All language subtitles for Perry Mason S08E01 The Case of the Missing Button.DVDRip.NonHI.en.CBS

How was that?

That was very good, Button.

Now it's time for your milk.

Oh, Mrs. Smithers,
please, can't I do it again?

Oh, I suppose so, but just
up and down the driveway,

not beyond the walk, remember.

I won't. I promise.

I'll bring your milk out here.

Button?

Look who's come
to see you, honey.

- See me?
- Mm-hmm.

Isn't she beautiful?

Yes, she is.

The beautifullest
doll I ever seen.

What's her name?

Amanda McGillicuddy.

Amanda McGillicuddy?

Uh-huh, and she would
like to know if you would like

- to come riding with her?
- She would?

Mm-hmm. She wants
to know if you're the kind

of little girl that she'd like

- to belong to.
- Oh, I am.

I know I am.

Then let's go.

Hadn't I better tell Mommy?

Oh, we'll tell her
that later, darling.

Well, okay.

Button?

Button, where are you?

Button!

Oh, Mrs. Blake!

Mrs. Blake?

Mrs. Blake!

The people in that car,

they've taken Button!

Operator, I want the police.

Quickly.

♪♪

There she is, that
sloop moored out there

in the harbor; Blue
Nymph by name.

You can bet your bottom dollar

I wouldn't be standing
here if she were mine.

Where would you be?

Tahiti.

Paul, are you a good oarsman?

We're going out there?

Why not?

In that?

Of course.

Oh, no.

Oh, yes.

Any luck?

Mr. Mason!

Are you all right, Button?

Of course, but
how'd you find me?

Mr. Drake found you.

He's an expert
at finding people.

Especially little
girls and dolls.

You mean like Dick Tracy?

Sort of.

Golly, but how'd you find
me if you've never seen me?

Your picture was in the
morning paper, Button.

I saw it.

Your mother's very
worried about you.

But I told her I was fine.

You talked to her?

Twice. There's
telephones in these boats.

Mind if I ask you
fellas a question?

You got permission
to talk to Miss Blake?

I didn't know
permission was needed.

My boss don't like for
strange people to talk with her.

So, I got to ask
you to come below.

Sorry, but we're kind
of partial to fresh air.

Maybe you don't understand.

Real polite, I ask
you to come below.

Real polite, no thanks.

Somehow, I'm
beginning not to like you.

Too bad.

Cully, what's going on up there?

You better come, Mr. Rome.

To what do I owe
this honor, gentlemen?

We've come to take Button home.

Oh, really?

May I ask who "we" are?

My name is Mason,

co-trustee and attorney
for Button's estate.

And this stalwart fellow?

Paul Drake, private detective
associated with Mr. Mason.

Do you want to go
with them, Button?

Oh, Mr. Rome, must I?

I'd say that was
up to you, Button.

Oh, Mr. Mason, please,
can't I stay longer?

I'm having so much fun.

You see, the young
lady likes it here.

So what now?

A real live policeman?

We'll see, Mr. Rome.

We'll see.

Good-bye, Button.

Bye, Mr. Mason.

Perry, we're not leaving her.

Yes, Paul, we are.

You sure that ain't a
little pack of dynamite

you're fooling around
with, Mr. Rome?

I don't quite see why it
makes any difference to you.

Big difference on
account, if it blows,

I don't ever get my back wages.

$1,200, Mr. Rome.

Real polite I've
been asking for it.

But I begin not
to feel so polite.

Your eyesight's bad, Cully.

That isn't dynamite.

That's a little package
of $1,000 bills.

Hold on to that phone.

Keep your eyes open.

All right.

Yes?

I have an appointment
with Mr. Blake.

My name is Mason.

Uh, Mr. and Mrs. Gray
are in there with them,

and he'd like you to join them.

Thank you.

Mason, you're just in time.

Dirk was about to
throw us out of his office,

so you take over.

Take over what, Mr. Gray?

The delightful little
game we've been playing

with Dirk, Mr. Mason.

It's called Button,
Button, who's got Button?

Well, that's very funny.

Lois, Mr. Mason, has
a great sense of humor

especially when it
comes to something

that's none of her business.

I happen to be
Button's cousin, darling.

Well, I happen to
be her father, darling.

I gathered over the
phone, Mr. Mason, that you,

like they do, believe I have
her hidden away somewhere.

Hidden isn't the word
for it now, Mr. Blake.

I just spoke to her.

Where?

Aboard the Blue Nymph.

Have the police found her?

No, a private detective.

The police have been called off.

