All language subtitles for Perry Mason S05E07 The Case of the Pathetic Patient.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

♪ ♪

Palm View Medical Center.

Well, now, what
do you think of that?

Dr. Wayne Edley.

Miss York, what
on earth's going on?

It's that Mr. Widlock who
telephoned yesterday.

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

I told him it was
after your lunchtime,

but it didn't seem
to do any good.

Doc?

You in there?

Mr. Widlock.

Crutches... I'm sorry.

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

Why? What's this?

Since I phoned
for an appointment,

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

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

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

Go ahead, take a look at it.

What do you see?

It looks like there was
once a small fracture there.

Well, now, that's just

what the X-ray man
in Beverly Hills said.

And you know something, Doc?

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

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

you'll see I told you about it.

Miss York.

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

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

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

that you did not
have a fractured hip

when you were
my patient last year.

I remember very well.

Uh, may I see you
please, Doctor?

Yes, Miss York.

Excuse me.

Excuse us.

You've forgotten
about that fire last April.

What's the fire
got to do with it?

Over here.

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

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

Between "U" and "Z"?

That's right through
"W" for Widlock.

Ah, swell.

Well, Doc?

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

you took on that
broken-down machine of yours?

Let's sit down, Mr. Widlock.

I think we ought
to discuss this.

No, I don't want to sit down.

My hip hurts.

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

I guess you got
enough to pay me.

There's a thing
called malpractice,

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

For every penny you've got.

Hi, Janice.

Grif, you didn't
even wait for me.

Well, we got to the framing

a little earlier
than I'd figured.

Hey, hasn't Wayne
been out to watch?

No.

The least we should've
done is broken open

a bottle of champagne
over a sawhorse.

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

as me and the sawhorse.

Oh, yes he would.

You just don't understand Wayne.

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

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

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

Particularly when it
keeps me in business.

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

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

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

Wayne!

Excuse me, Grif. Yeah.

Malpractice?

Well, he claims I was
treating him for bursitis

when he was actually suffering
from an undetected fracture.

I'd like to fracture his head.

Oh, but there must be
some way of stopping him

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

Oh, he finally got around

to mentioning a
settlement, naturally.

Gave me 24 hours to decide.

How much will he settle for?

$5,000.

$5,000...?

But that isn't so terribly much.

What? I wouldn't
settle for five cents.

I know that, darling.

And I also know we
don't have $5,000.

Oh, you're darn right
we don't have $5,000.

But we have insurance, don't we?

Look, we've got to be realistic.

We're in a small town...

Even one breath of
suspicion can hurt you.

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

if one person says you did...

Don't be ridiculous!

Besides, nobody'd say
that about your uncle.

My uncle?

What's he got to do with this?

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

This happened last year.

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

I'm sure I did in this case.

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

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

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

out of the millions
he's looked at.

Dear, he used to
make diagrams for me

to illustrate his conclusions.

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

Oh, where you going?

Well, Miss York's canceling
all my appointments.

I'm going to drive
down to Los Angeles.

I was thinking maybe
your uncle's old laboratory

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

Darling, wait.

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

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

Someone like who?

Oh, you're so quick-tempered.

No, no, someone
like who, Leslie Hall?

Well, you can at
least trust Leslie.

And he does know
about local things.

Well, he'd realize
what could happen

to your new clinic if it...

Janice, the last thing
in the world that I need

is advice from your
hick town boyfriend.

Now, there are
principles involved.

Oh, darling, I'm sorry.

I was just trying to...

I know.

But you let me do this my way.

All right?

Bye.

When Gates retired
and went abroad to live,

he pulled up most of his stakes.

But he did leave some
of his medical library here.

Thought I might like to use it,

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

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

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

Oh, yes, I remember those.

We boxed them up, I think,

with some of his
other personal things.

Where are they now?

What did you do with them?

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

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

Why don't you ask that fellow

who handles his business
affairs in this country?

Name's Hall.

Leslie Hall, I think it is.

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

Hello.

Well, Wayne, I'm
glad you called.

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

What trouble?

Come on, don't give me that.

I just finished
talking to Janice.

She had no business...

Wayne, you know you
can trust in my discretion.

Don't blame Janice.

