All language subtitles for Perry Mason S04E14 The Case of the Resolute Reformer.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

I think you'd better
take me home, Peter.

You've had enough.

Just one more, Debbie, huh?

Kiss or drink?

Both.

Mm.

Take me home, Peter, please.

I gotta have me another drink.

Peter. Huh?

What's wrong with my Scotch?

I'll fix us both a drink
when you take me home.

♪ One more drink ♪

♪ Oh, one more drink ♪

♪ One more drink ♪
Peter, take Elm Street.

It's shorter.

Sure.

♪ Drink to... ♪
Look out, Peter!

Huh? Look out!

Get in.

Move over.

Move over, you drunken fool.

Debbie, this is Peter.

Last night, what happened?
Was there an accident?

He's not dead.

He's pretty badly hurt,
but you didn't kill him.

After I got you home,

I went right to a pay booth
to call for an ambulance.

He's at County Hospital.

The police have
no idea who hit him,

and neither does he.

Well, that's hit-and-run.

I'll call the police and
tell them what happened.

How noble.

Forthright, honest.

Most seemly behavior
for the prodigal son

of San Marcos'
distinguished and incorruptible

chief county engineer.

Aren't they naming something
or other after your father?

Oh, yes, yes.

The, uh, William
Harper Caine Aqueduct.

Like father, like son.

They can call it the
Peter Caine Wing

of the county jail.

This'll kill my father.

I'm the biggest disappointment
of his life anyway.

What am I gonna do?

Since I covered
up for you last night,

it's hit-and-run for
me too, dear boy,

if you tell all.

Are you saying I
shouldn't tell the police?

I have a conscience too,

I checked with my
lawyer this morning.

There is a way to help him

without getting
involved ourselves.

And I'll take care of it.

You will?

Oh, it's all right, Peter.

You know I have
nothing but money

since my parents died.

The least I can do,

since I'm the one that hit him,

is to take care of it myself.

Well, if you want to.

The man's name is Joe Witt.

He and his wife, Grace,

have a small place
they call a ranch

in Manzanita Canyon.

Now, the ranch isn't worth much,

and they'd love
to be able to retire,

but they can't afford it.

Now, if you really
wanna help them,

without admitting
to a hit-and-run

and getting
involved with the law,

you could buy their place

for a little more
than it's worth.

That would take care of
the hospital and the injury.

I don't have much money.

Oh, the ranch isn't worth

more than three or four
thousand at the most.

Now, according to my lawyer,

5,000 over the market price

would retire the
Witts, without regrets.

Nine thousand dollars.

That's just about
all I have left

from my mother's estate.

Well, it's up to you.

You really don't have
to do a thing for them.

You're clean right
now. Nobody knows.

No, I want to.

Nine thousand?

Nine thousand dollars.

For what?

I told you, it was
an investment.

An investment.

And investment in what? A
woman named Grace Witt?

It's an investment, Father.

The only things
you've ever invested in

are booze, fast cars,
and faster women.

Now, just who is
this Grace Witt?

And why did you write
her a check for 9,000?

Well, I... Oh.

Excuse me, sir. Yes, Kent.

It's time for the Board
of Supervisors' meeting,

Mr. Caine. All right.

I'll see you here in my office

after lunch, Peter.

Yes, sir.

Still don't like my overruling
your recommendation?

Well, it's not up to me
to like or dislike it, sir.

But as you know, Mr. Caine,

the three additional
engineering reports that we made

don't confirm the taxpayer
committee's report.

No, and they
don't deny it, either.

You know, of course,

that Perry Mason's representing

the taxpayer group? Well, yes.

Kent, how long have
you been my assistant?

Twenty-one years.

Heh-heh. Twenty-one years.

You know why you've
never advanced, Kent?

Because you've
got no imagination.

Don't you even suspect
something wrong

when Mason represents
a group of citizens

on a matter like this?

Hello, Caine.

Mr. Sistrom.

I'd like to ask you something.

What are you going
to propose in there?

You can find out in
there, Mr. Sistrom.

Just a word of caution.

If you plan to go along

with Mason and the
Citizens' Committee.

That sounds like a threat.

Information has reached
Mr. Quigley and me

that you have your own
ax to grind in this matter.

Over the last 30 years,

I have heard that charge before.

We have proof this time, Caine.

If you go in there

for a stop-work
order, we'll expose...

Board of Supervisors,
San Marcos County,

now in session.

File number 268-304.

Aqueduct Bond Issue,
project number 733.

First District, San Marcos.

