All language subtitles for Perry Mason S04E08 The Case of the Provocative Protege.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

David.

Why do you keep
torturing yourself?

I've compiled the
information you wanted.

Well?

You're broke.

There are so many
ways to be broke, Andrew.

You're broke in all of them.

Finis, kaput, hasta la vista.

I see.

Forty thousand dollars for a
partnership in this company.

If I hadn't had the accident,
and if I could still play,

still record... If.

If you hadn't gone through
$100,000 in six months.

If you hadn't paid out $3,500

to the Bend Jewelry
Company just the other day.

What was it,
something for your wife?

Well, that kind of
extravagance is finis too,

whether it's for Anita
or anybody else.

You've just got to realize

that your means
of livelihood is gone.

I'm supposed to see
the doctor at 4:00.

The final consultation.

I talked to him 20 minutes ago.

No good?

David, there's always hope.

New discoveries, new techniques.
Why, it's possible to take a...

To grow new bones, new tendons?

A fact for you to face, Andrew:

You're a business
manager for someone

who has nothing left to manage.

There is something.
Donna, your protégé.

Your partner, Sturgis, tells me

he has an offer from
The Inn at Tahoe for her.

Four weeks at 6,250 a
week. Now, that's $25,000.

It's out of the question.

Donna will be a concert pianist.

David, you have $910
left in your bank account.

One thing you must remember:

This will affect Anita as
much as it affects you.

Hello?

Donna?

I know you're there, Donna.

And I want to apologize.

A crippled old
married man like me,

more than 20
years older than you.

Enough years to have
learned a little sense.

It won't ever be the same
between us now, I know.

But I'm not ashamed.

Donna, the doctor said
there's no hope for me.

I'll never play again.

So you'll have to
play for both of us.

Donna?

You know that I love you.

I don't want it to make a
bit of difference, Donna.

All the plans my
husband made for you,

well, there's no reason
for them to be changed.

And... And they won't be.

It would be terrible if you had
to give up your studies now.

It isn't fair to you.

Oh, nonsense, Donna.

As far as the money goes,

it's not going to be too
much of a strain on me.

Now, if you'd like, you can...

You can give up the cottage here
and... And come and live with me.

I'm all alone in the house now.

Anita, I've already
spoken to Mr. Sturgis.

To Eric? What about?

He told me what
condition the company is in.

I-if you're worried
about the money, Donna,

there's the insurance.

There is more than
enough for everything.

Now, here.

This is the spare
key to my front door.

You're more than
welcome to move in

just as soon as you like.

Oh, Donna, please, let's
try to keep on as it was.

Or almost as it was.

I don't know if I'm going
to go on with my studies.

I've had an offer
for a lot of money.

Oh, yes.

David said something about that,

but, well, that
wouldn't be right.

I-it's not concert work.

David wouldn't think of it.

I have to think of it.

It never occurred to me

you wouldn't want to
go on with your studies,

with what David wanted for you.

I can always come back to it.

Oh, no, Donna.

No, you get involved
with contracts

and itineraries and things.

If David were here,
he wouldn't let you.

But David isn't here.

There are the keys.

We are bankrupt, Anita.

I'm closing the
company's office.

We'll sell whatever
stock is left

for the benefit
of the creditors.

Eric, what have you
been saying to Donna?

I told her what I told David.

She's a beautiful girl.

And she's got a pair
of talented hands.

For the concert stage.

For saloons.

Ted Fielding heard her
switch some classical stuff

into rock and roll.

He offered her four
weeks at 6,250 a week.

That's $25,000.

On a 20-percent
manager's contract,

which is what your
husband signed her to,

that comes to 5 grand, Anita.

Five grand.

Donna hasn't made up her
mind what she wants to do.

Don't worry about Donna.

Anita, you share
Dave's contract,

as her manager.

I'll handle her.

All you have to do
is sign the release.

That's all that's necessary.

No, Eric.

How are you going to
carry on for yourself, Anita?

Where's your money coming from?

What do you mean?

Well, th-there's the insurance.

What insurance?

Well, the $150,000 policy.

David told me he'd taken it out.

We had it taken out.

Well, yes.

Business insurance.

But it's not collectible.

It's not collectible? Why not?

Hello, Anita.

Andy, is this true?

About the insurance?

Yes.

You mean, I don't get my money?

No, because it
was suicide, Anita.

The policy isn't
2 years old yet.

