All language subtitles for Perry Mason S04E25 The Case of the Misguided Missile.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

On Switch. Go on. Arm light on.

Station command to internal.

Major. Mm?

Lots of luck, Major Reynolds.

Thanks, sergeant.
We can use some.

T minus 60 seconds and counting.

Minus 50 seconds.

Minus 40 seconds. Thirty-five.

Water system ready?

Affirmative.

I have a prepped complete light.

Locked, tanked and secured?

Locked, tanked and secured.

Relax, Mr. Morgan.

Relax?

Ha!

That's easy to say, major.

That Scepter out
there is my baby.

My own flesh and blood.

I've got a lifetime
tied up in it.

Yeah, I'll relax, all
right, after it flies

and this time it better fly.

Minor 20.

Status check. Command on intel.

Affirmative.

Telemetry in launch condition.
- Affirmative

- Missile, intel and AC?
- Affirmative.

- Pressurization complete?
- Affirmative.

Status check. Bring
safety arm light on.

Affirmative.

Drain's ready? MAN 6: Ready.

Count.

Minus ten, nine, eight,

Ignition.

It's got to fly.

Main stage.

It's got to fly.

Three, two, one, zero.

Plus one, two, three,

four, five, six,

seven, eight, nine, ten...

Go, honey. Keep going, baby.

Keep going, baby.

Destroyed. Destroyed.

Destroyed. Destroyed.

There's no reason for it.

There's no reason
for that bird not flying.

No reason at all.

You know it had to fly.
Take a look at that screen.

Take a look at what's
happening out there.

Tell me why. Why!

Hello, Helen. Hello, Jerry.

All right, then, call the man.

I'd like to talk to Ms. Rand.

They're testing a standby bird

on the hydraulic pumping unit.

Now, tell them to check
out the gimbal shafts

on both booster engines.

That's the only thing
that fits the pattern.

Yes, sir.

You look as tired as I feel.

Reporters still riding you hard?

Jerry, isn't there
something we can tell them?

Sure. Tell them we're
testing our reactions to failure.

We all passed
with flying colors.

I put that out and the
Morgan Missile Company

will be searching for a
new public relations counsel.

The Scepter isn't an
Air Force bird. Not yet.

It's Morgan's baby, until the
Air Force accepts or rejects it.

The next test shot's
the last one, Jerry.

Unless the bird flies right,

this could be goodbye
Scepter contract for Morgan.

You know that.

It'll fly, on
schedule, on course.

You're not canceling
next Friday's shot?

No.

That bird can fly. And it will.

Telephone, sir.

Oh, thanks, sergeant.

Here.

Major Reynolds.

Mm-hm.

Well?

Well, I... I pick...

Picked up this thing.

Uh, but I... I'm sure
it was after they, uh...

They cleared up the debris
off the range yesterday.

Uh, no, major.

Uh, I haven't the faintest
idea whether the part

was, uh, off your missile.

But there's
something on it, uh...

I think you should see.

Well, fine. Then
you'll run it over tonight

when you've
finished for the day.

Thank you.

Well, some civilian engineer
found something on the base

that could be or could not be
part of the destroyed Scepter

and maybe does or doesn't
show significant marks.

Major Reynolds.

Uh, I'll leave now.

Yes, sir.

Jerry?

I might just be relieved
of the whole problem.

A man named Colonel
Sloan is arriving in half an hour

at the airfield.

The only reason I'm
taking over, major,

is so you can concentrate
on the technical side.

It goes no deeper than that.

You're not being
reprimanded, believe me.

Then I stay on
as project officer?

Of course, Jerry.

We simply want you to
be free of the detail work

so you can get that
shot off next Friday.

Oh, Major Reynolds,
Captain Caldwell.

Mike flew out with
me from Washington.

It's been a long time, Mike.

I heard you made major.

Congratulations, even
though they are late...

sir.

I borrowed Mike

from the Air Force
inspector general's office.

He'll be in charge of
investigating the possibility

of something other than
your functional failures

on your missile aborts.

Other than functional failure?

The right-handed monkey wrench

on a left-handed nut and bolt.

Never can tell, can you?

So give him everything
you've got or know about,

or he asks for.

Turn that aspect of the
job entirely over to him.

Anything you say, Colonel Sloan.

Jerry, all I want you
to do is to concentrate

on making that
next shot a success.

The Air Force could use
a bird like the Scepter.

Just leave the rest
of the details to us.

Now, let's see about quarters.

Sergeant.

Come here.

You don't seem to be taking
this very seriously, doctor.

I hardly think
that's called for.

