All language subtitles for Perry Mason S03E16 The Case of the Wary Wildcatter.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

I've already paid
you $25,000 for these.

Oh, no, Houston,

you've been paying
me for goodwill.

Now's your chance
to pay me for them.

For keeps.

Twenty thousand dollars.

I haven't got that
kind of money.

Well, I didn't expect
you to have it on hand.

Shall we say, uh,
tomorrow afternoon

when the banks close?

I don't have it.

You've squeezed me dry

these last nine months, Byrd.

There's got to be
an end somewhere.

And this one looks
like a dead end.

What's the district
attorney's old saying?

"Live a long time
and learn a lesson."

You don't think I'd leave
myself so vulnerable,

do you, Houston?

You're a killer.

There's a set of duplicates
which will automatically go

to the district attorney's
office if I turn up dead.

So you were going to
double-cross me anyway.

Oh, no,

a successful blackmailer
likes to give his victims hope.

This 20,000 will
be the end of it.

I'm leaving for South
America Friday.

I'll never come back.

Byrd, I'm not lying.

I haven't got the money.

But I'll give you
20 percent more

in the Fair Chance, my oil well.

It's due in any day now.

It'll triple,
quadruple in value.

What percentage of that wildcat
has already been promised?

Two hundred, 300 percent?

Houston, I want $20,000 in cash.

Or the district attorney
winds up with action pictures

of a murderer at work.

Well, frankly, Madelyn,

it hurts to come
to you like this,

but I know we're good friends.

Oh, we're much more than
friends, aren't we, Charles?

Even though you haven't
been around lately.

Of course, darling.

But you haven't
been lonely, I hear.

Mm, what do you hear?

About Lucky Sterling?

Strictly for laughs.

Nobody laughs at Lucky Sterling.

He's a vicious man, Madelyn.

Oh, is that what kept you away?

Now how much money do you need?

Twenty thousand dollars.

Oh, Chuck, you can't mean it.

It's for new equipment
for the drilling operation.

Everything runs high, Madelyn.

I'm sorry, darling,

but I've already bought a piece

of your oil well.

Oh, incidentally, you promised
me the certificates weeks ago.

Where are they?

You know I haven't been able to
form a corporation yet, Madelyn.

As soon as I do
I'll issue the stock.

You already have
10 percent coming.

This will make it 30 percent.

Well, I'm all tied up
financially, Chuck.

Why don't you
ask Lucky Sterling?

Would he be interested?

He's interested in
all kinds of things...

Even some of the
things you're interested in.

Later, sweetheart.

You got a lot of nerve, Houston,

barging in here
like this and asking

for a handout of $20,000.

It's no handout, Lucky.

It's a legitimate business loan.

Legitimate? Is that
supposed to interest me?

You'll get it all
back in 60 days.

Al right. What is it? A dame?

Business.

For my drilling operation.

Well.

Been a long time sinking
that well, haven't you?

It takes time, Lucky.

Time and patience.

Ask my partner.

Floyd Gordon's been
wildcatting all his life.

Gordon swears we've got

a great big gusher on our hands.

I know.

He wants another
$5,000 in chips.

Thank you.

How do you know?

Last week I took a
drive out to the well.

I had a talk with this Gordon.

What for, Lucky?

A friend of mine's got
dough in that enterprise

and I don't like to see a
friend of mine hung out

on a phony line to dry.

But you did talk to Gordon.

Yes. I talked to him.

That's why I'm willing to
take a flyer with you, Charlie.

Just one thing, though.

What's your connection
with Madelyn?

She's a friend.

An old friend.

That's fine.

Keep it on a friendship basis

and that will be just fine.

You see, I, uh...

I'm interested in
the lady myself,

and I wouldn't
want anybody to feel

that they were crowding anybody.

Do we agree, partner?

Partner?

This is for 50 percent, right?

Fifty percent? I had
in mind 20 percent.

Fifty.

All right.

Then we're partners
in everything.

Everything but Madelyn.

Right?

Right.

Joe.

Well, Charlie, right on time.

You got it?

For they who await
no gifts from chance

have conquered fate.

What?

An old nursery rhyme
my dear father taught me.

Well, it's all here.

I must say it's the most
profitable game hunting

I ever did.