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

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

and, well, I must
say I sympathize.

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

and we can sit down
and talk this thing through.

Well, there's
nothing to talk about.

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

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

Oh, forget about those, Wayne.

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

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

and be done with it?

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

Leslie, I just want
to find the books.

Now, where are they?

Well, as I remember...

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

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

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

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

♪ ♪

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

Oh, there you are.

Hurry up, Roger,
I want to get in.

Is that so?

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

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

There's just a few things

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

My property, all of
it, you understand?

Yeah.

Taxes, mortgage, dry well...

That's what dear
Uncle Gates handed me.

Unlike poor Cousin Janice he
ups and sends a cool $100,000 to,

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

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

and let me inside.

Wipe your feet.

Roger's not a very
polite young man.

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

And we hunted through
every box and crate

without finding a trace of
those little black notebooks.

I'm sure it must
be very frustrating,

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

Well, you were the
housekeeper for Janice's uncle

for so many years,
I thought maybe

he might have stored
some things with you.

Personal things that
he might want to keep,

like maybe some notebooks.

The only thing he left with me

was the nicest of
all possible gifts:

an annuity.

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

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

Thanks again.

You know, if I were
you, young man,

I'd go right back
to Leslie Hall.

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

I know. I know.

Janice was engaged to him

before she suddenly up
and decided to marry you.

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

Just see him.

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

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

a saying almost as
old as the common law.

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

Yes, I know.

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

She's timid and frightened
by something like this,

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

You can also just plain lose,

if there isn't any
evidence or corroboration

of your original
diagnosis of this man.

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

And on his part, there's a hip

that was actually
once fractured.

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

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

Let some character who's
obviously broken that hip

after I treated him

just walk all over
me for $5,000?

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

Come in, Paul.

You're just in time.

Paul Drake, Dr. Edley.

How do you do, Doctor?

How do you do?

Mr. Drake has handled

a good many
malpractice investigations

for insurance companies.

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

I'm afraid of
their reaction as...

Suppose you let us
take care of it for you?

Mr. Drake can contact
them if necessary.

Perry, Della briefed me
pretty thoroughly just now.

As I understand it, Doctor,

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

both professionally
and financially.

Then, out of the blue,

he offered to let you off
the hook for only $5,000?

Yes, provided the money
is paid within 24 hours.

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

Forget it, Doctor.

This doesn't give
us much time, Paul.

It'll be enough.

Don't worry, Doctor.

Well, well, well.

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

What did you
find? Police record?

Draft dodging? Baby killing?

Mr. Drake, my car is
not even double parked

because I don't own one.

Let's just say I'm stubborn.

Suppose this whole business
was nothing more or less

than the old
disappearing X-ray stunt.

Now you see it, now you don't.

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

And you can take 1,000
more like it any day you want.

You see, the bone...

I mean the original X-ray.

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

Doc Edley's old snapshot?

I got nothing to do with that.

Suppose my investigation
proves you were in town

at the time of the fire?

You sure like to
suppose, don't you?

Well, please
understand, Mr. Widlock.

I'm not accusing you of a thing.

But-But just suppose you
were a confidence man.

There's something
you ought to know.

Insurance companies
keep elaborate files

on the modus operandi of
all these shakedown stunts.

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

that ever collected five cents.

Uh, any con man
who'd stick around town

comparing old aches and pains

should have his head x-rayed.

Sure should.

Hello?

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

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

Sure. I've seen
hundreds like him.

He's just as crooked
as they come.

Oh, thank you, Mr. Drake.

You don't know what a relief...

Yeah, I understand.

Well, thanks again, Mr. Drake.

Yeah. Good night.

Janice? Where are you?

I think maybe it's over.

Mr. Drake just
called, and he thinks...

Janice?

Darling?

"Darling, going
to pick up my car

"and go to committee
meeting at country club.

Please don't wait up for me."

This is Dr. Edley.

Would you ask my wife
to come to the phone?

She's attending some
committee meeting.

There isn't?

Are you sure she's not?

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

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

Thank you.

I guess I just misunderstood.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Hello, Wayne.

How'd you get in here?

Never mind that.

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

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

How about a drink?

I suppose you think
this is nothing, too?