Our friend here would
be an expert on the matter.

As a surviving
partner in the business,

half would go to him.

Collis, maybe you can
convince her about Donna Ross.

She's our only asset now.

She has a contract
with Anita and David

for personal management.

It was the intent
of the partnership

to lump all our assets together.

Is that why you're
trying to get Anita

to sign over her rights to you?

She's going to sign them over.

Now, wait a minute, Sturgis.

You're not going to deal
with a bewildered widow.

I'm going to protect
her, just like I did David.

Aren't you too late
starting to protect Anita?

Where was your protection
on that two-year suicide clause

in David's insurance?

Usually that clause
is for only one year.

Well, let's just say I'm
going to start right now.

Right, Anita?

Oh, Andy, I-I don't know.

Well, so it isn't
just cut and dried.

Anita hasn't signed
with you, has she, Collis?

Oh, please, will you leave
me alone, both of you?

I-I don't know
what I want to do.

I don't know what to
do about Donna, either.

Please, Andy?

Certainly.

Shall we leave, Sturgis?

Anita, will you have
dinner with me tonight?

No, Eric. Thank you.

I-I'm sorry, Andy.

I just can't seem
to think right now.

If you and Eric will only
have patience with me...

Call you later, Anita.

Thank you, Andy.

Goodbye, Anita.

Bye, Eric.

Mrs. Carpenter?

Yes?

My name is Worthington.

Uh, but, uh...

You are the Mrs.
Carpenter who thinks

her husband committed
suicide last Thursday?

Thinks?

That's right.

He didn't, you understand.

He was murdered.

What's that?

What are you saying?

How do you know?

Oh. Oh, I know lots of things.

Say for, uh

a thousand dollars?

Of course, my first
duty is to the law,

being a law-abiding citizen,

but then it's, um, risky,

if you understand me.

Where there's a murder,
there's a murderer.

And a murderer can get angry.

Naturally, I don't wanna get
hurt by anybody who thinks,

"That George Worthington.
If he'd kept his mouth shut,

I wouldn't be in trouble."

All right, Worthington,

I'm familiar with all
the rationalizations

people use to escape their
responsibilities as citizens.

I agree with you a
hundred percent, Mr. Mason.

Well, Mr. Mason, what
do you think of his story?

I don't know, Mrs. Carpenter.

We'll just have to see.

Now, let's try to remember
some of this in detail.

Sure.

You were on the highway.

Right.

What was the height
of the cliff at that point?

I'd say about, uh, 100 feet.

That's where the
car was perched?

Right there, right on the edge.

All right, go on.

Well, I looked up
from, uh, fixing the tire,

and I saw the car,

and there were two people there.

Two people, one
slumped over the wheel,

and the other out of the
car, with the door open,

and looking down at the bottom.

A man looking down or a woman?

Couldn't tell.
Could've been either.

Anyway, I wasn't paying
much attention at the time.

Most of the person
was covered by the car.

Next time I looked up,

the car was being
pushed to the edge,

then it toppled over,
and started flying

through the air
till it hit the bottom.

Meanwhile, up there,
somebody, looking down,

then turning and running away.

You still couldn't tell whether
it was a man or a woman?

No.

Now, how about that $1,000.

Worthington, I want you
to identify where you were,

where the car was,
before you go to the police.

Sure. Mr. Mason?

I'd like you to wait
here, Mrs. Carpenter.

I'm going to have
an investigator

trace your husband's activities
last Thursday afternoon.

Della? Paul?

Right. Come on.

And he did not keep his
appointment with the doctor.

He left his place
of business at 3:30,

drove his own car
from the parking lot.

Was he alone?

Well, so the attendant says.

Uh, by the way, where's
this guy Worthington?

I sent him down to headquarters.

That's why the police are here.

Perry, I'm not
an expert tracker,

but that car went over

as though it were coming
from Malibu and not from town.

Where is Carpenter's home?

In town. Westwood.

Huh. Wonder what
he was doing out here?

According to the coroner's
jury, he was committing suicide.

Well, if he was driving
from town, as you say,

he would've been
heading in this direction.

Unless, of course, he drove
past and then doubled back.

Mason? We just got a call,

asking you to stop in at
Lieutenant Tragg's office.

What's it look like?

Could someone have
pushed that car over?

Well, you wouldn't even
have to push it, Mason.

It slopes right there
where it went over.