And now it's finished.

Sure. You carried out
your part of the bargain,

Twenty thousand dollars.

I'm thinking of your
part of the bargain.

That I'm seeing the last of you.

You are.

And that this is all of
the photos and negatives.

That's right. It is.

And when I burn
them, nothing is left.

Nothing.

You've got it all now, Charlie.

That's all there is.

There isn't any more.

And I managed to save a copy

just for you, Miss Wallace.

When did you get into town?

This morning.

I got a room at a hotel
and came right here.

May I have the 10,000, please?

I haven't got it.

I don't understand.

When I phoned you in Santa Rosa,

I told you that I wouldn't
give up the pictures

unless you gave me the money.

But I'm going to try to get it.

Here in L.A.?

Well, it may take
me a little time.

Can you give me until...?

Until Friday, the
day after tomorrow.

But I can't get it by then.

Oh, Mr. Byrd,
can't I appeal to you

to turn these pictures
over to the police?

It's bad enough doing
some of the things

I have to do for money.

Now, how do you expect
me to do it for nothing?

Please understand that
if you mention to anyone

that I can prove your sister
was killed by Charles Houston,

I'll destroy the evidence

then deny it and you'll
never get any proof.

I understand.

You're a stranger. You have
no friends, no relatives here.

Where are you planning
to get the 10,000?

From Charles Houston.

That photo was taken a
year ago in Santa Rosa,

just after Charles Houston
married my sister, Evelyn.

Are you sure your,
uh, brother-in-law came

to Los Angeles, Miss Wallace?

Oh, yes, we corresponded
after he left Santa Rosa, after...

After my sister died.

Charles has an office here.

She was killed just three
months after they were married.

Evelyn was out
driving by herself

when her car plunged off
a curve just outside of town.

How soon after the accident
did your brother-in-law

leave Santa Rosa?

Almost immediately.

He said that he felt like a
stranger there without Evelyn.

Then he was a newcomer
to the community?

Yes, Evelyn married him just
a month after he came there.

Oh, he's quite charming,
very persuasive.

What's his line of work?

Charles is a promoter.

Oil, mostly.

Evelyn and I invested
$50,000 in an oil well

he was going to drill
somewhere near Los Angeles.

Go on, Miss Wallace.

Well, we bought 50
percent of Charles' interest.

When the corporation was formed,

we were supposed to
get stock certificates.

And no corporation was formed?

No.

He... He said something
about incorporating himself.

He insisted it
had to be that way

because of legal red tape...

Something to do with, uh,
Corporate Securities Act.

He said he didn't want his
hand forced on incorporating

before the well came in.

Do you have a contract?
A letter of intent?

No.

Charles was one of the
family, so we trusted him.

I think a visit to the
district attorney's office

would do you some
good, Miss Wallace.

No. Uh...

Mr. Mason, I... I
have trouble at home.

I need money desperately.

I know that the
right thing is to...

To bring Charles to
some sort of accounting.

But I want to get my money.

As much of it as I can get.

I take it you haven't
spoken to him?

No, I haven't been able
to reach him at his office.

I even wrote to Mr. Gordon,

his... His field manager
and got no answer.

Then I phoned
Mr. Gordon at the field

and he said he didn't
know where Charles was.

All right, Miss Wallace.

We'll look into it for you.

We have your address.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

Miss Street.

Fifty thousand dollars,
one of the family.

Well, most people think the
stories they read in newspapers

can never happen to them.

Della, see if Paul can step in.

Mm-hm.

So, at 3,000 we
hit a layer of gumbo,

then five feet of sand
and water below that,

then more gumbo

and then a layer
of Miocene sand.

The richest core of oil
sand I ever dredged up.

I've been in oil all my life.

Brought in a few wells too.

Oh, nothing that would
ever put me on easy street.

But the Fair Chance,

I've been waiting for it,

dreamed about it,
eating it, sleeping it.

It's my big one.

I can feel it in here.

You talk my language, Gordon.

We're both hunch players.

Right, partner?

Partner?

Then he gave you
the 5,000 we need

for the rigging and equipment?

No. That was something else.

Yeah, but what did
he mean, "partner"?

Forget it, Floyd. That's
just his way of talking.

Charlie.

