Original subtitles

♪♪

Señorita Joanna.

Yes, Rosa?

Señor Rick is nice.

Mm-hmm.

Very nice.

Yes, Rosa, he's very nice.

And you hate him very much, ¿sí?

I what?

Rosa, how many times do I have to tell you?

Mr. Scott is my patient.

Oh, sí, sí, but now, without so much bandages

and without so much bed and sleep all the time...

Rosa, stop it.

Forgive me, señorita.

I cannot help if my eyes were not injured.

Maybe now you try a new medicine, ¿sí?

Guess who turned out the lights.

I'm sorry.

- Joanna, I wasn't... - This Mexican sunlight

is much too bright for you to be reading yet.

Yes, keeper. No, keeper.

You heard the instructions yourself.

In another month, perhaps.

But I wasn't.

Here, swallow this.

You know, I'm sick of pills.

And I'm sick of Acapulco, and most of all...

I know... and you're sick of keepers, too.

Joanna, I was not reading.

And you, Mrs. Martinez, go away, go away.

Excuse me. It is the telephone, señor.

No. Whichever doctor it is,

you tell him that I got into another accident.

No, tell him I got pneumonia and died last week.

But it is long distance... Los Angeles.

And Mr. Scott, he says... My brother again?

Look, you tell Nervous Nellie

that as long as I've got to stay away from business

and remain in exile from society

- to stop pestering me. - But, señor...

The point is, I am on my way to Yucatán.

What?

That's right.

I told you I wasn't reading.

I was just looking at the maps you gave me.

Do you really think Yucatán's a good idea?

Driving around in the tropic winter?

Month of moonlight? Palm trees?

No, no, of course not.

But, of course, until, uh, my eye healed,

you'd have to do all the driving, right?

Then I could just lean back and nag you and nag you.

Oh, Rick.

It's exactly what the doctor felt

would be the best thing for you.

Sure, sure. Now, look at this.

Uh, if we take this road down...

I am sorry to interrupt so much, señorita,

but it is not his brother.

His old uncle.

And his uncle wish to speak to you.

Hello, operator.

Yes, I'm Jo... Mr. Scott.

How nice to hear from you again.

How are you today?

Oh, fine, fine, honey.

Working hard and feeling frisky.

But what I want to hear is, how is Rick doing?

Oh, well, he's getting a little hard to handle.

He's feeling so much better.

Well, now, look here.

You tell that boy not to get restless.

I want him to stay down there

until he... till he's clear in shape, you hear me?

And, Joanna, it's your job to keep him there.

Oh, I understand.

You just tell him that Barlow and me

got everything going fine.

The company don't need him.

I'm taking care of everything.

Oh, I know, I know.

Mr. Scott, wait a minute.

You remember that idea I wrote you about?

To take an easy trip south by car?

Well, we're going to Yucatán.

Well, well, why didn't you say so?

Oh, sure, sure, honey.

I knew I could depend on you.

Thank you, Mr. Scott.

Okay, good-bye.

Oh, Joanna, come here.

Uh, you've met my brother and his wife, Ben and Elayna.

- Yes, of course. - Hi.

Uh, Pamela, this is Joanna.

She's the one who helped pull Uncle Harve

through pneumonia last year, and, well,

- now she's done it for me. - Of course.

If I ever get pneumonia, I won't hire anyone else.

I'm Pamela Blair.

Rick and I have been friends for years.

More than merely friends, darling.

Be honest with the girl.

Rick, please, will you read those notes?

They, uh, just dropped in out of the blue.

I won't answer his phone calls,

so the idiot flew down here.

Read them, I said.

We're going back by ship.

It sails in just a few hours.

I persuaded them the ship would be

so much more restful for Rick.

Just think of it...

Five whole days and nights for fun and games.

For Rick?

But Rick can't...

I mean, we were going to...

I'm sorry, Joanna.

I'm going back to Los Angeles.

We literally forced Pamela

to make this trip with us... For your sake.

The least you could do is dance with her.

Right now, I'd rather dance with you.

I know I'm irresistible.

Oh, and intelligent.

Darling, you've been out in the Mexican sun too long.

Elayna, I told Ben I'd come back to Los Angeles

to make sure the company was all right,

but Ben is an alarmist.

Ben's much smarter than you think he is.

- Sometimes... - What do you mean?

When I had the accident and Uncle Harvey

came out of retirement to run the business...

There's Pamela.