And that detective's
fee, of course,

was footed by Janice, huh?

Your wife knows
nothing about this.

Well, then why
are you butting in?

I'm "butting in,"
as you term it,

for your daughter's sake.

In one way or another,
I'm calling a rapid halt

to the way she's been
dragged back and forth

between you and her
mother as if she were a doll

instead of a
flesh-and-blood little girl.

Bravo, Mr. Mason.

Bravo nothing. Look,
I'm flesh and blood, too.

That's why Judge Norris said

I could have Button
two days a week

until the final divorce hearing.

But two days weren't
enough for you, is that it?

Well, no, look, Janice
brought all this on.

I mean, for the last
three weeks in a row,

she refused to let
Button come to me.

So, this week, with
Miss Sutherland's help,

I-I took her, that's all.

Did you consult
your lawyer first?

Yeah, what do I
need a lawyer for?

I know my rights.

Your rights,
Mr. Blake, don't include

taking the law into
your own hands.

Are you trying to scare me?

I don't care whether
you're scared or not

as long as Button is
returned to her mother

this afternoon.

All right, what if she isn't?

I'll be forced to
call Judge Norris,

tell what I've found,

and suggest that a bench
warrant be issued for your arrest.

Mrs. Gray, Mr. Gray.

We'll run Button back home
to Janice if you want, Dirk.

Well, I haven't
decided what I want.

Oh, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Mason, is Dirk...

I mean, is Mr. Blake in trouble?

Well, he could be.

I know we shouldn't
have taken Button,

but her mother's
not fit to have her.

She's not fit at all.

She drinks, she goes
out with men and...

Oh, Mr. Mason?

Something I just thought of.

Roger's yacht brokerage
business is flourishing,

and we just bought a
big house in Rolling Hills.

Well, that's splendid.

No, what I'm getting
at is that, well,

we'd be more than happy
to take care of Button

until, well, until the
smoke of battle clears.

That would be
Judge Norris' decision.

Oh, I see.

Are you sure it's Button

you would be so happy
to take care of, Mrs. Gray?

Or is the four million dollars

she inherited from
her grandfather?

I'd forgotten what a
witch you are, Naomi.

Remind me,

and next Christmas I'll
send you a brand-new broom.

Stop it, Vince.

Stop it or I'm gonna
call Miss Smithers.

Save your breath, darling.

I give up.

What was the idea of that?

Just testing.

Weren't you listening last week?

Yes, I heard you when
you said no more dates,

but I couldn't believe you,

remembering all our
good times together.

Starlit nights on
the Blue Nymph.

Candlelit suppers ashore.

Dancing till dawn.

The mountain cabin in the pines.

The wharf front
bungalow at La Playa.

Don't tell me you've
forgotten, Janice?

What are you up to?

Up to, darling?

Mrs. Blake,

Mrs. Blake, I'm
sorry to interrupt,

but they just pulled
into the driveway.

Oh, thank you, Miss Smithers.

I was never in any mountain
cabin or waterfront bungalow

with you and you know it.

What if I could prove you were?

So that's it.

A touch of blackmail.

For how much, Vince?

I was thinking more
in terms of matrimony.

Matrimony?

I'm not much of
a catch, I realize.

A mortgaged yacht, a
few tattered odds and ends

of a dissipated
inheritance, but we could

make a go of it,
you and I and Button,

whom you'd have custody of.

Provided nothing
were said in court

about cabins and bungalows.

But you can't be serious?

Oh, I am.

And to prove I have
your interests at heart,

I'll take you to
Button if you like.

I'm in here, darling.

Mommy.

Oh, hello, sweetheart.

Are you all right, sweetheart?

Of course.

Mr. Rome?

Hello, Button.

I wanted to wait
and say good-bye,

but Daddy said we had to hurry.

Is Daddy still out there?

He's already left, Mrs. Blake.

And I suggest you
do the same, Vince.

Right now.

Even money you don't
clear the board, Pancho.

You got a bet, chiquita.

All right, everybody,
stand aside.

This is a big money deal.

Ready, aim... fire!

- He got 'em! Got 'em all!
- No, he didn't.

- Oh, no.
- There's still one, Shorty.

- Oh, come on, Pancho.
- Come on, pay up, Pancho.

Give me the money.
That's my money there.

- Come on.
- Ah.

She's lucky. Lucky eight ball.

Give me a beer.

Hello. La Playa Motel and Bar.

Just a minute.

Hey, boss... Vince Rome.

Ah, Rome, Rome.

Yeah, what can I do for you?

