All language subtitles for Perry Mason s09e17 Vanishing Victim

How soon can I roll, Dobby?

It's a long haul to Salt Lake City, and
I'm taking it alone.

Already. I'm just buttoning her up, Mr.
Fielding.

Why don't you let me fly you up? You can
get some rest and then take the last

leg. Judd, I'll grant you you flew 100
missions in Korea, and I'll grant you

you're talking to fly.

And I'll grant you you're a better pilot
than I am. But you might grant me the

right to go solo when I want to.

Okay, boss. Be stubborn.

You want me to check the weather for
you?

I'll get in operations.

I'm going IFR, and I want to follow my
flight plan.

You trust me to do that?

Oh, you better... Well, never mind. I'll
be right in.

Judd! Bring my flask, will you?

How's she sound, Al?

Fine. You sure? Did you check
everything?

Listen, I probably have more airtime in
her than you have.

And when I say she's right, she's right.

Yes, sir, Mr. Dalton. Yes, sir.

Where's Stacy, Judd?

He's filing his flight plan, Mr.
Cavanaugh. Oh, I came out on the hope I

catch him. You're flying with him to the
convention in Salt Lake?

Thanks, but no thanks.

I'm going to check in at International
in half an hour.

Relax with a martini and a hovering
hostess. I like to think of myself as an

-pilot. Which way to operations?

I'm going there. I'll tell them you're
waiting.

Thanks.

FAA is my flight plan. I'll leave it
with you. I just posted the weather.

Right.

It looks clear from here to Vegas, but
you might run into a little rain on your

final leg.

Thanks, Dobby.

Here you are.

Oh, thanks.

Ever put hair in your chest?

That's what your wife said you'd say.

My wife.

My considerate, loving, tender... She'd
like to see me dead.

When she gave me that in your suitcase,
she asked me to remind you to call her.

Tell her I was in a hurry. Tell her I
forgot.

There's one thing I can do without right
now is another argument.

That's sauce. You can do without that
too, you know.

So I can.

Oh, Mr. Cavanaugh is out by the plane.
He wants to talk to you. He's here?

Okay. He comes on a little strong for
me.

Judd, I like you, but sometimes you
meddle. You talk too much.

Come on.

I want to take that plane and climb to
around 5 ,000 feet where the air is

and clear and I can be alone.

FAA here?

That's right.

I'm Lieutenant Drum, Los Angeles Police
Department.

Homicide? That's right.

The plane crashed outside of Los
Angeles, but we have jurisdiction since

overt act causing it would have had to
have taken place here before the

Well, I'm not questioning your
jurisdiction. I'm just wondering why

We've hardly begun the investigation.

We haven't reported any overt act.

I called the police.

Why? Because I knew Mr. Fielding, and
the couple of drinks he took out of that

flask wouldn't affect his flying.

And then that last radio transmission.

The report said he felt sick and sleepy.

What about mechanical failure?

Mr. Fielding kept his plane in A1 shape.

He was a nut about it. So it was always
ready to go.

That still doesn't rule out pilot error.

Have you found the flask he drank from?

Uh, I was told they were bringing in my
husband's things.

You're Mrs.

Fielding? Yes.

Well, there they are.

That's all?

All we've sorted out of the wreck so
far.

Everything was pretty badly burned,
including the body.

Oh, uh, where have they taken him?

The morgue.

What were you looking for, Mrs.
Fielding? Anything in particular?

I'm Lieutenant Drom, Los Angeles Police
Department.

No, nothing special.

Why should you even ask?

Everything we find will be turned over
to you eventually, Mrs. Fielding, after

we conclude the investigation.

Thank you.

Lieutenant.

Could this be it?

Well, what do you think? That's it.

That's the one he drank from.

Was Mrs. Fielding certain her husband
ran a department 9C?

The detective she hired verified it.

Mr. and Mrs. Shelby Farr, 9C.

Carlton Towers, Wilshire Boulevard, 9C.

I don't have to remind you about the
laws governing this kind of thing. What

it's the wrong apartment?

Shelby Farr, Stacy Fielding. Same
initials.

Let's try the key.

What have I got to lose? Except my
license.

Well, if this is his apartment, Stacy
Fielding sure knew how to live.

It's his apartment.

Well, your client today may be a
bereaved widow.