Elayna, don't you think

Uncle Harvey's been doing a good job?

He's apparently gotten that merger set up,

and just as well as I could.

That merger is something we've always wanted.

I never did understand what a merger was.

Then, do you agree with Ben?

Do you think Uncle Harvey has been acting odd?

Nervous? Secretive?

But, darling, you should ask Pamela.

She was Uncle Harve's right hand before he retired.

She still sees him now and again.

- She's the one... - Never mind.

I just thought you might have noticed something.

That's all.

Rick, don't you like to dance with Pamela?

I'll make you a bet, Pam.

Three seconds, and you'll have a new partner.

Rick?

My wife is such a sweet little matchmaker.

Darling.

Please rescue me from this brother of yours.

I can't cope any longer.

Cope?

With a wobbling invalid?

They make such a lovely couple.

You can just tell they were meant for each other.

Well, if they weren't, you'd see to it.

Your Uncle Harvey acting strangely?

I haven't seen too much of him

since I stopped working at the office.

Why not?

Well, there's not much chance.

He's away so much on those prospecting trips.

Looking for uranium again.

Or gold or oil or just sagebrush.

You know your Uncle Harvey.

Yeah, but that's nothing to worry about.

I left him a real small budget for land exploration.

Is Ben worried about your uncle's hobbies?

Is that it?

I don't know.

That's why I'm asking you.

Rick, Harvey is a sweet, dear old man,

as far as I know.

Or maybe I should ask you about Ben.

What?

Well, how did you happen to come along on this trip?

Well, hope springs eternal, you know.

Please, Pamela, tell me.

I was lured by words like "urgent,"

"terrible emergency."

It wasn't until I got down here

I realized they just wanted me for bait...

To help haul you home.

Darling, don't be mad at me.

The least you could do now is nibble a little.

What's that, a highball?

Oh, no, I just gave Rick his medication.

Well, if you're still on duty,

why don't you bring something for us?

Just the two of us.

Nice, cool fizz, maybe?

Thanks, but we're going to play shuffleboard.

In that Florence Nightingale costume?

Well, I know I don't really have to wear it,

but to tell you the truth,

I don't have many clothes with me.

But I should think Uncle Harvey

would have supplied you with a whole wardrobe.

How else could you do your real job?

I don't understand.

Oh, come on, now, honey, tell the truth.

Didn't that dear old reprobate really hire you

to keep Rick away from Los Angeles?

No.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Well, that's what Ben says.

I bet you've really been enjoying your work, haven't you?

Oh, you've got the...

Mrs. Scott, your brother-in-law

is nothing but a patient to me.

One I'll be very glad to get rid of.

Rick.

There you are.

Now, look, I want a chance to go over

the whole picture with you before we dock tomorrow...

Ben, there's no picture to go over, and you know it.

This whole trip has been a waste.

That's exactly what I told Uncle Harvey, too.

What? When?

Look, how you could possibly think he'd mess up the company

or the merger, either, is beyond me.

When did you tell Uncle Harvey...?

I sent him a radiogram yesterday.

Oh, don't worry.

I made a big joke out of your Nervous Nellie suspicions.

Oh, no, Rick!

Look, you may know more about the business than I do,

but when it comes to people...

Excuse me, sir... Mr. Rick Scott?

- Right here. - Radiogram.

Thank you.

Uncle Harvey?

Yes.

I'm sure he thinks it's all a big joke, too.

"There's no point in you coming back anyway,

"because everything about the merger will be finalized...

tomorrow morning."

He's called a meeting of the other shareholders

before we land.

Without me there, without you.

That seems a little strange.

Yeah, I told you so.

Now, whatever it is he's up to,

there's nothing we can do about it.

There's nothing we... Yes, yes, there is.

I'll stop him.

Joanna?

Joanna.

Joanna?

I have been looking all over for you.

It isn't time for your pill yet.

Look, little keeper, I know you must be pretty confused,

and maybe you think I am, too.

Well, it really isn't any of my concern.

And I know this is going to sound pretty sudden.

I... I mean, I'd, uh,

planned on working my way up to it.

Uh... well, I... I'd counted on Yucatán and palm trees and...

Rick, will you please take your hands off me?

Joanna, will you please marry me?

What?

I love you.

I-I want you to be my wife now.

Rick, what's the matter with you?

Hold still, darn it. I'm proposing.

Now, I know there's a lot to explain.