All you'd have to do
is release the brake,

if you wanted a
one-way ride down.

Then a woman could have done it?

If that's the way
it happened, sure.

But you don't know
yet how it happened.

I'll just make my report
to Lieutenant Tragg.

Fellas.

Well, you made
a good try, Perry.

I understand you're
interested in the widow

trying to get paid on
an insurance policy.

I'm also interested when
there's a possible homicide

instead of an apparent suicide.

Oh, I don't believe that
you put Worthington up to it,

so it must've been
Anita Carpenter.

Put Worthington up to what?

The barefaced prevarication.

He made up that whole story?

From A to izzard.

It was nice of you to
send him down too.

He gave one of
the vice-squad men

a chance to spot
him in the corridor.

Tell me about it, lieutenant.

Last Thursday, a
bookie joint on Figueroa

was raided about 5:00,

and the vice-squad man
recognized Worthington.

Recognized him as being at
the bookie's at 5:00, Thursday?

And the car, with
Carpenter in it,

went over the cliff miles away

at 5:15.

You lied, Worthington?

Oh, sorry, Mr. Mason.

Who put you up to it?

Nobody, nobody.

Why would anybody...?
Then why'd you do it?

I was just trying to
make a few bucks.

It just occurred to me.

That's why I didn't
come before today.

Only this morning I
figured I could maybe

pick up a dollar or two.

It just occurred to you

that some insurance
was involved?

Just spontaneously?

Yeah.

Hm. Illogical, huh?

That's what I meant, Perry.

And since I don't think
you put him up to it,

I'm going to have a
talk with your client.

All right, uh, Worthington,
you can go now.

And, uh, as I say,
I'm grateful to you

for sending him down anyway.

Why?

What did Sergeant Binns report?

He said a car might've
been sitting there

on the edge of the embankment,

so even if Worthington lied,

he made us think
in terms of murder.

As I understand it, he'd
poured his time and energy

into working with his
protégé, Miss Ross.

Yes.

So it would seem he
did have a purpose in life,

a reason for going on.

However, the financial
condition of this company

has been pretty bad, hasn't it?

Is pretty bad.

But, uh, the life insurance

names you as a beneficiary.

That's right. Half.

The other half, Anita Carpenter.

If it weren't for
the suicide clause.

Yes.

So hiring someone to bring
up the question of murder

would be in order.

What are you getting at?

A man named Worthington.

I don't know
anybody by that name.

He was hired to
establish the fact

that David Carpenter
did not commit suicide,

but was murdered.

Why are you telling this to me?

Well, only you and Mrs.
Carpenter stood to gain

if David's death was
established as murder.

And Mrs. Carpenter
didn't hire Worthington.

All right.

I did.

You paid him to
go to the police?

Yes.

To the police.

When he went to Anita,
he was just going after

his own private fringe benefits.

He told a remarkable story.

Did he?

A very convincing story,

except that he couldn't
possibly have seen

any part of what had happened.

So I heard.

I read the papers this morning.

How do you suppose, then,
he knew just what to say?

Came so close to what
actually happened?

You've just saved
me $5,000, Mason.

I have?

Out, Georgie.

You see, Georgie and I were
in the middle of a conversation

when you came along, Mason.

I didn't want you to
see him, of course,

so I had him wait in there.

Hello, Mr. Mason.

Did you hear what
he said, Georgie?

He wanted to know
how you could tell a story

about the accident which was
so near what actually happened,

when you were in a bookie
joint on the other side of town.

I heard. You see, Mason,

Georgie said all he had to
do was to go back to the police,

say I hired him and told
him exactly what to say.

The inference being

that since it had actually
happened the way he told it,

I was the murderer.

And for a little bit of money,

he'd stick to what
he told the police,

which would protect you.

That's right: $5,000 worth.

But now the blackmail
is no good, Georgie.

I just confessed to
Mason that I hired you,

but not that I told
you what to say.

Who did tell you Georgie?

You did.

Heh. You told me.

Did you, Mr. Sturgis?

No.

When I hired him,

I told him only to
make up a story.

That's beautiful.

I don't quite place it.

Beethoven, isn't it?

Who are you?

My name is Mason, Perry Mason.

You have a wonderful gift.

No wonder David Carpenter
was enamored of you.

Enamored?

Of your musical
ability, Miss Ross.

What do you want, Mr. Mason?

I'm trying to find out
whether David killed himself

or whether he was killed.