Apparently, before Stacy Fielding rolled
that plane down, she was a wronged

wife. Mrs. Fielding admitted she and her
husband didn't have an idyllic

marriage. What are we supposed to be
looking for?

Well, hidden assets.

Long before the plane crash, I was
retained by Mrs. Fielding.

She suspected for some time that there
should be more money in their joint

accounts than there actually is.

We're going to find it here.

She said we'll find a safe with over
$100 ,000 in it. Then why didn't she

with us?

She had to go to the airport.

They're bringing in the wreck.

Wow.

If this is Mrs.

Shelby Farr, Stacy Fielding sure must
have loved being Mr. Farr in his free

time.

Nice, very nice.

That is a masterpiece of understatement.

Well, what Stacy Fielding used to fill
lists could hardly qualify as hidden

assets.

But this could.

Well, it's empty.

We're too late.

Well, Paul, I think we're just in time.

For what?

To serve as patsies.

Paul, I have the feeling that we have
been set up.

I suppose there was a large cash sum in
that safe.

As Mrs. Fielding suspected.

Her husband's dead. He couldn't have
taken it.

Well, Mrs.

Farm must have had a key.

You can't count her out.

The photographer's name on the back? No.

I think you'd better find Mrs. Farm.

Or whatever her name is.

Mrs. Fielding told you she'd never been
here, but she could have come before we

arrived and taken what was in that safe.

She could have.

And if the Internal Revenue Service
accused her, she could swear she knew

nothing about any money.

That we came here as her agents.

Of course, we're only speculating.

I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.

There's still Mrs. Farr to consider.

Are you sure he left already, Clay?

How long ago?

Well, do you have any idea where he
could have gone from your place?

Never mind, he just came in.

Thank you.

Well, that sounded urgent.

It is. Your client, Mrs. Fielding, has
just been picked up by the police.

On what charge? Murder.

They claim she killed her husband.

Get a hold of Paul.

You'd better have an understanding right
at the start, Mrs. Fielding.

The only way I can defend you is by your
being perfectly candid.

Well, I would assume that would go both
ways.

Of course.

Then tell me how much money was in my
husband's hideaway.

I told you the state of the company's
books. There should be at least $100

I went to the apartment, Mrs. Fielding.
I found an empty wall safe.

There was no money.

Nothing. Mr. Mason, there were
quantities of ethical drugs missing from

inventory.

Now, Stacy's story was someone inside
the plant was stealing from him and

peddling the rare drugs outside of the
country, but I know better.

He was disposing of and hiding money.

I'll grant the possibility, but it's not
in the apartment.

That's what bothers me. Then where is
it?

That's what bothers me.

What ought to be bothering you is that
you're charged with your husband's

murder. Mr. Mason, losing that money,
now that is a reality.

And losing your life isn't?

I can't quite figure you out.

You sound just like Stacy.

Don't you like me either, Mr. Mason?

Whether I like you or not isn't
relevant.

I don't choose my clients on that basis.

Why do the police think you're guilty?

They found his flask in the plane and I
had filled it for him to take on the

trip.

The police say it was loaded with
veranol.

They say you added it to the whiskey
knowing he'd drink it during the flight,

fall asleep and crash.

Now, did you?

No.

I did not.

Read,

read Kavanaugh, no wartime buddy.

This Kavanaugh was flying with him?

No. No, Judd said that he had
reservations on a scheduled flight to

think. Is Kavanaugh from Denver?

I don't know. Seems to me he has a wife
or an ex -wife living there.

Now, you say you filled the flask, but I
understand your husband left from his

office. How did he get the flask?

Judd Bennett took it from me at the
house along with Stacy's bag.

Your husband was an important man in his
field.

When it came to developing complex
drugs, there was no one better.

There was only one area that he came up
short.

As a human being.

Does Berger have a case?

I'm afraid so.

This mysterious friend, Reed Kavanaugh.

Who is he?

How does he fit in and where is he now?

I don't know. But his airline
reservation wasn't picked up. Were you

trace that picture in the fire
department?

Her name is Lorraine Keeley.

And she worked for Stacy Feeling as a,
it says here, lab technician.

Where is Miss Keeley now?

No one seems to know. She hasn't been to
work since the crash.

I have a man watching her place in case
she comes home.

It's a bungalow court on Marika Drive.