Please, stop it.

It-it's the wrong time of day for this.

Marry me, Joanna.

Besides, I promised the ship's doctor

I'd help with an operation tonight.

Let me go.

I love you.

No, you don't.

Your sister-in-law says...

You pay no attention to what she says.

Now, I love you.

I would have told you sooner, but you were always

coming at me with dark glasses.

Rick.

Hey.

Now, come on.

Make up your mind, young lady.

The captain's waiting.

Joanna, don't you love me at all?

You, Joanna...

Monford.

Do you, Joanna Monford, take this man

to be your lawful wedded husband?

I now pronounce you man and wife.

Two hours?

I shouldn't be at the office any longer than that.

Now, you hurry up with that shopping

and finish up as fast as you can.

Oh, don't worry.

Rick, I never did say good-bye to your sister-in-law.

Well, I haven't seen any of them since we've been married.

Honey, the farther I keep you away

from those wolves and vultures, the better I like it.

Now, there's a lot you don't understand yet.

I understand your Uncle Harvey's going to be pretty upset.

I mean, about our even coming back here.

Do you know how many times he called me,

making me promise I'd keep you down in Mexico?

Skip it.

I'll take care of him.

And I'll explain everything later.

I don't want explanations.

I just want... I've got to go now, honey.

Hurry, darling.

- Bye. - Bye.

Scott Agriculture and Mining.

Mr. Harvey Scott?

No, he's gone to the desert for a few days.

Any message?

Yes. Yes.

What was that last? I'm sorry.

Oh, yes.

Thank you.

Uh, Miss Larson, would you mind...

Mr. Barlow, would you tell Rick I'm here, please?

I beg your pardon.

Well, my shopping didn't take any time at all, so...

well, just tell him I'll wait here.

I don't want to interrupt.

Rick? You mean Rick Scott?

Oh, no, Mr. Scott's down in Acapulco. I don't think...

Oh, no, he isn't.

We just landed here a little while ago.

Rick's here someplace talking to his Uncle Harvey.

Mr. Harvey Scott hasn't been in today, either.

I don't really know where he is, but...

Mr. Barlow, don't you recognize me?

I'm Joanna.

Joanna Monford.

Oh, for heaven's sake.

Only now it's Scott, too, of course.

Rick and I were just married.

You were what?

So that's what's going on.

Oh, you poor little fool.

Oh, is he back already?

There wasn't anybody down at the desk.

Mrs. Scott?

Rick?

Have you lost him already, darling?

What a pity... a honeymoon without a bridegroom.

Well, it's us, and we've bribed our way in

to help you celebrate the happy event.

Hi. Congratulations.

Oh, then you've heard what we did.

Ben finally got around to telling Elayna.

He's really a frightful coward,

you know, that... that husband of mine.

In the glass, darling, not on me.

She said she was a relative of yours.

Oh, go away. Shoo.

Scat.

Uh, Rick went to see his Uncle Harvey... someplace.

Oh, of course... To collect his dowry.

How stupid of me.

Now, knock it off, Laynie.

I don't know what you mean. All I meant

- about the dowry was... - Here.

Well, to the bride.

And the extra stock she brought to the groom.

Elayna.

Uncle Harvey got more than he bargained for hiring you.

Please, Elayna.

No, wait.

What did you mean about stock?

A dowry, I think you called it.

Let it go, Joanna. Skip it.

But, surely, you must know.

I'm really very grateful.

It's amazing how quickly you pulled the rug

out from under Uncle Harvey.

I what?

Laynie, if you say it, I swear I'll...

Didn't Rick tell you why he married you?

Because he loves you, of course.

And loves the extra votes

that he gets with the extra stock that Uncle Harvey

had to give up the minute Rick was married.

Well, it's really quite simple.

When Rick's father died, stock was left in trust

for the boys with Uncle Harvey Scott

until they came of age.

At that time, they received part of the stock,

then more automatically at the time of marriage.

So, now Rick has control of the company?

No, but all of the other shareholders

know about the arrangement.

Today, for example,

an important meeting was called off.

Everyone knows that Harvey's power

is, uh, now a little less.

They want to wait for Rick's return.

Oh, I see.

I mean, I guess I see.

I don't blame Rick for not wanting

to bore you with dull business details.

Oh, I know, I know.

It's just that...

those two women upset me, and...

I haven't even heard from Rick today,

and, of course, I knew you were the lawyer,

and I thought he might have come here.