Petition by Citizens' Committee.

Approve by a four-fifths vote,

stop-work order,
and change of route

of William Harper
Caine Aqueduct.

Is the chief county
engineer present?

Present, Mr. Chairman.

The Quigley
Construction Company?

Roger Quigley, Mr. Chairman.

The Citizens' Committee?

Perry Mason,

counsel for the Citizen"
Committee, Mr. Chairman.

Your clients, Mr. Mason,
request a stop-work order

and a possible change in
the routing of the aqueduct?

That is correct, sir.

Under provisions of Section 15,

San Marcos Water Control Act.

I'm sure the county
engineer will agree

that underground springs
beneath a section of the aqueduct

would result in
constant earth slippage,

and possible
contamination by seepage.

These certainly
not in conformity

with bond specification.

Where such underground springs

do actually exist, yes.

The county engineer's
office is aware

of a preliminary survey,

indicating the strong likelihood

of the existence of such springs

in the Manzanita Canyon
section of the aqueduct.

I say that their
survey is irresponsible.

And their petition is
without fact or foundation.

The county engineer has
got a report from his own staff

that says so too.

Yes.

I do have such a report
made out by my staff.

There is no positive proof

that these springs
do actually exist.

But the possibility,
however remote,

is not ruled out...

Mr. Chairman,

I respectfully request that
a 90-day stop-work order

be issued on the William
Harper Caine Aqueduct

for the purpose of

a complete survey of the
Manzanita Canyon section.

Now, just a second.

If you vote a stop-work order,

it's going to cause a
tremendous hardship

on me and my company.

Over and beyond what
the county repays me

as supplemental compensation.

As I understand it,

the safety and feasibility
of the aqueduct itself

is at stake, Mr. Quigley.

There is something
else at stake.

Before Caine makes
his recommendation,

let's get his hand
out of the till.

This whole proceeding is a stall

to let him change
the aqueduct routing,

because he owns property

on the only possible
alternate site inside the canyon.

Section 1472 Manzanita Canyon.

Purchased for $9,000

from a Joseph and Grace Witt.

By check. Nine thousand...

Photostatic copies are
available from the bank.

And the signature on that check?

Peter Caine.

Know anybody by that name?

A son, perhaps?

A full-scale investigation

goes along with a
stop-work order, Mr. Caine.

My recommendation is
that Mr. Mason's request

for a 90-day stop-work
period be granted.

Is there a motion?

So move.

I second it.

In favor?

Aye.

So ordered.

During this 90-day period,

the County Engineer's
Office will conduct

a full-scale investigation
of this problem.

This meeting of the Board
of Supervisors is adjourned.

He's not gonna
get away with this.

I'll go to court and get
an injunction if I have to.

The court has no
legal right to order

the Board of
Supervisors to stop taking

a voted-on action, Quigley.

It might, however,
award damages.

I can't afford to stop work now,

not even for 24 hours.

We'll do the same with Caine

as my crews does with
any of the obstacles.

Sweep it out of the way.

If there are
underground springs,

this is the only
possible alternate route

through the Canyon.

It goes through Section 1472.

Here's a copy of the
county title registry.

Section 1472 Manzanita Canyon,

registered in the name of
Joseph Witt and Grace Witt.

Here's your check to Grace Witt.

Now will you tell me why
you paid that woman $9,000?

I can't.

Shall I wait for
another board hearing

and have Quigley tell me?

I don't even know
how Quigley found out.

You couldn't have done a
better job of destroying me

and everything I stand for

if you'd put a noose
around my neck

with your own hands.

What is it?

Oh, I just wanted

to go over some
routine things with you.

Uh, by the way,

a Miss Bradford has
been trying to reach you.

Miss Bradford?

Debra Bradford?

Yes, that's right.

She said she had
some information

on the Manzanita property deal.

Who is she, Peter?

Uh...

If she called to talk to you...

I'd better talk first.

You'd better.

Peter has told me
everything, Miss Bradford.

All I want from you
is corroboration.

I'd say whatever Peter told you

about the accident is true.

If the Witts' property conflicts

with something
you're interested in,

you can blame it on
Peter if you want to,

but it's just an
unlucky coincidence.

Whatever he's done,

he'll have to face
the consequences.

Have you been his conscience
all of his life, Mr. Caine?

I like to think so.

That's what Peter said.

I beg your pardon?

He said you were a
man of inflexible virtue.

That you'd never done
a single thing wrong

in all of your life.

And that you expect the
same perfection in Peter.