What's up?

What do you mean?

You been getting
a lot of calls lately,

like you can't be
reached in L.A.

From whom?

Well, there was a
Miss Madelyn Terry,

a Miss Wallace.

Paula Wallace? Yeah.

Isn't she your sister-in-law?

Didn't she give you the money
that started us in business?

Yeah.

Who else called?

Well, there was
a private detective

by the name of Paul Drake

and a lawyer named Mason.

I gotta get back to town.

So, what do they
all want, Charlie?

You in financial trouble?

Don't worry about me.

Yeah, but I do worry about you.

We're partners in this oil well.

I wouldn't like to think that
you were doing anything wrong.

Wrong? Like what?

Well, getting yourself
into a mess and...

She's blowing, Charlie.

She's blowing.

It's a blowout.

The shutoff valve is gone.

It's the valves!

You got the new valves!

It's the valve. Get a new valve.

Hurry up with that new valve!

Get those block
and tackles clear!

See that those block
and tackles are...

Soon as that valve's in place,

shut her off!

As soon as that valve's
in place, shut her off.

Look at her blow.

Look at her blow.

Look at that big
beautiful sweetheart.

We're rich, Charlie.

We're dirty, filthy, oily rich.

Miss Wallace, if you
own a piece of that,

I'd hold onto it. I sure
wouldn't sell it out.

They don't call me
lucky for nothing, partner.

We've got to talk to Charles.

Charles. Mr. Houston.

Funny.

Almost seems as if the
last thing on earth he wanted

was for that gusher to come in.

For a man whose rainbow
had just touched a pot of gold,

he was the sickest-looking
guy I have ever seen.

He drove right off?

Like a man with a mission.

He didn't even
recognize Miss Wallace

when she called to him.

Yeah... Oh, well, will
you please have her call

Mr. Perry Mason
when she comes in?

Thank you.

Didn't you leave Miss
Wallace at the hotel, Paul?

Sure I did.

I'll need her signature.

Mm-hm.

If that well is as
rich as Paul thinks,

she can be a very
wealthy young woman.

All things being equal.

Della, I'd... I'd
like her here early.

I left a message
at her hotel, but...

I'll call again in the morning
before I come to work.

I can't imagine where
she could have gone.

She said she was
gonna stay in her room.

Mr. Byrd?

Charles, are you here?

Hello? Oh...

Charles.

Let me out of here!

Why did you lock me in?

Oh, it's horrible.
It's horrible.

He's dead up there. Dead?

There's a man,
he's dead up there.

Okay, lady, let's go and
see who's dead up there.

Come on.

And the... And the door was
slammed shut and locked,

and the... The
lights went out...

They just went out and
I was... I was left alone

in the room with the dead man.

Locked, lady?

Lights out, miss?

But they were out.

Well, part of your
story's right, anyway.

There's a dead body here.

You better call Homicide.

Why did you kill him, miss?

After Mr. Drake
dropped me at my hotel,

I had dinner and then
I went to my room.

Then I received the phone call

and I went to the
Monterey Arms, Room 303.

What time was that phone call?

It was ten minutes to 10.

What time did you
reach Roger Byrd's room?

A little after 10.

All right, tell me
about the call.

Well, the man on the phone
said his name was Roger Byrd.

Now, that's what I
don't understand.

Lieutenant Tragg said that
Roger Byrd denied calling me.

Do you know this Roger Byrd?

No.

Then why would he call you?

Well, he said he was
calling for Charles Houston,

that Charles wanted to see me

in Mr. Byrd's hotel room.

Would you recognize this
voice if you heard it again?

I don't know.

While you were in
Roger Byrd's room,

did you touch anything?

Well, the phone and...

And the briefcase.

What briefcase?

It was Charles'. It
was on the desk.

What about the gun?

I... I... I don't know.

I didn't really look.

Why did you want to
kill him, Miss Wallace?

I didn't kill him.

The police have a pretty
good case against you.

Do you have any idea what
they'll figure was your motive?

No.

Something in the past? Something
while your sister was married?

No.

All right, Miss Wallace.

As far as the police,

the district attorney's office

and the reporters are concerned

just tell them the
story as you know it.

You have nothing to hide.

Right, Miss Wallace?