Rick has disappeared, Perry.

He was supposed to be back three hours ago to meet her.

We'll help find him, Joanna, but be patient.

I'm sure there's nothing to be alarmed about.

Oh, no, no, of course not.

Perry, "be patient" is not good advice

to give to a bride of only one week.

One week?

Oh, it's barely one day.

We were just married

last night on the ship by the captain.

I mean, if you're sure

you're not really afraid Rick's in trouble of some kind.

I'm sure he isn't.

I was only reacting to the fact

that you were married aboard ship.

I'm sure Rick explained

about the old ship's marriage myth.

Myth?

Well, it's a common belief

that every ship's captain can marry people.

The truth is, very few of them are legally empowered to do so.

Uh, yours, obviously, had the legal power.

Oh, yes, Rick told me about that.

So did the captain of the Point Loma.

Well, now, Joanna.

You go to your hotel and relax.

Don't worry.

I'll be in touch.

Everything will be all right.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

Della, get a hold of Paul, would you, please?

What's the matter, Perry?

Well, I know who owns the Point Loma.

The captain of a ship owned by a California resident

is not empowered to marry people, Della.

I don't know what Rick Scott is up to...

but that girl is not legally his wife.

Sorry, friend.

Private property.

No trespassing.

Oh?

I didn't notice it was posted.

Well, takes a little time to get everything done, friend.

For now, you'll just have to take my word for it.

Sure.

They told me in town this was the only road

to the old Scott ranch house.

It used to be.

We just closed it off.

Tearing down the house

soon as the rest of the papers are signed.

None of this is Scott property anymore, friend.

It's leased to the Union Farm and Tool.

Union Farm and Tool.

That's a pretty big outfit.

Real big.

Trouble is, when we go to a new location,

the locals resent us.

Sometimes they show their feelings

with sand in the tractor oil

and potshots at the hired hands.

That's why we got this rule... No trespassers.

I'm sure you understand, friend.

Ah, absolutely, friend.

I was just leaving.

Oh, uh, one question.

I came up here looking for Harvey or Rick Scott.

Would you happen to know if they've been around?

Not to my knowledge.

Nice talking to you, friend.

Yeah, real nice, friend.

Thank you, Gertie.

It's Paul calling from Lancaster.

Hello, Paul.

Did you locate Rick Scott?

No, not a trace of him in Dos Banos,

and I sure missed him here.

Any idea of what's going on with the company?

No, nothing except Scott Agriculture and Mining Company

is leasing their principal property

to Union Farm and Tool for, uh, mechanized agriculture,

which is the first step in what appears to be

a merger of the two companies.

As far as I can gather, it's strictly on the level.

What about Uncle Harvey?

You mean the desert rat's version of Santa Claus?

I don't know where he is,

but a Cub Scout can follow his trail.

That old buzzard and companion have been in, out,

up, down and around this desert, prospecting and buying up

mining claims you couldn't even give away.

Companion?

Female type.

Neighbor from Los Angeles.

Name's Emmalou Schneider.

All right, Barlow, got no more to say.

- You can go now. - I'm sorry, Mr. Scott, but I...

Confound it, no. You understand English, Barlow?

No, no, no.

Please, Mr. Scott.

I don't know why you're so upset.

And believe me, I'm not trying to pry,

but I don't think it's asking too much to inquire

why you saw fit to smuggle some of our records

out of the office and here to your house.

That's... that's an accusing word, Barlow... "smuggle."

I went in, and I took what I have every right to take,

and I told... I...

You told whom?

You don't remember, do you?

Mr. Scott, you didn't tell anybody.

It's just like that check.

Sometimes you're not quite...

I'm running this company, you hear?

And I can do anything I want with the books.

And I know what I'm doing... I know.

Nobody questions that for a moment, sir.

It's just that I-I thought, uh...

You thought? Thought what?

Well, we've worked together for 20 years.

I thought maybe you'd want me to help you.

No, no, I'll do it myself.

It's my own problem, Barlow, not yours.

Well, uh, if there is anything,

- anything at all, sir... - Well, thanks, Barlow.

I'll go over the books myself.

I... I'm...

well, I'm not quite sure what I...

But thanks anyway.

52, 60, 70, 82...

90, 190... Go away!

I thought I told... I want to talk to you.

Well, there's nothing to say, Emmalou.

Harvey Scott, I hate you so much

I ought to cave in your skull with a flower pot!