Oh.

Mrs. Carpenter gave
me your address.

I don't know how I can help you.

Did you, um...?

Did you see David last Thursday?

No.

Did you speak to him?

Yes, he... He telephoned.

What time?

In the afternoon.

One o'clock? Two o'clock?

A little bit later, I think.

Perhaps about 3:30.

Just before he left his office.

Did he say he was going home?

No, not that I remember.

Perhaps he was
going for a drive,

and wanted you to join him?

No.

Perhaps he just
wanted to talk to you.

He did come out this way.

The car went over
the cliff in a manner

indicating he'd come
from this direction,

not from town.

Were you at home all
afternoon last Thursday?

Yes. Mr. Mason...

If he had wanted
to go for a drive,

is there any reason he
wouldn't have taken his wife?

No, why should there be?

I don't understand
what you're getting at.

A man finds out he'll
never play the piano again.

He doesn't tell his wife.
He tells another woman.

You, Miss Ross?

Mr. Mason, you're
implying that David and I...

That Mr. Carpenter and I...

You're very attractive.

You've been thrown into
intimate contact with a man

whose whole life,

after a tragic accident,

could have been devoted to you.

David must have seen in
you his hope for the future.

Had he made love to you?

Was he in love with you?

No. No. No.

Did Mrs. Carpenter know?

The door was open.
Forgive me, counselor.

The reason you're
not getting any answers

is because you're
asking the questions

from the wrong point of view.

Who is it? What do you want?

This is Lieutenant
Tragg of, uh, Homicide.

The question should be, um,

"Were you in love
with David Carpenter?"

Did he make all kinds
of promises to you?

Did he promise to get a
divorce and marry you?

And then, did he
renege on his promises

and leave you high and dry?

It seems as though
you aren't asking

the right questions,
either, lieutenant.

Well, whatever the
right questions are,

I've got a better chance
of getting the right answers

down at headquarters.

Lieutenant, do you
have a warrant?

Yes.

She couldn't have.

She couldn't have done it.

I don't see how they
could have arrested her.

Well, I don't know all
the evidence against her,

Mrs. Carpenter, but the
police don't arrest people

without reason.

Yes, but she's only a girl.

She's only 20 years old.

Murders have been
committed by girls a lot younger.

Do you think she killed David?

Well, I don't know
whether she did or didn't.

I don't even know if a
murder has been committed.

Will you defend her, Mr. Mason?

How do you know she
wants me to defend her?

Of course she
does, I'll speak to her.

You understand if
I do represent her,

it severs my
responsibilities to you.

What does that mean?

My primary concern
would be to exonerate her.

And that could be rough
on innocent bystanders.

I've only loved two people
on earth, Mr. Mason.

David, my husband,
I've lost him.

Donna, the daughter I never had.

I don't want to lose her.

Yes, Della?

Mr. Andrew Collis is here.

Yes, please.

Would you, um,
bring him in, please?

Mr. Mason,

I'm sorry to barge in like
this, but I just saw Donna.

Yes?

I told her you wanted
Mr. Mason to represent her.

Yes, I think he will.

Won't you, Mr. Mason?

I'm afraid you're too late.

She's already hired
another lawyer.

Did she say who?

No. She just said
she wanted someone

she could afford
to pay for herself.

She, uh, doesn't
want any more charity.

Anything wrong, Mr. Mason?

Um, no, the, uh,
sandwich was fine.

I'm through with
it. Thank you, Alice.

California State Penal
Code, Section 1362,

dealing in competency as
evidence when witness u...

Ah, let's get back with this.

California State Penal
Code, Section 1362,

dealing in competency
as evidence

when witness unable to attend.

Subject to objection.

Depositions taken
under the commission

may be read in
evidence by either...

Uh, incidentally, Mrs.
Carpenter was in this morning

while you were in court.

Oh?

She's been after Donna

to ask you to represent her.

And she's convinced Donna

that while her attorney
is terribly earnest,

he's terribly young
and inexperienced,

and in terribly over his head.

I think the parting was
mutually agreeable.

They've come to a parting?

Donna discharged him.

And... And he said,
how could he possibly

represent a client who
was holding something back.

Poor Donna. She must
be very embarrassed.

Probably doesn't know how to
ask you to be her attorney now.

What are you doing?

I just remembered the title

to a beautiful
Beethoven overture.

I'd like to make a
telephone call, please.