Well, uh, sure, I know about
the bungalow on the wharf.

I ought to. I own it.

What are you, out
of your mind? What?

Of course, you and Mrs.
Blake have been here

three or four times, but
never in any bungalow.

I'm afraid you're not
listening, Pancho.

She and I rented your bungalow

on the 15th and the
23rd of last month,

and I want you to arrange
for suitable witnesses,

and also to make
sure that the entries

already in your guest
register for those nights

are kept available.

Now I know you are loco.

Why do I got to
do a thing like that

to a nice lady like Mrs. Blake?

Watches.

Watches?

Yes, Pancho... Swiss watches.

And German cameras
and gold coins from Chile.

Or, uh, was it Peru?

Peru.

Cully says it was Peru.

Yes, he's here.

I thought you'd see the light.

Uh, suppose we get
together tomorrow

and talk over the details, hmm?

Good.

Tomorrow, Cully, I
want you to drive up

to my mountain cabin and
leave some things there.

You sure you want me
to do this, Mr. Rome?

Yes, I'm sure I
want you to do this.

Now, clear out.

Soda or over the rocks?

Over the rocks.

Hmm.

I should have remembered.

How much did you
hear out there, Lois?

Enough, with what
Janice told me,

to get a pretty good
idea of what you're doing.

And what am I doing?

Trying to fix it so that
Janice either has to marry you

or lose Button.

Partly right.

No marriage, though.

That angle is
out, unfortunately.

Well, then, why the rest?

What good will it do you, Vince,
to blacken Janice's reputation

so that she loses
the custody fight?

Money is good, isn't it?

Money from Janice?

From whoever
makes the best offer.

And it should be a good
one with $4 million involved.

Nothing's involved as
far as you're concerned.

Why not?

Because I'm not going to
let you go through with it.

For Button's sake, if
for no other reason.

How do you plan to stop me?

If I have to, I'm going
to go to the police.

And tell them what, Lois?

That you were the
woman who spent the 15th

and the 23rd with
me at the La Playa?

And the 27th in
my mountain cabin?

I wonder how
Roger would like that.

I realize now, Your Honor,

I was wrong taking
Button the way I did.

"Taking." The word
is "kidnapping."

Well, you did what you
could to make it kidnapping.

- I did?
- Well, why didn't you

notify the police that
I let Button call you

to show you she was all right?

Why should I do you any favors?

Mrs. Blake... And
Mr. Blake, too...

I must caution you

to confine yourselves
to addressing this court.

Mr. Blake, exactly why
did you take your daughter?

Why?

Because you told me I could
have her two days a week

and she wouldn't let her go.

Why wouldn't you
let her go, Mrs. Blake?

To save her life... that's why.

To save her life?

Now, that-that's
not quite exactly

what, uh, Mrs. Blake
means, Your Honor.

- She...
- I prefer to hear what she means

from her, if you don't mind.

All right, go ahead, Mrs. Blake.

Well, maybe not literally

save her life, but...
but close enough.

Every time he took
her, she came back sick.

She had bruises and
scabs on her knees

and elbows, and
itches and rashes

and colds from being allowed

to run wild around
that awful bay.

I simply had to
put a stop to it.

Mr. Blake?

Well, Your Honor, if my
wife means by "run wild"

that I allowed her to
play with other children

wading through the salt water

and building sand
castles and swimming

and fishing and playing
with the other children

out in the open air,
sir, then I plead guilty.

There's open air around
my house, too, Your Honor.

But it's on the inside that's
what's wrong, Your Honor.

I mean, uh, ballet lessons
and dancing lessons,

ballroom dancing,
etiquette lessons,

language lessons, yogi
lessons, for all I know.

But no playing, no.

Just regimentation...
That's all...

By some remote-control
mother that likes to spend

all her time living
it up at night,

too busy to realize that if
anyone's killing her daughter,

it's she herself.

I had those same
lessons when I was a child.

And you revolted by marrying me.

Oh, a mistake you can
be sure I won't make again.

That will do.

Now, it is apparent
that you both have ideas

about raising children that
are not easily reconciled.

The point is, Your Honor,

that Button is not
an ordinary little girl.

Someday, she
will have $4 million.

And I say hang the $4 million.

What I want is an
ordinary little girl.

Uh, just a moment.

Uh, Mr. Mason?

Are you appearing, uh,
representing Mr. Blake?

Oh, no, Your Honor.

I'm here on behalf
of Miss Button Blake.

Well, it's about
time, in my opinion,

that somebody
appeared on her behalf.