Right, Mr. Mason.

Perry.

What's up, Paul?

Well, mostly bits and pieces.

One thing: The
police got the call

to go to the Monterey Arms
apartment at 9:52 last night.

Call from whom?

Somebody by the
name of Anonymous.

What else?

Well, apparently the room
had been thoroughly searched.

What about the murder weapon?

Revolver, .32 caliber.

One shot fired.

Registered? Uh-huh.

Registered to Evelyn Wallace
Houston, Santa Rosa, California,

just one year ago.

That's Paula Wallace's sister.

You better check into it, Paul.

The relationship, the courtship,

accident.

Everything that
happened in Santa Rosa.

And, uh, check on this fellow
Gordon out at the oil well.

Oh, I've already phoned him.

Better make it a visit.

Did you find out how
Houston got into Byrd's room?

Well, Homicide thinks
that the door was unlocked,

just the way it was found.

No, I think there
must be a connection

between Byrd and Houston.

Well, hello, lieutenant.

Paul. Lieutenant.

Perry.

Anything I can do to help?

Why, yes, thank you, lieutenant.

You can help.

See, you can turn it

and it'll stay turned halfway.

Then you can't open
it from the other side.

Thank you, sergeant.

Tragg.

Not at all.

Go ahead, sergeant.

Uh, Mr. Byrd...

Uh, how well did you
know Charles Houston?

Oh, fairly well.

Did you know him in Santa Rosa?

Where? Santa Rosa.

Oh, no, sir. I knew
Charles right here in L.A.

Do you know Paula Wallace?

No.

And I didn't
telephone her either.

Well, why would
someone use your name?

I don't know.

Truthfully, Mr. Mason,

I don't think she ever
received a telephone call.

I think she simply
followed Charles right here

to the hotel room.

He must have had an
appointment with you then.

No. No, not last night.

What was your relationship
with, uh, Houston?

Well, I'm a stockholder
in the Fair Chance.

Or I will be when the
corporation is formed.

I had a personal
contract with Houston.

How much of Charles
Houston did you own?

Ten percent.

Ha! Only yesterday he asked
me if I wanted to buy some more

and I refused.

I even tried to sell what I had.

Was there anything
stolen, Mr. Byrd?

No.

Was there anything
in your possession

a thief might have been after?

I can't think of
anything, Mr. Mason.

Thank you, Mr. Byrd.

There was an original
investment of $50,000

which was eaten up pretty fast.

Land leases, equipment,
three cash withdrawals.

Cash withdrawals?

Yeah. One about
eight months ago.

Uh...

January the 20th, $10,000,

another March 6th, 7,500.

Another April the 15th, 7,500.

Drawn to whose order? Cash.

Charlie Houston must have
used the money for something.

For what? I don't know.

It had nothing to do with me.

My deal with Houston was a
50-50 split down the middle.

His job was to get
up the financing,

mine to produce the well.

Now, what he gave away on
his end really doesn't affect me.

It would if he gave away
more than he owned.

How?

By selling more than 100 percent

of the oil well. Oh.

That would leave you on
the outside along with him.

What was Lucky Sterling
doing up here yesterday

when the well blew in?

Yeah.

Maybe that's what Sterling meant

when he called
Charlie "partner."

Did he say how
much of a partner?

No.

Well, Paula Wallace
owns 50 percent.

Now, don't tell me you haven't
thought of this before, Gordon.

I got my work to think about.

And don't tell me you
haven't been to an attorney

to find out where you stand?

You're not that naive.

Now, you mentioned a phone call

from a man named
Byrd and a Miss Terry.

Madelyn Terry.

It was pretty close to 7:00,
after the gusher, when Charles...

Mr. Houston came in.

I'd never seen a man
with the spirit gone out

of him like that.

He seemed empty...

Just drained out.

As though he'd lost
his last friend on earth.

What did he want
from you, Miss Terry?

Money.

Why would he have needed money?

Yesterday afternoon he
watched that gusher come in.

Yeah. So he did.

So did you, Mr. Sterling.

That's right.

What were you doing out there?

I've got a stake going.

And why have you come to me?

I want to hire you.

What for?

I want my share
of that oil well.

I bought into that
proposition fair and square.