To my attorney, Mr. Mason.

We will prove
that the defendant,

Donna Lenore Ross,

with malice aforethought,

did put to death her
benefactor, David Carpenter,

at approximately
5:15 on the afternoon

of August 5 this year.

Because of thwarted love,

tangled emotions and
frustrated ambitions.

We will prove that this young
woman is emotionally immature.

She mistook affection, goodness,

unstinting generosity
for love and passion,

and that this mistake led her
to make impossible demands

and eventually, to murder.

Death was caused by severe
crushing internal injuries.

Could these injuries
have been sustained

as a result of a car
falling over a 100-foot cliff?

Yes, sir. Exactly.

Now, doctor, I
ask you to examine

this photograph of
the decedent's head.

It shows the severe
lacerations, the head injury,

and the tiny slivers of glass.

Would you please explain?

Well, decedent was struck
on the head by an instrument

that was associated
in some way with glass.

At first it was believed
to be from the windshield,

but then we found it was not.

I show you this flashlight
and ask if you can identify it.

Yes, sir. It is marked.

Could the head injury have
been administered with this?

Yes, sir, it could.

The lens glass
matched the slivers

found in the head wound.

I ask this photograph be marked
as State's Exhibit Number One,

and this flashlight as
State's Exhibit Number Two.

Mr. Mason?

No objection.

Now, doctor,

did your autopsy reveal
when this blow was struck?

That is, in relation to death?

Well, it was struck
prior to death.

It caused unconsciousness.

That would eliminate
the possibility of suicide,

- would it not, doctor?
- Yes, sir.

It would have been
impossible for decedent

to inflict that flashlight
wound on himself,

and then have driven
the car over the cliff.

Thank you.

Now, the fragments of glass

found in the decedent's
hair and scalp

were found to match
the fragments of glass

from this flashlight,

and you then had
laboratory tests made

of the blood and hair
found on the flashlight?

Yes, the blood is the same
type as the decedent's,

and the hairs the same type,

in, uh, appearance
and structure,

as the decedent's.

Now, did you have, uh,

this flashlight tested
for fingerprints?

The only clear and
identifiable prints

were those of the deceased
and of the defendant.

Did you have a fingerprint
examination made

of the interior of
the decedent's car?

Yes, sir. We found several
of the defendant's prints.

What else did you find in
the decedent's car, lieutenant?

Well, in a, uh,
waste container...

Uh, yes, sir.

A cleansing tissue
smeared with lipstick.

Now, I show you this lipstick,

and I ask if you
can identify it?

Yes, sir. This was found
in the defendant's handbag

at the time of the arrest.

Did you have a comparison
test made between this lipstick

and this
lipstick-smeared tissue?

Yes. We tested the make,
the composition and the color.

They were the same all right.

I ask these items be placed
in evidence as follows:

Lipstick A and Tissue B,

as State's Exhibits
Seven and Eight.

Now, where do
you live, Mr. Gracie?

11205 Sunset Canyon Lane.

Do you know the
defendant, Donna Ross?

Oh, yes. She lives
down the road from me.

And did you know the
deceased, David Carpenter?

The pianist fellow?
Sure, and his wife too.

They used to come
to visit Miss Ross.

Did you ever see Mr. Carpenter
visit Miss Ross alone?

Oh, yes, most of the
time. He was teaching her.

Now, Mr. Gracie, would
you describe what you saw

on the afternoon of
Thursday, August the 5th?

Well, Mr. Carpenter, he
came to see Miss Ross.

Go on, Mr. Gracie.

Well, from my house usually
I hear the piano practicing

from Miss Ross' cottage.

It's really wonderful, even
the exercises and scales.

Did you hear this
piano on the afternoon

of Thursday, August the 5th?

Uh, no, sir.

And, uh, what did
you do, Mr. Gracie?

Well, after a little while,
I went down to say hello.

Go on.

Well, there's nothing
to go on about.

Before I got there, I saw
Mr. Carpenter's car driving off

and Miss Ross crying,
looking after him.

Then she ran to her car, got in,

and drove off
after Mr. Carpenter.

Thank you, Mr. Gracie.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Gracie, did you observe
anyone else visiting Miss Ross

on the afternoon of
Thursday, August 5th?

Oh, no, sir.

Oh. Could someone
have paid her a visit

without your being aware of it?

Yes, I-I-I don't keep
that strict a lookout.