Oh, stop carrying on that way.

Now stop it, do you hear me? Stop it!

All right, shout at me.

Big man.

All right, now listen.

You want to know why I didn't take you with me

on that last trip to the desert, I'll tell you why.

Because I was out there trying to make those old desert rats

you got such a kick out of buy back

their mining claims, that's why.

Harvey, you didn't.

I couldn't!

Desert rats run fast.

Some of them I couldn't even catch.

But why, Harvey?

Why do you want to sell back?

Because I was scared, that's why.

Because I'm an irresponsible old man who...

An old man who what, Harvey?

Who's afraid to face himself, maybe.

Harvey, this trouble you're in... Has it anything to do

with your business and the sick nephew who's coming home?

Well, is there anything I can do to help?

Emmalou, two weeks ago when we saw Peg-Leg,

after we left his place and drove west toward the coast,

did we pick up another piece of property on the way?

We didn't go west, we went east to the town,

to that square dance.

Surely you remember.

Too much mountain dew, you said.

All right.

You better run along now.

There's no use in both of us getting involved.

There's nothing they can put you in jail for.

Jail?

Harvey, what's going on?

It'll be all right. I'll make it all right.

You... you better run along now, Emmalou,

and leave me alone, please.

I... I just got to work this out alone.

All right, Harvey.

Picture.

Everything in place.

Bang, just like that, it's...

Oh, no, no.

It don't fit.

Numbers don't fit.

Emmalou, I asked you please to... Joanna.

Mr. Scott, I was just about to ring the doorbell.

- I was hoping maybe you could tell... - Rick.

Is Rick with you?

No. I thought maybe he was here.

Oh, wait a minute, wait a minute.

What is it?

It's 5:30. There's still time.

Come in, come in.

Mr. Scott... Joanna, you've got to help me.

You've got to.

Yes, Della?

Oh, put him on.

Rick, where are you?

I'm on my way back to town, Perry.

Now, listen. I stopped to call my wife,

but she wasn't in, so I called my brother Ben's place.

Joanna's probably looking for you...

The man she thinks is her husband.

The what?

What are you talking about?

You have quite a bit of explaining to do, Rick.

Okay, Perry, but later.

Look, Ben wasn't home, either.

And Elayna said she got a phone call from my uncle, from Harvey,

setting up an important emergency meeting.

In less than a half hour.

Now, you know where he lives.

Meet me there. Stall, do anything,

but don't let him make a move until I arrive.

Please, Perry, do this for me.

It's important.

♪♪

Oh, Mr. Mason.

It is Mr. Mason, isn't it?

I'm Laurence Barlow.

I don't suppose you'd remember me, but...

Of course I do.

You're comptroller of the Scott Agriculture and Mining Company.

This is Mr. Paul Drake, my associate.

Mr. Drake.

Did you get a call from Harvey, too?

Seems everybody else did.

Who is it?

Joanna, what's that?

Blood.

Uncle Harvey.

I tried to help, but there's nothing I could do.

Nothing anybody could do.

Harvey Scott is dead.

- He's been murdered. - No!

She did it.

She killed him.

The district attorney will claim that Harvey Scott paid you

to keep Rick away while Harvey was stealing from the company.

He will claim you double-crossed Harvey when you realized

you could have more money by marrying Rick.

The state will try to prove that

you and Harvey were accomplices who had a fight

that ended in Harvey's death.

A death for which you will be charged, Joanna,

with criminal homicide.

But you haven't explained about Rick...

Where he was, why I didn't hear from him.

He phoned you at the hotel.

You were out shopping, so he left a message with the desk.

But I never got that message.

Never.

I know. We're looking into that.

But right now, I want you to explain to me

where that money in your purse came from.

Well, I told you, it was Harvey Scott's money.

I picked it up for him at the bank.

Mr. Mason, did Rick really say he loved me?

Yes, Joanna.

Yes, he planned to marry you,

even before this business started.

The shipboard ceremony was an emergency act

to stop further maneuvering in the company.

But his plan was to take you to Las Vegas for a legal ceremony,

as soon as you were together ashore and he could explain.

If only he hadn't gone looking for everyone...

For his uncle, and then the other shareholders.

Joanna, why did you go to the bank for that money?

Because Uncle Harvey sent me.

It wasn't the first time.

I'd run errands for him like that last year

when I was nursing him.

Did Harvey say why he wanted the money?