And that's the way
I want to be treated.

I'm afraid I can't
help you, Mr. Sterling.

Why not?

Conflict of interests.

I see.

Well, then, Mr. Mason, I'll
just have to protect myself.

The bank told me that
yesterday my check was cashed

by a Mr. Houston.

You've got a claim on this well.

Well, so have I.

Twenty thousand dollars' worth.

Come on.

Good day, counselor.

Twenty thousand dollars.

And Charles Houston
went to Roger Byrd's room.

And that's the room
where a search was made.

This was, uh, checked out by
Ballistics as the murder weapon.

It was purchased in
Santa Rosa, California

and is registered to, uh,
Evelyn Wallace Houston.

Lieutenant, would you
now tell this court please

who Evelyn Wallace Houston was?

She was the sister
of the defendant.

Thank you, lieutenant.
Cross-examine.

Lieutenant, isn't it also true

that Evelyn Wallace
Houston was decedent's wife?

Yes, sir.

And that it is possible

that he brought the
gun to Los Angeles?

Possible, yes.

How long had the
Houstons been married?

A few months, I believe.

And then Mrs. Houston met
with a fatal accident in Santa Rosa.

I see.

Did the murder room
bear evidence of a search?

Yes, sir.

Was anything
found to be missing?

No.

Thank you, lieutenant.
That will be all.

I call Mr. Floyd Gordon, please.

Now, Mr. Gordon, would you
please tell us what you know

about the defendant,
Paula Wallace?

Well, nothing outside
of a phone call she made

asking for Houston
and that letter.

And to what letter
are you referring, sir?

One that was found
among Houston's papers

when they were brought
out from his office in town.

I see. I show
you now this letter

and ask if you can
identify it for us.

Yes, sir.

It's addressed to
me but it was sent

to Houston's office in town.

Thank you. If it will
please the court,

I should like
this letter entered

as an exhibit for the people.

And I should like one paragraph

from the letter
read into the record.

Your Honor, I object
to any part of this letter

being introduced in evidence.

On what basis, Mr. Mason?

On the basis that no proper
foundation has been laid.

Your Honor, for
purposes of expediting

this preliminary hearing,

the prosecution felt that
a slightly more informal...

Not this informal.

The defense is not gonna
relinquish any of its rights.

This is a typewritten letter.

Typed on any given typewriter

is as distinctive and
identifiable as handwriting.

I'd like both the type and the
signature attested by experts.

Your Honor...

Defense is within
its rights, Mr. Burger.

Very well, Mr. Mason.
No further questions.

Your witness.

Now, Mr. Gordon,

have you recently
engaged an attorney?

Uh, yes.

Now, didn't he tell
you to count on nothing

but a fraction of
what you expected

to get out of the oil well?

Well, he said I was
in a better position

than some of the others.

And anyway, he said
Houston really held the title

in trust for all the
people he had defrauded.

That we'd all get something,

no matter how little.

Thank you, Mr. Gordon.
That will be all.

I got out of the elevator

and went down
the hall to my room.

Just as I reached the door,

I realized there was
somebody inside the room.

And what did you
do then, Mr. Byrd?

I put my key in the
lock and turned it

so that it couldn't be
opened from inside the room.

Then I went to the payphone
and called the police.

And while you were
phoning, what did you do?

I kept my eye on my door.

What did you see?

Nothing. Nobody went
in, nobody came out.

Is there any other way
out of your room, Mr. Byrd?

Well, the window
and the fire escape.

And where does
the fire escape lead?

To the street.

And we've previously
heard testimony that,

in response to a phone call

to police headquarters
at 9:52, prowl car officers

were able to intercept
the defendant in her flight

from that fire escape

and that they subsequently
returned her to the third floor.

Is that correct? Yes, sir.

Now, Mr. Byrd,

what time was it when you locked

this someone in your room?

A little before 10:00.

And how you could you be
certain that the someone was there?

Well, I heard a shot.

You heard shot?

Yes, sir. A revolver shot

right inside the door.

Thank you, Mr. Byrd.

Your witness.

What about that
shot, Miss Wallace?

No, Mr. Mason it
isn't true. He's lying.

Mr. Mason?

Do you wish to
cross-examine this witness?

I most certainly do, Your Honor.

