All language subtitles for Perry Mason S08E16 The Case of the Thermal Thief.DVDRip.NonHI.en.CBS

Go ahead, girl, blow them out.

Make a wish first.

Okay.

My wish is that I never
see your faces again

as long as I live.

Never fails.

Come on, you're going to
need all the luck you can get.

Come on, if they all go
out, you'll have good luck.

Don't worry, I won't be back.

Four years is plenty.

I promised myself
once I get out...

That's what we
all say, every time.

Inside of two months you'll
roll a drunk or clout a purse.

You see, maybe you
think it's superstition but...

Not me, honey.

I believe it.

Now she'll be lucky
enough not to get caught.

That's right.

Because I'm never going
to do anything wrong again.

It's ghastly morbid, that's all.

I mean, mourning
is one thing, but this.

She ought never to wear
black with her coloring,

I mean, you can't make
a career of widowhood.

And even if Dion was
an absolute original,

she's got to write
period sometime.

And pouring all this money
into a fund for seasick sailors

or whatever it is, I mean,
isn't that a bit much?

By some $30,000 dollars?

It's unhealthy and unnatural,

and you've got to
snap her out of it.

Me?

Darling, I'm her lawyer,
not her spiritual adviser.

If she wants to
keep his memory...

Amy isn't remembering Dion.

She's canonizing him.

Oh, I'll admit it was a nice
touch of drama for him to drown,

but personally if
I have a choice,

I'll go in a four poster.

Holy smoke, look
what time it is.

Listen, I've got an
appointment at the office tonight.

You've got your own
car here so I'll just...

Now, Jeffrey, wait.

Jeffrey, please talk to Amy.

She has great respect for you.

I'm afraid Amy only respects
the people who agree with her.

Now, Jeffrey, you wait.

Jeffery, just a minute.

Let's talk about it.

Ouch!

I see you've managed
to shake them off.

Whoever was pursuing you.

The police, I should imagine.

Very funny.

I just wish I had
met a policeman.

Mr. Canfield, do you know
what happened in the club bar?

My bag was stolen.

In the yacht club?

Oh, now, Lona, really.

Well, I didn't just forget it.

I mean, even if I had,

I went back to the
booth for my cigarettes.

If it had still been there,
I would have noticed it.

My driver's license.

Now, now, take it easy.

I'll telephone them, and
as one of the directors,

if anyone down there did
take your bag, I promise...

The yacht club
isn't the only thing

you're a director of, is it?

No, I'm on several
boards, but...

Including the Dion Reid
Memorial Foundation.

Which is just a fancy
name for a wake.

It's lasted five years already.

Why don't you stop her?

Here, let me see that hand.

Oh, you have a
nasty scratch there.

Mr. Canfield, don't you know
what this is doing to Amy?

She is absolutely chained
to Dion's headstone.

Lona dear, could you manage

to be a trifle
less earsplitting?

Good evening, Roland.

You're just in time to
see some home movies.

Some what?

Of Dion. Come along.

Well, wouldn't you
know it, another séance!

This was shot at the club.

The skipper was
getting the Dirigo ready

for the Santa Barbara races.

That's Catalina, of course.

There you are, Mr. Canfield.

Remember that?

Look at him bring her
around into the wind.

I often told Dion
he was half Viking.

And there we are.

You know, the skipper put
me down as often as I beat him?

That's the last shot ever taken.

He was heading for Catalina.

Where did you get it all, Pete?

Oh, from club members, mostly.

Just about everybody
with a camera

had a few feet of film.

It must've taken
months to collect it all.

It was grand, wasn't it, Lona?

Next best thing to a wax museum.

I'd really love to
have the film, Pete.

Would you sell it to me?

Well, of course he will.

For the right price, of course.

That's uncalled for, Lona.

Amy, you're the
easiest mark in town,

and everybody's
after a share of it.

Is it so wrong to
want a film of Dion?

Oh, Amy, it's not just the film.

It's all the useless junk
you've been collecting.

Where does it end?

I'll leave the film
with you, Mrs. Reid.

We can talk about it Saturday

when I come back
to fix those shelves.

Roland, will you write
out a check to Pete

for $500?

It's your money, Amy.

Yes.

But that seem to be a
point that's escaped Lona.

And I intend to spend
it any way I choose.

Have you thought of
buying the Catalina Channel?

Oh, Amy, I'm sorry.

I know that sounds
horrible, but... Ma'am?

Yes, Stella?

There's a woman
at the door, ma'am.

I've never seen her before.

Well, who is it?
What does she want?

I don't know, miss, but
she seems very nice.

Oh, for heaven’s sake,
show her in, Stella.

At least you can be gracious
to a stranger, can't you?

Perhaps what we
all need is a drink.

Yes, hemlock on
the rocks for me.

Miss Maxine Nichols.

How do you do?

Is one of you Lona Upton?

Yes.

I think you lost a purse.

Oh, where... Yes.

Yes, my purse was
stolen this evening.

Stolen?

Well, I wondered why it
didn't have any money in it.

It's such a lovely bag.

And anyway, since I was
taking a taxi back this way,

I thought I'd stop in
and bring it to you.

Well, thank you.

Thank you for bringing it to me.