Well, he said he was in trouble and that he needed

a few thousand dollars he thought he still had

in one of his accounts, that's all.

"A few thousand dollars he thought he still had

in one of his accounts."

Those were his exact words?

I think so.

Mr. Mason, what was so wrong

with my going to the bank for him?

Nothing.

Nothing, except the money was still in your purse

while he was dying on the floor.

And while he was dying, I should have handed him the money

and insisted on a receipt?

I'm a registered nurse.

I came into the house,

found an old man who'd been brutally beaten

and tried to help.

What crime did I commit?

According to the police, you argued over

your payoff for services rendered.

He tried to take the money back, and you killed him.

But I'm telling the truth.

All of it?

Including Harvey's asking you to pick up

a few thousand dollars for him?

That's exactly what he said.

Joanna, the police found in your purse

not a few thousand dollars, but $60,000.

Mr. Scott was very explicit when he called the bank.

He wanted whatever cash there was in his account

turned over to the young lady there, the defendant.

She'd done banking with us before.

I knew her by sight, knew her well.

With his call and the balance-of-account check

which she brought, there wasn't any problem.

Harvey Scott banked with you

for a considerable number of years, didn't he?

Yes, sir.

Until the last few months, what was the largest balance

Mr. Scott ever carried at your bank?

Can you tell us that?

I checked our records.

A little less than $3,000.

$3,000.

And what was the amount that he accumulated

by regular mail deposits in the few months during which

his nephew was away,

the sum you turned over to the defendant, Joanna Monford?

$60,000.

Lieutenant Anderson, you heard the autopsy surgeon testify

that Harvey Scott was killed by repeated blows on the head

with a blunt instrument.

I show you now this fireplace poker.

I ask if you've ever seen it before.

Yes, sir, it has one of my tags for identification.

The poker was found lying beside the body of the decedent.

Now, did you have the poker analyzed

by the police laboratories?

And, if so, with what result?

Yes, sir.

The bloodstains were made from

blood of the same type as that of the decedent.

And the human hair matched exactly

the hair of the decedent.

I see.

Now, this dress, marked for the people Exhibit Three,

has been identified as the one worn by the defendant

at the time she was apprehended.

I ask you to examine it, please.

It also bears one of my identifying tags, Mr. Burger.

Did you, then, have this dress... Worn by the defendant

when she emerged from the decedent's house...

Also analyzed by the police laboratory?

Yes, sir.

Like the bloodstains on the poker,

the bloodstains on this dress are from the same type blood

as that of the murdered man.

She said, very clearly, that she had tried to help him.

With the poker, Mr. Drake?

Your Honor...

I withdraw the question, Your Honor.

With apologies to defense counsel.

This girl, Mr. Drake, the defendant,

came stumbling out of the house and mumbled something which

you are pleased to interpret as

a statement that she tried to help.

But, Mr. Drake, at that moment, what happened?

Mr. Mason went into the house.

Thank you.

Mr. Mason.

I have no questions.

The witness is excused.

Call your next witness, Mr. Burger.

It's Mr. Mason, Your Honor.

I call Perry Mason to the stand.

Objection, Your Honor.

This is mere harassment.

An attorney cannot, without consent of his client,

be examined on communication made by the client to him,

or his advice given to the client

in the course of professional employment.

Your Honor, we're not interested

in what Mr. Mason said to his client or heard from his client,

we're interested in what Mr. Mason saw,

as an individual witness,

which I believe will help convict his client.

I move that remark be stricken from the record

and the prosecutor be warned to refrain

from further prejudicial statements

assuming facts not in evidence.

So ordered.

Very well; then I insist that the court now rule

on the competency of Mr. Perry Mason

to appear as a witness for the prosecution.

Mr. Mason... take the stand.

Yes, Harvey Scott was still alive... barely alive...

When I felt his pulse.

And while you were feeling his pulse, Mr. Mason?

It stopped.

Then you know, of your own knowledge,

that Harvey Scott's heart stopped beating

less than one minute

after Joanna Monford ran out of that house,

with her dress covered with blood

from the battered head of Harvey Scott.

Yes.

Thank you.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

"No use of both of us getting involved.

Nothing they can send you to jail for."

That's what... those were his exact words.

After which, the decedent asked you to leave him alone,

and you went back to your own house, is that right?

Yes.

I went upstairs to change my clothes.

It was just by accident that I looked out the window

over to Harvey's place.