Now, you say you,
uh, locked your door

after you heard a shot inside.

That's right.

Isn't it true that
you pulled a fuse

turning out all the lights?

Yes.

Where is the fuse box located?

In the janitor's closet
at the end of the hall.

And you, uh, kept your eye

on your door all the while?

Yes.

Then you, uh, made that
anonymous telephone call

to the police? Yes.

And you told them a
murder had been committed?

No.

I told them just
what I told you here,

that I had heard the shot.

But you didn't tell them
about locking the door.

No. Or about
turning off the lights.

No. Or who you were.

No. Why not?

Why the secrecy?

I wanted to keep out of it.

Keep out of what?

Whatever happened in there.

Yet, when the police came
up there with Miss Wallace,

the, uh, door was unlocked,
the lights were turned on.

Now, how do you
explain that? I did it.

After I locked
the door I listened

and heard the person
inside open the window

and go down the fire escape.

Naturally, I was curious to
see what had happened inside.

But you already knew
what had happened.

When did you call Miss Wallace

and tell her to
come to the room?

I didn't. Mr. Houston
wanted to see her?

I didn't call her. When
could I have done that?

Earlier.

Fifteen minutes earlier,
when you either killed Houston

or found him dead in your room.

No. It's not true. I didn't.

Mr. Byrd,

what is your occupation?

I'm a freelance photographer.

Is it a lucrative occupation?

I'm a man of very simple tastes.

I have no one to
support but myself.

I have here a record of
your monetary transactions

at a bank one block
away from where you live.

What about it?

You made a deposit in the amount

of $10,000 on January 21st

of this year.

That's quite a deposit for
a freelance photographer

of simple tastes.

I think that's my
personal business.

Then on March 10th
you deposited $7,500.

And on April 16th $7,500 more.

Are my figures and
dates correct, Mr. Byrd?

I guess so. I don't know.

And all from
photography, Mr. Byrd?

By a strange
coincidence, the deceased,

Charles Houston, withdrew
three identical amounts

from a Fair Chance account

the day before each
of your deposits.

Now, perhaps you were selling
your pictures to Mr. Houston.

What do you want with me?

On August 5th,

the day Charles
Houston was murdered,

he cashed a check for $20,000.

All right. On that same
day I deposited $20,000.

Blackmail, Mr. Byrd?

As you say, I was selling
something to Houston.

The next morning,

the morning after the murder,

you withdrew $45,000 in cash
from you account, did you not?

I withdrew my money, yes.

The someone who
searched your apartment,

was he looking for that $45,000?

No. No?

What was he looking for?

It wasn't a he. It was a she.

It was Miss Wallace.

How would Miss Wallace
have known about the money?

She wasn't looking
for the money.

She was looking for
my prints, my films...

The ones I blackmailed
Houston with.

Of Charles Houston
murdering her sister.

That's what she wanted.
I told her about them.

I called her in Santa Rosa.

Told her to get up $10,000
if she wanted the evidence

to send her sister's
murderer to the gas chamber.

That's why she came
here in the first place.

That's why she
wanted her money back.

That's why she went to you,
Mr. Mason, in the first place.

But she couldn't
get her money back.

And she couldn't get
the prints without it.

So she killed him.

Because it was the only
thing left she could do.

Yes, I lied.

I...

I didn't tell you the
truth in your office

because Roger Byrd threatened

to destroy the film

and deny what he told me.

That was after the murder?

Yes. But then, you see,

it would really seem as if
I had a reason to kill him.

I didn't want you to think that.

Then Byrd was
lying about the shot?

Yes.

Why?

I don't know.

I don't know. I don't know.

All right.

Mm...

I have one small errand to
do before court reconvenes.

I'll see you then.

Good afternoon, Miss Terry.

Why, hello, Mr. Mason.

May I join you?

Of course.

I really dropped by
to see Mr. Sterling.

Oh, he's in his
office on the phone.

I noticed you in
court this morning.

Yes.

I take it your
interest in the case

would be in connection
with Charles Houston.

Well, yes, I did know him.

How well did you
know him, Miss Terry?

Mr. Mason, that's
a personal matter.

Were you in love with him?

No!

Didn't you, uh, lend him money

at various times?

No.