Tell me, young lady,

exactly where did
you find the purse?

In the parking lot
of the yacht club,

lying between two cars.

You've gone to a lot
of trouble, Miss Nichols.

Lona, I think perhaps
some small reward might...

Oh, no, please.

Really, I'm not in the
habit of taking money.

It's just that I
know how I'd hate

to lose all of my credit cards,
let alone such a pretty thing.

You understand.

So now I'll be running
along and... Oh.

Isn't that Dion Reid?

My husband.

- Did you know him?
- Yes.

Oh, well no, not really.

In a short, desperate
period of my youth,

I tried working as
a cocktail waitress.

On Catalina.

I thought I'd seen you before.

Strange you'd remember
Dion after all these years.

Not really.

A nice person creates
his own memory,

and you meet very few of
them in a cocktail bar, I'm afraid.

Come on, Maxine.

It is Maxine, isn't it?

I'm going to make
you take that reward.

Oh, but really...

A nice happy
thing with ice in it,

and maybe a little soda.

Really, Miss Upton,

anyone would've
returned your bag.

Call me Lona, and
it's not for the bag.

It's for gaffing those
spouting whales in there.

I always get mad
and just sputter.

Sit down.

Sit down!

Well, I don't want
to be a nuisance,

but perhaps I could
use just one little drink.

No, Amy's my sister.

My half-sister actually.

Her mother left Dad
before I was born,

married a very wealthy man.

Oh, here, you need more ice.

Wasn't I was going
to call another taxi?

No, you were going to
tell me more about Dion,

your impressions.

But I don't remember any more.

Anyhow, it's your turn.

- Oh?
- Mm-hmm.

Yes, where was I?

Oh, well, years
later, Dad remarried,

but instead of a dowry,
he had to settle for me.

They're all dead now,
both sets of parents,

but Amy's rich,

and everyone thinks
she must be my aunt.

She keeps me here,

working sometimes
for my bed and board.

She's kind of a
dingbat, you know?

Hey, you know I don't even know

where I'm going
to sleep tonight?

I was on the way to
look for a hotel when...

Oh, here.

You only got half.

Besides, don't
interrupt with problems

that are so easy to solve.

Why?

Oh, dear, because I
need someone to talk to,

don't you understand?

I love Amy, and I
want to help her,

but she won't even listen and...

No, no, no, why's she a dingbat?

Because of Dion.

Oh, I know he was
wonderful and all...

Well, you know.

You met him.

But hallelujah,

he's been dead for five years.

To everyone but Amy,
is that what you mean?

Exactly.

And you haven't
heard anything yet.

She's endowing a home

for derelict dolphins
or something,

and it's costing $30,000.

Imagine.

$30,000.

♪♪

♪♪

Can we help you, lady?

Certainly not. Why
should I need help?

Well, it's a little late
to be out walking alone.

Thought maybe there was
something wrong, that's all.

Oh, no, it's
perfectly all right.

I was just visiting friends,
and my car broke down.

Thank you anyway, officer.

Good night.

Hey...

Why don't you just hop in,

and we'll drop you
anywhere you like.

Oh, no, really, that
won't be necessary.

I'd much rather take the cab.

Oh, you won't find
one at this hour.

Come on, we'll take
you right to your door.

- What's the address?
- W-Well, I...

You do live somewhere
around here, don't you?

Well, of course.

It's... uh, 448 Granable Place.

But, really, there's no need...

That's all right, we
don't mind. Come on.

I, um, don't suppose I'd be
the first to say it, Miss Upton,

but, uh, you are
an explosive talker.

Compulsive.

Uh, this young lady,

she made off with a valuable
necklace and a bracelet?

I know it was appraised
at $50,000 once.

And she was picked
up by the police?

You can't walk around
our neighborhood at night

unless you're a resident.

I think she almost fooled them

by giving an address.

But they found out
she didn't live there?

Nobody does.

Turned out to be a vacant lot.

Well, we'll, uh, let the law
take care of her, Miss Upton.

Now, then, what is it, uh,
what is it you want me to do?

Get her out of jail.

Get her out?

After she stole from you?

Not from me...
From my sister, Amy.

Oh, but the point is,
the police department

says Maxine has a prison record,

so if the poor girl
is convicted again...

Oh, this Maxine,
she's a friend of yours?

No. I told you.

I met her yesterday
for the first time.

Yesterday.

Yesterday when, uh,
she returned your lost bag.

Miss Upton,

doesn't it seem
likely that Maxine

was the one who stole that bag?

I don't know, I just want
you to get her out of jail.

Oh, see here, if it's the money,

I have $5,000 of my
own in the bank, so...

Pardon me if I'm wrong,

but did I detect a
certain note of warmth

when you spoke about
your sister's lawyer?

Jeffrey's madly in love with me.

Yes, I see.

So you come walking
in to the first door

marked "Attorney-at-Law"
and start waving your money.

Miss Upton, I just got back
from a government job...

I'm not even in the phone book!

Oh. Oh, you mean
why didn't I go to Jeffrey

instead of you?

It does seem rather
an obvious question.

Oh. But I couldn't go to
him, don't you understand?

He simply wouldn't understand.

He does take quite a
bit of understanding.

Miss Upton,

- what I would suggest you do...
- Why?