Is there anything wrong

in expecting the
best from a son?

With some men, the
best is never good enough.

I'll tell you, Mr. Caine,

I was going to
explain about the Witts.

Joe in the hospital with some
unexpected complications,

but never mind.

What sort of complications?

He needs more
operations. He needs cash.

I'll take care of it myself.

Since Peter's at fault,

and his obligations are mine,

I'll attend to it.

How much?

Oh, a thousand
dollars will do it.

Just to protect
yourself, Mr. Caine,

maybe you'd like to
make the check out to me.

What is this?

Who are you? What are
you doing in my house?

The honest,

the incorruptible
William Harper Caine.

Are you trying to buy
this lady's testimony

to, uh, clear your son

and to get yourself out of
the Manzanita Canyon deal?

You want her to
make up a little story.

Is that what this check is for?

Now, the only
thing that'll stop me

from reporting this
to the district attorney

is for you to get that
stop-work order rescinded,

and that you resign
as county engineer.

Not a very pretty
story, Mr. Caine.

Why would Quigley accuse you

of buying Debra
Bradford's testimony

with that thousand-dollar check?

Well, I suppose
that she'd back up

Peter's story about the
accident with Joseph Witt.

That the check for
$9,000 for his property

was a conscience purchase,

and the fact that he
lived in Manzanita Canyon

was just a coincidence.

Buy why would
you have to buy it?

It is true, isn't it?

It's what Peter told me.

Don't you believe him?

I don't know.

Do you have some particular
reason not to believe him?

Mr. Mason,

he's always been a problem.

Among his other faults,

he runs away from
responsibilities.

What about Miss Bradford?

Doesn't she tell the same story?

Yes.

But that's what
Quigley says I'm buying

with the check for $1,000.

How can Quigley
hope to prove collusion

between Peter and
the injured man?

No, there must be
something more to it.

Something neither
one of us knows about.

Della.

Yes, sir?

Della, get Peter
Caine on the phone.

Whatever happens, Mr. Mason,

I'm going to resign my
position as county engineer.

And I shall insist that
Peter report to the police.

Your resignation will
imply some connection

with this Joseph Witt,

other than the
hit-and-run accident.

Well, what else can I do?

Perhaps have a
little faith in your son.

Just now, you
asked your secretary

to try and get in
touch with Peter.

Do you want to bet she can't?

Do you want to bet he's not

trying to run away
and hide somewhere?

Excuse me, Perry,

I can't reach Peter Caine.

Mr. Mason, I'm worried
about that aqueduct.

Quigley must not be
allowed to destroy it.

Now, once I'm out of office,
there'll be a lot of pressure

to rescind the stop-work order.

I only hope you
can keep on fighting.

Good day.

Paul just called
from San Marcos.

He's still investigating

the Quigley Construction
Company. And I quote:

"Tell Perry Quigley
and his company

"are both in hot
water, and deep.

"He's got over a
million and a half dollars

"outstanding in short-term
loans to start this job,

"with no hope for extensions.

"With or without
supplemental damages,

"even a four-week delay

"could bankrupt
him and his outfit.

Will call again at 7:00."

Unquote.

That's in ten minutes.

One hour for work,

half hour to get to San Marcos.

Tell Paul I'll meet him at
the Quigley home at 8:30.

Right.

Paul. Hi, Perry.

Been here long?

No, just a few minutes.

I haven't touched a thing,

It was open like
that when I got here.

You better call the police.

I...

shot Roger Quigley.

You did? When?

Just now.

Put the gun down, Mr. Caine.

You shot him just
now. Just right now?

Well, just a minute ago.

That's funny. Paul Drake's
been on the premises

for at least three
or four minutes.

He didn't hear a shot.

We'd better call the police.

That your gun?

Yes.

Did you have an argument?

An argument?

Yes, of course.

And then I shot him.

Was he facing you
when you shot him?

Facing me?

You didn't shoot him
in the back, did you?

Uh, no, no. Of course not.

How many shots did
you fire, Mr. Caine?

Well, uh, I don't know.

One. Perhaps two.

I... I really don't remember.

You don't remember?

Oh, Mr. Caine, it won't do.

The police will trip you
up in a matter of minutes.

They'll know that you're
covering up for someone.

Now what happened here?

I just told you what happened.

Was Peter here?

Was it Peter who killed Quigley?

Is that what you've
been doing along,

assuming your
son's responsibilities?

If I'm not saying
the right things,

I'd better keep my mouth shut.

Does that mean you
won't tell the police

you killed Quigley?