The final radio message prior to the
crash and the information we received

the operations clerk indicates pilot
failure is the cause of the crash.

Would you read that final radio message
to the court, please?

The transmission was interrupted, the
voice was hesitant and slurred, but the

actual words were, Sick, awfully sick,
read me, try and put down, sleepy, down,

go down, sleepy.

That's it.

Lots of times, Mr.

Fielding's wife would drop his gear off
with a flask in it, and he'd have a

snort, said it helped him keep awake.

Once she forgot to put it in, and he
called and really gave her what for.

But you have no way of knowing whether
his wife sent the flask on the day in

question. Yes, sir. He and Mr. Bennett
there, they mentioned that she'd sent it

out to him. I remember because Mr.

Feeling said, well, he said, she'd like
to see me dead.

After I had the fingerprints developed,
Mr. Berger, I had the contents of the

flask analyzed by our laboratory.

And what were the findings?

The whiskey in the flask contained a
lethal concentration of veranol.

Now, Lieutenant, were you present when
the medical examiner conducted tests on

the remains found in the plane?

I was, and as his deposition showed,
there were traces of veranol in some of

organs. Thank you.

False examiner.

Lieutenant Drum, I'm particularly
interested in those prints you say you

developed. Besides the prints of the
defendant and those of the decedent.

What other prints were on that flask?
Well, there were quite a few, but some

the prints were smudged, Mr. Mason.

Were these smudged prints superimposed
on the others?

Yes. Then those prints, which may have
been made by a person or persons

were placed on the polished flask after
that flask was handled by the defendant,

by Mr. Bennett, and by Mr. Fielding. Is
that correct?

Mr. Mason, I can't testify to that.

Lieutenant, I'm not trying to trap you.

I'm merely suggesting that the
decedent...

may have offered a drink to someone
else. That's for all we know.

The flask was passed around before he
boarded the aircraft.

Now, isn't that possible?

Objection, Your Honor.

Mr. Mason is leading the witness,
calling for a conclusion.

What's your other question?

Lieutenant Drum, is it possible that one
of the strangers whose fingerprints are

superimposed on that flask may have been
the last person to handle it?

Mr. Mason, it's obvious that the
decedent handled it last. There's no

anybody else being poisoned by Varanol.

And also, the flask was found in the
airplane.

Lieutenant, will you please answer my
question?

Would you say that someone else, whose
fingerprints are unidentified, could

handled that flask after Mr. Fielding
did?

Well, I would say that a number of
people may have handled it. But the

was clearly the last one to do so.

Well, sir, Mr.

Fielding's friend, Mr. Cavanaugh,
dropped by to talk.

So I left him at the plane, parked the
car, and came back to town. Let's get

back to the flask, Mr. Bennett.

You said the defendant gave it to you.

Yes, along with some other things, and
told me to be sure he got it. Was that

the extent of your conversation with
Mrs. Fielding?

No. She asked me about Mr. Fielding's
business. I told her that I worked for

him, and I couldn't talk about things he
told me.

What else did the defendant talk to you
about?

She asked me if I knew somebody, a Mrs.

Far, I think it was. No, I said I
didn't. One moment, please.

Your Honor, I have an objection to
interpose with this entire line of

But if it's agreeable to the court and
counsel, I will withhold it until after

the answers have been made.

If it then seems the objection is
proper, I will make it.

Is that all right with you, Mr. Berger?

Well, all right, Your Honor.

I'm sure when counsel hears the
testimony, he won't put forth any

Mr. Bennett, to repeat, what else did
the defendant talk to you about?

Well, she asked me if I liked her.

I think she was trying to get me to help
her find out what was going on.

She said that some drugs were missing
from the plant and did I know who'd

them. Go on, Mr. Bennett.

Mr. Fielding had told me and Miss
Keeley, one of his lab technicians, that

had a feeling that his wife was taking
drugs from the inventory and maybe

selling them out of the country. Of
course, I didn't tell Mrs. Fielding, the

defendant, that.

Thank you, Mr. Bennett.

Posse's down.

Your Honor, I now wish to present the
objection which I discussed before this

line of testimony began.

Witness may stand down.

Go ahead, Mr. Wicks.

If the court please, I object to any
proof being introduced tending to

the defendant with any crime until it
has been shown that a crime has been

committed.