Uh, is everything all right?

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

Well, one of the other
tenants just reported

somebody going through
your patio out back there.

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

Uh, sorry.

That's quite all right. Thanks.

See here, Wayne,
whatever you think you found,

poking around in my fireplace...

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

of one of Dr. Gates's notebooks.

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

Why?

You trying to frame
me for malpractice?

Did you hire that guy Widlock?

You're out of your mind.

Why would I do
a thing like that?

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

You idiot.

The only reason she
ran off and married you

was because she knew

I was getting ready
to toss her overboard.

So before turning
in for the night,

I thought I'd check around.

You know how it is.

When you're manager
of a place like this,

you're responsible
for everything.

Well, this door was
partly open and...

Is, uh...

Is he?

Oh, yes. Dead as they make 'em.

Hello?

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

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

I had to come by
for my briefcase.

What was the message?

Well, Widlock left his
hotel at 1:00 a.m. in a hurry.

Then he boarded
a cross-country bus.

Where was he headed?

He bought a ticket to Phoenix.

You can tell your
doctor friend not to worry.

Widlock's been scared off.

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

Look on page two.

I just got a call
from the doctor.

I'm going out there now.

"Mr. Leslie Hall was
found stabbed to death

in his apartment shortly
before midnight last night."

Have a nice trip
to Phoenix, Paul.

Well, the police asked me
to cancel all appointments.

They said they wanted
to look around the place.

Sergeant Landro's
been very nice,

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

All right, let's go
back to last night

after you had
the fight with Hall.

It was only a couple of pokes.

After he flattened me, he
practically threw me out.

Unfortunately, he
was able to do it.

What then?

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

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

So, anyway, I left the car and
I walked about 10,000 miles,

I guess, trying to think.

Go on.

Well, it was after
2:00 when I got home.

I went to bed without
waking Janice.

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

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

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

What about them?

Well, the police
won't believe it

because they
couldn't find a trace.

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

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

Oh, hello, Sergeant.

Doc, I thought maybe
you could tell me.

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

Yes, that's right.

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

Why not?

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

Doc, do you have any idea

why we'd find a perfectly
good scalpel like this

out in your incinerator?

There was part of a bloody
towel wrapped around it,

if that helps any.

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

I swear I didn't kill him!

All right, I hated the man...

Just answer their questions

as simply and as truthfully
as you can, Doctor.

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

down at headquarters
from now on.

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

If you're thinking
about helping him,

I'd sure suggest you
put on some speed.

Good morning.

Hey, you get around, don't you?

Oh, on occasion.

So, what's the occasion?

What else is new?

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

Well, it stands to reason.

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

What's his name? Hall?

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

I never saw Hall in my life.

I didn't even know he existed

till you showed
me those headlines.

Are you asking us to
believe that you went away

merely because you
had a change of heart?

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

Now, wait a minute.

What I had was a
change of bankroll.

A what?!

I got paid off.

By whom?

Well, first there was this woman

who phoned me at my hotel room.

What woman?

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

Something like
"Street" or something.

Hold on, now.

Is there a Miss Della Street?

Would you, uh, recognize
this woman's voice

if you heard it again?

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

3,000 of them, to be exact.

Uh, that's what I settled for.

Asked for five,
settled for three.

Well...

at least I made a good bargain.

For your information,
Mr. Widlock,

I'm Della Street.

Okay. Nice name.

But I never called
you in my life.

Well, have it your own way.

All I know is somebody did.

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

See?

Your witness, Counselor.

What else did this
woman say to you

when she called you
at your hotel room?

She said she'd send
somebody over with the cash

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

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

Would you recognize the
man who made the payoff

if you saw him again?

Probably not. Only
there a couple of minutes.

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

I'll tell him the same thing.

I didn't want you
to ring the bell.

You see, Janice...
Uh, Mrs. Edley...

Is lying down.

My name is Mason, Perry Mason.

Oh! Well, that's different.

Do come in.

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

Thank you.

Uh, please make
yourself comfortable.

I'm Mrs. Osborn.

Oh, yes. You were, um,

housekeeper to the uncle, uh,

Dr. Eugene Gates.

Imagine you
knowing that already.

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

Sit down.

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

so I rushed right over.