Why can't you
simply do as I ask?

Well, if you're just
starting in business,

don't you want business?

Well, it's just something
that has to be done, that's all.

Maxine Nichols.

Yeah. Patrol car
picked her up last night.

Gave a phony address.

Seems she'd burgled a safe.

An antique emerald necklace
and bracelet, wasn't it?

That's right. But the
jewelry's been returned.

Mrs. Reid's lawyer
picked it up this morning.

Mrs. Re...

You mean you aren't holding
the jewelry for evidence?

Of what? Seems the whole thing

was just a great big
mistake, Counselor.

The Nichols woman
didn't steal the jewelry,

it was loaned to her.

- By whom?
- Mrs. Amy Reid.

The owner?

You figure it out.

Uh, Sergeant, do you mind
if I borrow your telephone?

- Not at all.
- Thank you.

Yes, Gertie?

Who?

Mr. Kramer?

Yes, put him on, please.

Hello.

Della, I've just
run into something

that's a Perry Mason
case if ever I saw one.

And since I'm a little rusty,

I thought I might
buy Perry a lunch or...

Oh, but Perry has a case that
just took him over to Europe.

No, he'll be back in a few
days, but if there's anything

that I can do, or
Paul Drake, or...

No, thank you, Della, but
it's not all that complicated yet.

Yes, I'll see you soon.

Well, I guess I'll have
to figure it out myself.

If you agree, Jeff, that
my safe wasn't forced,

how did this Maxine
creature get into it?

Well, they say any
lock a man can invent,

another man can unlock.

Isn't that a specialized skill
requiring years of experience?

Yes, certainly.

Well, of course, I grant
you, that woman served time.

Well, it wasn't
safecracking, no.

Then how did she open the safe?

Well, she must have
had the combination.

I-I-I don't see how
that's possible.

I'm certain you didn't
leave it lying around.

She'd never been
in the house before,

and she had no contact with
anyone here prior to yesterday.

You still haven't
said for what crime

she was serving time in prison.

Well, you seem to have
found that out for yourself.

It was, uh, - purse-snatching.
- Exactly.

Well, now, just a minute.

Even if Maxine did steal
my purse last night...

I think we can
assume that, Lona.

Well, you can just stop
assuming that that's where

she got the combination
to your safe, from my purse!

I'm only facing facts, Lona.

But why on earth would
I be carrying around

the combination
to your safe for?

Uh, ladies, how Maxine Nichols

obtained the combination is
entirely a matter of conjecture

- at this point, so...
- And the reason

I didn't press
charges against her

was in the hope
that she'd reciprocate

by telling you where she got it.

Well, I'm afraid I haven't had
much success there so far.

Now, it's possible Maxine
would talk for a price, but...

Excuse me, ma'am,
Mr. Castelni is here.

So soon?

Well... show him
in. Show him in.

- Who's Castelni?
- The jeweler.

I dropped those things off
by his store this morning.

I noticed one of the stones
in the necklace was loose.

Mrs. Reid, when did this happen?

The stone? Well,
I just noticed it...

All the stones.

All the emeralds
have been removed

and replaced with nothing
but cheap imitations.

Oh, no!

Jeffrey,

- phone the police.
- No, wait a minute, Mrs. Reid.

When could Maxine
have done that?

She was picked up just
after she left here last night.

This switching would
have taken time.

So Maxine couldn't
have done it, could she?

She was in prison.

I... I don't remember when
I last looked at this jewelry.

I never wear it, you know.

It's grandmother's.
I... never really liked it.

That's why I never
even had it insured.

Not insured?!

But I've always
kept it locked up.

Right here in this safe.

Right here in my
own hou... house.

Mr. Castelni, I think
you'd better leave us now.

Surely. Good day, Mrs. Reid.

It must have been
done by someone...

over a period of time.

Someone right here
in my own house.

Well, there's only
Stella living here,

but she's been with you for
so many years, I can't imagine.

Stella isn't the only one who
could have done it, Jeffrey.

Amy, don't you
look at me like that.

I know what you're thinking,

but don't you dare say one word,

because I've got a
lawyer, and he'll sue you!

He'll sue you for
a million dollars!

Darling, is that you again?

Well, it's about time.

Why don't you tell
that boss of yours

to go chin himself
on a bramble bush?

Well, anyway, what
I started to say was

the top is draped black jersey,

and it has this darling
beige linen walking coat

over it that...

At Boutaric, I told you... that's
where I bought everything.

Of course I can afford it.

Hey, listen, that's
why I phoned.

If anyone tried to get
ahold of me or anything,

be nice to them.

Well, I don't know
who. Just anyone.

Only don't ever commit
me or say where I am, or...

Of course I'm sober.

And I'm gonna stay sober.

Don't you understand?

This unlucky little chick has
finally stumbled into something.

Something green and jingly
and growing every minute.

Yes? Who is it?

Oh, my name is Kenneth Kramer.

I'm looking for a
Miss Maxine Nichols.

Oh. Oh, yes.

Uh, she's staying with me.

You better come on up.

- Mr. Kramer?
- Uh-huh.

- Hi. I-I'm Fay Gilmore.
- Miss Gilmore.

I don't know where Maxine is.

I-I just got in myself.