Uh, Mr. Mason, would you mind

going into my
chambers for a minute?

And, uh, you, too, Miss Blake.

Thank you.

A ten-minute recess.

And as co-trustee, with
the Pacific National Bank,

of Button's estate, I feel
a definite responsibility.

Mm-hmm.

Have you a solution, Perry,
for her present problem?

Well, it's a mistake
to allow Button

to be shuttled back and forth

while her parents are presently

in their somewhat
heated frame of mind.

Yes, suppose I could douse them

with a couple of days in
jail for contempt of court.

After all, that's what
this hearing is about.

Yes, I know.

Still, I don't think that
would cool them off.

Button, how would
you like to live

with Mr. Mason for a while, hmm?

Your Honor, I plead no
experience with children.

I'm a bachelor.

Oh, gosh, I'd forgotten.

Hmm.

Well, who would
you like to live with?

Well, I'd like Mommy and
Daddy to live together again

so I can live with them.

I'm afraid that's
a little beyond

the power of this
court to arrange.

Button, which one
would you rather live with?

You mean Mommy or Daddy?

Well, I have more
fun with Daddy, but...

I love Mommy very much.

Do I have to choose?

No.

I have an alternative.

Not a foster home.

Yes.

Uh, one of which I
think you'd approve.

Well, Button, should
we go back into court?

All right.

All rise.

Be seated, please.

Will, uh, Mr. and Mrs. Blake

please approach the bench?

Now, you realize, of course,

that you could be
fined or even jailed

for violating the court's order

regarding your
daughter's custody.

However, what I
have decided to do...

I hope will have a
more salutary effect.

It is ordered that,

pending the final disposition
of the divorce proceedings,

the custody of the
child, Button Blake,

will be given to Mr. and
Mrs. Roger Gray.

All that's required, Mr. Gray,

is to mail a copy
of your expenditures

to the bank each week and
you will be promptly paid.

We're not worried about
the money, Mr. Mason.

Mommy.

Darling, you've
already said good-bye.

Do I have to go?

I'm afraid so, darling.

Dirk, I thought you were
supposed to speak to Mr. Mason.

Oh, that's right.

Mr. Mason.

I, uh... I told you yesterday
I wouldn't need a lawyer.

Looks now like I was wrong.

You're not asking
me to represent you.

Well, I thought possibly you
could recommend someone.

Yes, of course I can.

Distressing, wasn't it,
the turn events took?

But, gentlemen,
there's a silver lining

in every cloud, no
matter how dark.

What do you mean, Mr. Rome?

Uh, Dirk is getting
a bigger dividend

from that check he gave
me than he expected.

The goods, I believe
the word is, on Janice...

Dates, names,
places and witnesses.

You'll win in a
breeze, counselor.

I'm not Mr. Blake's attorney.

Oh, too bad.

I'll meet you this evening
on the Blue Nymph.

Couple things
we'd better discuss.

Good-bye, Mr. Mason.

You gave Rome money to get
the goods on Janice, Mr. Blake?

In regard to lawyers,

I can't think of one
I'd recommend to you.

And certainly not one to
whom I'd recommend you.

If you really must
know who the person

involved with Janice is,
allow me to present him.

Yours truly.

You?

Yes.

Equipped with witnesses,

entries in the La
Playa Motel register.

All sorts of proof.

You must be kidding.

Don't tell me you're still

carrying the torch
for her, old boy.

No, I'm not.

But I know Janice would never

involve herself in
anything like this

with you or with
anybody for that matter.

Is it that you're afraid I
won't be believed in court?

You're not going to court.

Well, then why did
you give me that check?

You know why, Vince.

I wanted a list of the
nightclubs and the parties

that Janice had been to in
the last couple of months.

I gave you something
better than that.

Something that assures

your custody of
Button and her estate.

Isn't that what you want?

What I want is you out of this.

You can keep the
money if you want to,

but you stay away from me,

and you stay away from
Janice, you understand?

Old chap, you don't
quite seem to grasp...

the various implications
of this check of yours,

which I have had the
foresight not to cash.

What if I appeared
in court with it,

testified it was part
payment from you

for framing Janice?

What would your chances
of getting Button be then?

So it'll either be Janice
being framed or me... is that it?

How much did she
offer you for that?

Oh, I'm giving you first shot.

Oh, thanks.

Well, you have
some figure in mind?

Well, I think $10,000
a year out of Button's

more than ample living
expenses would be sufficient.

You can put me down as a tutor.

Or a... a companion.

Maybe $10,000 could be managed.

