00?

It's on Beachwood Drive.

Hello, Charlie.

Hello, Anne.

I've been looking all over for you.

Every place I could possibly think of.

I sure never thought you'd remember Nico's.

Well, of course I remember. I...

A-As a matter of fact, I'm meeting someone here.

I...

Charlie, I didn't want you to see me like this.

Like what?

You look beautiful.

I'm, uh, planning to go away.

Uh, Tom thinks I'm sick,

but all I need is a long rest.

For what?

Oh, sweetheart, you look great.

Uh... terrific.

Gorgeous.

I heard about your folks.

I tried to get in touch with you.

I found out you were married.

Oh, baby, what happened?

Mama's little girl never grew up, I guess.

Then when they weren't there anymore,

I just sort of fell apart. I...

I really don't know what happened.

Except that... Tom seemed so kind.

Well, he was kind, until we actually got married.

Tom Gilrain was a nothing.

Now he's a nothing with money in his pocket.

Yours, I suppose.

You still say the things you think.

Well, anyway, I-I needed someone to manage things.

You see, when you and I broke up,

I became very busy...

With this.

You mean... that's all that's wrong?

That's why I went to the sanitarium.

Tom felt drinking was dangerous for me.

He knew how terrified I was of becoming an alcoholic.

But you went to the sanitarium on your own?

I mean, he didn't put you there?

No.

But since I practically had a nervous breakdown, I...

Then you don't have to go back...

To the sanitarium or to Gilrain.

You don't want to go back to him, do you?

Oh, no. That's all over.

I was planning on going away as soon as I found some money

somewhere.

I have plenty for both of us.

Will you listen to me for a while,

instead of everybody else?

Anne, I haven't been alive without you.

Sweetheart, would you look at me?

Come on, Anne, let's go.

She's not going anyplace with you, Gilrain.

Oh, yes.

She's going back to Dr. Iverson's.

Aren't you, dear?

You beat it.

Stay out of this, Hatch.

I'm talking to my wife.

Talk fast, because she won't be your wife much longer.

Now are you going to leave her alone,

or do I have to belt you?

Why don't you? That might be very helpful.

Mr. Hatch, stop. Now, take it easy.

You let Nico handle this, huh?

You, take your business someplace else,

before I call a cop.

I'd be glad to.

Just as soon as my wife is ready.

Your wife?

We don't want no trouble, mister.

Take your wife and get out, okay?

You stay right there, honey.

Maybe you should call the cops... for him.

Come on. Mr. Hatch, take easy.

A man's got a right to take his wife home.

A cop would tell you the same thing.

You took a key of mine. I want it back.

Hey, Charlie dog, what's the matter?

I just happened to come in here, and here you are, the funny man.

Only you're not making jokes, Charlie. What is it?

If he keeps wrecking her life like this, I'll kill him.

I don't care what happens, I'll kill him.

Mr. Hatch, don't talk like that.

He's got the law on his side.

Hey, Nico, get us a drink, will ya?

Hey, Charlie, i-it's me... Rowena.

There's got to be some justice in this world.

I'll kill that Gilrain, so help me, I'll kill him.

Oh, Charlie.

Yes, Mr. Gilrain.

Hello?

Hello?

What did you say?

Mr. Gilrain?

Hello? Hello?

Mrs. Gilrain, I know it's been a shock,

but I have to ask you some questions.

You feel up to it?

Yes, Lieutenant McVey, I'm all right.

Good.

Now Dr. Iverson says you left the sanitarium

a couple of days ago.

Yes.

And you went to your husband's apartment in town?

Yes. I went there to pick up some things I needed,

and then I went to a hotel.

And you came back here last night.

Quite late, wasn't it?

I don't know, I guess so.

Did you see your husband before his death last night?

Yes.

It was a lot earlier... About 10:30, I guess.

Do you know if your husband had any enemies?

Look, I don't know.

I've been in this sanitarium for months now,

and I'm completely out of touch with anything about my husband.

Dr. Iverson, you said you had a record of visitors here.

Yes, that's right.

They're required to sign our visitors book.

May I see who's been coming to see Mrs. Gilrain, please?

Why?

Well, no, Doctor, he has no right to do...

I'm sorry.

