Original subtitles

Welcome to my channel.

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The table's against

you tonight, I'm afraid.

Oh, it's been against me for weeks.

That happens.

Shall we have a little talk in my office?

Please, sit down.

May I give you a sherry?

Thank you.

We have to be careful in this club.

No money is exchanged on the premises, as you know.

We operate on credit.

We depend on the goodwill of our patrons.

Let's get to the point, shall we?

Is my credit finished?

Not at all.

But you do owe us a little money.

Sometime, perhaps.

When it's convenient.

How much?

I have your account here.

I brought it with me just in case we might have an opportunity for a little

chat.

Ten thousand.

Within a few pounds.

Ten thousand?

Oh, but that's impossible.

Astonishing how it mounts up.

But I don't believe it. I mean, I know it's been some weeks. Months?

Time is inclined to slip past. But it can't be.

Your IOUs, if you would care to add them up.

And if I may have your check?

Don't be silly. I haven't got anything like that.

I see.

Why didn't you stop me? Or at least tell me sooner?

It didn't occur to me.

But don't worry. We'll find some way.

Your father's a doctor, I see.

On the south coast.

Stopped broker country.

Surely he could help? No. No, he must know anything about this at all. I got

myself into it. I must get myself out. How?

Well, I get plenty of work.

As a model?

Yes. It will take some time.

Oh, I know.

I'm awfully sorry.

I would like to help. I don't see how you can or why you should.

You're too modest.

Let me talk to your father.

No, no, please. He mustn't know anything about it at all.

Well, you see, there's private reasons.

It would be an embarrassment to him, socially and professionally, if this

became public. Is that it, perhaps?

It would be disaster.

I understand.

Now, what can I do to help, I wonder?

Well, if you could just give me a little time.

It may not be necessary.

I'm going away for a little vacation.

The south of France, Italy, Greece.

I would like to pay this debt myself before I go.

You pay it?

Well, I don't see why you should.

It would make my vacation more enjoyable.

And much more enjoyable if you came with me.

Especially a woman like you.

You do understand.

Yes. Just until this little debt has been paid off and your father has been

saved from disaster.

Let me give you another glass of sherry.

I didn't expect you at this hour.

I had to see you.

Oh, good.

Well, darling, give me ten minutes and then we'll go out and find some coffee.

I'd better get these plans finished by tomorrow.

And if I get the job, it'll mean a lot of money.

And we can get married.

We're not getting married.

That's what I came to tell you. I'm sorry. What did you say?

We're not getting married.

I don't think I'm going to see you anymore.

Yeah, why not?

I've just decided.

Now, look, we've been engaged for more or less a year now, and up to last night

I didn't see any lack of enthusiasm on your part.

What's happened?

Nothing.

Well, I can change my mind, can't I?

I don't want to talk about it. No, no, no, sit down.

Now, look, you can't just walk in here and sack me as if I was a waiter with

dirty fingernails.

What have you been doing today?

Working.

And this evening?

Have you been to Lubbers? That's got nothing to do with it.

It could have.

I warned you about Luba.

Are you in debt to him? I don't want to talk about it.

How much?

Ten thousand.

Ten thousand?

Well, it just crept up.

Well, it's a bit of an understatement, isn't it?

Has he got anything on paper?

I owe you.

Where, at the club?

No. No, he took them home with him.

Well, he can't sue you, you know.

It doesn't make any difference.

In a way, it makes it much worse.

Moral obligation?

From a man like Luber? I've got to pay him back somehow.

What's he going to do about it?

Nothing. Oh, he's been awfully good about it. Good?

Now, listen, I know Luber. I know the sort of reputation he has.

If he's doing anything good, he's going to get something out of it.

I know the sort of proposition men like Luber make.

Well, did he?

Even if he did, it doesn't mean to say I would.

I think I'll kill Luba.

Well, why not?

You don't need a license to shoot vermin.

Bring me a whiskey, John. Yes, Mr. Gruber.

May I join you?

Oh, certainly.

Sit down.

I want your advice.

Legal? Yes.

You must go to a solicitor. As a barrister, my lips are sealed until I've

been offered a brief.

Preferably marked with a handsome fee.

It's not so important.

Just a letter from someone who wants to knock my block off.

What threatening violence, you mean?

To kill me. Well, it's the police you want, surely.

Someone you know?

An acquaintance.

And I don't want the police at all.

I don't want to fuss.