You didn't kill him, did you?

No.

Did you see your son kill him?

No.

Look here, Mr. Mason.

Perhaps I have no right
to ask you to represent me,

but if you would...

As your attorney,

I'd have no compulsion
to protect your son.

I understand.

He didn't kill Quigley.

He didn't.

Della.

Good morning.

I'll be right in.

I've seen the papers.

Paul said you must've
been at Quigley home

practically on top
of the shooting.

Della, William Caine
didn't kill Quigley.

He's covering for his son.

And the boy didn't
go home all night.

Paul put on half a dozen men...

And I've just pulled them off.

Perry, Peter's here.

He's been waiting
to see you all night.

I must say, he's
certainly frightened.

Well, show him in.

Mr. Caine?

Mr. Mason, Mr. Caine.

Sit down, won't you? Thank you.

Mr. Mason, they've
arrested my father.

I know.

He didn't kill Quigley.

He didn't?

The only reason he went there

was because I left a
note saying I was going.

Did you go?

Yes.

What time?

Oh, I got there about 8:00.

What was your
reason for going there?

To talk to Quigley.

To try to persuade him
not to involve my father.

That everything that had
happened was my fault.

You mean the hit-and-run?

Yes.

What about the
Manzanita Canyon deal?

I told my father
the truth about that.

There was no connection.

I didn't know anything about it.

What happened with Quigley?

I talked to him.

He said flatly he couldn't
afford the stop-work order.

If I wanted to keep
everything out of the public eye,

I'd have to convince
my father to rescind it.

Then you left? Yes.

And when I got home,

the note I'd left
for him was gone.

He'd seen it.

He went to Quigley's
home to intercept me.

And when he found
Quigley dead, he thought...

I'd killed him.

So he got into
trouble because of me.

Again.

All right, Peter.

Thank you for coming to us.

Now, if I go to the police,

they'll let Dad go, huh?

I don't know.

They could think you're
trying to protect him,

just as we think he's
trying to protect you.

Paul... I know, check
out the accident.

Peter, where can I
reach this Joseph Witt?

I understand he's at
the County Hospital.

Fine. How about Grace Witt?

At the Manzanita
Canyon place, I suppose.

She has till the end
of the month to get out.

Oh, ha-ha-ha.

Well, hello.

Good day, ma'am.

You've, uh, heard of
the County Tax Assessor,

checking for personal
property taxes?

Uh, Grace Witt.
Manzanita Canyon Road.

May I come in?

Come in, please.

Getting ready to move, ma'am?

Another week or so.

Not this afternoon.

Um...

Living room suite, three pieces.

Dining room? Oh.

This go on the inventory?

Only if you have it
in case lots, ma'am.

No.

No, I'm strictly a
one-at-a-time woman.

One bottle.

One drink.

One of everything.

I'll, uh, have to see the
rest of the rooms, ma'am.

Anything you like.

Closet?

Mm-hm.

That is it.

But not for long.

Oh, no, sir.

When I leave here,

I'm really gonna
take care of myself.

New clothes, everything.

In, uh, my kind of work,

you can't be too careful.

I wouldn't want somebody

wandering in and
getting the wrong idea.

A neighbor could drop in.

A husband.

You're cute.

Don't worry about husbands.

There is none.

Had one, but he died.

Three years ago.

Nobody's gonna bother us,

if we don't wanna be bothered,

which I am.

Hey!

What scared him off like that?

I ask you how Roger Quigley

found out about the
hit-and-run accident.

Frankly, Mr. Mason,
I don't know.

Well, only you and
Peter Caine knew about it.

And Grace Witt, the man's wife.

Oh, yes.

But it does seem
an odd coincidence

that she would know him.

And I wonder how
Quigley and Sistrom

just happened to be
on hand the other day

when those photographs
were taken in here?

I've wondered about it myself.

And just happened
to have a camera.

Very puzzling.

And just happened to know that

William Caine would
be writing a check.

Mr. Mason, you can put
whatever interpretation you want

on what happened. But
as far as I'm concerned, I...

Excuse me.

Hello.

Oh, yes. It's for you.

A Mr. Paul Drake.

Thank you.

Yes, Paul.

Oh, I see.

All right, thank you, Paul.

Now that's peculiar.

There's no record

of any Joseph Witt
at the County Hospital.

Oh?

Well, perhaps I
misunderstood Mrs. Witt.

Maybe he's at one
of the other hospitals.

There's no Joseph Witt at
any hospital in San Marcos.

Oh.