Well, you haven't
learned exactly

what caused that failure.

Well, we're trying to
find out for sure, captain.

A guess is
meaningless in science.

Dr. Bradbury,

you've been senior
Morgan Company scientist

on the Scepter project
since the beginning.

Now, tell me,

were you just as heavy a
drinker then as you are now?

That...

That's none of your concern.

The Air Force and
the American people

have spent millions of
dollars on the Scepter so far.

And that's a pretty
expensive bar tab, doctor.

You usually supervise
the preflight tests.

You didn't before
the last shoot.

Who ran those tests?

Major Reynolds.

Major Reynolds? Alone?

Well, the regular staff,

some of the Air Force personnel.

I guess some of our
people helped him. Uh...

Yes, Dr. Harrison
gave him a hand, I think.

Dr. Harrison.

I told you my activities here

for the Morgan Company
are restricted to one thing:

working on a radically new,
all-inertial guidance system.

For the man that
comes up with this

radically new inertial guidance,

it could be worth a lot of
money to him, couldn't it?

If the man you mean is me

and I did develop the system,

it would belong to the
Morgan Company, not to me.

It might be to your
advantage not to complete it

as long as Morgan
was still in business.

By the way, you took
Dr. Bradbury's place

before those last
preflight tests, didn't you?

Yeah. Dan Morgan and I
helped with his checkup.

Now that you've
all but intimated

that I sabotaged the Scepter,

why don't you ask Mr. Morgan

if he didn't destroy
his own missile?

I may do that, doctor.

I may very well ask him.

Mr. Morgan.

I thought you'd finished here.

All the troubles
you've been having.

Your company's
in pretty bad shape.

I know that better than you do.

That's the reason the
shot Friday better...

Well, can't fail.
Well, what if it does?

The Huxley Company
is just waiting

for something
like that to happen.

The Huxley Company.

What, is that a
competitive bidder?

If that Scepter shot
washes out Friday,

they pick up the contracts.

But it won't.

I hope not.

Mr. Morgan, I...

Oh, it's you.

My job is not to hurt
anybody, Ms. Rand.

But it is to find the truth

regardless of whether
anybody does get hurt.

Exactly what do you mean?

Aside from the
question of patriotism,

or the survival
of the free world...

Hear, hear.

Well, however you
characterize it, Ms. Rand,

there also happens
to be the question

of the billions of dollars
spent on the missile programs.

So I'm sure you won't mind

my thoroughly checking
you and your company,

as well as the, uh,
Huxley Corporation.

Oh, Perry, I'm taking a job
with the Huxley Corporation.

They have a fine reputation.

Good choice of, uh,
companies, Jerry.

Well, about a year ago they
opened a missile division.

There's a good spot
for me with the company.

What's happened with
you and the Air Force?

I always thought that
you and the service

were made for each other.

Even back on Ulithi I
would have bet on it.

Hey, how about that.

Joint operations.

Navy and the Air
Force in a frontal assault

on the officer's bar on Mug Mug,

the enchanted
isle of the Pacific.

Remember that, Perry?

When was it, '44 or '45?

Forty-four.

You know, you should be
able to retire in four or five years.

You, uh, disenchanted, Jerry?

No. No, I love the Air Force.

It's part of my life, I guess.

Always will be.

No, it's my dad.

For years I've sent him every
cent I could scrape together

to keep his business going.

Now he's in the hospital.

Pretty expensively
sick, I'm afraid.

And that business of
his has left us both broke.

I'm very sorry.

Well, it's a good
deal at Huxley's.

Too much money to turn down.

Oh, like it or not, I'm gonna
have to resign my commission.

Have you signed with Huxley?

Oh, that's why I asked
you to come up, Perry.

Uh, these are the contracts.

I'd appreciate your looking
them over before I sign.

Something wrong with them?

Huxley's a strong
competitor of Morgan.

Now, am I running a
danger of conflict of interest

by signing with Huxley?

You work for the Air
Force, not Morgan.

Yes, but Huxley's project
is essentially the same

as the one I'm
supervising for Morgan.

Now, I don't want to put myself
or the Air Force on the spot.

I'll check out the contracts.

Get in touch with you
in a couple of days.

Thanks for coming up, Perry.

It was impossible
for me to get away.

I had to fly to San Francisco.

No problem stopping over.

Say, would you care to
stick around for the shoot?

I can arrange it.

Oh, sorry, Jerry, no time.

I don't want to miss that
plane out of Santa Maria.

Oh, Perry.

I can, uh, get you to
San Francisco real quick.

Thank you, no.

I think jets are
fast enough for me.