I just want to know if there's some way I can frighten this man into behaving

himself. Have you got it here? At my flat.

Come around for a drink this evening.

I can show it to you. There's really nothing I can do.

Well, you may be right.

Perhaps I should go to the police.

If you saw this letter, you could advise me. I'm advising you now.

Still, if it'll make you happy.

Good. Thank you.

Shall we say 9 o'clock?

I've someone else coming at 10. All right, I'll be there.

You know, this is the man you want, not me.

I'm not persona grata with Mr. Hurley Brown.

At 9 o'clock, then? All right.

Making a date with Luba?

Well, why not?

He amuses me in small doses.

Someone's been threatened to kill him.

I'm not surprised.

I wish whoever it is the best of luck.

That's a highly improper remark for a policeman.

I'm off duty.

What was it?

Telephone or letter?

Letter. I'm going round to his place tonight to see it.

Well, why not the police if he's worried? He doesn't seem to like the

police. Yeah, they don't like him.

There isn't a racket he hasn't got a finger in.

I've been waiting a long time for him. We're just about to turn on the heat.

You make it sound almost personal.

It almost is.

I came across him in Malta after the war. He was running a gambling joint.

He wrecked a few young officers' careers. At least one shot himself.

You say Malta?

Do you know it?

Well, I was there a couple of years ago, yes.

A few days.

Luba's come a long way since then.

But I think he's getting near the end of the road.

Thank you,

sir.

Good evening, Mr. Luber.

There's no mail for you tonight, sir.

Oh, allow me, sir.

You want the sack, my boy?

Oh, Charlie Berry.

NCC knew it. I thought you lived abroad these days. No, I've just got back. A

few days' holiday in the old country.

You come to see Mr. Luber? Well, there's plenty of time. I've got an appointment

for Tenant Clark.

Look, why don't we bathe and have a drink and have a talk about old times?

I get an hour off for supper at 8.30.

There's a nice little pub round the corner we could go to if you like.

Can you leave this lot?

Or I switch this down to the basement. The wife takes care of it. Oh, very

agreeable. The blessed state.

Sometimes.

I'd like to see Mr. Luber, please. You're not a member, sir, are you? No.

Well, in that case... I've got to see him. I've got some important business.

Anywhere he's not in tonight, sir.

Is Miss Martin in?

I could find out. Do you want to see her?

No, no.

Tell me, do you know if Mr. Luber's at his home? I wouldn't know, sir.

Just your job, I suppose.

Thanks for the help.

Is Mr. Luber in tonight?

No, miss.

Oh, thank you.

Could you bring me some coffee?

At once, miss.

Friend of yours just called at the door, miss.

Would you like to know? Young gentleman.

Did he leave his name?

No. Oh, what was he like?

Ah, he's fairly tall, well built, fair.

He seemed very keen to talk to Mr. Luber.

Has he gone?

A few minutes ago.

Why didn't you let him in?

That's the strict rule of the club, miss, you know that. No one's allowed in

here unless they're remembered.

He didn't say where he was going.

No, but between you and me, I'd say Mr. Luber's flat.

Thank you.

No, thank you. I won't be needing that now.

I've been called away.

Can't beat English beer.

All that stuff you get in Malta is like dish water. Same again, Miss Pease.

Mr. Luber spent some time in Malta, didn't he? Yeah, years ago. I was in

business with him.

Then he came back here to expand. I stayed there.

Did him a little favor.

Regretted it ever since.

Yeah.

I married the woman he was finished with.

To keep her quiet.

Oh, I got a nice little pension for it.

But then it stopped.

After she had that little accident with the sleeping drum, Mr. Perry.

It went on for a bit after that.

She was a nice kid when she was young, but then she became a slut.

And nagged me for 12 years without stopping to draw breath.

I don't see why you shouldn't keep on paying, do you?

Best years of your life, Mr. Perry.

So I'm here to do a little persuading.

And he just made it. He's going to Scarpa.

He's leaving.

What makes you think that?

Well, I can't take this block.

I get access to the flats. My wife cleans them, and so we notice things

like old papers getting thrown out or burnt, and local bills getting paid.

Always pay your local bills when you're thinking of leaving quietly, Mr. Billy.

Yeah, I remember that.

Andy drew 6,000 in cash today.

I can read blotting paper without a mirror.

6,000 pounds?

That's right.

Safe? Little one.

On the sitting room wall.

Easy.

Hello, Rosie.

It's me, back again.

Yep.

Any messages?

Right.