But if you'd like to wait.

Well, yes, thank you, I would.

I phoned several times
this afternoon, but...

but there wasn't any answer.

Well, I, uh... I work.

Oh. And, uh, Maxine doesn't?

Well, uh, she's looking
for a job, I-I think.

I mean, uh...

w-well, she's just staying
with me until she gets settled.

Yes, I knew she'd
just gotten into town.

You're old friends?

Well, i-in a way, yes.

Uh, we knew each other
about five years ago in Catalina.

But we, uh, sort of lost
touch after she got sick.

After she got sick?

- Yes. Lung trouble.
- Oh.

She's been living on
the desert in Arizona

for the past four years.

Oh, so that's where she's
been for the past four years.

Yeah. That's what she told me.

Say... I thought you
said you knew Maxine.

Oh, no, no, no, no. We
just have a mutual friend.

Perhaps you've met
her... Lona Upton?

That's, uh... Amy
Reid's sister, isn't it?

Uh-huh.

No, no, we... we never have met.

W-Would you like
to have a-a drink?

No, thank you, not right now.

- Do you mind if I have one?
- Not at all.

Gee, I-I don't know what
could be keeping Maxine.

What is that across the street?

It's a children's playground.

- Lieutenant.
- Thank you.

We found this about
15 feet from the body.

Looks like it was
used for a compress,

but we'll know better after
we get it back from the lab.

That's a man's handkerchief,
isn't it, Lieutenant?

Mm-hmm.

It could mean that some guy
shot her and then later had regrets,

or maybe she just
snatched it out of his pocket.

On the other hand, it might
belong to some passing Samaritan

who took off when he
saw he couldn't help her.

Me, I'll wait for
the lab report.

Now, Miss Gilmore,

what can you tell us
about the men in her life?

I-I don't think that
there were any.

She'd only been
in town a few days.

That's long enough
to make an enemy.

Lieutenant, I think we've
found the murder weapon.

Excuse me.

Miss Gilmore...

was Maxine contributing
anything to her board?

No. She told me that
she didn't have a dime.

I-I even had to lend
her some of my clothes

so she could go
job-hunting yesterday.

That suit she was wearing,
was that one of yours?

It had a Boutaric
label in the jacket.

Boutaric?

Oh, no. Boutaric has been out
of my reach for several years now.

That's what she was
talking to me about

on the telephone,
I guess, but...

Oh, Mr. Kramer, honestly,
she didn't make any sense.

I-I don't know how she
suddenly got money.

It's not a question
of how... but where.

Didn't Lona tell you that
I practically accused her

of stealing my emeralds?

I thought Maxine
Nichols was the thief.

Oh, that was just the way
it was supposed to seem.

- Seem?
- Well, my idea is

that Maxine stealing the jewelry

was intended to
cover the real crime.

And of course, if she
hadn't been caught,

it would have worked.

Mrs. Reid, perhaps
you'd better explain

what you mean by "real crime."

Mr. Kramer, those
emeralds of mine

had been replaced
by bad imitations

sometime before the
jewelry was stolen last night.

And you never noticed it?

Only because that jewelry
hadn't been out of the safe

for at least five years.

But then, Mrs. Reid, why should
there be any urgent need now

to conceal the original theft?

It might be another five years

before you ever
noticed the substitution.

Yes, I rather thought
you'd seize on that point.

Perhaps I've taken
an unfair advantage,

but you see, Mr. Kramer,
several days ago

I decided to sell that jewelry.

I see. Did, uh, Lona
know about your decision?

- Yes, she did.
- Anyone else?

I...

Your lawyer? Close friends?
In other words, Mrs. Reid,

any number of people might
have known about your intention.

Any number of people
might have given

the combination of
that safe to Maxine.

No.

And that's why you wanted
Maxine out of jail, wasn't it?

So she might tell you who
gave her the combination.

- Well, yes...
- But now, of course,

Maxine can't tell
anyone, because...

Maxine has been murdered.

- Excuse me.
- Mr. Kramer, what did you...

Well, is it true?

She's murdered?

Why?!

I suppose your loving
stepsister in there

would say it was to stop
Maxine from naming the person

who gave her the
combination to the safe.

And you think that was me?

Lona, let me ask you something.

Why did you want me
to get Maxine out of jail?

I...

Well, when Jeffrey went to
the police station this morning

to-to reclaim the necklace,

he took me along to identify it.

- Uh-huh.
- As soon as I saw those stones,

I knew they were fakes.

Well, whoever switched them
had to be someone in this house.

And there's only Amy
and Stella, isn't there?

Well, I was thinking of other
people who come here often.

Like, uh... like Mr. Canfield
and, um, Pete Kamboly.

He does odd jobs
for Amy all the time.

And Jeffrey, of course.

Which one did you suspect?

Suspicions don't count.

Maxine knew.

Did you pay her
for the information?

No, she wanted $10,000.

All I had was about
half that much.

When did you talk to her?

Right after lunch.

Where have you been all evening?

Well, n-no place
in particular. I...

Just driving around.

Why? Do you... do
you think I need an alibi?

Well, I haven't
got one, but I...

I have got the next best thing.

Yes? What's that?

You.

Here is $5,000.

Please help me.