Uh, there is one question
I'd like to ask you, though.

- What's that?
- Well, uh...

what are you going
to do without this?

My guess is you
should have cashed it.

Wait.

The check, if you don't mind.

Not a chance.

I'll shoot!

You're not that stupid.

There's a longer
article in this edition,

but nothing new.

Oh, uh, yes, one thing.

He was shot with
a .25 caliber pistol,

according to the police.

Any suspects named?

No. Paul do you suppose
this has anything to do

with Button Blake and
her parents' divorce?

Perry must suppose so
or he wouldn't have asked

for a continuance
of the Edwards case,

and Button's father must suppose
so or he wouldn't be parked

out there in the outer office.

Good morning.

- Hi, Perry.
- Morning.

Della, would you have
Mr. Blake come in, please?

Lieutenant Anderson's
handling this, Paul.

He said he'd brief
you on the Blue Nymph

if you could be there
in a half hour or so.

I'm practically there now.

Gertie, will you send
Mr. Blake in, please?

Thank you.

I'm a little surprised

you'd see me,
Mr. Mason, after yesterday.

On the phone, Mr. Blake,
you said that you had

an altercation with
Vince Rome last night.

An altercation on the Blue Nymph

in which a .25
caliber pistol was fired.

That's right.

But you neglected to say
whether or not you killed him.

I didn't.

- Do you know who did?
- No.

What was the altercation about?

Well, it was just,
uh... mostly over this.

An uncashed check for
$500 made out to Vince Rome

and signed by Dirk Blake.

The check you thought I'd
given Vince to smear Janice.

It wasn't for that purpose?

Well, no, not to smear her.

You see, she's
been going out a lot,

living it up since
we were separated.

She, she's been going to a
lot of parties and the nightclubs

and everything with Vince Rome

and a crowd that
he runs around with,

so I thought if he could
just check up on her for me,

get a list of the
places and the dates.

Then I could prove in court

that she wasn't doing a
good job raising Button.

And by doing so gain
custody of your daughter.

Well, no, no, I-I
didn't want custody.

I think that the little girl
belongs with her mother.

But I wanted to see to it

that Janice was made
to be a proper mother.

It appears I misjudged
you, Mr. Blake.

Now tell me... exactly
what happened last night.

Lieutenant Anderson will
be with you in a minute.

Thanks, Sarge.

You were thinking
of buying, Drake?

Who'd want a yacht
with a scratched deck?

Care to join me in
the master's cabin?

The body was lying right here,

and by his right hand
a .25 caliber pistol.

Any possibility of suicide?

Not unless he
was a contortionist.

The slug caught him squarely
in the back of the head.

What time, Andy?

Tentative estimate is somewhere
between 10:00 and 11:00,

but we'll know better
after the autopsy.

Nobody heard anything?

As far as we know, he
was alone on the boat,

except for the guy who shot him.

There's a deckhand,
Cully Barstow,

but he says he was on
shore till around 2:00.

This Barstow, did
he find the body?

No. Claims he went into his
sack and slept until the person

who did find the body woke him.

Who was that?

A yacht broker by the
name of Roger Gray.

It seems a simple
enough question:

were you or were you not
on the Blue Nymph last night?

Oh, darling, you sound
like a prosecuting attorney.

What would I be doing
on Vince Rome's yacht?

It isn't just the yacht.

In the past six months,
there's also been the La Playa

also the mountain cabin.

Are you accusing me...?!

Save the dramatics, Lois.

I've known about you
two for a long time now.

What I haven't
known is... what to do.

I see.

What makes you suspect
that I was with Vince last night?

When I found his body this
morning, I found this, too.

One of your new pearl earrings.

So it is.

Did you kill him, Lois?

No.

But what about you, Roger?

Did you finally
decide what to do?

Did you kill him?

Gosh!

And-And Button told
you this on the telephone?

Yes, less than 20 minutes ago!

Well, she doesn't exactly
understand what she heard,

but Dirk, she's
badly frightened.

It's incredible.

Lois is obviously
unfit to have her.

And what is one of them
actually killed Vince?!

Oh, we've got to
get her out of there.

All right, but how
come the "we"?

Since when have you been
counting me in on anything?

Well, you're, you're
Button's father.

So you finally
remembered that, huh?

Finally. I fought with my
father and lost an inheritance.

I fought with you,
I lost a husband.

And then yesterday in court
when they took Button away,

I realized I was
losing her her father.

I surrendered.

No more fighting, Dirk.

No more fighting ever.

You, you really mean that?

With all my heart.

All right, let's go get Button.