Well, now, Ms. Arrange-It-All,

exactly why did
you fix it for me

to see the shot of
Vandenberg tomorrow morning?

Why, Mr. Huxley,

to see the Scepter
shot, of course.

As a new prime
contractor in missiles,

you should be here.

Now, uh, why should
it be a problem?

And why else would
I want you here?

Yes, why, indeed?

Oh, um, would you like a drink?

Hm.

George, that shot
tomorrow morning

will never get off the ground.

You put an awful lot of stock
in wishful thinking, Helen.

This, uh... This
isn't a fairytale world.

Well, here's to the Scepter.

To Morgan's bird

and to the egg it will lay.

Risky. Risky.

T minus ten seconds and holding.

Repeat. Repeat.

Risky. Risky.

T minus ten seconds and holding.

Why doesn't Major Reynolds
get back? What's holding him up?

The safety officer spotted
something on the range.

Reynolds went out to check it.

Whatever it was,
it's been removed.

Reynolds is on his way back.

No need to get upset.
Everything's under control.

As soon as the major
comes back inside,

pick up and start
your final countdown.

Now, just take it
easy, Mr. Morgan.

T minus ten seconds
and counting.

T minus nine,

eight, seven, six...

Colonel, we've got
to scrub the shot.

No, that's crazy. Don't stop.

What happened?
Never mind. Stop it.

Too late. Nothing we can do now.

T plus one, two...

Go, go.

Go.

Come on bird, fly.

Six, seven,

eight, nine, ten...

Go, go, go.

Go. Go.

13, 14, 15,

16, 17...

Go. Go.

19, 20, 21,

22, 23, 24, 25...

Oh, you beautiful,
beautiful bird.

Jerry, what was this all about?

Why did you try
to stop the shot?

Captain McVey,
colonel. Air Police.

That, uh, delay...

Yes, Captain McVey,
the safety officer thought

it was some sort of
unidentified object

on the firing range.

There was no object, sir.

It was a man's body.

Captain Caldwell of the
inspector general's office.

Caldwell?

He's been murdered.

Mr. Mason. Mr. Drake.

I'm Mason. This is
Mr. Drake. How are you?

I spoke to you earlier
on the phone, Mr. Mason.

My name is McVey.

Yes, captain. Is Major
Reynolds waiting for us?

Yes, sir. He is.

Uh, Mr. Mason, uh,

Major Reynolds has
been relieved of his duties

and restricted to the base.

The restriction is in lieu of
arrest pending completion

of investigation.

Uh, he been charged
with murder yet?

Uh, technically, yes.

But, uh, whether or not
a general court-martial

is actually convened
depends to a great extent

on the investigating
officer's report.

That's my report, Mr. Mason.

Now, uh, it's not my job to try
and work up a case against him

but just to see
if there is a case.

That seems fair enough.

Major Reynolds
is not only entitled

to counsel of his own
choice during a trial...

In case there is one.

But also during
my investigation.

Defense is entitled
the same privileges

as the prosecution.

So, uh, witnesses,
physical evidence,

it's all yours to
study and question.

Now, uh, you've both
been cleared by security.

So in addition to the plane
the brought you up here,

there's a car and
driver for each of you,

and identification badges
to get you around the base.

So you're all set.

Your driver will take
you to Major Reynolds.

Thank you very much,
captain. See you later.

Well, my men should
be in Santa Maria by now.

We'll get located
and I'll put a tail

on everyone Reynolds
mentioned on the phone.

Some of them may
still be here on the base.

Uh, oh, Paul, that,
uh, civilian engineer

who made the
phone call to Reynolds

after the missile failure...

Yeah, let me see.

Uh, thin voice,
Midwestern accent,

a tendency to stammer.

You told me that, uh, Reynolds
couldn't remember his name.

Doesn't matter. Find him.

Thanks a lot. And
where do I find you?

When I finish with Jerry,

I plan to see a man by
the name of George Huxley.

I understand he's in
a hotel in Santa Maria.

You'll be able to
find me all right.

Well?

Well, then when
Caldwell was grounded

for having failed to
carry out an order,

he blamed me for his being
reprimanded and reassigned.

Claimed I'd never
given him the order.

I, uh, never told
you about it, Perry.

It was in Korea, quite
a few years back.

Captain McVey tells me
that Caldwell was killed

at approximately 3 a.m.

Now, where were
you at that time Friday?

The worst place
you can think of.

With Caldwell?

Well, I wasn't exactly with him.

I just happened to run into
him at the Officer's Club here.

But it was an
accident, Perry, honest.

We had an hour or so
before final checkoff.

I dropped in to look for Helen.