A lovely thing to just
happen to have in your purse,

on a night like this.

I understand she was
in here the other evening,

and then again the next day.

Well, I'm not
always in the bar, sir,

and besides, the club is
restricted to members only.

I'm not a member.

No, I didn't think
I'd seen you before.

But I could be a
friend of a member.

That'd make it all right.

Can you drink on duty?

Well, if a member buys
me a drink it's permissible,

so I imagine a
guest is all right.

Would you care to have
one with a gate-crasher?

Oh, you couldn't crash
in here, Mr. Kramer.

Somebody had to vouch for you

or you'd have never
gotten by that door.

How did Maxine Nichols
get through that door?

I don't know.

But maybe Pete
Kamboly can help you.

He bought her a drink
the first night, I think.

- Hi, Mr. Kramer.
- Oh, hi.

'Course you
realize that this stuff

- is sort of off the top so far.
- Oh, yes, Della Street told me

your agency was the one
to go for strictly slow digging.

Okay.

Jeffrey Mills: passed his
bar exam three years ago

but had difficulty
meeting his office rent

till Mrs. Amy Reid
took a liking to him.

And now he can
meet his rent, eh?

Yeah, but not much more.

Next, Roland Canfield:
society type, stocks and bonds,

and an old family
friend of the Reids.

He's a director of the
Dion Reid Foundation,

which seems to be
spending a lot of money.

What about Pete
Kamboly? Anything on him?

Kamboly's an ex-seaman,
who worked for Canfield,

among others, till Canfield
sold his boat a few years ago.

Since then, Kamboly's
been maintenance manager

at the yacht club.
And that's about it.

Well, that's very
good, thank you.

Now, I want all the
information you can dig out

on this Dion Reid Foundation.

Find out if Canfield is
disbursing the money,

how much, and if it's going
where it's supposed to.

Well, if any of it's going
into Canfield's pocket,

he must've suffered
financial reverses.

He's supposed to be a rich man.

- You might look into that, too.
- Okay.

- Oh. Is Mr. Kramer here?
- Right in there.

- Oh, Mr. Kramer, I think I'm in trouble.
- Oh, come on, sit down.

Now, has something
happened since last night?

Well, the police came
to the house again.

I-I think they want
to question me.

I told Stella to say I was
out, and then I went out.

That wasn't very
smart of you, Lona.

Well, there-there's something
I want to tell you first.

I did pay Maxine.

Oh, not in money. In clothes.

I took her down to Boutaric's,

and-and I told them she
could use my charge accounts.

And what did you
receive in return?

Nothing. Yet.

She wanted $10,000.

But I thought if she-she
bought some pretty things...

Then I took her my $5,000...

Well, that's why I had the
money in my purse last night.

But you didn't give it to her?

No.

Why?

She wasn't home.

I didn't mean to be
back quite this fast,

but I guess you know
Lieutenant Anderson.

Oh, yes, of course.

Hello, Miss Upton.

I missed you at
home this morning.

It doesn't matter, though.

We traced that
handkerchief, Mr. Kramer.

That was certainly
quick work, Lieutenant.

The lab deserves all the credit.

While they were verifying
that the blood was the victim's,

they came up with a lead
on a men's store who...

carry that particular
make of handkerchief.

And?

One of their customers is a
man named Roland Canfield.

You'd better go on, Lieutenant.

Well, uh, one thing puzzled us.

There were two types of
blood on the handkerchief.

The first stain was type A.

Mr. Canfield's type AB.

What type are you, Miss Upton?

I don't know.

Your doctor says you're type A.

You mind if I take
a look at your hand?

Now, just a minute, Lieutenant.

Mr. Canfield admits
the handkerchief is his.

He's also willing
to testify that

he loaned the
handkerchief to Miss Upton,

the night she
scratched her hand.

T-Testify?

I have a warrant here for
your arrest, Miss Upton.

First-degree murder.

Good morning, Counselor.

Mr. Burger.

Lona, are you sure that's all?

- That's all I can remember.
- Mm.

There was no
answer when I rang...

when I rang Maxine's doorbell.

And then... then I heard
what sounded like a shot

- Mm-hmm.
- Off in the playground.

Then a car drove away very fast.

I went over and I found
Maxine lying there.

I put the handkerchief
on the wound.

Then I went to get help.

And I... just hoped you'd
remember something more.

But I just told you!

I went looking for a telephone.

Lona, I drove over
there last night.

There's a telephone
booth right there in the park.

I know, but I didn't
have any change.

Only a 50-cent piece,

so I went looking for a
drugstore or anything.

But they were all closed.

Then I heard a siren
and I got scared.

Here I am...
plenty of notepaper.

All right, Della. Thanks for
coming down to hold my hand.

To hold your hand?

Miss Street, I don't
think he believes me!

I don't think he believes
a thing I've told him!

Mrs. Reid,

we've heard the defendant here
described as being your sister.

Is that description
completely accurate?

No, she's my half-sister.

We had the same father
but different mothers.

I see. And all the
parents involved

are now deceased,
is that correct?

That is correct. Only
Lona and I are left.

Are you the sole support of
your half-sister, Mrs. Reid?

Well, the estate I
inherited from my stepfather

was far more than my needs,

so I invited Lona to
come live with me.