Now, did you recognize
Mr. David Carpenter

as his car was driving away?

Recognize him? Oh, I guess so.

Well, your words were

that you saw
Mr. Carpenter's car driving off,

but you did not say
Mr. Carpenter was driving it.

Well, you know, I-I
don't recollect seeing him,

just the car disappearing.

Thank you,
Mr. Gracie. That'll be all.

How long did your husband

tutor the defendant,
Mrs. Carpenter?

For more than three years,
since her parents died.

Now, was there ever
any hint or suggestion

that this teacher-pupil
relationship changed

during the last six months?

No.

Now, Mrs. Carpenter,

as a hostile witness,
you still must answer

to the best of your ability.

That's what I've been doing.

Then did your husband
ever speak of Miss Ross

in a romantic way?

Now, perhaps suggest that she'd
grown into a very lovely woman?

That would be a
hint or a suggestion.

No.

Were there many occasions
when they were alone

in Miss Ross' cottage?

Only while she practiced.

Nights?

No. Never?

No. No, never. Not alone.

Perhaps they kept secrets
from you, Mrs. Carpenter.

I show you this
diamond bracelet.

Do you recognize it?

No.

You never saw it before?

No.

It was purchased by your husband

just three days
prior to his death.

Oh, yes, now I remember.

He said he was going to
get me one for my birthday.

Your birthday is April of
next year, Mrs. Carpenter.

I-I mean my anniversary.

Six months ago?

Now, come, Mrs.
Carpenter, did your husband

tell you he intended
to give this to you?

Yes, yes. Of course he did.

Then why was it found in
the cottage of the defendant,

Miss Donna Ross?

Your Honor, I ask this
bracelet be placed in evidence

as State's Exhibit Number 17.

Mr. Mason?

No objection, Your Honor.

And I would like a transcript

of this witness's
testimony for future study.

I have no more questions.

Mr. Mason?

No questions.

Call Andrew Collis.

Now, Mr. Collis,
what was the state

of Mr. Carpenter's finances
on the 1st of this year?

His bank balance
was close to $80,000.

As his business manager,

would you please tell
the jury what happened

to caused this balance
to shrink to $900?

Well, several things happened.

What, Mr. Collis?

Well, there was the car.

Oh? What car?

Miss Ross' new car.
He bought it for her.

Anything else?

Well, the cottage.

Oh, what about the cottage?

He bought that outright for her.

He put that in her name?

Yes.

I see. Anything else?

Well, there was the
$500-a-month allowance.

I see. Now, what
about that bracelet?

Did he say for
whom he bought that?

No.

Well, didn't you ask him?

Yes, I asked him if
he'd bought it for Anita.

His wife. And what did he say?

He didn't say he'd
bought it for her.

Thank you.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Collis,

when did the subject
of the bracelet come up?

That afternoon,
Thursday, in his office.

And the time?

Around 3:30.

What else did you
discuss at that time?

His finances and Donna.

And whether he would
allow her to accept

a commercial
engagement at Lake Tahoe.

Yes.

And what was your, uh,

position in that discussion?

That the money would
be most welcome.

His position?

That she should continue
with her concert training.

Mr. Collis, when did you become

David Carpenter's
business manager?

More than ten years ago.

Was he married at that time?

No.

Did you know Mrs. Carpenter
before they were married?

Well, yes.

Now isn't it true that
without the possibility

of Donna Ross taking
up the financial slack,

you would be without a job?

Well, Mr. Collis?

Well, I...

I guess you might
say I would be.

There was nothing
left to manage.

Now, Mr. Collis,

did you speak with
David Carpenter's doctor

about, uh, 3:00 the afternoon
of Thursday, August 5th?

Yes, I did.

And he told you that a
consultation of doctors

confirmed the diagnosis

that David would never
play the concert piano again?

Yes.

Now, did you give
that information

to David Carpenter?

Yes.

And after you left
David Carpenter's office

that afternoon,
where did you go?

I had some account work to
do. I went back to my own office.

Can your secretary
corroborate that?

I don't have any secretary.
I don't see what that...

I suggest, Mr. Collis,

that you did not go to
your office that afternoon.

I suggest that instead, you
went to see Anita Carpenter

and told her about David's hand.

I didn't see her
until later that night,

where David's body was found.

Are you in love with Anita
Carpenter, Mr. Collis?

What?

I said,

are you in love with
Anita Carpenter?