That's Helen Rand.

I wanted to ask her about
a press release she did

on the shoot.

She wasn't there.

Who was there?

Well, Dr. Harrison and Caldwell.

All right. Then what happened?

Well, Caldwell saw
me. He came over.

Grabbed my arm all excited.

Began yakking away about
finally catching up with me,

being able to prove I
wasn't the bright genius

I was supposed to be.

Oh, a lot of stuff.

It didn't make much sense to me.

Harrison saw and heard this?

Well, I guess so.

I walked away from Caldwell,

went outside to my jeep.

Did he follow you?

Yeah. Still dishing
out the insults,

same kind of accusations
he'd made inside.

I, uh...

I guess I finally lost my
temper and took a swing at him.

I knocked him down.

What happened after
you knocked him down?

Well, I, uh... I
don't know for sure.

I was just so boiling mad,

I... I started walking
around the base.

I wasn't going
anywhere in particular.

I just... Trying to
cool off, I suppose.

Jerry, exactly what
did Caldwell say to you

that make you angry
enough to hit him?

That I really knew how
to take care of myself.

That he found out about the...

The cushy job I'd
set up for myself

with the Huxley
Corporation after I, uh...

after I made sure the
Morgan Company would fold.

And inasmuch as
I'm a late starter

in the missile field, I'm...

I'm willing to overpay to
get top men for my company.

Major Reynolds has
a good reputation.

So it's as simple
as that, Mr. Mason.

If the Morgan Company went
out of business, Mr. Huxley,

wouldn't you be in line

for additional Air
Force missile contracts?

Yes, it's possible. Very
likely, as a matter of fact.

But, uh, they haven't
failed. Not yet.

You were on the base at the
time of the firing, as an observer.

Did you by any chance, uh,
talk with Captain Caldwell?

The officer that
was killed? Yes.

No. I've never even met him.
Why should I have talked to him?

Well, I understand

he was making a
thorough investigation

of, uh, last week's
missile failure.

You know, Mr. Mason,
I'm getting very tired

of these efforts to involve
me in whatever goes on

over at the Morgan Company.

All these efforts?

That's exactly what I said.

You now, and earlier
today a phone call.

Who was it that called you?

I don't know. Some man.

He sounded quite drunk.

Insisted he meet me here

and tell me something
about the Morgan Company.

As if I cared
whatever he had to say

or anybody else.

Including you, Mr. Mason.

So now, if you don't
mind, I am a little busy.

Uh, just one more question,
Mr. Huxley, and I'll leave.

When was the last time
you saw Helen Rand?

Miss Rand?

Well, now, I...

I haven't seen her since

the Western Region
Ballistic Missile conference

about a month ago.

Why do you ask me that?

Interesting shade of
lipstick on these filters.

Sorry to have troubled
you, Mr. Huxley.

Hi, Perry, I'd hoped
I'd catch you here.

News, Paul? Uh-huh.

I found out that Helen Rand

took off from the base
just as we arrived there.

One of my men spotted
her in town and trailed her.

You'll never guess where.

Well, my guess is
that he followed her

right here to this hotel.

Why pay me to find out
something you already know?

I didn't know. It was
just a guess. Go on.

Well, she was
inside for a while,

then she came out
and waited in her car.

A couple of minutes later a
cab pulls up and a drunk got out.

A drunk? PAUL: A drunk.

He staggered toward the lobby
and Helen Rand spotted him.

She ran out of her
car, grabbed him,

started yakking at
him like a house afire,

put him in her
car and drove off.

That was, oh, about
half an hour ago.

Where'd they go?

She dropped him off
at the downtown hotel.

He managed to
make it into the lobby

and she took off for the base.

The drunk's name is Bradbury.

Dr. Bradbury.

Good work, Paul.

And there's more.

The engineer who called
Major Reynolds last week

and said he'd found
something that might relate

to the last missile failure?
You've seen the engineer?

No, but we know who he is.

His name's Bert Springer,

and we're trying
to locate him now.

Do you, uh, wanna come along?

No.

No, I think I'll try my
luck with Dr. Bradbury.

Keep in touch. Will do.

Dr. Bradbury.

Hm.

Dr. Bradbury.

Hm.

Who are you?

Perry Mason.

Major Reynolds' attorney.

Oh, yeah, yeah, sure.

Major Reynolds.

He's a good man.

He's a fine scientific mind.

Sorry.

I'm real sorry he's got
into so much trouble.

It's not good.

I, uh, thought you might
be able to tell me about it.

How did I help him?

He's a good friend, Jerry.

He's a good friend.