And is she a paid companion?
I mean, does she get...

a cash allowance?
Something like that?

Well, she has charge
accounts for her needs.

And from time to time
I gave her some cash.

Blasted little, I can tell you.

I think he got
that point across.

Now, Mrs. Reid, I want
to ask you some questions

about a recent theft of
jewelry from your home.

Which theft?

The dead girl had stolen
an emerald necklace,

but someone had previously
replaced all the stones

with worthless imitations.

I would like you
to tell us the value,

the original value of
the genuine emeralds.

Well, when Grandmother died...

When they were given to
me about nine years ago...

That jewelry was
appraised at $50,000.

Now, of course, it's
worth much more.

And how many
people beside yourself

know the combination of the safe

in which the jewelry
was habitually kept?

The dead girl, for one.

But where she got
it, I have no idea.

Well, that's my point exactly.

Couldn't someone else at
your house have known it

- and given it to her?
- I suppose so.

And could you explain
for us, by the way,

how the decedent happened to
be in your house that night at all?

She returned a purse
belonging to my sister.

Later on, Lona invited
her to spend the night.

Really?

Well, did the defendant
give any explanation for that?

After all, it's...
a little peculiar

inviting a complete stranger
into the house for the night,

someone you hardly know.

A woman who turned
out, in fact, to be a thief.

Well, none of us knew
any of that at the time.

The two girls spent
several hours together

and apparently
became very friendly.

And Maxine Nichols
returned that friendship

by stealing your
emerald necklace?

Never mind, Mrs. Reid,

I'll withdraw that
last question.

Your witness, Mr. Kramer.

Your point, Mr. Burger.

Mrs. Reid...

did you keep the combination
to that safe in your head

or was it written
down somewhere?

It was in a private
notebook that I kept locked

- in a desk drawer.
- And even to an amateur,

the lock on that desk drawer

wouldn't pose too much
of a problem, would it?

No, I suppose not.

Now, aside from the
people living in the house,

how many other people
in your immediate circle

might have had the opportunity
to get into that desk drawer?

- Oh, perhaps four or... five, maybe.
- No further questions.

Because of my past
association with Dion Reid...

He was, uh... he was
my closest friend...

I was honored to
accept the position

of Director of the
Dion Reid Foundation.

This was an endowment
fund of some sort?

Exactly that.

Mrs. Reid supports several
charities in Dion's name.

To date, Mr. Canfield,

how much money has
Mrs. Reid contributed

to these various memorials
to her late husband?

Well, Mr. Burger, I, uh...

I think that's
privileged information.

I would need Mrs. Reid's
consent to divulge it.

Well, since Mrs. Reid
doesn't seem to object,

$43,809, which does not
include the-the current project,

the Dion Reid Memorial
Seaman's Home.

That's an additional,
uh, $30,000.

That's over $70,000
in all, a substantial sum.

Now, suppose Mrs. Reid
had added to that the value

- of her jewelry.
- Well, then, uh, hypothetically, at least,

we would have had, uh,
perhaps $125,000 in our fund.

I see.

What was the... defendant's
expressed attitude

toward this project,
Mr. Canfield?

How did Lona
Upton feel about it?

It was Mrs. Reid's money.

If she wanted to devote it
to her husband's memory...

That's not an answer
to my question.

Well, uh, I'll admit Lona
Upton was not particularly

- in-in favor of this program, but...
- I just want to know

the actual words of the
defendant, Lona Upton.

Lona hated the program.

On the day of the
robbery she begged me

and begged me
to use my influence

with her sister to...
to discontinue it.

Your witness, Mr. Kramer.

Mr. Canfield... you had
known the decedent,

Maxine Nichols,
before, hadn't you?

Now, if you expect a yes or
no answer to that, Mr. Kramer,

- I refuse to.
- Well, in as many words as you like.

Very well, then.

Several years ago,
many yacht club members

frequently sailed to
Catalina on weekends.

We would usually go
to a certain bar there.

When I met Maxine Nichols at
the Reid home the other night,

I recognized her as a
former waitress in that bar.

To that extent, I
used to know her.

Then you were surprised
to see her the other night?

Naturally. Although at the time
it seemed merely coincidence.

In retrospect, however,
I realize that in the past,

she had known Dion
Reid as a wealthy man.

Well, now, having found
or stolen Lona's purse,

Maxine saw her
opportunity, and, uh...

I'm afraid, Mr. Canfield,

the court is not
interested in your opinions.

Can you actually explain

how Maxine Nichols obtained
the combination to the safe?

No.

No, I can't.

Mr. Burger, I believe

a wrong impression
has been created here.

Miss Upton was concerned for
her sister's health, not her money.

Oh, Mrs. Reid has
been in ill health?

Not physically.

You mean mentally?

No, sir. I mean emotionally.

Ever since the boating accident,

Mrs. Reid has been dedicated
to her husband's memory.

It think most people would
consider that quite normal.

So my question to you, sir...

Oh, Miss Upton thought it
was getting out of proportion.

Now, uh, I never
had the privilege

of knowing the late Mr. Reid,

but it's, uh, clear that he
was a most unusual person.

Just the same,

five years of mourning
could have injurious effects.

Isn't he wonderful?