I'm afraid the police do have that right.

Listen, there was only one visitor in the last few weeks,

and he isn't important at all.

This one?

Yes, Grimes.

First name appears to be Gunner.

The writing isn't very legible.

I can assure you, Lieutenant, he has nothing to do

with this. I know, ma'am,

but he might lead us to someone else.

You know, uh, I really don't like

to have to poke around like this, but when you're upset,

naturally you have a hard time remembering things like, uh...

Like even what time you got back here last night.

It must have been a little after midnight.

But what possible difference

could it make?

The night matron said she let you in at 2:15.

Does that sound about right?

I guess maybe

you didn't know, ma'am...

Your husband was shot right around 1:00 a.m.

I'm not sure what it is you want, Charlie.

I'm not even sure why you're here.

But that's the guy Anne married...

Tom Gilrain.

What do you think I ought to do?

I don't know how deeply you're involved.

Well, I'm in love with his wife.

Or his widow.

And I sure hope whoever plugged him

gets a big, shiny medal for it.

You know, Charlie, I did have

the Gilrain marriages investigated.

It's possible he married Anne a little too soon

after an interlocutory decree.

So their marriage might have been set aside.

If you'd only waited.

Oh, now, look, Mr. Mason, I didn't kill him.

Only the police will be looking for me pretty soon.

You see, they picked up Gunner Grimes a couple of hours ago.

Who's he?

Gunner? Well, he sort of looks after me.

You know, goes for coffee, things like that.

I give him a few bucks every now and then, and...

Why was he picked up?

They probably found out that he went

to the sanitarium to see Anne.

Oh, maybe I forgot to tell you.

You see, Anne wrote me a letter about a week ago.

Gunner... he handles my mail, so he went out to see her.

I didn't know.

Well, it seems to me you have a choice,

if this man Gunner doesn't reveal your connection with Anne.

Oh, he'll sing like a nightingale.

Don't let the name fool you.

Gunner... he's afraid of the dark.

Then I suggest you go to the police before they come

to you. That's a good idea, Mr. Mason.

Maybe I should go down and see them

a-and tell them anything I know.

Except I would feel a little better

if you went along with me.

All right, I'll go with you.

But with the very clear understanding

that I'm free to withdraw

if I find you haven't told me everything.

You got yourself a firm deal.

Well, I wish I'd known you were coming, Perry.

I would have, uh... tidied the place up.

Hardly worth the trouble.

This is just a casual visit.

Yes. When a lawyer says that, he usually means off the record.

Well, that's all right.

We, uh, may change the rules later.

Oh, I guess you know, uh, Lieutenant McVey.

He's been handling the Gilrain case, uh... up to now.

Nice of you to drop in, Mr. Hatch.

Saved me a trip.

And it may save Charlie a little unwanted publicity.

You have some information that may be of help to us, I take it.

Nope, can't think of a thing.

Your attorney brought you here just to assure us that you have

no connection with the murder?

Look, Lieutenant, let's stop kidding around.

By now you know I'm a friend of Mrs. Gilrain's.

Let's get on with it.

McVEY: How good a friend?

I knew her before she married that crumb.

And since?

She's still a friend.

McVEY: Didn't Gilrain object?

In fact, didn't he object so

strongly that the two of you got in a brawl

in your dressing room the other night?

You really turned Gunner Grimes on, didn't you?

Like I said, no guts.

Let's have your version of the fight.

Fight? There was no fight.

Gilrain was a nothing.

You saw Gilrain again last night, didn't you, Hatch?

Yeah, yeah, I saw him again.

A little after 10:00 at Nico's Restaurant.

But I didn't see him after that.

10:00.

What time's the show go on at the Cadenza Club?

I do the first show at 9:00, the second show is between 12:00 and

1:00 a.m. Uh-huh.

1:00 a.m... that's about the time Gilrain was shot.

Well, Perry, that's all the questions

we're going to ask your client.

Fine.

Until I can get a stenographer in

to take down a formal statement.

Now, just a moment.

I'd like to confer with my client alone.

But I reserved the right to, uh, change the rules, Counselor.

In that case, I'm instructing Mr. Hatch

to say no more at all.

These guys don't bother me, Mr. Mason.