Is that why you
called George Huxley,

then tried to see him?

Huxley?

Who said I called Huxley?

Why, um, you did, Dr. Bradbury.

You said you called him.

Oh.

Well, maybe I did.

What about it?

What are you gonna do?

I just wondered, uh,

what it was you
wanted to tell him

that Helen Rand was
against you telling him?

Bradbury.

Brad, I brought your key.

You've got to go upstairs
and get some sleep.

Come on.

Can't you see I'm talking to,

uh, Perry Mason?

Uh, it's a very important
conversation, Dr. Harrison.

You're Dr. Harrison?

Mm.

He's in no condition to talk.

He wouldn't make any sense.

Come on, Brad, on
your feet. Come on.

Oh, but, I was... Come on.

But you...

I wanted to tell him...

Perry.

I found that man
Springer for you,

but there's just one trouble.

Yeah, I'm afraid
I found him first.

Afraid you found him first? Why?

Well, this is what Springer
discovered last week.

It's what's left of
the retainer bolt

from the yaw gimbal shaft
of booster engine number one

of the Scepter missile
that was aborted last week.

Here, have a look.

They've both been
sheared off on one end.

Yeah, it was cut halfway
through with a hacksaw.

And the rest of it just snapped

under 300,000
pounds of pressure.

This two-bit piece of hardware,

deliberately tampered with,

was very likely responsible
for the destruction

of a million-dollar missile.

That's what, uh, Springer
called Reynolds about?

Mm-hm, instead of
giving it to Reynolds,

he turned it over
to Captain Caldwell

before he was murdered.

We, uh... We hadn't known that.

Although we had found the bolt.

You found that bolt before
Springer told you about it?

Where?

It was carefully
tucked inside a hardhat.

Whose?

The personal protective headgear

that Major Reynolds kept
at the launch control center.

I'm really sorry, Mr. Mason.

Sorry, captain?

I'm going to recommend

that the general
court-martial be convened

and that Major Reynolds
be tried for murder.

Prosecution is ready to proceed

with the trial in the case of

the United States
v. Gerald Reynolds,

major, United States Air Force.

Sergeant Diamond has
been appointed reporter

for this court and
will now be sworn.

Will counsel
representing the accused

state whether the
legal qualifications

of the appointed
member of the defense

are, other than as stated,
in the appointing orders,

and will individual
counsel state

whether he's been
certified as counsel

by the appropriate
judge advocate general?

The legal qualifications

of the appointed
member of the defense

is correctly stated in
the appointing orders,

as certified by the office of
the judge advocate general.

Trial will proceed
on the charges.

The accused, Gerald Reynolds,
major, United States Air Force,

pleads to all specifications
and charges: not guilty.

The prosecution has
no opening statement.

Very well. Proceed
with the first witness.

The prosecution calls as witness

Dr. Richard Stanton.

Dr. Stanton, please.

And there were numerous
abrasions and, uh, lacerations

on Captain Caldwell's
forehead, cheekbone and chin.

And did you, uh, determine
the cause of death, doctor?

A heavy blow in
the cranial area,

directly over the
occipital lobe.

The left side of his skull
was literally caved in.

Death was instantaneous.

And the time of death?

Uh, between 3 and
3:20 in the morning.

I show you this rock.

Prosecution exhibit
number one for identification.

As I shall establish
subsequently,

it was discovered near
the body of the decedent.

Have you examined
the rock, doctor?

Yes.

There was cortical
tissue adhering to it.

Its size and weight conform
to the extent of the blow,

and, uh, specimens of
blood and hair I found on it

are similar in type to
those of the decedent.

In my opinion, that rock
was used to kill the decedent.

And who was there
in the Officer's Club

when you arrived in
the very early morning?

Uh, Dr. Bradbury
and Captain Caldwell.

They were having
coffee together.

Did you join them?

No, I had some
reports to look over.

I sat at another table.

Then Dr. Bradbury left the club

and Captain Caldwell
came over to me.

We chatted for a while and
then Major Reynolds came in.

What time was that?

About ten minutes later.

I'd say, uh, a
little before 3 a.m.

And may I ask what
happened then, doctor?

Well, Major Reynolds
went over to the coffee urn,

and, uh, Captain
Caldwell followed him.

They got into rather
a heated discussion

and, uh, Major Reynolds
pushed him away and left.

Then Captain Caldwell
followed him out of the club.

Now, let me understand
this clearly, sergeant.

At 12 minutes after
3 in the morning,

you picked up Major Reynolds

walking alone on the range,

and you brought him directly
to the launch control center.