Injurious effects on
Mrs. Reid's health,

or on Mrs. Reid's
financial reserve?

Or both, perhaps, but...

Now, who would have
the best possible reason

to be concerned
about the depletion

of those financial reserves?

Who is Amy Reid's
sole heir, for instance?

I'm sorry, Mr. Burger,
but as you well know,

the contents of a will
are privileged information.

Isn't it the defendant,
Lona Upton?

I really can't say.

Well, who is the one person

Mrs. Reid has
constantly told you

she intends to take care of

as long as her money holds out?

Do you want me to put
Mrs. Reid back on the stand

and ask her who
that one person is?

It's the defendant, of course.

Lona Upton.

I met Maxine in Catalina, too.

In those days, I-I belonged
to the yacht club set.

In other words, you barely
knew the woman, either.

And yet, you took her into your
apartment as a non-paying guest?

I didn't know that she'd just
been released from prison.

She-she told me that she'd
been sick for the past four years.

Isn't it true, Miss Gilmer,

that it was something
other than sympathy

that led you to take her in?

Wasn't it something that
she knew about your past life?

There's absolutely
nothing in my past life,

Mr. Burger, that I am in
the least bit ashamed of.

All right, but wasn't
there something

that you and Maxine
Nichols had in common?

Some memory,
perhaps, some person

that you two knew together?

- You mean Dion Reid?
- Exactly.

Well, I never felt there
was any real relationship

between Dion and Maxine.

And can you say the same
thing about yourself, Miss Gilmer?

I-I-I was... in love
with him once.

I did everything possible
to attract his attention.

So, you see, Mr. Burger,

if you're looking for a reason

for my hospitality...

Maybe I-I took Maxine
in so she could...

leaf through my
memory book with me.

But I want you to recall
the one night recently

when Maxine Nichols did
not stay at your apartment.

You-you mean the night
that she stayed at the Reids.

Yes. Now, did she tell you
she wouldn't be home that night?

Yes.

Yes, she... she
phoned me from there.

Would you tell us, please,
exactly what she said?

Uh, she said that she had, uh,

stumbled onto
something exciting,

and-and that she
thought it could mean

money to her maybe.

But she-she really
wasn't any more specific

that night than she was the
next day when she called me.

Just a minute, please.

Now, Mr. Kramer, certainly
you must have some objection

to this of questioning.

I have no further questions

of the witness, Your Honor.

And I have no real
objection, Your Honor,

since it does give
me the opportunity

to ask about telephone calls.

Where did the decedent

next call you from, Miss Gilmer?

Uh, she said that she
was at the yacht club.

That-that was
the next afternoon.

And did she say any more to
you then about making money?

No. Only that she thought

several people might
be in touch with her.

Did she say what people,

or why they might
be calling her?

No.

Only that whatever it was
that people thought she knew

might be worth a fortune to her.

Hello, Paul.

Hi. I finally got some more
dope on Roland Canfield.

- Is it good, Paul?
- Perfect.

Arnheim, Haven and
Clough just completed

the quarterly
audit of their books.

Every nickel's accounted for,

and Canfield put some of his own
money into the Reid Foundation.

Well, he must be solvent.

He may have had his
ups and downs in the past,

but for now, he's
a rich wrong alley.

So, I've been thinking.

Suppose Amy stole
her own emeralds,

then hired Maxine to cover up.

I don't believe it, Paul.

If Amy were short of
money, she wouldn't pour it

into all of these
memorials for her husband.

Not unless she was some
kind of a nut, which she is.

Well, what do you think?

Well, I think Amy's
a tragic person.

I think she believes
the greatest thing

that ever happened to her
was her marriage to Dion Reid.

It gave her status.

She was rich, yes, but
so were all of her friends.

When Dion Reid drowned,

she kept his legend
alive to keep her ego alive.

Okay. So who did hire
Maxine to open that safe?

Maybe nobody.

Paul, that film on Dion that
Burger introduced earlier...

You mean the one Pete
Kamboly put together?

Yeah. I'll arrange
with the judge

to have a print made up for us.

I want you to get hold
of a film technician.

No problem. What's the point?

Remember there was
a girl in the background

in about half of the shots?

I think it was the
same girl every time.

Mr. Kamboly, according
to your testimony

under direct examination,
you admitted knowing

of Fay Gilmer's
unrequited affection

for the late Dion Reid?

That's right, but it
never got her anyplace.

How can you be so sure?

Dion brushed her off.

Anybody at the
club can tell you that.

She even admits it herself.

Well, in this circumstance,
would any girl want to admit

being involved
with a married man?

Oh, bilge water!

The skipper wouldn't give
that kid the time of day.

If the court please,
I would like to rerun

certain portions of the film
previously introduced by

the prosecution.

Your Honor, may
I remind Counsel,

this film was introduced
merely as background material?

It was used to establish
who was at the Reid house

that day, and the
purpose for the gathering.

Nevertheless, Mr. Burger,
that film was introduced

as a state's exhibit.

I wish to examine it now.

You're within your
rights, Mr. Kramer.

Matron, would
you shut the blinds

as soon as this film is ready?

- It's all set up, Your Honor.
- Right.

Now, Mr. Kamboly,
in just a moment,

we come to a scene of you
and Dion Reid aboard his boat.