Didn't you put up
$10,000 for his oil well,

figuring that money
would be thrown away?

Mr. Mason, I don't
have to submit

to this kind of inquisition.

You're prying into
my private affairs...

What have you got to hide, baby?

The counselor's only
trying to get information.

Why not give him the answers?

That's right, Miss Terry.

If you have nothing to
hide your answers might

be very helpful to my client.

Why should I help her?

If she killed Charles,
let her pay for it!

Were you in love
with Houston, baby?

After telling me that
he was just an old chum

you felt sorry for.

What happened after he
came to see you that night?

Did you give him the
money he wanted?

You mean before
you got there? No.

I mean after he left and I left.

Did you meet him somewhere?

I wish I had.

Where were you? I
couldn't reach you.

I came right here,
Mr. Lucky Sterling,

But you weren't around.

You didn't come
around till quite late.

Where were you?

Well...

put on quite a show
for you, counselor.

Where were you, Mr. Sterling?

Did you, uh, make a
telephone call to Miss Wallace?

No, counselor. I did not.

Where were you, Miss Terry?

When?

At about 9:30 or
a quarter of 10.

That was just before I left
my apartment, Mr. Mason.

I was taking a bath.

No, no one can corroborate it.

I will see you
later this afternoon.

Fine.

You may be seated.

Mr. Mason,

recess was called while
you were cross-examining

Mr. Roger Byrd.

You may continue.

Mr. Roger Byrd,

please take the stand.

Mr. Byrd, on the
evening of the murder,

what time did you leave
your room for dinner?

About 7:30.

And what time did you return?

I told you that already.

About 10:00.

Now, isn't it true that
after you had dined,

you stopped at the
National Travel Service?

Well, yes. I... I did. I...

I was changing a reservation.

A flight reservation
to Rio de Janeiro?

Changed from the day
following the murder

to the 8th of September.

Is that correct?

Yes, I, uh... I thought
of taking a vacation.

Just a simple vacation?

And you bought $55,000
worth of travel checks,

did you not?

Yes.

You withdrew $45,000

from your bank account

and you added $10,000 to it.

Where did you get that
extra $10,000, Mr. Byrd?

Blackmail again? No.

Did you get it from
Charles Houston?

No. No. He was...

He was already dead, Mr. Byrd?

No.

I don't know.

Now, isn't it true that when
you called Miss Wallace

and told her that Houston
had her shares of stock,

that she could pick
them up in your room,

Houston was already dead?

No.

No, he wasn't dead?

No, I didn't call her.

Then isn't it true that
when you called the police

you knew that Houston
was lying dead in your room?

No.

Your Honor, Mr. Mason

is needlessly
browbeating this witness.

The district attorney's office

is already preparing
to indict Mr. Byrd,

for his self-confessed
blackmail,

and to consider possible
charges of perjury against him.

But Roger Byrd
is not here on trial

for the murder of
Charles Houston

and I object to
Mr. Mason's attempts

to prove him guilty of it.

Your point is well
taken, Mr. Burger,

but I believe Mr. Mason's
questions are entirely pertinent

to the matter at hand.

I am therefore going
to allow him to continue.

Objection overruled.

I'll repeat the
question, Mr. Byrd.

Didn't you know that Houston

was dead before
you called the police?

No.

Now, isn't it true
that Charles Houston,

facing ruin after
the well came in,

went to your room
to get back $20,000

he had given you earlier?

No. No, he didn't?

No, I don't know.

No more questions.

If it please the court,

the prosecution is
now prepared to lay

a proper foundation for
the reading of the letter

from the defendant
to Mr. Floyd Gordon.

I call Professor Ralph Scobie.

Your Honor,

in the interest of
expediting this examination,

the defense
withdraws its objection

to the reading of the letter.

Very well, Your Honor.

I call Mr. Floyd Gordon.

"And I must have either the
shares or the money back.

"Charles Houston has
ignored my calls and letters

"and now I turn to
you in desperation.

"I will stop at nothing

"to get at least some part

"of what rightfully
belongs to me.

Yours hopefully, Paula Wallace"

Thank you very much, Mr. Gordon.

If it please the court, I
should like this letter marked

in evidence.

No objection.

Your witness.