It is necessary for the prosecution to
prove a corpus delicti before there can

be any evidence tending to connect the
defendant with such a crime.

Mr. Berger?

Your Honor, I certainly don't need a
refresher law course from defense

I'm perfectly familiar with the rules of
corpus delicti.

But let me point out that we have here a
dead man who was killed by means of

poisoned whiskey.

And that whiskey...

according to the prima facie presumption
of circumstantial evidence, was

deliberately prepared for the decedent
by the defendant.

Your Honor, I'm afraid counsel
misunderstands my objection.

I'm pointing out that there is no corpus
delicti because there is no proof that

the body found in the plane was that of
Stacy Fielding. Who are you suggesting

it was, Mr. Mason?

I think it was Mr. Reed Cavanaugh, Mr.
Fielding's friend.

But there's no possible proof of that.

Well, there is, Mr. Berger.

But I do know that Mr. Cavanaugh Didn't
use his airline reservation.

And there's no indication of that.
Either in the evidence or in the police

investigation. You didn't give the
police enough time to make a proper

investigation. Because you pushed me
into... Your Honor, Mr. Mason has made a

completely unsupportable statement.

He has absolutely no proof of his
contention. Your Honor, I believe that

Fielding is alive.

But for his own reasons, he chose to
disappear when he learned that the

body in the plane was identified as his.

Mr. Mason, I think you have an
obligation to explain this thing

Honor, I respectfully submit that I will
gladly do so if the district attorney

will explain where Stacy Fielding's car
is, since we have testimony that it was

parked at the airport.

If the district attorney will produce
Reed Kavanaugh for questioning.

And if the district attorney will show
any positive identification of the body.

Mr. Berger? Your Honor, may I have a
moment, please?

Your Honor, we've been unable to find
the car.

And we're conducting a search for Mr.
Reed Kavanaugh.

But we believe that he will be found
soon and alive.

Did you make any effort to check the
teeth of the decedent?

Yes, Your Honor.

But apparently, Mr.

Fielding didn't go to the dentist.

Will you please give me a straight
answer, Mr. Berger? The dental chart

match in every detail.

Mr. Berger?

I feel that institution of this entire
proceeding was premature.

I'm going to sustain Mr. Mason's
objection.

This case is dismissed, and the
defendant is released from custody.

This court stands adjourned.

The bill is all ready. You were sure
right about this thing.

The drum nearly bowled me over in the
corridor. They're all set to re -arrest

Mrs. Feeling on a trumped -up charge as
soon as she leaves the courtroom.

One thing about Berger, he's
predictable.

Let's go, Mary.

Your Honor, may we see you a moment?

Yes, of course.

Call Mr. Mason?

Your Honor, if you wish, I'll...

Explain the reasoning on which I base my
assumption that Stacey Fielding isn't

dead. I'd rather not hear it. I don't
want to become biased, and you know

Very well, Your Honor.

Will you excuse us?

What are you doing? Why are we... Be
quiet and listen.

I want you to go to the woman's lounge
on the third floor.

Della's waiting for you there.

Then go down the rear stairs, take a
taxi to the train station.

Transfer to another cab, then go
directly to the Carlton Towers.

Here's your key to apartment 9C. I want
you to stay there.

Don't leave that apartment.

Order any groceries in the name of Mrs.
Shelby Farr.

I don't understand. Truly, I don't
understand.

Do you think Stacy is alive?

Miriam, I want you to hurry.

Still in there.

You better go in there and make some
excuse. Make sure that Mason and that

don't go out the rear door.

Yes, sir.

Uh, just a moment, Mr. Mason.

I, uh, have to detain you. Detain us for
what, Steve?

I can't believe you, Perry.

You're aiding and abetting a felon.

Why, not at all.

We're just taking my secretary to lunch.

Afraid your secretary will have to go to
lunch without us. I'm going to Denver

to try and locate Reed Cavanaugh, and
you just might want to talk to Lorraine

Keeley. I just got word she's back at
her place on Marika Drive.

Come on in. I'm in the shower, Mrs.
Waterman.

I'll have you read if you want to come
in and wait.

I'll be right out.

Would you mind tuning off the record
player, Mrs. Waterman?

I'm sorry to intrude, Miss Keeley. The
door was unlocked.

Who are you? What do you want?