Haven't you been in
love with her for years?

Objection, Your Honor.

The question is incompetent,
irrelevant and immaterial.

And it's improper. It's not
related to direct examination.

I'll withdraw the question.

I'm finished with the witness.

The, um, court is recessed
until, uh, 1:30 this afternoon.

And I would remind
the jury that it's their duty

not to converse with
or to be addressed by

any other person on
any subject of this trial.

And now I think you understand
why you should have told me

what happened
between you and David,

instead of letting
me guess. Yes.

Well, I'd like not to
do any more guessing.

It has almost all been
told in the courtroom.

The gifts?

I-I didn't want them.

What about the bracelet?

He left it on the mantel
without telling me.

I didn't even know
he had left it there

until the police found it later.

The flashlight,
the fingerprints?

I've used his car so many times,

and the flashlight too.

And the tissue with the
lipstick smeared on it?

He kissed me.

You mean, he made advances
to you and you rejected him.

I didn't know how to
handle it, Mr. Mason.

I'd idolized him.

He was always David Carpenter,

a wonderful man.

What do you do when...?

When suddenly you find that

someone's thinking
of you in a way...

I-in a way...

You became frightened.

And so lost.

So suddenly all muddled up.

I didn't know
what to say to him.

He was such a sensitive man.

I couldn't hurt him.

And then I think he
understood that...

That I didn't think
of him that way.

I didn't love him that way.

Why the devil have you
been holding all this back,

keeping it secret?

Because I didn't want
to hurt Mrs. Carpenter.

You didn't want what?

I didn't want to
hurt Mrs. Carpenter.

Then on the day you
received this bona fide offer

from The Inn at Lake Tahoe,

you told the defendant about it?

That's right.

All right, go on, Mr. Sturgis.

Well, she didn't throw
me out of her house.

What do you mean?

Well, she knew
what the score was

with David's bank account,

and she contemplated
the idea of sacrificing her art

for the almighty buck,
without too much strain.

She knew that David
Carpenter's funds were low?

Sure she did. It was no secret.

Now, did you also tell
your partner, Mr. Carpenter,

about this offer?

Several times.

And his position?

Negative. Art for art's sake.

Then there was a
definite point of difference

between Mr. Carpenter
and the defendant?

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Sturgis, did
you also discuss

the Lake Tahoe offer
with Mrs. Carpenter?

I may have.

Did you?

Yes.

What was her
feeling in the matter?

Well, she really didn't know.

Didn't she tell you she
believed that Miss Ross

should keep on with
her serious studies?

Yes, I guess she did say that.

What was your response to that?

Objection, Your Honor.
Question is incompetent,

immaterial and
irrelevant, and improper.

It goes into matters not
part of direct examination.

Mr. Mason, you are
going rather far afield.

I intend to connect up all
these matters, Your Honor.

On your assurance that
you will connect them up,

I will overrule the objection.

Now, I'll be blunt, Mr. Sturgis.

Did you threaten Mrs.
Carpenter in any way

when she told you
that she was against

Miss Ross accepting
the Lake Tahoe offer?

No.

What do you mean "threaten"?

Do you know a man by the
name of George Worthington?

Yes.

Did you hire Mr. Worthington

to make a statement
to the police?

Yes.

Will you please tell this jury

exactly what you said to him.

I... Well, it was
after David died.

I told Worthington to make
up a story to fit the facts

so it would look like murder.

Why did you want it
to look like murder?

Your Honor.

Never mind, counselor.

I want to hear this now.

Well, Mr. Sturgis?

Why did you want it to look
like murder and not suicide?

Well, there was
an insurance policy.

It would pay off for
murder or accident,

but not suicide.

She shared in it too.
Anita. Mrs. Carpenter.

Yes. Let's get back
to Mrs. Carpenter.

Didn't you threaten her by
saying you would accuse her

of telling George Worthington

exactly how the murder
or accident took place?

And what you
wanted for your silence

was the managerial
contract for Donna Ross?

N-no. Uh, that's not true.

You did not want the
managerial contract?

Uh, well, that's
true, but I did not...

You did not stand to gain
through David Carpenter's death?

No, you're twisting...

Wasn't it you who told
George Worthington

exactly how that car
went over the cliff?

No, no.

Your Honor, I... I ask
the court's indulgence.

I know this is
unusual procedure,

but I would now like to
cross-examine Anita Carpenter.

Mr. Chamberlin?