- Dirk Blake?
- Yes.

Lieutenant Anderson, Homicide.

I have a warrant
here charging you

with the first-degree
murder of Vince Rome.

As to motive, Your Honor,

the State will show that the
deceased had in his possession

documentary evidence
of a plot conceived

by the defendant to
discredit his own wife

and thus to obtain
custody of their daughter...

and her $4 million estate.

And it was to prevent
this documentary proof

from ever reaching the light
of day that murder was done.

You say you found this scrap
of paper in the main cabin

of the Blue Nymph?

Yes, sir, on the deck

about eight feet from
the deceased's body.

Would you describe
it to the court, please?

It's a piece torn from
the end of a check

with a portion of the
account number on it.

What did you do with this
fragment of a check, Lieutenant?

Well, I went to the Federal
Reserve and found that four

of the numbers show the bank

to be Pacific National.
So I went there.

And what did you find at
the Pacific National Bank?

Well, that the remaining
numbers proved the account

to be that of the
defendant Dirk Blake.

Now do you recognize
this, Lieutenant?

Yes, it's a bank check
with the end torn from it

which I took from the
defendant when I searched him.

A check made out to Vince
Rome in the amount of $500

and signed by Dirk Blake?

Yes, sir.

Did you attempt to
match that torn check

and the fragment?

Yes, sir. They fit exactly.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Now I show you this document.
I ask if you recognize it.

Yes. I found this in a drawer

in the main cabin
of the Blue Nymph;

a carbon copy of a
agreement it appears to be,

although it's unsigned.

Would you read it
to the court, please?

"In addition to $500 already
paid, I agree at a later date

"to pay the further sum
of $10,000 to Vince Rome

"for acting as my agent and
arranging for Janice Blake

to permanently lose custody
of her daughter Button Blake."

And now in your capacity
as typewriter expert

for the police crime laboratory,

did you examine
this carbon copy?

Yes, and determined it had
been made by model 503

electric Cummins typewriter.

Did you then
examine a typewriter

of that make and model?

Yes, I accompanied
Lieutenant Anderson to an office

where there was such a machine

and compared samples
of its typing with the carbon.

And what did you find?

I found from a microscopic
comparison of the spacing slant

and alignment of the letters
on the carbon and the samples

that the carbon had been
typed on that machine.

And where was this
machine located?

In the office of the defendant.

Thank you, sir.

Mr. Morado, you testified, I
believe, that the night before

Vince Rome died, he
asked you on the telephone

to arrange it so witnesses
and your motel register

would prove that on
the 15th and on the 23rd

of the previous month he
was with Janice Blake in your

- wharf-front bungalow.
- Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Why the wharf-front bungalow
on those particular dates?

Only he knew that.

Was it because he was

actually there on those
dates with someone else?

Is that correct, Mr. Morado?

He wasn't there with nobody.

Speak up, please.

He wasn't there with nobody!

How is it then that you were
willing to say that he was?

Look, he's a friend of mine.

Speak up, Mr. Morado.

He was a friend of mine!
I was doing him a favor!

That's all.

I went out to the Blue Nymph
about 7:00 that morning.

I had a Mexican
charter for Vince.

He often took fishing parties

into lower California,
and I wanted

to be sure to catch him.

And what did you find
on board the Blue Nymph?

Vince... Mr. Rome... lying
dead on the cabin deck.

I went forward, woke
up the deckhand,

Cully Barstow, and
we called the police.

Now you say you talked

to the deceased
that night at 10:30.

Yeah, 10:30 on account
that was when I told Mr. Rome

that I was going ashore.

I called in the cabin
and said, "Mr. Rome,

I'm going ashore."

And Mr. Rome said,
"Okay, Cully." I went ashore.

Was there anyone with
him in the cabin at that time?

I could hardly say.

He just stuck his head
out... Mr. Rome did...

When he said, "Okay,
Cully." I went ashore.

And now from your
years of experience

as a coroner's
physician, Dr. Wyler,

would you please estimate
for us the time of death?

Yes. Almost certainly
between 10:00 and 11:00

the previous evening.

And Doctor, in
view of the testimony

of the previous
witness Cully Barstow,

the deckhand of the Blue Nymph,

would you be willing to
amend that "almost certainly"

to between "10:30 and 11:00"?

Mr. Burger, I've given
my medical opinion,

and on that I stand.

The Blue Nymph was anchored

at approximately this
point in the harbor?

Yes, sir.

Opposite and
approximately 50 feet

from the revolving
light on the jetty?

Yes, sir.