My name is Mason.

I'm Mrs. Fielding's attorney.

I'd like to ask you some questions.

Get out. And I mean now.

Miss Keeley, I think you can help my
client.

I wouldn't raise a finger for her.

Now take off, Mr. Mason.

You haven't answered my questions as
yet.

How would you like to be picked up by
the police for breaking in here? For

a peeping Tom trying to assault me?

That would give us both an opportunity
to talk to the police now, wouldn't it?

Okay.

Let me get a robe on and I'll give you
ten minutes.

Thank you, Miss Keating.

Miss Keely?

Miss Keely?

Lorraine Keely just ran out on me.

Call Paul's office. Have them alert
their Sacramento contact.

I want a car traced to the DMV.

Did you get the license number?

Only the first two letters. EQ.

But the car is a red convertible. Late
model. White vinyl interior.

My guess is she'll try to get rid of it.

And you want them to watch the motor
vehicle's registrations to see if the

transfer comes through.

Why did she run away, Perry? What's she
afraid of?

When we find out where she is, maybe
we'll find the answers.

Won't you sit down?

I haven't seen Reed not once since he
went back on active duty with the Air

Force three years ago.

He's a pilot? World War II, Korea,
Vietnam this time.

Well, I guess I came to the wrong place
if you haven't had any contact with him

in the past three years.

He might even be dead.

I didn't say I hadn't heard from him.

I said I hadn't seen him.

My attorney was in touch with him just a
few weeks ago.

He agreed to come to Denver tonight to
be served papers in our divorce case.

Do you know where?

I guess that's the process service
business.

Attorney's service company?

I work for a Los Angeles attorney, and
we may need some papers served here in

Denver. I understand you do most of the
work for the leading attorneys here in

town.

Uh -huh. Uh, what about night service?

Oh, you do most of that, too.

Your wife is suing you for divorce.

This be your formal notice.

Mr. Reed Cavanaugh?

Yeah, that's right. Can you prove you're
Mr. Cavanaugh? Do I have to?

And since when does it take two men to
serve papers in a simple divorce case?

I don't have any idea who he is, but you
have been officially notified. Good

night.

Well, all right, mister, start talking.
Who are you?

Paul Drake, a private detective.

I'm on assignment for the attorney
representing Mrs. Stacy Fielding on a

of murder.

What do you want from me?

Answers to a few questions about what
happened at the airport that night when

you didn't pick up your reservations.

Frankly, we thought it might have been
you on that plane instead of Dr.

Fielding. Thank you.

Thank you very, very much, Mr. Craig.

Thank him for what? For leading us to
you.

You were tailing me. Any law against it?

Hamilton Burger would thank you, too.
Mr. Cavanaugh?

I have a court order here to take you
into custody. You mean I'm under arrest?

As a material witness, the extradition
order will be signed tonight. We'll

for Los Angeles tomorrow morning.

I knew it.

Something told me I shouldn't come back
to Denver.

Steve, have a heart, will you? After
all, I did find him. Let me talk to him

just five minutes.

Paul, I'm under orders. You know what
Hamilton Berger would say if he were

Mr. Mason will get his chance to cross
-examine in court.

If Mr. Berger decides to put him on the
stand.

Judd.

Judd, I have to talk to you.

Mrs. Fielding?

You're under arrest for the murder of
Stacy.

Why did that kooky client of yours have
to come out of hiding? You should have

known the police would stake out any
place she might go.

Mrs. Fielding said Judge Bennett lied
about her when he was on the stand.

She was going to talk him into changing
his story, admitting he perjured

himself. Do you people have any luck
with the log from the Fielding plane?

The only thing interesting was eight
trips to Mexico City. I wonder what Dr.

Fielding was doing there.

That Denver plane should be in by now.

Yeah, it is, Sergeant.

Sorry, DA, strict orders. Nobody gets
through except authorized

of the press.

Specifically mentioned you and, uh, Mr.
Mason.

It's up to your man now, Paul.

I hope he's a good one.

Best I have.

I wonder, could Mr. Cavanaugh turn this
way, please?

That's it.

Are you Mr. Cavanaugh? Mr. Reed
Cavanaugh? Who else would I be?

Then this is for you.

A subpoena.

You appear as a defense witness for Mrs.
Miriam Fielding.