Oh, poor dear,
life just keeps on

bringing her up so short.

How do you mean?

Well, she was
barely in her teens

when she lost both parents.

Her uncle was kind,
but like most bachelors,

he was quite impatient.

She lived with her uncle?

When she wasn't away at school.

But even when she
was staying with us,

she was off visiting
friends most of the time,

but that was as much
because of Roger.

That would be her
cousin, Roger Gates?

He came from a broken home.

Dr. Gates took him
in first, and then,

when Janice came along...

Then we fought
like cats and dogs.

What else would
you like to know?

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

This is Mr. Mason.

Oh.

Hello, Mrs. Edley.

Excuse me. I have
some coffee perking.

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

if it'll help Wayne.

Your husband thinks
this belongs to you.

And if it does?

The natural thing
would be for you

to ask where he found it.

Unless you already know

and would rather not
explain how it got there.

Of course not.

I went to Leslie's
apartment last evening.

I needed his advice.

Wayne's just never understood
how a person can rely

on someone they've
known all their life.

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

Who?

The patient who threatened
to sue for malpractice.

He claimed he was
called by a woman.

Why would I do that?

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

Leslie Hall urged you to settle.

Kept on urging
you, isn't that right?

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

arranged to have
$3,000 delivered.

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

But that is what
happened, isn't it?

I'll come back later

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

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

I understand, Mrs. Edley.

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

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

Roger Gates?

What do you want?

My name is Mason,
I'm an attorney.

Dr. Edley's attorney.

Well, bully for you.

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

I'd like to be a help,

but right now I'm in a hurry.

What did Leslie Hall
promise you, Mr. Gates?

Promise me? Hall?

Yes, for not telling Dr. Edley

what you obviously knew;

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

but that Hall had taken them.

What do you mean,
I obviously knew?

I'm a farmer.

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

Anyway, Hall had his
own key to the place.

How did that happen?

He was my uncle's
business manager.

He used to be out
here all the time.

You knew that Hall could
have removed those notebooks

before the doctor
could get to them,

yet you failed to mention it.

Why?

Why should I? Nobody
does me any favors.

Now if you don't mind,

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

The cops are trying to do what?

They just phoned.

Dragging me all
the way into L.A.

to see that old laboratory
my uncle used to own.

Well, don't look
at me like that.

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

a lot of work to do out there.

That's the only
way I can figure it.

Hi, Paul. Hi.

Find out what's going on?

Yeah, and Sergeant
Landro has your client, too.

Hi, Mr. Mason.

Sergeant. What have
you got up your sleeve?

Oh, a green thumb,
among other things.

You know all about the man

who used to own
this place, of course,

that uncle of Janice
Edley's that sold out

and went abroad to
live about a year ago?

What about him?

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

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

several months ago.

The doc claims old man Gates had

his bank send it to them
through Switzerland.

The only trouble is...

that's Gates.

We confirmed the identification
with a dental record.

So you see, he
never went traveling

to Switzerland or anywhere else.

Uncle's been dead and buried

in that planter
box the entire year.

And all that time he was
treating me for bursitis,

when what I really had
was this little fracture.

It still hurts.

It hurts me something terrible.

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

Mr. Widlock, I must
remind you the defendant is

not on trial here
for malpractice.

All the State contends is
that your visit to his office

the other day set
off a chain of events.

Events which resulted first
in the murder of Leslie Hall

and then in the discovery

of the year-old murder
of Dr. Eugene Gates.

Your Honor, may I
remind the prosecutor

that the defendant
is not on trial

for the murder of Dr. Gates?

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

their laboratory
was unable to prove

that Dr. Gates's
death was murder.

It seems obvious, however...

People don't bury
themselves in planter boxes.

Your Honor, the
State will contend

that both deaths were
caused by one person.

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

This is not it.

Proceed with

the examination of your witness.

Mr. Widlock, you say that...

Anything from Paul?

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

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

He's already bought
a commuting ticket.

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

and see if you recognize the man

who delivered the $3,000?

Will Mr. Grif
Roland rise, please?

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

Where did the $3,000
you paid Mr. Widlock

come from, Mr. Roland?

That was mine. I
loaned it to Janice.