And none of the ambulance
services in the county

picked up an accident victim
by the name of Joseph Witt.

Well, I can't understand
it. I thought that...

Before you get yourself
involved in another lie,

Miss Bradford,

there is a Grace Witt,
but there's no Joseph Witt.

There hasn't been a Joseph
Witt in the last three years.

Then who did Peter
hit with his car?

I'd say nobody.

I'd say a dummy, most likely.

I'd say the whole
thing was a frame-up.

You, a dummy, and accomplice.

And a drunk at the wheel.

Well.

Eavesdropping seems to
be a habit with you, Sistrom.

Mr. Sistrom and
I are old friends.

Along with Roger
Quigley, the deceased.

All right, Mason.

Deb and I may have been involved

in some business
dealings with Quigley.

I worked for him, remember?

Caine was stubborn
and completely wrong.

Now, maybe we did
get a little rough with him.

A little rough, and very dirty.

Okay, Mason.

Rough and dirty.

But what it means is that
since there was no accident,

there's no alibi for buying
the Manzanita Canyon place.

And that $1,000 check Caine
made out to Debbie here,

That was just a bribe
to support a story

that's fake from
beginning to end.

Now, any way you look at it,

whether he knew
Quigley was framing him,

or Quigley was
threatening to expose him,

it kind of gave him a
motive to kill, didn't it?

Death was caused
by a .38 caliber bullet,

passing through the
left ventricle of the heart.

And the, uh, time of
the death, Dr. Auerback?

Somewhere between the
hours of 7 and half-past 8:00,

the night of
Tuesday, August 2nd.

This is the .38 caliber revolver

I found at the
scene of the murder.

Ballistics has shown it
to be the murder weapon.

What else did you determine
about this gun, lieutenant?

It was purchased by and
registered under the name

of William Harper
Caine, the defendant.

As I understand
it, then, Mr. Kent,

after this Citizen"
Committee petitioned

the Board of Supervisors,
uh, you had a report prepared?

Yes.

My own engineering
studies showed

that there were no
underground springs

in the Manzanita Canyon section.

I recommended to Mr. Caine
that the work not be stopped

and the route be left as it was.

And, uh, what action
did Mr. Caine take

in regard to your
recommendations?

He considered
them very carefully.

But he decided to overrule them

in favor of supporting
the petitioners' position.

Thank you.

You may cross-examine.

There are a few more facts

I'd like you to
corroborate for me,

if you will, Mr. Kent?

Well, certainly.

Now, do you know, of
your own knowledge,

if the defendant, William Caine,

kept a gun in his
study at his home?

I believe he did. Yes.

Once before going with
him on a field inspection trip,

he took the gun from his desk.

Now, on the report you
submitted to Mr. Caine

on the possible existence
of underground springs

in Manzanita Canyon.

Did you order the survey

and select the investigating
personnel yourself?

Yes.

Your report stated there
were no underground springs.

Yes.

That's strange, Mr. Kent.

After the board hearing,

I had several very
fine engineering firms

do some studies in that section.

And all of the firms reported

that beyond any
possible question of doubt,

there are underground
springs in that area.

Well, then, I guess some
mistakes were made.

Yes.

No further questions.

When the hearing ended,
Quigley was furious.

He threatened Caine.

Said he'd sweep him
out of the way if he had to.

Did he?

Thank you, Mr. Sistrom.

Cross-examine.

Suppose, Mr. Sistrom,

we go a little bit
deeper into this question

of my client's alleged motives.

Now, you stated that Quigley

threatened to sweep
Mr. Caine out of his way.

What did you mean by that?

Well, Quigley was
threatening to expose

Caine's financial involvement

in the possible change of route.

But that had already been done.

In public, and before
the Board of Supervisors.

So the threat was
meaningless, wasn't it?

No further questions.

Then this, uh, check for $9,000

does not represent
a legitimate valuation

of your Manzanita Canyon Ranch?

Three thousand
would've been too much.

Then, uh, why the extra $6,000?

All I know is I got a phone call

from this lady
named Miss Bradford,

telling me she knew I
was trying to sell my place.

She had somebody was
willing to pay $9,000 for it.

You think I should've said no?

And, uh, how was
the deal concluded?

Well, Miss Bradford
brought this Peter Caine out.

He gave me the check, I
signed over the deed over to him.

Weren't you curious about, uh,

why you were getting
such a lucrative deal?

Well, it wasn't all one-sided.

I mean, I knew who
the kid's old man was.