Can I do anything for you, sir? Tell me if the clock's right.

Dead right, sir.

I had an appointment with Mr. Luber at 9 o'clock. I got here a bit late. You

weren't here.

No, sir. A supper break. 8.30 to 9.30. Well, I've been ringing his doorbell for

the last ten minutes.

Doesn't seem to be in.

He came in at seven.

Must have slipped out when I went off duty.

Let me give him a ring, sir.

He's not there, you know.

But his doorbell's working because I heard it.

Perhaps you'd like to leave a message, sir?

I'll see that he gets it if he comes in before I go off duty.

Well, you might ask him to ring me at my club, will you? He knows the number.

My name's Wharton.

Very good, sir.

Is that the grapes?

Listen, there's a gent by the name of Mr. Charles Berry knocking back a pint

in your saloon bar.

Berry. P for... Yes, that's right.

Put him on the blow, will you? Tell him it's urgent.

I've got some good news for him.

They were looking for you.

Telephone message. Just a few minutes ago.

Have you seen Luber?

Well, I got there rather late and he'd gone out.

I do think he might have waited.

He did make rather a point of my going round to see him.

Wasn't it nine o'clock, he said?

You've certainly got a policeman's memory.

I should have been there on time, but the traffic was heavy.

Telephone message, sir. Came a few minutes ago, just before you got back.

Oh, thank you, John. Thank you.

Who the devil does he think he is? Who?

Luber. Listen to this.

Mr. Luber apologizes for being late.

and would be obliged if Mr. Warden could be at his flat as near 10 o'clock as

possible. Very urgent.

Come on, you're live. May I?

9.50.

We could be there at five past ten. We?

You never know with threatening letters. I've done a lot of hard work on Luber. I

should hate to lose him now.

Right. Have you got your car here? Yes, it's in the garage. I can't face that

traffic anymore.

You took your time, didn't you?

Well, one more pint, no harm in that.

What's the good news?

You say you only need ten minutes for that wall safe, right?

Look, I told you. It's easy. Well, now, get this.

Luba is out.

The flat is empty.

You're five minutes too early for your date.

You're an old friend of his. I know that.

So I'm giving you the passkey so that you can sit up in his flat and wait

until he comes back.

Flat two.

When he comes back...

I do this.

Now, that rings up in his sitting room.

That'll give you just about... just over a minute to get clear.

I'll try and hold him longer if I can.

Now, the bedroom's on the left. Skip it. The sitting room's on the right.

Then there's a sort of sloping wall, and the wall safe's on that. Got it?

Toffee from a kid. You take it, then.

And my slice is 2,000. Remember that.

From a kid, Charlie boy.

Remember me?

Oh, yes, sir. Mr.

Leamington. That's right.

You were the architect that built this block of flats.

You flatter me.

No, no, I was only the assistant.

I'm building one now, though.

Same sort of thing in all my own work.

Incidentally, you could help me.

Yes, sir.

Wasn't it here that we put in a fire escape that had a lower section that

lifts up our counterweight to prevent unauthorized use?

That's right. So it operates the burglar arm when the lower section is pulled

down. Does it give any trouble?

Not at all, sir. And the alarm still works?

It's tested every three months. Good as new.

Oh, fine. Then I'll use the same system. Good, sir.

Oh, uh, Mr. Luber's in.

Mr. Luber, sir?

No, he went out about 8.30.

Oh, not back yet?

No, sir.

Oh, pity.

I wanted to work with him.

So it's not important.

I'll call back some other time. You do that, sir. Thanks, Bill.

Any time, sir.

Luba? Luba?

you

Oh, good evening, gentlemen.

Hello, Mr. Warden Chew.

Um, Mr.

Looper's not back yet, sir.

I, uh, hope nothing's happened to him.

I hope not.

Um, would you, uh, like to leave a message, sir? Try his doorbell first.

And you'd better come up, too.

Bring the passkey.

Passkey.

There was somebody in there at the safe.

Burglars. I scared them off.

Bring him in.

What's out there?

A fire escape, sir.

Name?

Charles Perry.

He's a friend of Mr. Luber's, sir. He had an appointment at 10 o'clock. He was

a bit early. Keep quiet.

Well?

Well, the porter gave me the pass key to...

To wait in here, I... I was sitting in there when I noticed this fellow making

a run for it. He must have been hiding in the room beyond.

Yes, it was then I noticed the safe was open.

Did you try to stop him?