And the major stayed
inside the control center,

where you could see him,

until considerably
later that morning,

when you both left
the control center.

Yes, sir.

The final countdown was stopped

when something was
spotted on the range.

The air police, Captain McVey,

had discovered the
body of Captain Caldwell.

At 3:12 you picked up
Major Reynolds on the range.

Uh, tell me, sergeant,

where was the body
of the murdered man

in relation to where you
picked up Major Reynolds?

About 300 yards
further downrange, sir.

Thank you, sergeant.

The prosecution has
no further questions.

Sergeant,

when you were
searching for the major,

didn't it occur to you
to try the Officer's Club?

Oh, but I did look in
at the Officer's Club.

You did? At what time?

About 3:05.

Well, didn't
Dr. Harrison advise you

that Major Reynolds
had just left?

Why, no, he couldn't have, sir.

There wasn't anybody
there at that time.

The Officer's Club
was empty at 3:05?

You're positive?

Yes, I am, sir.

So you saw no one in the club

or no one entering or
leaving the club at 3:05?

Yes, sir, that's correct.

But just as I got to the club,
a jeep was pulling away.

I called Major Reynolds
over my speaker,

but the jeep didn't stop.

You called Major
Reynolds over your speaker,

but did you have any
idea who was in that jeep?

No, sir, just someone
in a big hurry.

Thank you, sergeant.

Defense has no
further questions.

Please, continue, major.

Now, Dr. Bradbury, the
court has examined the bolt

to see how it was
deliberately tampered with.

Now, could you tell
us whether a bolt,

so tampered with,

could have been a prime factor

in the failure of the
Scepter missile?

By shearing and
affecting the gimbal control

of one of the booster motors,

it could have been, yes.

Now, on the day of
the successful shoot,

who was in charge
of all pre-flight testing?

I was.

Going back a week
to the shoot that failed,

who was in charge of
all pre-flight testing then?

Were you, Dr. Bradbury?

Well, no, I... I
was ill that day.

Major Reynolds had
assumed my duties.

So before the missile failed,

the missile carrying
this tampered-with bolt,

Major Reynolds
took over your duties?

Well, he...

Yes.

Previous to my placing this bolt

in your hands, doctor,

when did you last see it?

At the Officer's Club

the morning before
the successful launch.

Captain Caldwell
showed it to me.

Within minutes of the murder,

the decedent had this damaging
evidence in his possession?

Yes.

Thank you, Dr. Bradbury.

Prosecution has
no further questions.

Uh, Major Cooke, may
I see that bolt, please?

Thank you.

This, um...

This illness which came over you

on the day of the missile
failure, was it sudden?

Well, no, not sudden.

It... It just happened.

Of course, you checked
with a medical officer.

Well, it wasn't that serious.

No?

It prevented you
from carrying out

your pre-flight checkoff
duties, did it not?

Well, I'd... I'd had
a couple of drinks.

I'd been under great pressure.

Great pressure, doctor?

Could that pressure
have been the result

of Captain Caldwell's
investigation?

No. No, he wasn't accusing me.

Uh, he didn't even understand
the significance of that bolt.

I... I had to explain it to him.

Now, uh, Dr. Harrison testified

that you left the
club a little before 3.

Is that correct? Yes.

How well do you know Helen Rand?

Well...

We're, uh...

We're good friends.

Defense has no
further questions.

And this protective headgear
belonging to Major Reynolds

is always kept on
top of the clothes rack

just inside of launch
control center 576-B,

where the major works
during test shoots.

What else can you tell us

about this particular
hardhat, captain?

Well, the bolt that had
been tampered with,

the one the decedent
had in his possession

prior to his death,

we found that bolt tucked
inside the headgear,

right here underneath
the webbing.

Thank you, captain.

One moment, Major Cooke.

Is it the contention
of the prosecution

that this bolt was placed
inside the protective headgear

by the defendant

when he was brought

to the launch control center

by his sergeant
sometime after 3:12?

Yes, sir.

All this, of course,

hinges on the fact
that the decedent

must have had the bolt in his
possession when he was murdered.

May I remind the court

that Dr. Bradbury testified

that the decedent had the bolt

and showed it to Dr. Bradbury

prior to leaving
the Officer's Club?

Subject to objection
from the law officer

or either counsel,

the court would like to
recall two previous witnesses

to clear up this
point before going on

with Captain McVey's testimony.

Uh, well, Captain Caldwell
showed me the bolt

and then returned
it to his pocket.

To the best of my knowledge

he still had it
when I left the club.

Bradbury and Caldwell
were examining the bolt

and discussing it.

Then Captain
Caldwell put the bolt

back in his pocket.