Your Honor,

counsel was offered opportunity
to cross-examine Mrs. Carpenter

at the proper time.

I don't see why procedure
should be violated in this way.

Is, um, this part

of the connecting-up
process too, Mr. Mason?

It is, Your Honor.

Then I will permit
you to continue.

Mrs. Carpenter to
the stand, please.

You may step down, Mr. Sturgis.

You are still under
oath, Mrs. Carpenter.

Yes.

I am going to ask
you, Mrs. Carpenter,

if the sum and substance

of my charges against
Eric Sturgis is correct.

He was trying to
blackmail you, was he not?

Yes.

Now, about Andrew Collis.

He also wanted to manage
Miss Ross, did he not?

Well, yes, but I
don't understand.

You see, he never tried
to force me into anything.

But he wouldn't. He's
in love with you, isn't he?

Sorry, Mr. Mason.
I-I don't know.

He never said a
word to me about that,

but then of course he wouldn't.

Of course.

Now, Mrs. Carpenter,

do you recall a
conversation in my office

when you asked me
to defend Miss Ross?

Yes.

I told you the time
might come when,

in defending her,

someone else might get hurt?

You did.

Where were you on the
afternoon of the murder,

Mrs. Carpenter?

I was at home.

No, Mrs. Carpenter,
you were not at home.

Mr. Collis went to your
home that afternoon

to tell you about the
doctor's consultation.

He didn't find you until later,

at the scene of the murder.

I can't seem to recall.

I might have stepped
out for a moment.

Much more than a
moment, Mrs. Carpenter.

You went to the defendant's
home, did you not?

You wanted to speak to her?

To Donna? No, I
didn't speak to her.

I didn't say you spoke to her.

I said you went
there to see her.

You drove there.

Did you overhear your
husband making love to her?

No.

I suspected.

I didn't know until I
found out here in court.

And when he drove
away, you went after him.

I don't see how you can
say such a thing, Mr. Mason.

What you found out here in court

was that Miss Ross also
followed him in her car.

You must know by
now that she saw you

stop your husband's
car on the cliff road.

The reason she made
no spirited defense was...

I haven't said anything,
Anita. I haven't said anything!

No, Donna, no. Of
course you haven't.

So it's up to you
now, Mrs. Carpenter.

Sturgis told George
Worthington to go to the police,

but you were the one
who told Worthington

exactly what to say

so his story would
be more convincing.

Yes, that's true.

It's all true.

I did follow David when
he left Donna's cottage,

and when I stopped him, he
said that he wanted a divorce,

that he was in love with Donna,

even though she
wasn't in love with him.

That his life was finished,

and he didn't want to
live with me anymore.

Well, I got angry.

I got so angry and
so jealous that...

The flashlight was right
there, and I-I grabbed it and I...

And I hit him and I hit him.

And then the blood
came and he...

He slumped over
the steering wheel.

I got out of the car.

His hand must have
hit the brake release

because the car
started to roll forward.

I-I was out of the car.
I... How could I stop it?

I-I tried. I tried to
reach the brake but...

I cou... I couldn't
hold the car.

It kept rolling forward,
faster and faster.

I couldn't stop it,
I couldn't hold it.

Oh, please, please,
I loved him so...

She was after me all
the time I was in custody.

She kept saying, "Donna,
let Mr. Mason defend you."

She took a
calculated risk, Donna.

What do you mean?

Well, she knew if
you were found guilty,

she'd have to
give herself up so...

So she figured that
she'd take the chance

that Perry could get you off

and perhaps not
get on to the fact

that she'd committed the crime.

Oh.

What's going to happen
to her now, Mr. Mason?

Well, it's not
premeditated murder,

but she'll still
have to stand trial.

After that, it's
up to the judge.

Now, what's going
to happen to you?

Fidelity seems to be the
theme in what has happened,

so this is for you.

"Fidelio"?

When did you record it?

This morning.

It's only until I can afford
to pay you with money.

Oh, no, I'll accept this.

So you're going ahead with
your plans for concert work?

Yes, Mr. Mason.

You'll keep in touch with us?

Yes.

Goodbye, darling.

Goodbye.

And good luck.

Thank you.

Well, I, uh, wonder
if she'll remember.

What, Paul?

To send us tickets
to her first concert.

Della, remind her to
send us four tickets.

Four? There are
only three of us.

Well, you should be able to find

a blond music-lover.