Give me a chance. I was sitting.

By the time I got to the door, he was gone.

Where were you sitting?

I was sitting there.

They must have come through here.

I ought to find Mr. Luber. Stay where you are.

Don't let them touch anything.

Well, I ought to find Mr. Luber.

Well, he might want to get on to the police.

I don't think he could improve on the present situation.

So, Mr. Berry, you're sure there was somebody else here besides yourself?

I've already told you.

Do you think I'm a liar?

I hope not.

What could I do?

Assistant Commissioner here.

I want to talk to Detective Inspector Traynor.

Trainer, I'm in Luba's flat.

Yes, I want you to get over here right away.

He's been murdered.

I've been so worried.

They told me at the club you were asking for Luper. I thought perhaps you... That

I meant what I said, is that it?

Well, not really, but I thought you might get into an argument... I've been

gambling.

Seems to be catching.

Only mine came off.

Here.

These are yours.

He gave them, do you?

No, not exactly, but it amounts to the same thing.

Anyway, they won't trouble you anymore.

But Frank... Let's go and find some coffee, shall we?

I was thinking.

Good. It all helps.

He had a good eye, this chap.

He knocks off luba with one of these things and then puts it back exactly

where it should be.

Was that the weapon?

The doctor says so.

There's a deeply depressed fracture of the left temporal that fits the base of

this thing like a pair of corsets.

Well, not all corsets fit, D.I. You should know that.

Fingerprints? Yes, one set.

Right hand.

Not luba's.

Not Berry's.

Pity. Well, that'll be a bit too easy. You can't expect jam on it.

Where was it done?

In the bedroom, I think.

Well, there's indications that Luber was lying on the bed.

Anyway, I've got photographs.

Why was he taken through to the bathroom afterwards?

Well, does the doctor have any ideas?

Only that it makes the exact time of death hard to estimate.

It's very warm in the bathroom.

Well, there's your reason.

Yes. And again, it doesn't sound like Betty.

Well, shall we have another little talk with him, eh?

Sir?

How much longer? That'll do.

You'll be in bed long before we will, if that's any comfort to you.

Did you go into the bedroom, Mr. Berry?

No. You came straight in here, eh?

Knew you were around.

What it told me.

So for all you know, Mr. Luber could have been asleep on the bed.

Yeah.

And asleep on the bed when Mr. Warden rang the bell.

Could be. The telephone doesn't ring in the bedroom.

And when this third party came in to rob the safe.

He'd be a sad man if he knew this third party.

Knew what?

Luber had 6,000 pounds on him in a money belt.

Ooh, had he now?

Yes, going on his holidays, maybe.

Mr. Berry, would you describe this third party again for the assistant

commissioner? I've described him once, so I have to go on describing him. I'm

sure you'll agree it'll be a good thing if we do find him for you.

Look, he was here, I swear it.

Look, he was clean-shaven, tall, well-built.

Anyone like that been around lately?

No. Anyone call on Mr. Luber, apart from Mr. Warden? Oh, only Mr. Lamington. He

was the architect that built this block of flats.

He wanted to know... Go on.

About the fire escape.

Well, well.

We're maybe going to have jam on it after all, eh?

You've got a sweet tooth, trainer.

I don't like too much jam.

All right, thank you, gentlemen.

That's all. You can get your beds for the night.

What about the ash in the hearth? A letter.

Nothing left but a bit of signature.

Charlie. Charlie?

Berry? He's no fool.

He admits writing to Luber.

What about?

Just to say he's back in this country. Why not meet and have a gossip over old

times? No threats?

He wouldn't admit that anyhow.

Nor burning it, I suppose.

No. If it's the one he talked to Mr. Warden about, we haven't a chance of

proving it.

Well, that puts Berry in the clear.

It would appear so.

Fingerprints on this?

Yes, all over it.

Same as on the cannon thing in there.

I've been thinking.

What, again?

I told you whoever put that cannon back had a good eye.

Yes?

Like an architect, maybe?

And a few more suckers bite the dust.

At what time did this Mr. Leamington ask for Luber?

A little after eight, sir. And as soon as you told him that Luber wasn't in, he

went away?

Yes, sir.

At least he asked for a member, then. Who?

Miss Martin, sir. But you didn't admit him?

No, sir.

Was this Miss Martin in?

Yes, sir. And then you came and told her?

Yes, sir. What did she say?

Thank you.

Very polite.

Makes a nice change these days.

That would be Miss Susan Martin.