You see, we very often
handle big payrolls.

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

Did you discuss
this with Leslie Hall?

No, of course not.

Why "of course not"?

Did Janice Edley
specifically request

that you not tell anyone
what you were doing?

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

At least not yet.

And Les Hall, Janice
didn't even want him

to know she was
taking his advice.

Same way she didn't want

to touch any of
his money, I guess.

Why not? Did she tell you why

she didn't borrow
the money from Hall?

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

if he discovered it.

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

I'm afraid everyone
knows about that.

Thank you. That's all.

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

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

I owed it to Janice.

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

for the new clinic.

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

Of course it was.

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

Apparently, you had
also known Leslie Hall

for some time.

Had you ever had
trouble with him?

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

with just about
everybody, I guess.

And now tell us, Doctor,

how many stab wounds
were there in the body?

Just the one.

In your opinion, Doctor,

would a person striking
such an unerring blow

have to have an expert
knowledge of anatomy?

In my opinion, yes.

What type of training would
you consider most likely

to give a person this knowledge?

That of physician or surgeon.

Thank you. Cross-examine.

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

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

Oh, yes.

Many of them stabbings?

Knives are pretty convenient.

Looking back over
all those stabbings,

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

as in this instance?

Why, yes, about five years ago.

Was that case ever solved?

Indeed.

Can you tell this court the
occupation of the person

convicted of that murder?

Bookkeeper.

Bookkeeper?

Thank you,
Doctor. That'll be all.

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

But you agree this scalpel is

of the same rare Swedish make

as other instruments
which belonged to Dr. Edley?

Yes, I told you that.

And you already admitted

that a knife of
this particular size

was missing from
those instruments?

Yes, it was, but...

Miss York, where are such
instruments generally kept?

In a locked
cabinet in the office.

But it's left open
during the day,

and any patient could
easily have stolen it.

Now, Miss York,
you've been instructed

to answer yes or no.

Isn't it true the doctor
always placed a bag

in his car at night

for emergencies?

So couldn't this
weapon have been

quite handy, in other
words, on the fatal night

when he went angrily
calling on the deceased?

Yes, sir, my name's
Asa Cooperman.

And where do you
live, Mr. Cooperman?

306 Maple Road.

That's just across the back lot

from Doc Edley's office.

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

Excuse me.

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

on the night of the murder?

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

I can't swear it
was the doc himself,

but it was about
his size, and, uh,

well, he moved quick
like the doc does.

What time was this,
Mr. Cooperman?

It was about midnight.

I'd been out smoking
for a couple of hours

while my wife was
watching television.

I wouldn't have
noticed ordinarily

because most of the time,

there was a woman
out there; Miss York,

the doc's nurse.

She tidied up pretty
late sometimes.

What was it that
caught your eye?

What did you see this man doing?

Well, he was burning
something, I guess.

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

Then I saw him
hurrying off in the dark.

This partially burned towel,
Exhibit five, was removed

from the incinerator the
following morning in my presence.

We found the scalpel
wrapped inside.

Were you able to make
any sort of analysis

of the bloodstain, Sergeant?

We were. Traces of dried blood

on both scalpel and
towel were of type B.

And what was the
murder victim's blood type?

The same, B.

Were any other
laboratory tests made?

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

They were of identical
type and similar color

to the hair of the victim.

What about this,
uh, this mark here?

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

They've been supplying
Dr. Edley's office

for some time.

I think that's all
that's necessary

on this subject, Sergeant.

Cross-examine.

Sergeant, this
particular laundry

supplies other places
with towels, don't they?

Places such as hotels,
motels, apartment houses?

If so, that towel could just

as easily have come from

Leslie Hall's
apartment, could it not?

Yes, it could, but
wherever he got it,

the killer obviously wrapped it

around the murder weapon and...

And isn't it also possible

that the traces of blood
went from the towel

to the knife rather
than vice-versa?

I, uh, don't understand.

Well, it is true, is it not,

that the stabbing blow
which killed Leslie Hall

could have been delivered
by almost any instrument

equally as sharp
as this scalpel?

Say, a paper cutter or
some kitchen utensil?

Well, we can't absolutely
prove that's the murder weapon.