If you're wondering why I didn't do the second show

last night, the answer's simple.

I got stoned.

All right, I'll give you five minutes alone.

Then he makes a statement,

or I'll book him as a material witness.

If you recall, Mr. Hatch,

there was a slight proviso attached to my representing you.

Unless I get the truth right now,

I, too, am going to change the rules.

I didn't kill Gilrain.

Nobody would have known it from your answers.

Now, what's the idea? You trying to keep the police

from looking in Anne's direction?

Is this place bugged?

That's hardly necessary with you.

Do you think she killed her husband?

You certain?

Well, I know I didn't do it.

Believe me, Mr. Mason,

she had plenty of reasons to.

He was no good. He was a... Ugh!

Do you seriously intend to let yourself

be charged with murder to protect her?

Let me ask you something.

When somebody is charged with murder and then acquitted,

do the cops ever start a new investigation

and arrest somebody else?

Do you remember one case where they ever did that?

At the moment, no.

However, there's one small flaw with that idea:

You may incriminate yourself to the point of no return.

Ah, but I'm holding back an ace.

I have an alibi...

somebody who knows where I was every minute.

Well, of course, Mr. Mason,

Charlie was right here in my apartment.

I-I mean, somebody had to take care of the poor guy.

He'd had too much to drink, and he passed out

on your divan, is that correct?

Like somebody knocked him in the head.

Thank you, Miss Leach.

Uh, but of course,

I-I don't know how long he stayed out.

What do you mean?

Well, naturally, I was in the other room,

and I came out once in the middle of the night

to see if he was all right, and, uh... he wasn't there.

Charlie told me he was here all night.

Well, sure, he was on the couch when I got up the next morning.

He said he'd come out here on the patio

to get some fresh air, that's all.

Do you remember what time you woke during the night?

Hmm, it was around 2:00, 'cause I thought he'd left to go home,

and-and I thought he'd have trouble catching a cab

at that time of night.

But, but, look, Mr. Mason,

I'll say that Charlie was here

all week, if it'll help.

Oh, I-I-I-I mean, I'll say anything that you'd like.

Shall I?

Hamburgers and coffee, please.

Mr. Drake, it was, uh, kind of you

to drive me into the city...

but you're not just doing me a favor, are you?

No, your friend Charlie Hatch is in

serious trouble, Mrs. Gilrain.

He may even be charged with murder.

I didn't want him to get involved. He shouldn't have...

They why did you go looking for him last night?

I didn't! He found me at Nico's.

Oh, then it was Gunner Grimes

you were really trying to reach.

Why, Mrs. Gilrain?

Well, my husband had control of my money,

and Mr. Grimes knew how I could get ahold of some of it.

How did Grimes know about it?

Well, he was in business with my husband some time ago.

And he told me that Tom had some money in a safe deposit box

in a bank in the suburbs somewhere.

Well, I knew where Tom kept the key, so I

took it.

Did you get the money?

No, I changed my mind.

Which bank, Mrs. Gilrain?

Mr. Grimes wouldn't tell me that until I got the key.

He probably wasn't taking any chances

on getting his share.

He didn't want any of the money.

He just wanted me to stay away from Charlie.

What sort of business was it

your husband had had with Grimes?

I don't know.

It must have been back when I first met Tom.

That was at Lake Tahoe.

That's where I met Charlie, too.

Lake Tahoe.

I don't know anyone named Gunner Grimes,

but Gilrain, yes.

He worked here about two years ago.

Thanks. What was his job?

He was a dealer.

You, uh, mind telling me why he left?

He didn't give a reason.

Then he wasn't fired.

Nope.

Do you know Charlie Hatch?

Oh, sure, Charlie got his start right here.

He's made it big since those days.

His next booking may be in a courtroom.

For knocking off Gilrain?

He's the number-one suspect.

Okay.

Two weeks after Gilrain quit his job here,

the club was robbed.

Gilrain?

Who knows?

Two men, neither was ever identified.

Gilrain's name came up once in a police investigation.

That's all I know.

Well, that puts a new face on things.

Was it a big robbery?

$65,000.

I'd say murder's been done for a lot less, wouldn't you?

Mr. Drake then double-checked

and found that the police up there

at Tahoe had, uh... dropped the entire investigation.