She wouldn't be at the tables. I see her credit's been stopped.

So what was she doing here?

You.

She came in. She asked for Mr. Luba.

I told her he wasn't in.

Then she asked for coffee.

But she left without drinking.

In a hurry, eh?

And a bit frightened, maybe?

Maybe. I don't know.

What did she have to be frightened of?

Exactly. Frank, I must know. What happened last night in Luber's flat?

I've told you.

That Luber wasn't there. The safe just happened to be open.

You still don't believe me, do you? I don't know what to believe after what

you said.

That I would kill Luber?

Well, I might have, if he'd been there.

The police are going to know you were there.

Yes. Well, what are you going to tell them?

The truth.

And I can't come to much harm.

I suppose not.

If... If I didn't kill him.

I was going to say, if you can prove you didn't kill him.

I have a lot of faith in our splendid police.

They might find out who did it, and I'd be all right.

Why, don't you think so?

Susan.

Good afternoon, sir. Detective Inspector Trainer, Scotland Yard. Oh, do come in.

Thank you.

Inspector Trainer, Mr. Martin.

This is a bit of luck. I was coming round to see you after I'd had a word

with Mr. Leamington.

This will save time for all of us. Very convenient.

I think you know why I'm here, sir. Yes?

I just want to ask you some questions. I won't try and trap you. I'm sure that

you'll tell me the truth.

I'm not sure everyone feels that.

I find your confidence a refreshing change.

It's always the same with the ladies, sir.

Very suspicious minds.

Now, let me tell you what I know, or most of it.

That'll save argument.

Well, please do.

About a quarter past eight last night, you went round to Luber's club.

You first asked for Mr. Luber, and then for Miss Martin.

You were told that neither was in.

That's right. You then went to Luber's apartment.

You had a talk with the porter, Miller.

This was just before ten o'clock.

Yes. Again, you were told that Luber wasn't in.

So, you then went round to the back of the block.

You disconnected the burglar alarm from the fire escape.

Well, you were familiar with the mechanism, of course.

Then you went up to Luber's flat, leaving your fingerprints all over the

place on the way.

Suppose you take over from there, sir.

I told you they were splendid.

Briefly, I went inside.

I called to make quite sure Luber wasn't there.

Then I went into a room.

I didn't put the light on.

And I tripped over something on the floor. It was a brass ornamental cannon.

I picked it up. This was the bedroom?

Yes.

It wasn't the room I wanted, so I went back into the hall. And I put the cannon

thing back where it had obviously come from.

The professional eye for detail, eh?

Yes, I suppose so.

Well, then I went into the sitting room. The safe happened to be opened.

I looked inside and found what I wanted.

What did you want, sir?

That's a private matter. There are no private matters in a murder case, sir.

You'll have to tell me.

I'm not going to.

Let's be quite clear about that.

Very well.

You'll let that one stick to the wall for the time being.

Anyway, it wasn't Luber's property. He got it unlawfully.

That wouldn't surprise me, sir.

Go on.

That's all there is.

I left the way I came.

I see.

You're sure Luba wasn't lying on the bed, just having a nap?

Quite sure. And that you didn't wake him up when you came into the room?

He wasn't there to wake up. Or that you didn't give him a tap on the head to put

him to sleep again? A bit harder than you intended, maybe.

I've told you, he wasn't there.

Did you look in the bathroom?

No, I didn't want to waste time. When I tripped over that cannon thing, I made a

hell of a noise.

Did it occur to you to wonder why the safe was open?

No, I was just glad.

I'm not very good at safes.

Does it occur to you now?

Yes, I suppose it does, in a way.

Yes. Luba wasn't the person to go out and leave his safe open.

Too much in it of interest to too many people.

Blackmail?

Speak no ill of the dead, as they say, sir.

But this is the point.

Luba might have left the safe open if he'd been in the flat himself.

He wasn't there.

I suppose you don't happen to know, miss, what Mr. Lemington was looking for

in that safe?

Why should I?

Well, you were a bit upset last night when you heard that he was asking for

Luber. Was I?

Having a bit of trouble yourself, I think.

Your credit had been stopped.

Run of bad luck at the tables, maybe.

Were you in debt to Luber? No. Wait, let's be fair.

I'll warn you, we've inspected all Luber's books. Oh, Luber didn't keep

books like that. Just the IOUs, eh? Yes.

But yours weren't in the safe with the others, miss.

Did you burn them, sir?