He has treated us, in this case, to a
time -wasting exhibition of legal hocus

-pocus which reaches a new low.

Even for him.

We have seen this court deliberately
misled into granting a dismissal. We

seen the defendant spirited away and
concealed.

And we are now in court for a second
time to achieve an end which we surely

should have achieved the first time we
were here.

Your Honor, there are various ways of
wasting the court's time, including

vituperative personal recrimination.

Gentlemen, I don't intend to hear any
more of this from either of you.

What I'm about to request, Your Honor,
seems the simplest thing that defense

counsel under the circumstances could
grant me. I would like him to stipulate

least to the testimony of those
witnesses who appear to the first

Provided those witnesses are recalled
and made available for cross

we would agree to so stipulate.

Well, Mr. Berger?

Agreed.

Yes, sir, we located Mr. Reed Cavanaugh
in Denver.

Did you really?

Could that possibly be the same Reed
Cavanaugh that was mentioned here in

courtroom as being possibly the dead man
in Dr.

Stacey Fielding's wrecked airplane?

Apparently. And was it your observation
that Mr. Cavanaugh was completely alive?

I mean, breathing and apparently in good
health?

Your Honor, why should we listen to
second -hand testimony when the witness

himself is able to testify as to his
breathing propensities and state of

personal well -being?

Do you intend to call Mr. Cavanaugh, Mr.
Berger?

I don't know, Your Honor. Your Honor,
may I remind the court that Mr.

is under subpoena by the defense.

Unless he is put on the stand by the
prosecution, the defense will request

he be produced in court as our witness.

Are you holding Mr.

Cavanaugh, Mr. Berger?

Well, as a matter of fact, Your Honor,
at this moment, we don't know where Mr.

Cavanaugh is. He left, escaped from the
hotel room where we were holding him

during the night.

However, we have out a statewide
bulletin, and I'm sure that it will be

soon. Very well, Mr. Berger.

I think Mr. Mason's point is well taken.

I'm going to continue this hearing for
48 hours to allow the state time to

apprehend and produce Mr. Reed
Cavanaugh. Thank you, Your Honor.

This court will take a short recess.

A contact in Sacramento picked up a pink
slip from a used car dealer in Fresno.

The name on it was Lorraine Farr.

Did you give the Marika Drive address
for the Carlton Towers?

No. The address on the pink slip was
1422 Alacran Street, Modesto.

Better take the back, Paul.

Lorraine gave me the slip once before.

What do you think we'll find inside?

I don't know.

I don't even dare tell you what I'm
hoping we'll find.

I

thought you'd...

You. I see you've had time to change
since we talked last,

Miss Keely, or should I say Mrs. Farr?

What are you doing here?

I'm sure you read the newspapers and
listen to the radio. So what would I be

doing here?

How did you find me?

I traced the laundry mark on your towel.

That isn't whoever you were expecting.

It's Paul Drake, a private detective
working with me.

Paul, this is Miss Keeley.

Hi, I recognize you from her picture.

You've got no right to bust into my
house.

Miss Keeley, my client is on trial for
her life.

And you and your friend are playing some
kind of game with her.

I don't know what you mean.

You know very well what I mean.

She's no more guilty of murder than you
or Mr. Drake or I.

She's guilty of ruining a man's life, of
nearly driving him out of his mind,

destroying him.

Rationalize all you please.

But she did not kill him, and she is
charged with murder.

I haven't done anything to her.

Not yet, but you will.

It's my impression, Miss Keeley, that
everything you've done in the past few

weeks, every move you've made, has been
part of a carefully engineered plan.

A plan for what?

A plan for a happy future.

But if you considered, Miss Keeley, what
kind of a future it would really be,

every waking hour you'd be conscious
that your happy future had cost another

woman her life.

You'd never be free of that realization,
not for a moment.

Not if your happiness meant sending
Miriam Fielding to the gas chamber for a

murder she didn't commit.

Ferrier, plane leaves in half an hour.
If you want to wait it out here, I'll

have to make a later reservation.

We're not going to wait it out, Paul.

We'll make the plane. We're leaving now.

We are?

I've said all the things I came to say.

Perry, I don't get it.

All the trouble we went through to
locate this girl and we just walk away.

Paul. Whoever she was expecting won't
come near as long as we're around.

Unless he does.