And then when I saw what I saw,

I put my clothes back on and...

and rushed back over there!

But... it was too late then.

Now, upstairs, in your own house,

while you were changing your clothes,

and when you accidentally looked out your window

and across to the Harvey Scott house,

exactly what did you see?

I saw Harvey's shadow up against the side window shade,

and a woman's shadow,

and she was beating him over the head with a poker!

It was her shadow! The defendant's!

I know it was her!

Mr. Jasper!

Hey, Mr. Jasper!

Hey! Peg-Leg Jasper!

Where are you?

Right behind you, son.

Oh-oh! Don't move!

'Cause I got this rifle zeroed right in

to the small of your back, buster.

You just breathe too hard,

and I'll put a hole through you, so you can breathe easier.

Now raise your hands... and turn around.

I been dodgin' you crazy deputies for two days now.

But you ain't gonna get me in no courtroom... no, sir!

Not as long as I got these two legs and this rifle to shoot!

Thought I had me hid out here pretty good.

How come you found me?

Mrs. Schneider thought I might locate you here.

Emmy Lou?

She knew you were an old friend of Harvey Scott's,

and thought you might like to do him one last favor.

Harvey's dead; dead and buried.

Yeah, but they've dug up his reputation

and they're dirtying it up pretty bad.

They say he was two-faced and a thief;

that he was stealing from his own family.

That, mister, is a lie!

You hear me?

Harvey Scott was no thief!

That's a matter of opinion, Mr. Jasper.

Now, you sold him a mining claim for $2,000, is that right?

Oh, I already told you that.

Yes, you also told us that you deposited the check

he mailed to you from his office...

But that the next time you came to town,

you were called into the bank

and told there'd been a mistake

and that payment had been stopped on that first check,

and that a second check was issued to you

in the correct amount.

Now, after you received that second check,

did the decedent, Harvey Scott,

come and see you in the desert?

Yes, I guess he did.

And what did he say to you at that time?

Well, he-he called me a thief.

He accused me of fooling with that first check.

Fooling with it?

Now, Mr. Jasper, he showed you a check,

on which payment had been stopped.

Exactly what did he say had happened to that check?

Well, he showed me now where that check was changed

to read from $2,000 to $20,000.

And were you the one fooling

with that company check, Mr. Jasper?

Here, mister, don't go callin' me no names!

I'll tell you the same thing I told ol' Harve...

He's clean, plumb loco!

I couldn't fool with that check... or any other check.

You know why?

I can't neither read nor write!

When this bank called the office,

I asked them not to put the check through.

And after I'd spoken to Mr. Scott...

That's Mr. Harvey Scott...

We sent them a substitute check in the proper amount.

But you did speak to the decedent about it.

Now what did he say?

Well, he found it hard to believe

that first check was... was his own mistake.

Was it a mistake?

That time, yes, I think it was.

Oh, there were other times?

Oh, I'm not... really sure.

But I am afraid there probably were other times.

Don't you know, Mr. Barlow?

Well, with this merger,

part of our records are here in town, part are back East,

some in the hands of our attorneys.

The merger required a good deal of shifting around

of assets and accounts.

I'm afraid it may be some time before we really know for sure.

Well, does anybody know for sure?

Mr. Rick Scott's been going over the books... maybe he knows.

And what about the $60,000 in his private account...

I mean his private personal account,

not the company account.

Don't you don't know the source of that money either?

Well, no, not for sure.

I'll admit there appear to be possible shortages

in certain accounts and that some of our assets would...

well, would appear to be unaccounted for,

but nothing I could specifically attribute to my uncle.

Really.

All right, Mr. Scott, now tell us this:

Did the defendant ever exert any effort

to keep you away from Los Angeles?

If she did, my wife's only concern was with my health.

Your wife.

You're referring, of course, to the defendant,

Miss Joanna Monford,

whom you conveniently put through a mock marriage ceremony

in order to stop your uncle from destroying your company.

I'm referring to the woman I love...

the woman I planned to marry,

the woman I will formally marry

when this ridiculous hearing's at an end.

In spite of the fact that prior to your proposal,

her only interest in you

was to obey the instructions of her accomplice

and to keep you away from Los Angeles;

away from the company that he was stealing from?

That's a lie!

No further questions.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Scott, after you left your wife at the dock,

did you send her a message telling her where you were,

and when you expected to return to her?