I wouldn't blame you. It's the best thing to do with that kind of dirty

work. Frank didn't kill Luba. He didn't have to.

It is true.

I did owe him rather a lot of money. How much?

Nearly 10,000 pounds.

10,000 pounds, eh?

Well, the way things are these days, that's hardly enough to be a motive for

murder.

Not for a respectable young man like Mr. Lemington.

Of course not.

Anyway, Luber wasn't going to be difficult about it. He was going to let

me pay it back to him gradually.

From your salary? Yes.

As a model? Yes. Which is how much? Twenty-five pounds a week?

About that, yes.

It'll take a long time.

I know.

Very generous of Luber.

Yes. So, you see, Frank didn't have to do anything. Luber has a record, miss.

Twice the length of the human arm. And it doesn't include generosity.

What else did he want?

Were you going with him?

Does it make a nice motive for murder, eh?

I'm sorry, miss.

I sometimes find my job distasteful, but it has to be done.

Now, sir, we'll continue this discussion somewhere else, eh?

Sir?

Well, you look tired.

Every day.

I want your advice.

Well, isn't that what Luber said to you, uh, how long ago? Three months?

Yes. If he'd taken your advice, he might have been alive today.

Well, bear it in mind.

Well, what's the problem?

They want me to defend Frank Leamington.

Well, I don't see why you shouldn't. No, I'm too near it. I was too closely

involved. Was the crime once you was a witness? Well, they don't need me.

They've got the poor devil sewn up well enough without my little piece.

Is he guilty?

Well, you should know.

You're the police.

It's Traynor's case, not mine.

Plenty of evidence.

Circumstantial. Juries don't like it. There's a motive. They like motives.

Well, I distrust them. The same motive can drive one man to murder, another to

suicide, and another to drink.

You haven't told me yet whether you think he's guilty.

I know he isn't.

Thinking isn't enough in a case like this.

Then you haven't much choice, have you?

Can't say no, I suppose.

It's capital murder.

He'll hang.

Seems a pity for a man like Luber. There are other counsel.

I think you're the only one who can save his neck.

You're going to a lot of trouble to undo Traynor's work.

Traynor won't mind.

He's not concerned with getting someone.

He's just concerned with getting the right one.

Frank Leamington, you are charged with the murder of Emil Luber.

on the 21st of October last.

Are you guilty or not guilty?

Not guilty.

Members of the jury, prisoner of the bar, Frank Leamington, is charged with

the murder of Emil Luba on the 21st of October last.

To this indictment, he has pleaded not guilty, and it is your charge to say,

having heard the evidence, whether he be guilty or not.

They've adjourned for lunch. Warden should be here any moment.

Mr. Brown, tell me honestly, what chance has Frank got?

Well, Warden is one of the great defense lawyers of the generation.

If it were anyone else, I'd say not much.

Thank you.

You've been awfully kind, really, considering... Not that I'm on the other

side. I'm not, you know.

Neither is Traynor.

We're... well, we're not on any side at all.

Well?

We were all right until Barry was called.

He's not an attractive character.

But he's clever and he's frightened.

What of?

He wants to save his own skin.

You mean he killed Louper?

He's got some reason to think this could be pinned on him.

And he would rather it was pinned on Frank.

I've got to break through that.

I've got to make him show his hand.

Otherwise, I'm very much afraid we'll fail.

And if Berry shows his hand and you find that he's got all the aces?

He hasn't.

I've got the fifth up my sleeve.

Now, Mr. Berry, you've told us how you found the defendant in Luber's flat.

And since you're on oath, you've naturally been telling us the truth.

That's right.

You've described in colorful detail the sounds of a struggle.

and a blow struck in the bedroom while you were in the sitting room.

You've described the agitated appearance of the defendant as he returned to the

sitting room, as you suggest to continue rifling the safe.

Has it occurred to you that you're very effectively putting a rope around his

neck? Mr. Warden, are you attempting to intimidate the witness?

If so, I cannot allow it.

As your lordship pleases.

I'll put it to you in another way, Mr. Berry.

Are you quite sure you're not a little inspired by self-interest?

I don't know what you mean.

Well, you were a friend of Luba's. That's right. A very good friend.

Yes. You had no other reason to return to Luba's flat at that time of night

other than to renew this old friendship and to exchange pleasant memories of

earlier days together.

I hadn't. But in your letter to Luba, you said, and I quote,

You'll have to pay whether you like it or not.

or I'll squeeze the 12 years of whining misery you let me in for into the last

12 minutes of your life.