Mr. Gordon, it must
have been a shock for you

to discover your that partner

had sold your participation
in the Fair Chance

along with his own.

Yes.

Well, what did he say when
you confronted him with it?

When did I confront
him, Mr. Mason?

On the night of
the murder. When?

On the night of the
murder at about 9:30

in Mr. Byrd's room.

Oh, no, I didn't.

If I wanted to see
Charlie Houston,

why would I go to
Mr. Byrd's room?

Let me put it this
way, Mr. Gordon.

Mr. Byrd mentioned
trying at one time

to sell his interest
in the oil well.

It was refused.

Weren't you the one
he was trying to sell it to?

Oh.

And didn't you go
to Mr. Byrd's room

and try and buy that share

before he found out
the gusher had come in?

Uh, yes.

At about 9:30 on the
night of the murder?

Yes.

And didn't you see
Charles Houston

in Mr. Byrd's room at that time?

What?

No, I didn't see
Charlie Houston.

But you did buy the ten
shares from Roger Byrd?

No. I didn't see him either.

Didn't you give him
$10,000 in cash?

No.

That's all, Mr. Gordon.

Your Honor, since the evidence
now hinges on that $10,000,

I would like to recall
Mr. Roger Byrd.

Mr. Burger?

Your Honor, the prosecution
would also like to know

where Mr. Byrd got
the extra $10,000.

No objection.

You may step down, Mr. Gordon.

Mr. Byrd, will you
take the stand?

You are still under
oath, Mr. Byrd.

Now, Mr. Byrd,

you withdrew $45,000
from your bank account

the morning after the murder

and you bought $55,000 worth

of travel checks, did you not?

All right, yes.

Where did you get
that extra $10,000?

From Mr. Gordon?

No.

Are you trying to shield
someone, Mr. Byrd?

Is that the reason you lied

about hearing that shot

when Miss Wallace
was in the room?

No, I...

All right, I... I
did lie about that.

And it was you called
her on the telephone

and induced her to
come to your room?

Yes.

And that was after Charles
Houston was murdered?

Yes.

Then you waited for
Miss Wallace to arrive.

Then you locked the door

and then you called the police.

And if the police hadn't arrived

while Miss Wallace
was on the fire escape,

you would have testified that
you saw her enter the room,

would you not?

Yes.

Who were you trying to protect

by incriminating Miss Wallace?

No one.

There must have been someone.

And it must have been for
good and substantial reasons.

The $10,000, Mr. Byrd?

Now, there's only
one person in this case

or connected with it

who would have ready access

to that kind of cash

at that time of night.

Now, who was it
you saw coming out

of your room right after
you heard that shot?

Sterling. Lucky Sterling.

Yeah, me,

Lucky Sterling.

I killed him.

Well, not because he
made a chump out of me

with that oil share deal.

This you've got
to expect if you mix

into the other fellow's racket.

No. This was crazy.

You spotted it, counselor.

I was jealous.

Me.

Jealous over that kind of woman.

Well, Byrd went to the
trouble of implicating Paula

because he thought
he saw in Sterling,

another source of blackmail.

And the business
with the lights?

That was to confuse
and frighten Paula.

By the way, what's gonna
happen with the oil well?

Well, a receiver
has been appointed

to clear up the whole situation.

And so far, they've
found Houston sold

over 180 percent of the well.

Which means that somebody's
gonna have to take a beating.

Everybody will to some extent.

But an equitable
arrangement will be made.

It will, huh?

Uh, forgive my asking,

but what happened
with Charles Houston

after the gusher came in?

Well, the way I see it,

he realized disaster
had come in with the well.

All he wanted to do was
to gather as much money

as he could together
and disappear.

So he went to Madelyn first.

And then to Byrd. And that's
what he was searching for.

He hoped that Byrd
had the $20,000

in cash hidden in the room.

Right.

Something else, Paul?

Um, what do you think
of this Gordon, Perry?

A good man?

Oh, I think so.

Say, what's behind all this?

Oh, I was just being careful.

I had a talk with
Gordon after court.

I was, uh, thinking of
doing a little investing.

Well, well.

Mr. Paul Drake, oil baron.

You know, I'm thinking of a
large investment, too, Della.

How about a big steak dinner?