So the county wants to build
something on my property

and the kid wants
to cash in on it,

courtesy of his old man.
That's copacetic with me.

Thank you.

You may cross-examine.

Mrs. Witt, you were saying

that Peter Caine's
purchase of your farm

had nothing to do with
an automobile accident,

but was purely a matter
of land speculation.

Well, sure I was saying it.

Listen, I even asked the kid.

"Sonny," I said, "Does your old
man know anything about this?"

"Sure," he says.

"I'm buying the place for him

to retire to when
he quits working."

Retire? To that dump?

You don't believe me?

Ask the kid.

Three years ago,

your husband, Joseph Witt, died.

Yet you failed to notify
the Title Registry Office.

This is a photostatic copy
of the deed to your property,

transferred to Peter Caine,

not three years ago, but
less than three months ago.

Now, would you please read

the two signatures
at the bottom of it?

"Grace Witt."

Go on.

"Joseph Witt."

I guess I just signed it. Heh.

No, Mrs. Witt,
you didn't sign it.

You forged it.

Isn't it true that you've
been in on this frame-up

from the very beginning?

Whom did you deal with then?

Roger Quigley?

What did Quigley promise you

in addition to the inflated
value of your land?

Well, Mrs. Witt, you've admitted
to greed and to dishonesty.

What else would
you care to admit?

That's all.

I call Peter Caine.

Did Mrs. Grace Witt
quote you correctly?

Did you tell her you were
buying the place for your father?

Yes or no?

Yes, I told her that,

but it wasn't true. Wasn't it?

Well, did you tell her, "I
ran your husband down

and I want to buy your home
to ease my conscience"?

No. No.

Because Mrs. Witt
doesn't have a husband.

Because there was no accident.

There was no
hit-and-run, was there?

There was! It was a frame-up.

I was...

Well, I'd had too much to
drink, and Debbie and I...

Miss Bradford...

Miss Bradford
will testify shortly.

I call your attention to
the night of the murder,

Tuesday, August 2nd.

Did you visit the
deceased, Roger Quigley?

I ask if you visited the
deceased that night.

I don't remember.

Now, Mr. Caine,

it is obvious you
are dissembling.

Answer the question.

Yes.

At approximately 8:00.

Yes.

And you talked with him?

Yes.

And left approximately
15 minutes later?

Yes.

Roger Quigley was alive then?

Yes.

I show you this revolver

and ask if you have
seen it previously.

Your Honor?

The witness will answer,
or I will find him in contempt.

Answer him, Peter.

Yes, I've seen it.

At your home?

Yes.

Just before you left a note

telling the defendant

you were going to
call on Roger Quigley?

No, not just before.

I don't remember
when I saw the gun last.

Perhaps it was
several days before.

But you did leave a
note for your father?

Yes.

And when you returned home,

the note was gone.

So was your father.

Yes.

That's all.

Cross-examine.

No questions.

I call Mr. Paul
Drake to the stand.

I was supposed to meet Mr. Mason

at the Quigley home at 8:30.

What time did you arrive?

Just a minute or
two before that.

Peter Caine said
he left at 8:15.

He said Roger
Quigley was alive then.

At half-past 8 you and,
uh, the defense attorney,

Perry Mason,
went into the house.

Uh, the door was open.

What did you find, Mr. Drake?

We found Roger Quigley, dead.

And what else did you find?

I, uh, should say,

who else did you find
in the murder room?

William Caine.

The defendant?

Yes.

Will you point him out?

Let the record show the witness
is pointing to the defendant,

William Harper Caine.

Thank you. That's all.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

No questions.

Dessert, anyone?

Uh, no, thanks.

Oh, I'm sorry. You
haven't finished.

Oh, that's okay.

Not eating isn't going
to help your father, Peter.

If it was just my not helping,

I wouldn't feel so bad.

When Grace Witt
recognized my name,

and asked me about my father,

I told her the first thing
that popped into my mind.

That story about my father
asking me buy him the place

to retire to.

How well do you
know Debra Bradford?

Just a date.

I've taken her
out several times.

She drives a sports car.

Yeah. She's a buff.

What is a buff?

An enthusiast.

She goes to the races
and takes part in the rallies.

Aren't there usually two people
to a car during a rally, Peter?

Sometimes when the rally
course is being laid out,

there's just the driver.

Uh, I know about this,

but I hope this other stuff
from the corporation commission

is what you wanted.

I hope it's what I wanted, Paul.

Now, uh, then what
happened, Miss Bradford?

The thousand
dollars was a bribe.