I didn't.

And how could you know that? I've burnt it.

Burnt what?

The letter.

Of what letter?

The one you sent to Luba?

Of course.

No, there never was a letter.

But there was, Mr. Berry.

The ashes were found in the hearth, you remember?

I put it to you that you went to Loomis flat with murder in your heart, and that

the defendant's arrival was most opportune, and that you're now

determined to saddle him with the crime which was in fact committed by... Mr.

Warden, you are about to make a most improper remark. I cannot allow it.

Although I understand how you feel.

That was a most improper remark too, but it saved your bacon.

After that, Warden could have talked them into giving you a pension if he'd

wanted to.

Well, he did well enough.

He talked them out of giving me a... well, not exactly a widow, but... Mr.

Leamington.

Delighted, sir. No hard feelings, eh?

No one has ever tried to get me hanged, Mr. Trainer, with greater courtesy or

consideration.

You see anything of Mr.

Warden, do you?

I understand he's left the building, sir.

I think he's a bit tired.

Have you read these?

Yes, you've had some very good notices.

They'd like to know how you did it.

Some of them seem to think that you have second sight.

What do you think?

I expect it's simpler than that. It is.

You knew that your man was innocent.

You're a brilliant lawyer.

You were determined not to let him go under at any price.

In these circumstances, there are moments of illumination.

You have a poetic fancy.

A bad thing in a policeman.

A trainer is much more practical.

I left him this afternoon with his nose twitching like a bloodhound making long

telephone calls about our friend Berry. I wish him luck.

Trainer doesn't depend on luck.

Do you think you'll try and pinch something on Berry? I don't know.

Trainer's always full of little surprises.

Mr. Trainer to see you, sir.

Trainer?

I must apologize for disturbing you here, sir.

That's all right, Trainer. What is it? There's a line I think we ought to

follow without delay.

Oh, Berry? Yes, I'm afraid he's been telling us rather less than the whole

truth. That doesn't surprise me.

What have you got?

I thought we might go over to Luber's flat and see how my information works

in. Certainly, if you think it would help. Yes, I think it might, sir.

I suppose you wouldn't care to come, sir.

You must be tired.

Not at all. I'd like to very much.

If Mr. Brown doesn't object.

Why should I? I'll be very pleased.

We might find ourselves on opposite sides again.

We don't take sides, sir, you and I.

Indeed, if you hadn't saved Mr. Leamington, I might have a good deal on

my conscience.

You might.

Well, I'll get my coat.

Well, he could have slept through that, couldn't he?

Yeah, I should think he could.

I should imagine Lubar's a very heavy sleeper.

The telephone's in the sitting room.

With the bedroom door shut, he could have slept through that as well.

So we agree that Lubar could have been here when Mr. Warden called.

And we found no evidence that he was anywhere else.

Agree, sir?

Yes.

But there's one thing he couldn't have slept through.

Oh, what?

Well, if Mr. Leamington was telling the truth, and it seems he was...

He fell over one of these things and made a hell of a noise.

Why didn't Luber hear that?

Already dead.

Exactly.

But if Luber was on the bed in there, I think Leamington would have seen him.

Light or no light.

So it looks as though he was stowed away in the bathroom before Mr. Leamington

arrived. Yeah, it does.

Now, who did that, I wonder?

Berry. Berry says that Leamington was in the flat when he got here.

Leamington says he never saw Berry at all.

Well, one of them is lying.

And I think it's Berry.

Why? No fingerprints.

None at all.

Well, you put my client through the hoop for leaving fingerprints all over the

place. Now you want to put Berry through it because he doesn't. If there's

anything more suspicious than someone who leaves their fingerprints on a

murder weapon, it's someone who leaves no fingerprints at all.

Well, this didn't occur to you before, then?

We thought that Berry came to the flat and surprised Leamington that he was

only here for a few seconds.

But if we accept Leamington's story, Barry must have been here and in hiding.

And if he left no fingerprints, he took care not to.

You say Barry was in hiding.

Why? He wasn't supposed to be here, but he had an appointment with Luber at 10 o

'clock. This was before 10 o'clock.

He thought Luber was out when he knew about Luber's 6,000 pounds.

Well, how do you know?

I reminded Miller there was a difference between being accessory before a murder

and accessory before a theft.

I think this is what happened.

Leamington came through that window from the fire escape.

He tossed up which way to go and chose the wrong way.