Oh? That so?

This often seems to happen when an insurance company takes over.

Now we find it's your company that's involved, Mr. Brigham.

That's right. Company paid off

on that insurance claim some time ago.

Mr. Brigham, I'm quite aware that your job is

to recover the money, not to put people in jail.

That's the only reason Gilrain's name

never showed up again.

Am I correct?

Yes, Mr. Mason, that's correct.

Oh, I've dug up plenty of evidence against Gilrain,

but I've never come up with any of the money,

and it should have been easy.

They got stacks of new bills,

all the serial numbers were on record.

Could have been taken out of the country.

No, I don't think so.

While they were waiting for it to cool off,

Gilrain married a very rich girl.

The way I see it, the stolen money probably became

just a big problem to him after that.

Yeah, just might have left it where it was hidden.

Well, he certainly didn't need it.

But I was counting on the fact that the second man

wouldn't be so well off.

What does that mean?

Well, I'm gonna level with you.

I've been living across the hall from Gilrain for some time now.

I've been checking up on everybody who's ever gone

in or out of his apartment.

The second man is probably in my notebook.

I just haven't been able to sift him out.

That's a pretty big stakeout for one man.

Oh, I've had some help;

I've got an arrangement with the desk clerk.

Would it be possible for me to see that notebook?

Why, sure, Mr. Mason.

But you'll have to check with the police.

They're holding it for evidence.

Is Charlie Hatch's name in that notebook of yours?

The last entry.

The night of the murder, about 12:45.

Yes, it was about 1:00 a.m. I had been dozing.

Then the switchboard lighted up,

as if Mr. Gilrain wanted to make a call.

When he just mumbled something,

I went up to see what was wrong.

He was dead by the time I got there.

Now you say that he mumbled something.

Would you tell this court, sir, if you were able

to distinguish what he said?

Yes. He said, "Hatch, Hatch."

I think that'll be

all, sir. Thank you.

Mr. Mason.

Mr. Lordan, is it true that you'd been retained

for some time by an insurance investigator

to note all visitors to the Gilrain apartment?

I, uh, I don't understand the question.

Then let me put it to you another way.

Did you ever, at any time, see the defendant

in that apartment building?

Never.

Then when Mr. Gilrain mumbled something over the phone

that sounded like "Hatch,"

you did not know to whom he was referring?

Not at that moment.

I didn't know anyone named Hatch.

Then wouldn't it be fair to say that it wasn't until

after the arrest of the defendant

that you realized the significance

of the name?

It's possible, Mr. Mason.

Are you absolutely positive that what you heard mumbled

over the phone was not, "Help, help"?

Absolutely positive?

Thank you. No further questions.

Yes, sir, I was living in the apartment

directly across the corridor from his.

In other words,

you had Mr. Gilrain's apartment under surveillance?

That's right, sir.

Why?

Well, I was interested in some stolen money

that I thought he had cached away.

And I hoped I could find out who his partner

in the robbery was.

Mr. Brigham, can you identify this notebook for us?

Yes, yes, that's mine.

I kept a list of Mr. Gilrain's visitors in it.

And did you put down the visitors' names

at or about the time they actually entered his apartment?

Yes, sir, that's right.

Now Mr. Brigham, I want you to read for us, please, the

last two entries in this notebook

made on the night of the murder.

Let's see. Ah...

"10:30 p.m.:

"Mrs. Gilrain went in with her husband.

At 12:45, Charlie Hatch arrived."

That's a dirty lie.

I was in Rowena's place all night.

Don't forget that you were drunk.

Then you actually saw the defendant enter

the deceased's apartment approximately 15 minutes

before the established time

of Mr. Gilrain's death?

No, no, no, I didn't. Uh, I was busy on the phone.

Anyway, I didn't think

Charlie Hatch was involved in the robbery,

so I didn't pay any more attention after he went in.

I see. That'll be all, sir.

Mr. Mason?

Mr. Brigham, the desk clerk Mr. Lordan stated

that he'd never seen the defendant

in the apartment building.

Well, then I won't pay him for that night.

But, uh, how could you be so sure Mr. Hatch wasn't someone

you were interested in?

I recognized him.