Mr. Caine wanted me to say
that there'd been an accident,

and that's why Peter had
made out the check for $9,000.

And there wasn't a word of truth

to the whole accident story?

No.

Go on, Miss Bradford.

Well, at the moment

Mr. Caine handed me
the thousand-dollar check,

Mr. Quigley and his
associate, Mr. Sistrom,

entered from the back of
the house and took a picture.

And then?

Then Roger Quigley
told Mr. Caine

that he would report
to the district attorney

Caine's attempt
to suborn perjury

unless Caine withdrew the
stop-work order on the aqueduct,

and also resigned
as county engineer.

Threatened him, would you say?

Yes, sir.

Miss Bradford,
thank you very much.

Cross-examine.

Miss Bradford,

I'd like you to help
me clarify a few points.

It seems to me

that if what you described
in your testimony was bribery,

you must have wanted
to go along with it.

What?

Well, you were accepting
that check, were you not?

The picture taken by Mr. Sistrom
showed the check in your hand.

How well do you
know Charles Sistrom?

Casually.

Really?

Let's see.

From the State Corporation
Commission Office.

"Notice of sale of $100,000

"of Quigley Construction
Company stock.

"Purchased by Debra E. Bradford,

"but registered jointly,

"in the names of
Deborah E. Bradford

"and Charles Sistrom.

Notice of stock assignment."

You, Debra E. Bradford,

personally loaned
the Quigley Company

an additional $150,000 on a note

secured by Quigley's
own company stock,

assigned to you,
and Charles Sistrom.

Would you, uh,

call a quarter of a
million dollars "casual"?

Charles Sistrom and I
are engaged to be married.

I just didn't want the
publicity about it now.

I see.

How much of the Quigley
Construction Company

were the two of you to own?

Charles was to become
an equal partner.

Was to become?

On completion of the aqueduct.

Were you also aware that
to start the aqueduct job,

and on the strength
of the county contract,

Quigley had borrowed an
additional million and a quarter

in short-term,
non-renewable loans?

We didn't learn about that until

after the Citizens'
Committee petitioned

to stop construction.

A lengthy delay would
have put the company

out of business, is that right?

Yes. So your only hope, then,

to save everything was
to prevent that delay,

is that right? Yes, yes.

The only way you could
prevent the stop-work order

was to maneuver William Caine
into a compromising position.

Isn't it true, Miss Bradford,

that you were as responsible

as Quigley and
your friend Sistrom

for framing Peter
Caine in that accident?

Yes! All right, I was.

And when that didn't
stop William Caine,

the three of you
became desperate.

And with that
thousand-dollar check,

you framed him just
as you framed his son.

Yes.

Now, once you were assured

that the work would go on,

that the company was safe,

did it ever occur to you

that Quigley was
no longer needed?

No longer needed?

Yes.

Sistrom could handle
the aqueduct construction.

And between the stock you owned

and the Quigley stock
as security for your loan,

you and Sistrom could
actually take over the company.

If Quigley were dead.

Where were you on the night
of the murder, Miss Bradford?

I wasn't even in town.

I was driving in an
all-night sports car rally.

What about Sistrom?
Where was he?

No. He didn't kill him.

How would you know
whether he killed him or not?

You just testified you were
driving in a sports car rally.

Yes, I was.

An all-night sports car rally.

Is, um, that some kind
of a small car race?

No, it's not a race.

It's a test of driving skill.

Each driver, one car at a time,

covers a pre-determined course.

He hits a series of checkpoints

at exactly the times called for,

not sooner, not later.

Now, on that particular night,

except for the officials at the
checkpoints, were you alone?

In a car, driving a
carefully laid-out course,

under precise timing
conditions. Yes.

Would you remember

just when and where
you started that night?

And, uh, oh, let's say the, uh,

first three checkpoints?

We... We started at...

At Southside Park at 7:00.

I arrived at the
second checkpoint, uh,

the sports arena, at, um, 7:33.

The country club
checkpoint at... At 8:10.

The third checkpoint...

Mm, the third...

Oh, yes, the...
The airport at 8:45.

Excellent, Miss Bradford.

Almost 100 percent accuracy.

Almost?

Mm-hm.

You arrived at the country club

not at 8:10, but at 8:11.

You arrived at the airport
not at 8:45, but at 8:47.

You must have checked
my official timing record.

Yes, I must.

Now, the official route from
the country club to the airport

was through the freeway
interchange downtown.

Not a great distance
mileage-wise,

but time-consuming.