Through there.

Into the bedroom.

And in here... Berry had the safe open by this time, but I

don't think he'd discovered yet that the money wasn't in it.

He heard Leamington outside.

Neither he thought it was Luber.

Oh, he knew it couldn't be. That's right, sir.

But either way, he was caught on the hop with the safe open.

He had to get out of sight, but he couldn't leave the flat through the

hall, so he ducked in here.

Leamington says he looked in there, and I have no doubt Berry was behind the

door. That fits.

Go on.

Berry heard Leamington fall over the cannon, and either he genuinely thought

it was a struggle and a blow.

Oh, he knew it wasn't. But all he could do was stay where he was.

Meanwhile, through there in the bedroom, Leamington picked up the cannon, took it

back into the hall, put it back on the chest.

No fingerprints on it, except Leamington's. But don't forget,

gentlemen, Berry has been careful not to leave any fingerprints anywhere.

And after Leamington went, Berry resumed his search for the money. That's right,

sir. And somewhere at this point, he discovered the letter that he'd written

to Luber.

It was probably lying on this desk.

And so he burned it.

He was in the middle of that when you gentlemen got here.

A very quick thinker.

He turned the evidence against Leamington very neatly.

All this time, Luber was lying dead in the bathroom.

That's right. Killed by Berry.

Well, Berry had the double motive, the money for one.

He could have been surprised by Luber while he was opening the safe.

And the other, they gave Mr. Brown the gist of that, sir, earlier on.

Well, it's a curious story.

It seems that Berry got mixed up with Luber's gambling business in Malta at

the end of the war.

Luber got a hold of a young girl.

Same as he tried to get hold of Susan Martin.

And ruined her.

Somehow he got Berry to marry her to keep her quiet.

Berry wasn't a very nice man at all. He made life very unpleasant for her.

And then a couple of years ago, she killed herself.

Luba was paying Berry a pension.

With the lady's death, the pension stopped.

And Berry didn't like that.

It seems he came home to take it out of Luba.

It all seems to fit very nicely.

Nearly all, sir.

And what doesn't?

That letter was burnt by the time you got here, sir.

Luber didn't have it with him when he spoke to you at the club.

I don't believe in second sight.

I'm curious to know how you knew what was in it.

You're quite right, you know.

He's certainly full of little surprises.

She was your niece, wasn't she?

Yeah. The girl that Luber ruined and very married. She was my sister's

daughter.

I never married, you know.

When my sister and her husband were killed in a car crash before the war,

the child came to me.

She was more than a niece.

Like a daughter, really.

She went out to Malta in one of the services, I think.

Yes, Rennes.

She was 18.

She had too much pride.

And when she got involved with Luba, she wouldn't let me help her.

She cut herself off from me completely.

I think she felt it would save me embarrassment.

She saw marriage with Barry as a chance of escape, poor child.

And that night when you called here, the porter was out, eh?

Yes. Well, what happened?

I came up here.

Luber let me in, showed me the letter, and told me the story.

It didn't connect at first. You see, I didn't even know Betty's name.

I couldn't find him when I went out to Malta after her death.

But as Luba talked, I began to realize he was talking about her.

Well, I couldn't stand it. I started to go. Luba followed me.

And in the hall, I told him.

Do you know what he did?

He began to laugh.

Laugh? All I can remember is Luba's teeth.

Laughing. He was still laughing when I put him on the bed.

There was a bit of life in him, but he died almost immediately.

Still laughing.

I remember I had to close his mouth.

And then?

Well, I knew he was expecting Berry, and I rather fancied the idea of Berry dying

for Luber's murder.

So I arranged it.

Unfortunately, Frank Leamington chose to turn up at the wrong moment.

You phoned the club on the way back. Well, Luba's accent was easy.

Anyway, it gave me a reasonable sort of alibi.

Why did you quote from that letter, sir?

You must have known that we'd be on to it.

I have too much respect for you and Mr Hurley-Brown to think that you'd miss

it. If I hadn't, I'd have hanged Leamington.

That wouldn't have been very satisfactory for any of us. No, sir.

It wouldn't.

If you don't mind my saying so, sir...

I'm personally very much obliged to you.

Well, I suppose there's no chance of going back to the club for a drink.

I mean, before we adjourn to make a statement.

No, better not, I think.

I'm sorry.

There's a nice little pub on the corner about a couple of blocks away.

Why don't you two gentlemen wait there till I get a car?