Very well, Mr. Sommers, would
you resume the stand, please?

And will you
please tell the court

what you saw on the
night of the murder?

Well, like always,
around low tide,

I went out to check
my lobster traps.

And you went out
by way of the jetty?

Right. Otherwise I would have
had to cross private property.

Now, what time was it
when you reached the jetty?

Well, let's see, low tide's around...
- 00.

It was flooding and pretty
strong when I got there

to the traps, so it
must have been 10:30

or quarter to 11:00.

And what did you
see from that jetty?

When I got to the light,

I thought I heard this
noise on the Blue Nymph...

A firecracker, like...

And I looked out there,

and saw these two guys
in the cabin, wrestling.

Now, how could you
see inside the cabin?

Well, the jetty light lit it up
every time it came around,

and the next time
it came around,

there was just one
guy standing there,

holding a pistol
and looking down.

About the fifth time around,

he came out, he got into
a boat and he rowed away.

And of course you
reported this to the police?

Well... not until I heard
about Mr. Rome the next day.

See, uh... I wasn't really
sure what had happened,

then or later on...

and I knew it meant
trouble for me because...

Well, it's out of season
for trapping lobsters.

All right, Mr. Sommers,
I understand.

Now, sir, I want you to
look around this courtroom

and identify for us, if you can,

the man armed with a pistol

you saw rowing away
from the Blue Nymph.

Oh, yeah, that's easy,

'cause I know him
from around the bay.

It's Mr. Blake there.

Thank you, sir.

That'll be all.

Mr. Sommers...

you said that you didn't make
an immediate report to the police

because you weren't sure
what happened then or later on.

Well, what did happen later on?

Well... uh, when I came
back, in about an hour,

I guess it was
about an hour and...

I-I thought I heard
this sound on the, uh,

on the Blue Nymph...a splash.

Could you see what
caused this splash?

Well, fish, I guess,

but I looked out there
and I saw these two guys

standing on the,
on the deck and...

neither one of 'em looked
like they heard anything,

so I just went on home.

Sorry I'm late, Perry,
but I've got a few things

that might be useful
in court tomorrow.

One is a photostat of a
kind of interesting check.

That is very interesting.

And the rumors about
Mrs. Gray and Vince Rome?

Well, I haven't been
able to nail them down yet.

But I did get the
registration slips

from the wharf-front bungalow.

15th and 23rd of last month.

"Mr. and Mrs. John Smith."

It's Rome's handwriting,

but you'll need an
expert to prove it.

Mr. Mason...

I heard you were here.

Mr. Mason, you've
got to get him off!

He didn't kill Vince Rome.

I know that.

I know it!

How do you know,
Miss Sutherland?

I just do.

Dirk... Mr. Blake...
Is a fine, decent man.

Please, please do
everything you can.

Of course.

Do you know something
that might help us?

I? Why, what could I know?

I just want him cleared!

That's all! Cleared!

What brought that on?

I have no idea.

Well, back to business.

Do you want me to get
ahold of a handwriting expert?

I'd rather have
a tide table, Paul.

Tide table?

Yes. And a scuba diver.

Have them both on the Blue
Nymph at sunrise tomorrow.

Great.

Paul told me about
the scratches on deck,

but it didn't suggest anything
until Sommers mentioned

the splash he
thought he'd heard.

And if it wasn't a fish,

you think whatever it
was, was shoved off here?

Yes.

And since low water
was at 9:47 that night,

and our lobster poacher
heard whatever it was he heard

at least an hour later,
the tide was coming in.

So?

That would float the Blue Nymph
to almost its present position,

bow forward, and as far
back from the harbor entrance

as its anchor chain will reach.

Here's our diver.

Packing case just about where
you told me to look, Mr. Mason.

Too big to bring up,

so I pried off the lid,
brought these up instead.

Swiss watches.

Then, Mr. Sommers, the
Blue Nymph was in this position

when you came back along
the jetty and heard the splash.

It had to be, 'cause the
water was flooding in strong

for about an hour.

That is, if, uh, low tide's
at 9:47, like the book says.

What was its position
when you heard the men

struggling inside the cabin?

Well, uh, it was
kind of like, like this.

Otherwise, the jetty
light wouldn't have shown

through the hatch,
into the cabin.

Mr. Barstow, what would've
been the Blue Nymph's position

when the tide ceased
ebbing at 9:47 that night?

Uh...

Like so.

Show the court what
obviously happened

when the tide reversed.

Well, uh...

slack water lasts
about ten minutes.

Making it 9:57.