I want you to pay
close attention.

I remember it.

And perhaps you can tell me

if that young lady in the
background is Fay Gilmer.

I guess so. Sure.

She was always around.

Well, just so there won't
be any doubt in your mind,

I've had the frame
stopped and blown up.

Who is it, Mr. Kamboly?

Maxine Nichols.

That's right.

And Maxine is in every
scene taken on Catalina.

Now, I ask you, Mr. Kamboly,

wasn't she more than
just a cocktail waitress,

more than just a
casual acquaintance?

Mr. Kamboly, who
besides yourself knew

about his friendship
with Maxine Nichols?

I don't know.

The night Dion Reid drowned,

the two of you were
together in Catalina,

but he stranded you there
and started back alone. Why?

Because he wasn't coming back.

He what?

I just told you. He
was cutting out.

And it wasn't because
of that Maxine, either.

She was no good, and he knew it.

Did he tell you that?

No. She did.

His wife. When he didn't
show up the next morning,

she said, "Petey's gone.

I knew he would leave me
someday, and now he's done it."

I'm sorry, Amy.

I just got to tell
the truth here.

Pete...

why haven't you told
anyone this before?

Why should I?

Then there was this phone call.

It was the Coast Guard.

The only place Dion
ever ran away to was the...

the bottom of the
Catalina Channel.

Are you happy with what
you've done, Mr. Kramer?

Exposing my secret?

Destroying the image of a
man who can't defend himself?

Mrs. Reid, I may have
destroyed a legend, but that's all.

The destruction of the
man himself happened

on the night he was murdered.

Nonsense!

Dion's boat capsized
in the channel.

It was an accident.

Then let me ask you this.

When were your emeralds stolen?

You told me you hadn't
taken them out of the safe

for five years, so couldn't
Dion have been the thief?

And couldn't Maxine have
gotten the combination from him,

probably by stealing it?

And wouldn't that put a whole
new light on Dion's death?

He was leaving you.

He had your emeralds, or more
likely the proceeds from them.

Now, if he simply vanished,

you might discover that the
emeralds had been switched.

That's why I'm suggesting
that he planned the accident

to give himself plenty
of time to disappear.

But his body was recovered.

So was the boat, Mrs. Reid,
but not one cent of the money.

So I suggest that
Dion Reid's death

was murder... for profit.

By me, Mr. Kramer?

In the middle of the
Catalina Channel?

I'm afraid you need a murderer
who swims much better than I.

Or someone with a boat.

After he'd scuttled
the Dirigo,Mrs. Reid,

he had to get back to shore.

Who helped him?

Did you do that to him, Pete?

That's a stinking lie. The
skipper was my friend.

If he'd have asked
me to help him

get away, I would have done so.

Objection, Your Honor! I object!

In case Mr. Kramer
has forgotten,

the question of Dion Reid's
death is not the issue at hand.

This is a hearing into the
murder of Maxine Nichols.

But Mr. Burger,

if Maxine Nichols had
obtained the combination

of the safe from Dion
Reid, she would realized,

when it was discovered
that the emeralds were phony,

that he was the one
who had switched them.

And can you doubt that
she might also have guessed

the identity of his murderer
and tried to blackmail him?

Well, it wasn't me.

I was on Catalina all that
night, and I can prove it.

Mr. Kamboly, I'm
not accusing you!

If you had acquired a large
sum of money five years ago,

you wouldn't still be
working for a living today.

And as you say,
you had an alibi.

Mr. Canfield, where were you
on the night of Dion Reid's death?

Or the night that Maxine
Nichols was murdered?

I am not going to answer that.

You have no proof, not
one shred of evidence.

All you're doing
is-is swinging blindly!

Five years ago, Mr. Canfield,

you were in serious financial
trouble requiring restitution.

There's ample evidence of that.

And yet, you were
able to make restitution.

I sold my boat.

Which barely covered
your shortages.

That also is a matter of record.

And yet, a short time
later, Mr. Canfield,

you acquired a
huge sum of money.

Where did it come from?

I refuse to answer!

I am not on trial here!

Bide your time, Mr. Canfield.

Bide your time.

- Hello. -Hello, Mr. Kramer.
- Jeff.

I thought you'd want to hear
the most recent developments.

- Yes, yes.
- Please.

Uh, where's your sister?

Uh, she's upstairs, but I don't
think we should bother her.

All right. Canfield
has confessed.

What did he say?

Well, he finally admitted trying
to borrow money from Dion,

who agreed, if
Canfield would help him

to disappear after
his fake accident.

But when Canfield found out that
Dion had over $100,000 on him,

it appears he switched
more than just the emeralds.

Canfield decided to
make the accident real.

Does he admit
killing Maxine, too?

Oh, yes, but he insists
it wasn't premeditated.

She demanded too much
money and pulled a gun

when Canfield
tried to scare her.

The gun went off in the scuffle.

He must have nearly fainted

when the police traced that
bloody handkerchief to him.

Quite possibly.

If you and Maxine had both
had the same type blood,

they might very well
have gotten him right then.

- Jeffrey?
- Mm.

- What type are you?
- I don't know.

Oh, well, you have a blood test
when you get married... I think.