When Dr. Bradbury left

and Captain Caldwell joined you,

did he show you the bolt? No.

When Captain Caldwell went

to join Major Reynolds,
did he show him the bolt?

Not inside the club, no.

Did you see him
give it to anyone

or otherwise dispose of
it before he left the club?

To the best of my knowledge,

Captain Caldwell still
had the bolt in his pocket

when he and Major
Reynolds left the club.

I hand you prosecution
exhibit number six

for identification. A
regulation-issue flashlight.

You recognize it, captain?

Yes, it has my mark on it.

It was found in a
clump of bushes

approximately 40 yards distant

from the point at which the
decedent's body was found.

Since it was badly smashed

and there was considerable
blood on the top portion of it,

we checked it over carefully.

And what did you
discover, captain?

Well, the blood
was of the same type

as that of the decedent.

Additionally, the
lacerations and abrasions

of the decedent matched in size,

the top of the flashlight.

In my opinion,
sir, this flashlight

was the weapon
used to inflict wounds

on the face and
forehead of the decedent.

And have you determined to
whom this flashlight belonged?

The flashlight is
Major Reynolds'.

One moment, Major Cooke.

I must object.

No possible
foundation has been laid

that would justify the statement

that that flashlight
has in fact been

in the defendant's possession.

May I?

How can it be distinguished

from the thousands and thousands

of identical flashlights
issued by the military?

No marks, and obviously
no fingerprints on the barrel.

Captain McVey,

why did you say the
flashlight was Major Reynolds?

Mr. Mason is right.

The outside barrel was
smeared as if by a cloth.

And even if it hadn't been,

it's doubtful if we could
have lifted any useful prints.

But inside,

on this reflector,

we did find two
clear fingerprints.

And whose
fingerprints were those?

The defendant's. Major Reynolds.

Well, Paul, did you
get the lowdown

on the good
Dr. Bradbury's finances?

They're lean but very lean.

Except for a $5,000 check

he cashed and deposited

the day before
the missile failure.

The teller in Bradbury's bank

has a memory like an elephant,

especially where it
comes to $5,000 checks.

And especially
when they're signed

by no less than George Huxley.

Guessing again? Hm.

Well, it was signed
by Huxley, all right,

but it wasn't made
out to Bradbury.

It was made out to Helen Rand

and she endorsed it to Bradbury.

How's that for a triangle?

It's the kind of triangle a
clever Air Force attorney

like Cooke will turn into an
edifice of damaging proof.

Quite a lawyer,
that Major Cooke.

All the service attorneys
I've met are highly competent.

They're as dedicated
to the legal profession

as they are to the
uniforms they wear.

Well, where to now, Perry?

Paul, I think it's time
to get out the tackle

and do a little fishing.

Good luck.

And after that failure
it became apparent

that unless the next
launch was a success,

I would be finished and
so would the Scepter.

Did you know that the defendant

was planning to resign his
commission in the Air Force?

Yes, he told me so himself.

And about his father and
about needing the money.

I offered him a job
but he turned it down.

For what reason?

He said he would
have to do better

than the 15,000 a
year I offered him.

The prosecution has
no further questions.

Mr. Morgan, didn't you
resent Captain Caldwell's

investigation of your company?

No, why should I?

You had no idea of what he
was reporting to his superiors?

Mm, not exactly, no.

But, uh, he kept me
posted on all his activities.

Would you mind telling me
when he last kept you posted.

It was, uh, that
Friday morning, early.

Before he was killed.

I was in my office
going over some reports

before the final countdown.

Captain Caldwell
came to my office

about, uh, 2:00, I think it was.

He was very excited,
as a matter of fact.

Excited about what?

Well, he said he
had the final proof

as to the cause
of the prior failure.

He showed me a partly
sawed-through bolt.

Said it represented

the culmination of
his entire investigation.

And before Captain
Caldwell left my office he said,

"After I see Major Reynolds,

you won't have to worry anymore
about a failure, Mr. Morgan."

Major Reynolds was resigning.

I offered him a job. A good job.

Captain Caldwell was
completely aware of the situation.

At no time was
there any implication

that I was rating
either the Air Force

or the Morgan Company.

Without impugning you
personally, the fact remains

that with the Morgan
Company out of business,

you would have
picked up its contract

and Major Reynolds,
who could have insured

the Morgan Company failure,

was seeking employment with you.

What salary was the
major to receive from you?

Thirty-five thousand
dollars a year.

Are you aware that
that's more than double

what the Morgan
Company offered him?

No, I'm not, nor do I care.