Oh, I'd caught his act a couple of times

at the Club Cadenza.

In the line of duty, that is.

Would you explain that, please?

Oh, well, I... I was checking up on someone at the club

that I thought was the second man

in the robbery. And who was that?

Objection.

Your Honor, Mr. Brigham has testified

that the defendant has nothing to do with the robbery.

Therefore, Mr. Mason's question

about a second man in the robbery

has no possible bearing

on the murder.

Mr. Mason?

Your Honor, a man suspected of holding $65,000

in stolen money has been killed.

I think we're dealing here

with a strong and clear possibility of motive.

Your Honor, the prosecution is presenting

its case at the moment.

If Mr. Mason will just be patient,

we'll show the motive for the murder.

Until that time, I think it's highly irregular

for the defense attorney to cross-examine

on matters not yet introduced.

All right, now, Mr. Burger.

But, Counselor, I'm going to sustain the objection.

Then I've no further questions of this witness, Your Honor.

I call Elwood Grimes to the stand, please.

Elwood?

Perry, I went through some old clothes

and records the widow dug up for me. Any luck?

Yep. A receipt for a safe deposit box in a suburban branch

- of the Fidelity Bank. - Do you solemnly

swear to tell the truth, the whole...?

Good work. Maybe $65,000 worth.

- State your name. - Elwood P. Grimes.

Be seated.

Mr. Grimes, would you please describe for us

your relationship to the defendant?

Well, I'm his, um... well, bodyguard, for one thing.

You mean by that that he needed to be protected?

Oh, yeah, he needed.

Everybody could put the bite on him.

Charlie never could say no to nobody with a sob story.

You know, artists are kind of emotional-like,

and, uh... Yes, of course.

Now let's leave that area for a moment, Mr. Grimes.

Would you please describe for us the events that took place

the night prior to the murder in the dressing room

of the defendant?

Yeah, well, Gilrain come in, and he started shouting around.

Shouting around?

What exactly did he say?

Well, he said, uh, uh... "Stay away from my wife, Hatch."

Of course, he

didn't mean nothing 'cause, uh,

Charlie hadn't seen her in two years.

How do you know that?

Because I kept 'em apart.

You see, when Charlie heard that she married Gilrain,

it busted him up bad.

Now, I didn't want that to happen again,

so I, uh... I didn't show him a letter she wrote,

and, uh, I headed off her phone calls and...

I mean, you know, I was...

being a bodyguard, don't you think?

Mr. Grimes, tell me this.

Did Mr. Hatch ever find out

that Mrs. Gilrain was trying to reach him?

Oh, sure. It was that night, right in the dressing room.

That's why he got sore at me.

Thank you, Mr. Grimes. That'll be all. Mr. Mason?

Mr. Grimes, in your efforts

to protect the defendant from Mrs. Gilrain,

did you talk to her yourself?

Yeah. I told her it was better for Charlie

if she stayed away.

Isn't it true that you also discussed a plan

for stealing a large amount of money?

Money Mr. Gilrain kept in a safe deposit box?

Do what? What do you mean?

I hardly knew the dame, except to talk to her.

Now, what do you want to go after me something like that for?

Thank you, Mr. Grimes. Thank you.

No further questions.

Now, Mrs. Gilrain, out of deference to your ill health,

I'll be as brief as possible with the rest of this.

You say that after you left Nico's that night,

you accompanied your husband to his apartment. Why?

Well, Tom had control of my money,

and I wanted some to go someplace for a rest.

Did you suggest a divorce?

Yes.

With the idea of marrying

the defendant when you were free?

Well, I hadn't thought that far ahead.

Well, did your husband agree to the divorce?

No.

I see. I think that'll be all, Mrs. Gilrain.

This court will reconvene tomorrow morning at 9:30.

Paul, we'll have to get to that bank before everyone goes home.

Okay, we'll hurry, but the money isn't going anywhere.

I have an idea it's been gone for some time.

I can only go by the record, Mr. Mason.

It seems the box was rented before I came here

by two persons:

George Engstrom and T.H. Gilrain.

Engstrom could be a phony name.

You said there was something special about the box.

Yes. Well, as you know,

it usually requires two keys to open a box.

One key goes to the subscriber, the other to the bank.