Then isn't it possible that
the murderer could have taken

that stained towel from
the death apartment,

having perhaps
wiped his hands on it,

and then later,
wrapped it around

a scalpel belonging
to the defendant?

And if that happened,
wouldn't the results

of all your tests
have been the same?

Yes, I suppose they would.

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

have been placed there
as an attempt by someone

to implicate the doctor rather
than being an attempt by him

to destroy evidence?

Thank you, Sergeant.

There's no need for an answer.

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

We already know that your
investigation of Hall's murder

led to the discovery of the body

of Dr. Eugene Gates.

But can you tell the court

how this seeming
coincidence occurred?

Yes, sir.

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

both at home and at the office.

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

the man who was renting
Dr. Gates laboratory building

in Los Angeles.

The lessee was upset
because he'd been told

he couldn't redecorate.

Couldn't move the
large planter box

which half filled
the outer office.

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

Dr. Gates in Switzerland.

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

Just a moment here.

You're trying to introduce
these statements as evidence.

I am prepared to
introduce both the letter file

and police summary of content

which the sergeant
was now quoting.

Let's have them here.

Let's mark it properly.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Another question
or two of this witness

will help to clarify

why I introduced the
subject at this time.

Proceed.

Sergeant, were
there any other places

where you found pertinent
personal records of Leslie Hall?

There was one other
we didn't find out about

until just this morning.

A desk which Mr. Hall
occasionally used.

It had its own typewriter.

And where was this
desk and typewriter?

At the old Gates farmhouse.

How did you find out about it?

From the present
resident there...

Dr. Gates's nephew, Roger Gates.

Hall told me he wanted to
keep some stuff out there

for convenience, that's all.

I didn't think anything of it.

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

Helped him close out
things when he retired.

Uncle wanted to take mostly
cash and securities with him

when he went abroad.

Did, uh, the
deceased ever discuss

Dr. Edley's finances with you?

Well...

About eight months
ago when sawb...

Excuse me.

When the doc and Janice
here got that $100,000

from Switzerland, he
did some photostatic.

A photostatic?

That thing in your hand there.

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

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

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

Just the check.

How did Hall happen
to show this to you?

Well, he didn't.

I found it in the
desk this morning,

along with that other
thing in his typewriter.

Let the record show,
the witness is referring

to the start of a letter.

There, um, isn't much to it.

Would you read this
for the record, please?

"Dear Dr. Edley,

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

"I know how you got your money.

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

That's it.

I guess he got
interrupted or something.

That's all there is.

Thank you, sir.

Cross-examine?

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

to digest these matters.

Recess until 2:00 p.m.

Well, he didn't
send me any notes.

Hall never said a word to me.

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

Wayne, I can have
that note thrown out.

There wasn't any signature.

It was typewritten.

Yeah, but first the
knife and then the note.

They keep adding
things and adding things.

Excuse me, Mr. Mason.

You're secretary's here.

Thank you, Sergeant.

Perry, I think we have

a little new
evidence of our own.

Let's have a look.

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

Guess what?

Leslie Hall has a
number of accounts...

All new in the last year.

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

Not much help, I'm afraid.

The prosecution will
just contend that...

It was blackmail
money from Dr. Edley.

All right, then.

Paul's been trying to reach you.

Operator 15 in Phoenix.

You what?

You got him?

Yep. Just like the one you have.

Just like the picture.

Just exactly.

Good work, Paul.

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

Perry, there's something
else you better know.

My Mr. Widlock has $5,000.

He's what?

All kinds of twins...

Including twin payoffs
the night of the murder.

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

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

There is if the money is gained

by pretense or
fraud, Mr. Widlock.

Well, I deny it. I...

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

I can arrange it.

You were called
back to the stand

only to expedite this
hearing with the truth.

Yes, sir. Excuse me, Your Honor.

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

I've got no fear of the truth.

Except when it
might incriminate you.

All right, Mr. Widlock,

you were paid $3,000
by Mr. Grif Roland.

Now will you tell us

who it was that paid you
or your brother $5,000?

Well, to begin with, it was me.

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

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

Just tell us who it
was that paid you.

Mr. Leslie Hall.

Well, you see

he first ran me
down that afternoon.