Major Reynolds was worth that
to the Huxley Missile Corporation

so that's what I offered him.

Prosecution has
no further questions.

May it please the court,

I request that each
and every witness

connected with this trial

be physically present
in the courtroom

during my cross-examination
of Mr. Huxley.

The prosecution objects.

We see no valid reason to
waive the rules of procedure.

Before ruling on the objection,

the court would like to
hear from the law officer,

Colonel Fremont.

May I ask, uh, for what
purpose of the defense counsel

makes this request?

To establish
voice identification

in regard to a
telephone conversation.

Both the request of
the defense counsel

and prosecution's objections

are within the
discretion of this court.

The Air Force is interested
in justice, not form.

Subject to objections from
any member of the court,

the prosecution's
objection is overruled.

Mr. Huxley, the day
following the murder,

you received a telephone call

from a man purporting to have
important information for you

regarding the Morgan
Company, isn't that so?

Yes, I received such a call.

But that's as far as it went.

Wasn't the man who called

actually your contact
inside the Morgan Company?

Of course not.

Then why did you
write a $5,000 check

which ended up in
Dr. Bradbury's bank account?

I did no such thing.
That's absolutely untrue.

You deny the check? Let
me refresh your memory.

It was made out to Helen Rand,
endorsed by her to Dr. Bradbury.

No. No, I don't deny that check.

I gave it to Helen...

For what, Mr. Huxley?

Well, it... It was a gift.

I... I wanted her to buy
something for herself.

We're very old friends.

So the check was merely
a token of friendship,

or to put it another
way, a token of love?

Yes. Yes, of love.

You cheat.

You no-good cheat.

Brad, shut up.
You've got it all wrong.

I thought you were supposed
to be in love with me.

There'll be order in this court.

That was just an advance.
- Order!

I was to wreck that missile,
put Morgan out of business

and then the whole world was
gonna be ours. Yours and mine.

Shut up, you fool.

Order! Just shut up!

Yeah, sure,

I'm a weakling and I'm a drunk

but who made that Scepter go?
- Order!

I did. Me.

I couldn't fail again,
not even for you.

There'll be order in this court.

Order.

The defense has
no further questions.

But with the court's permission,

I would like to
recall a witness.

Mr. Dan Morgan.

And as I stated before,

Captain Caldwell
showed me the bolt

to assure me that he had
finished the investigation.

According to your testimony,

that was at approximately 2 a.m.

Yes, about that time.

That's most
interesting, Mr. Morgan,

considering the fact the
decedent had no idea at all

of the significance of that bolt

until Dr. Bradbury
explained it to him

45 minutes later.

Well, I...

No... Now, the only time

you saw Caldwell that morning,
was when you killed him.

Isn't that so, Mr. Morgan?

The Scepter was the most
important thing in my life.

I would have done
anything to see it fly.

Anything.

I would have, and... And I did.

Many of the things I did
over the past few years

were wrong, against the law.

But it was... It was
either that or stop,

and nothing was
going to stop me.

Captain Caldwell found out.

Enough to put me
out of business.

Enough to keep the
Scepter from flying.

Don't you understand?

He wouldn't let my bird fly.

I... I didn't want to kill him.

But I... I begged with him.

I... I pleaded. I... I cried.

But he wouldn't listen.

The Scepter, my Scepter,

he wouldn't let it fly.

You don't understand
what it means

to build out of
nothing but a dream.

Why, jets hadn't even been...

They hadn't even been invented
when I was talking about...

About missiles.

M-Morgan, the fool
visionary, they called me.

But I fought it through.

Yes, I killed him.

Let it be, no matter what,

I built the first Scepter.

And it flew.

It flew.

So it was Morgan's jeep
that your sergeant saw

pulling out of the
Officer's Club that morning.

But my flashlight, how
did that get involved?

Well, you must have
dropped it by accident

and Morgan saw it

and decided to try and
frame you for the murder.

He picked it up
with a handkerchief

and beat Caldwell with it.

And almost defeated himself

by wiping your fingerprints

from the barrel
of the flashlight.

But not the inside reflector.

No, Captain McVey,
not the reflector.

Morgan then took the, uh,
bolt from Caldwell's pocket

and completed the frame
by hiding it in your helmet.

Well, Perry, what
can I say but thanks.

Oh, it might help if I
told you that I've, uh...

I've decided not to
take this uniform off.

Somebody still has to
nurse the Scepter along.

I'd like it to be me.

Good, Jerry.

We can work things out

as far as your dad's concerned.

I think you'll agree that, uh,

the uniform belongs
on you, major.

Be seeing you.

Captain.

Bye-bye.