Well, in this case, they requested a third lock.

A special box had to be built.

That is, two keys to the subscriber and one to the bank.

Let's assume that George Engstrom had possession

of both keys.

He'd have access to the box, would he not?

Providing he presented signed authorization from T.H. Gilrain.

And that was done, wasn't it?

Uh, probably last Wednesday?

The day after the murder.

No, I find nothing in the records

to indicate that anybody got into the box, Mr. Mason.

However, somebody did show up Wednesday

uh, with, uh... only one key and no authorization.

Then he didn't get into the box?

Oh, no, it wasn't a he. It was a woman.

Uh, can you describe her?

Yes, I-I remember she was a young woman.

Dark haired.

Very pretty.

She wore sunglasses.

But she left rather hurriedly

after she found she couldn't get into the box.

Uh, but you mentioned the word "murder."

I noticed that, uh, one of these names looked familiar to me.

Uh, T.H. Gilrain.

It's the, um, Gilrain who was murdered.

So I'm sure you'll want to seal the box.

Oh, yes. I better get the manager. Excuse me.

Dark haired and very pretty.

So, it must have been Mrs. Gilrain.

Let's see. Her husband caught up with her

at Nico's the night before.

He took her home and tried to take the key away from her.

They fought and she killed him.

Well...

that sure takes your client off the hook, doesn't it?

If I follow that line of reasoning, Paul,

my client is very apt to stand up and confess to murder.

That would be mighty noble of him.

He's a comedian.

You stated yesterday, Mrs. Gilrain,

that your husband controlled

the money you inherited from your father.

Yes. He kept telling me

I wasn't competent to handle it myself.

When you left the sanitarium to get some of your money,

where did you expect to get it?

In a safe deposit box.

There was money in it.

I-I didn't know how much.

How did you discover the existence of that box?

Mr. Grimes told me. All I had to do was get him the key,

and I was pretty sure I knew where my husband kept it.

Do you know where Mr. Grimes

got his knowledge of that money?

No, I don't.

Mr. Grimes and my husband had been in business,

uh, together in the past.

Then you had no way of knowing

whether this money was part of your inheritance

or the proceeds from their previous business.

No. I didn't think it made any difference.

Anyway, I gave the key back to my husband.

You didn't go to a suburban branch of the Fidelity Bank

on Wednesday, the day

after the murder?

Well, no, I didn't.

I-I didn't even know what bank to go to.

All I knew was that Mr. Grimes was going to give me some money

if-if I got ahold of the key that would go

with some other key that would open the box.

That'll be all.

Now, Miss Leach, will you tell this court

what else transpired at Nico's Restaurant

the night of the murder?

Well, Charlie dog started to take a swing

at that Mr. Gilrain.

You're referring to the defendant, Charlie Hatch?

That's right. Only I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt him,

'cause after they left... Mr. Gilrain and his wife...

Charlie dog was so upset, he was crying.

Were you able to determine the cause of his, uh, grief?

Well, I don't blame him for being shook.

But-But just because a guy takes a swing at somebody

doesn't mean he'd belt him for good.

So now, isn't it true

that Charlie Hatch loudly proclaimed

that night that he intended to kill Tom Gilrain?

W-Well, maybe he did say something like that,

but-but maybe he'd been drinking, too.

Like, later he was drunk, I told you.

Why-Why, he had to sleep on my couch the whole night.

And you can swear that he didn't leave

sometime after you were asleep and return,

perhaps hours later?

Well, of course he didn't.

He-He told me he only went out on the patio to get...

Oh...

Very well.

You may cross-examine.

Miss Leach, you do believe

the defendant never left your apartment

on the night of the murder, do you not?

Oh, I'm sure he didn't.

Objection.

The witness is stating an opinion.

Sustained.

Strike it from the record.

Apparently, you're not going to be allowed

to provide Mr. Hatch with an alibi.

By the same token, of course,

he won't be able to provide one for you.

Well, I didn't know I needed one.

Why, I only saw Mr. Gilrain twice in my whole life.

Then you would have no knowledge of the money

he kept in his safe deposit box?

W-Well, no.

And you didn't go to the Fidelity Bank

and try to get into that box?

No.