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

and wanted to help
him out on the QT like,

and if there was any
hitch I should call him.

And then, when this lady
phoned me at my hotel

and said she'd have
the money delivered,

well, I-I called Mr. Hall.

And put the bite on him, too?

Well, sure.

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

Anyway, I grabbed a
cab and I went right over

and Hall had the
money ready and waiting.

When were you paid?

Well, about a quarter
to 10:00 that night.

Did you go inside his apartment?

Oh, no, sir.

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

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

I was back at the
hotel by 10:00.

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

Then what happened?

Well, I packed my
bag and sat around

waiting for a bus out of town.

Mr. Widlock,

it was so easy
to get two payoffs.

Why not a third?

A third?

You wouldn't have left
town without trying to get

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

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

about midnight?

Prowl around a
bit looking for him?

Now see here.

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

how could I be?

I heard him.

He said the man he saw

moved around spry and
quick like the doctor there.

Sure didn't say
anything about crutches.

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

Oh, I know you
have an old fracture.

But these crutches are
really just window dressing,

are they not?

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

All right, I'm a fraud.

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

Yes, of course.

There was nobody
in around front,

so I went out back.

I smelled cloth burning.

I looked in the
incinerator and then I left.

That's all there was to it.

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

No, I wasn't there.

I swear I left the
office before 8:00.

I went to a movie that evening.

But someone must have
put that towel and knife

into the incinerator, Miss York,

between the time of the murder

and the time
Mr. Widlock arrived.

Now, shall I ask the reporter

to read back what was
said by your neighbor?

Please.

I know Mr. Cooperman testified

that he only saw
the one person...

The one man, but...

And you recall Mr. Cooperman
was outside smoking

during all the
time in question...

The two or three
hours before midnight?

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

That's right.

He said he might
not have noticed

a woman at the incinerator.

He was so used
to seeing you there,

he said.

No, it wasn't I.

Do you happen to have any idea

as to just how rich
Dr. Gates was?

What?

Well, I guess
everybody in town knew

that he was at
least a millionaire.

So the gift of $100,000

would scarcely have
used up his fortune.

There still would have
been a great deal left?

Maybe.

I don't know.

I'm not going to answer
any more questions.

I didn't even know Dr. Gates.

And I didn't kill him.

And I didn't kill Leslie Hall.

I'm not the woman.

No, Miss York.

If any woman used
the incinerator that night,

it was the woman who
was trying desperately

to lay certain
blame on Dr. Edley.

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

Who also set up
false evidence there.

The woman who must
have killed Dr. Gates.

And then, having
been blackmailed

by one certain person
for the past year,

found she had to kill him, too.

The blackmailer... Leslie Hall.

The woman...

Me!

Dr. Gates...

he was going away without me.

Yes, I did it.

I went down to see
him in the laboratory.

And it was late at night,

and he was already packed.

And then after that, Leslie
kept on asking questions.

You know, Dr. Gates
always did say

Leslie Hall has a
very shrewd mind.

My Dr. Gates said that.

My Dr. Gates.

In planning to go abroad,

your uncle's assets were
largely converted to cash

and negotiable securities.

Mrs. Osborn, of
course, knew that.

And after she killed him,

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

So she could arrange
to have you sent

that $100,000 without
too much strain.

She was probably afraid

there would have been questions

if we hadn't gotten it.

It had been promised
as a wedding gift.

The only trouble was
that Hall kept bleeding her.

In return, he kept the
body from being discovered.

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

which made it even
more profitable for him

to maintain the illusion

that Gates was still alive.

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

He knew that if someone
started asking questions...

Questions that could be
answered only by your uncle,

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

And then he made the mistake

of trying to scare
Mrs. Osborn, too.

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

Unfortunately, Mrs.
Osborn turned out

to be tougher than he was.

The only thing I
don't understand

is just how the Widlocks planned

to work this racket of theirs.

Easy. One of them
had an old fracture.

So the one without the fracture
would fake some symptoms

and get some treatments.

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

Later, the one with the fracture

would go around
and claim malpractice.

They were getting ready
to pull the same stunt

on several doctors.

You mean several suckers.

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

A famous man once said,

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

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

That figures.

I always kind of liked
the old temptations best.