They won't be able to talk it over.

Talk it over and decide which way to run
now.

No, I don't think so, Paul.

When all else fails, there's only one
thing left to do. That's appeal to

someone's better instincts.

I hope he has some.

I waited as long as I could, but I
alerted Dirty to let me know. We should

heard by now.

Be seated, please, and no talking.

Well, Mr. Berger, what do you have to
tell us? Have you located our missing

witness? Yes, Your Honor, we have.

Mr. Cavanaugh was picked up at a
roadblock at the state line, and he was

a rented car.

As a matter of fact, that's how we got a
line on him, Your Honor.

He had to use his true name and his
driver's license in order to rent the

automobile. And where is the witness
now?

He's in custody.

The state police flew him down here.

And Lieutenant Drum is meeting him at
the airport in one of our police

helicopters. Very well. Now, as soon as
he, uh... Oh, by the way, Your Honor,

there were two people in that
automobile.

Mr. Cavanaugh had a young woman with
him, a Miss Lorraine Keeley.

Better instinct.

Lieutenant, I presume you have our
missing witness.

No, Your Honor, we have our missing
victim, Mr. Stacy Fielding.

Sir, how are you?

Your Honor, I move for dismissal of the
charges and ask that while you consider

my motion, we retire to your chambers to
discuss the fact that there was a body

in the plane and that Mr. Berger may yet
drag my client back to court for a

third time.

Suggestion's well taken. This court
stands recessed.

Mr. Berger, bring Mr. Fielding with you.

You're on a man. Can I address a few
questions to Mr. Fielding to clear his

of any hint of complicity in this
murder, whoever the victim may be?

Mr. Fielding, it's been testified you
drank from the flask your wife filled

whiskey. And did you suffer any ill
effects whatsoever?

You mean any symptoms of veranol
poisoning?

None at all. Then the veranol had to
have been added to that flask after Mr.

Fielding drank, which means Miriam
Fielding had no opportunity whatsoever

so. and therefore could have no
connection with the murder.

Yes, I agree. Your point seems
conclusive to me, Mr. Mason.

As soon as we reconvene, I'll dismiss
the charges against Mrs. Fielding.

Now, Mr. Fielding, what did happen that
day at the airport?

Nothing remarkable.

After I filed my flight plan, Reed
Cavanaugh and I decided that we had so

things to discuss, plans to make, that
we would drive to Salt Lake City

together, rather than fly separately.

I gave my flying things and the key to
the plane to Judd Bennett, and Reed and

left. And where did you first learn of
the crash and that you were dead?

When we reached Las Vegas, it was in all
the papers.

But what did you think when you read the
stories?

Whether Judd Bennett had crashed or been
killed.

When you read that the body was burned
beyond recognition and was identified as

you, you decided to stay dead?

It was fortuitous, but it fit into a
long -range plan to disappear with Miss

Keeley under the names of Mr. and Mrs.
Shelby Farr.

That's true.

I decided to take advantage of a
fortunate, for me, circumstance.

I didn't think Judd would mind until I
learned he was alive and had testified

against my wife.

What did you think then?

I didn't know what to think. I knew I
wasn't in the plane and Judd Bennett

wasn't. So who was?

Will you come to the judges' chambers,
please, and send it?

Miriam? What are you doing here?

Where is everybody?

In the judges' chambers.

What are you doing here?

I came down from Modesto to help you get
out of this.

You may not believe it, but... Your
husband and I and Lorraine worked it all

last night after your attorney left.

Oh, I believe you.

He's here.

You're the only one who knows who died
in that plane because you're the one who

killed him.

No one else could possibly have added
varanol to that flask.

Not before the pilot took off.

Who was it, Bennett? Who was the dead
man?

Was it your partner in the drug thefts
from Mr. Fielding's company?

The one who borrowed that plane for
trips to Mexico to sell what you'd

It was Al Dolby, the mechanic who worked
on the plane that day. Tell us, Mr.

Bennett.

Why did you kill him?

Her racket was all washed up. I knew
that. I knew that Mrs. Fielding was onto

it. I wanted to quit, but Al, he liked
the money too well.

And I knew that he'd blow the whistle on
me if I didn't agree to just one more

trip. Mr. Bennett, I think you're going
to make just one more trip.

And this time, no one can take it for
you.