Now, you could have gone,
oh, let us say by Butler Avenue

in half the time, couldn't you?

No, that wasn't
the official course.

No, it wasn't.

But 2852 Butler Avenue

is where Roger Quigley lived.

And the time of death
was between 8:15 and 8:25.

Now, if you left the
country club at 8:11,

you could have been
at Quigley's by 8:16.

Ten minutes to
get in, kill Quigley,

leave by 8:25, before
the defendant arrived,

down Butler Avenue,

across Clarkson Drive,
to the airport by 8:47.

No!

Mr. Drake timed it out,
in a car exactly like yours,

with no trouble at all.

No, no!

Now, the murder gun.

Mr. Caine kept
the gun in his study.

You were a guest in the
Caine home, were you not?

I never saw the gun.

Butler Avenue, Clarkson
Drive, to the airport.

7:33, 8:11, 8:16, 8:47,

timetable for murder.

The Lawrence Kent
home is on Clarkson Drive.

1600 Clarkson Drive.

Do you remember passing his
home that night, Miss Bradford?

I didn't kill Roger Quigley!

I swear I didn't!

Your Honor,

I'm sure the court is
aware to what extent

this witness has
perjured herself.

With the court's permission,

I should like to
interrupt her testimony

to recall Lawrence Kent.

Mr. Parness?

No objections, Your Honor.

The witness will step down.

Lawrence Kent
will take the stand.

Mr. Kent, on the evening of
the murder, were you at home?

I was.

Now, your home has a patio

which fronts on Clarkson Drive?

Yes, it does.

As a matter of fact, I
was having dinner alone,

out on the patio that evening.

Are you familiar

with the sports car
Miss Bradford drives?

It's a rather
distinctive vehicle.

I've seen and
admired it many times.

Now, on the evening
of the murder,

during the interval
of 8 to 8:45,

did you see that car go by
your home on Clarkson Drive?

Y-Yes.

All right, Mr. Kent.

Now, did you see Miss
Bradford driving that car?

Clarkson Drive is brightly lit.

I...

I saw Miss Bradford driving.

It's not true. He's lying!

Bailiff, keep that woman
under surveillance.

But you did testify that you saw

Miss Bradford
drive past your home

on the evening of the murder?

Yes, I did.

Mr. Kent,

there are four
witnesses who will swear

that Miss Bradford
drove the official route

on that evening and did
not go near your house at all.

I...

I saw the sports car go by.

It may not have been hers.

But you testified you
recognized Miss Bradford.

Now, what happened between
you and Mr. Quigley, Mr. Kent?

What happened?

What do you mean?

Well, he paid you

to help him get the
aqueduct contract.

And when it looked as though

the job would be prolonged,

he'd be bankrupt,

he paid you once again,

this time to submit
a false report

on the underground springs.

Then what happened?

Nothing. Nothing happened.

When the defendant,
William Caine,

ordered an investigation,

you realized that Roger Quigley

was the one person
who could betray you.

What happened then, Mr. Kent?

He had nothing more to lose.

If the company went,

he didn't care what
happened to me.

You were in Quigley's house

when Peter Caine arrived.

You hid in another room.

When Peter left at 8:15,
you came out of hiding

and you shot and you killed
Roger Quigley, did you not?

Yes! Yes, I killed him
with Mr. Caine's gun.

I wanted him to get blamed.

Twenty-one years
I worked for him.

Twenty-one years.

And he told me when he retired,

that he was recommending
someone else for his job.

My judgment wasn't
sound, he said.

After 21 years.

Mr. Caine was right, wasn't he?

If your judgment had been sound,

you wouldn't have
accepted bribes.

You wouldn't have gotten
mixed up with Quigley.

Or committed a murder.

That's all, Your Honor.

Coffee, Mr. Caine?

This check for $6,000,
Peter, is for you.

From Grace Witt?

Represents what
you overpaid her.

A matter of delayed conscience.

Oh, Della. Mm-hm?

That brief on
McGeevy v. McDonald?

Oh, um, yes.

And Perry, there
are three points

that you haven't covered.

And you'll, uh, need my
report on Mrs. McGeevy.

Excuse us.

I don't want it.

That's the only money
you've got in this world.

My mother's money, not mine.

I think it's time

I did something
about earning my own.

What, for instance?

I don't know.

What you really should do...

What you really should do

is to figure it
out for yourself.

Sorry to be rude...

You aren't, Mr. Mason.

Thank you.

Oh, no. Thank your father.

He was the one who was
sure his hopes for the...

The aqueduct would
go the right way.