In your nightclub act, do you ever have occasion

to use a wig?

Well, maybe I have a few times.

Did you, on the Wednesday morning after the murder,

put on a dark wig, go to the Fidelity Bank,

and try to get into Tom Gilrain's

safe deposit box?

Oh, I should have known.

Half-smart guys... That's all I ever meet.

Small-timers. All they give you is a bunch of big talk.

How did you get the key to that box, Miss Leach?

He gave it to me.

He told me all I had to do was sign

Mrs. Gilrain's name a-and we'd take off to South America

with more than 50 grand.

To whom were you pointing?

To him!

Mr. Ed half-smart Brigham!

May it please the court,

I would like to recall Mr. Brigham to the stand.

The last time I was on the stand, Mr. Mason,

you asked me a question.

You wanted to know who I was checking on

at the Club Cadenza.

Is it all right if I answer that question now?

I hear no objection.

Well, it was Gunner Grimes.

He was the second man involved in the robbery.

It was Grimes and Gilrain, but I couldn't prove it.

Anyway, my company was only interested

in recovering the stolen money, and

when I found Grimes to be entirely cooperative,

I assured him the company wouldn't prosecute

if the money was still there.

Now that's why I sent Miss Leach to the bank.

With the understanding that you and she would keep the money

and leave for South America?

Well, that's the line I gave her, but...

Well, it may not have been very nice,

but I'd already told the company

I was going to get results,

and as quietly as I could.

Will you tell us now where and how you obtained the key?

From Grimes.

Well, I told you... I'd frankly made a deal with him.

I'd assured him the company wouldn't prosecute

if he'd make restitution.

And he accepted?

Well, he handed over the key.

Isn't it true, Mr. Brigham, that two keys,

aside from the bank's, are needed

to open that particular box?

Well, apparently, yes, but I-I didn't know that at the time.

Are you telling us that Grimes agreed to the deal,

handed you his key, yet neglected to tell you

that a second key was required?

Yeah, that's right.

Well, he never mentioned it at the time.

You didn't get that key from Grimes.

You got it from Tom Gilrain.

You murdered Gilrain,

planned to keep the money, and leave for South America

with or without Miss Leach.

Now, that's a lie.

I got that key from Grimes.

But you tried to get the money the day after the murder.

I've already told you about that.

I was trying to operate for the company

and keep it quiet.

Look, there was a big bonus in this thing for me.

I didn't want all that money impounded,

tied up in the courts.

That's not true, Mr. Brigham, not at all.

You never intended to give a penny of that money

to your company, and you got that key off the body

of the man you murdered.

I got that key off of Grimes!

Now, look, I don't know where he got

that key... maybe he took it off of Gilrain, but not me!

That should be very simple to prove.

Mr. Grimes, do you still have your key

to that box? Right here.

You bet your life, I got it.

That was Gilrain's key he had.

I don't care if I go to jail for robbery,

but nobody's going to nail me for murder.

It was him!

He was trying to take my money!

He was even trying to steal my girl.

Well, that would have been my biggest mistake, wouldn't it?

I'll bet that dame would have wound up with every penny of it.

You know, I still can't get over Gunner having enough courage

to commit a robbery. Gilrain, yeah,

but Gunner?

Almost anyone is capable of a crime

under certain circumstances.

Actually, Brigham never intended to commit murder.

He'd overheard Gilrain talking to Anne

about the key earlier that night,

and later, when he tried to sneak in and get it,

Gilrain woke up, jumped him, and that was it.

Perry, after Rowena couldn't get in the box

the next day with just that one key,

you think Brigham would have made a deal with Gunner.

Oh, he tried to.

For a big, fat split

and a promise not to prosecute on robbery,

Gunner was supposed to keep quiet about everything.

Even if, uh, Brigham threw his name around in court.

But that's when the panic set in, eh?

Like I said, no guts.

I guess Gunner finally realized

that Brigham was the murderer, that's all.

And that he'd leave Gunner holding the whole sack.

Same way Brigham tried

to leave you holding it, Charlie. Huh?

By making up evidence against you

about where you were that night, remember?

You mean, I never really left Rowena's?

I really was passed out on that couch of hers all night?

Well, I certainly hope so, Charlie.