Yes. I phoned her at the hotel,

but she wasn't there, so I left a message.

Have you discovered what happened to that message?

Yes, it was picked up at the hotel desk

by my sister-in-law Elayna.

I didn't like the girl.

I didn't trust her.

So I tore up the message.

Pamela was with me when I did.

She not only knows I tore it up, she knows why... I told her.

Elayna was frightened.

She thought Harvey Scott was doing something

that would injure the company

and affect the income she depended on.

That was the reason Rick was convinced

to come back to Los Angeles.

Elayna thought if Joanna got Rick's message,

she might interfere with what he was doing.

I told Elayna I thought she was wrong,

but she wouldn't listen.

Ben had convinced her this whole mixed-up thing was true.

And you believed, really believed,

that your uncle was capable of robbing the company

he and your father had established?

I... I never-never said he was actually robbing it.

Oh?

What did you say?

That he was... old and confused

and acting strange with Mrs. Schneider.

But he and Mrs. Schneider were old friends.

After so long an association,

why, suddenly, did you see it as dangerous?

That isn't so.

They weren't old friends.

Harvey Scott never saw that woman in his life...

Not till after Rick had his accident...

Not until after Rick went down to Mexico.

How unusual.

And how convenient.

A kindred spirit... Exactly the sort of person

who would awaken in Harvey Scott

the always-hard-to-resist urge to prospect,

buy up mining claims.

Convenient.

Convenient that she should cross his path

when Rick wasn't around,

when Harvey was running the company,

when a merger was taking place,

when it would be so easy, so very easy

to make mistakes under cover of that merger.

Now how did Harvey Scott meet this woman?

Did you introduce them?

Me?

No, no, no, not me.

It was Barlow.

Proof, Mr. Barlow, proof that you arranged

Emmalou Schneider's meeting with Harvey Scott;

proof that you arranged for her to rent the house next door.

I... I-I wasn't... You weren't what?

You weren't expecting Ben to become suspicious?

Weren't expecting that he would have his brother

come back home to force a stock distribution

that would take control away from the confused old man

you were using as front for your embezzlement?

No! No!

But the old man wasn't quite so confused, was he?

He realized something was wrong...

Thought he had inadvertently been wasting company money.

True, he made a harmless mistake or two...

But the big mistakes were really arranged by you, weren't they?

Please, please, I-I-I didn't mean to...

Then he took the books home, and the fat was in the fire.

He was on the verge of discovering the truth...

Not merely the $60,000, but the whole truth.

I-I'd already deposited the money in his account.

Th-There were other accounts.

He'd signed certain assignments, and other papers,

not knowing what they were.

How much were you planning to steal?

A quarter of a million dollars.

And that's what Harvey Scott suddenly stumbled onto?

Yes, he... he told me on the phone.

He called everyone, everyone concerned,

to come to the house... Ben, Ben's wife... he called you...

Well, you were there. You-you saw me arrive.

Did I, Mr. Barlow?

The killer arrived before Joanna Monford.

The killer struck and fatally injured Harvey Scott,

ran out the back, then drove around the block

and arrived in time with everyone else.

But I didn't kill him!

No, that was your accomplice,

the former bookkeeper who devised the scheme,

who refused to let you give up the chance

for a quarter of a million dollars.

Miss Blair!

Why did Harvey Scott call you to come to the house?

You hadn't worked for the company for over a year;

you weren't a stockholder;

you had never been more than a casual friend.

Or was it Barlow who called you;

Barlow who told you that Harvey Scott

knew your scheme and was ready to call the authorities?

You couldn't permit that, could you, Pamela?

Even if you had to murder Harvey Scott to prevent it.

Then it was Pamela's silhouette

that Emmalou saw on the window shade

hitting Harvey with the poker.

Pamela went in the back, murdered him,

came out, drove her car around front

just as we were all arriving.

What I don't understand... What made Perry know

that Harvey was about to discover an embezzlement?

Crumpled paper.

What?!

When Joanna first saw Harvey,

the floor was littered with crumpled pieces of paper...

Paper he'd been figuring on.

Mm-hmm.

When we found Joanna,

and the dead body, there was no paper.

Now, Pamela knew that the old man

had been checking the books...

She was afraid that his notes and figures might tip the truth.

She sure must have gathered that paper up

and carted it out in one big hurry.

Shh! Not so loud.

By virtue of the authority vested in me,

I now pronounce you man and wife.