Yeah.

Then the tide would
start to come in,

swinging the boat
around... here, like so.

The 180-degree
swing takes how long?

20 minutes at the most.

10:17.

Which means the Blue
Nymph could've been in position

for the jetty light to
shine into the cabin,

allowing Mr. Sommers
to see the defendant

struggle with Vince
Rome and then leave

only between 9:57 and 10:17.

Yet you testified, Mr. Barstow,

that you spoke to Vince Rome,

saw him alive at
10:30 that night,

approximately 20 minutes later.

Yeah.

That's right, Mr. Mason.

That's the truth.

Therefore, Dirk Blake could
not have killed Vince Rome.

Your Honor, before
asking dismissal

of the charge
against the defendant,

I would like Mr. Barstow
to return to the stand.

Granted.

Will you take the stand
again, Mr. Barstow?

Thank you, Mr. Sommers.

Now, Mr. Barstow, you
told the police, I believe,

that Pancho Morado rode you
back to the Blue Nymph that night,

and you talked together
on deck for a time,

but heard no splash.

Yeah, that's the truth.

Is it? Or is this
nearer the truth?

Instead of rowing back with
Morado and going to bed,

as you said...

you both looked
in the main cabin

and saw Vince Rome's body.

Yeah, we looked in.

And fearing the police would
come and search the boat,

the two of you then shoved

a large packing
case over the side.

Now what was in this case?

Yeah, that's right...

Swiss watches,
smuggled in from Mexico.

You, Morado, and Vince Rome

were in this smuggling together?

No.

Just Pancho and me.

But Mr. Rome found out about it.

And that's how he was
able to force Morado's help

in involving Mrs.
Blake with him.

Yeah, that's how.

Your Honor, I would now like to
call Pancho Morado to the stand.

"Mr. and Mrs. John Smith..."

so read your motel
registration cards

for the night of the 15th
and the 23rd, Mr. Morado.

They were actually signed
by Vince Rome, were they not?

Yeah-yeah, yeah.

Who was the woman
with him on those nights?

Who was she, Mr. Morado?

Mrs. Gray.

Your Honor, this is a
photostat of a $500 check

cashed by Vince Rome,

the $500 paid him, as stated
in the carbon agreement.

The check is signed by
the person who instigated

the plot to discredit
Janice Blake.

And who killed to recover the
incriminating original agreement

for $10,000 more.

Therefore...

with your permission, I call...

Well, Mr. Mason?

I was going to call the
person who also had access

to the typewriter which
typed that agreement...

Miss Naomi Sutherland.

She left, Mr. Mason...
Three or four minutes ago.

Miss Smithers.

Where's Button, Mrs. Blake?

Isn't she here?

No, Miss Sutherland called
for her about half an hour ago.

- Miss Sutherland?
- Miss Sutherland? -Yes, she said

you were meeting for
lunch at the Westland Park.

Oh, no.

In the car... hurry.

Come on, Mr. Duck, come
on, I got popcorn for you.

All right, Button,
that's enough.

Let's, let's go look at the
cars like I promised you.

Here in the park?

No, not in the park.

The place where I've told
you, across from the park.

It's a lovely place, darling,
it's, it's high, high up.

All right.

Let's go.

Stop!

Perry, look!

♪♪

I'm scared, Miss Sutherland.

Please, can't we go now?

Not yet.

Oh, darling, not yet.

No, don't!

Don't!

Take her, Miss Street,
before I do something terrible!

Terrible, terrible!

Good evening, folks, welcome
to the La Playa Motel and Bar.

Hi, Perry, how come you
had us meet you here?

Oh, somebody's
treating us to dinner.

Well, good.

Did you see Naomi Sutherland?

No, I talked to
the psychiatrist,

and her problem
is as we thought,

an obsession that she should be

Blake's wife and
Button's mother.

Which she did her level
best to make come true.

Including the murder
of Vince Rome

when he threatened to expose her

unless she paid him
the money she promised.

The psychiatrist said

she completely
lost control after that.

Poor thing.

Why didn't Anderson
arrest her in court?

My fault.

He was out taking a phone
call and I should have noticed.

Well, all's well that ends well.

Say, how do you suppose
the Blakes will end up?

If you turn around,
Paul, you'll see.

Good evening, folks.

Welcome to the La
Playa Motel and Bar.

Thank you.

Mr. Mason, Mr. Mason.

Hi, Button.

Oh, thank... Thank
you for everything.

Hello, Miss Street.

- Hello.
- Hello.

Hey, our Button's
taking us to dinner.