All language subtitles for Perry Mason 1x10.English

Are you sure you gave Mr. Davenport
the right address?

Positive.

Well, he's 15 minutes late now,
Mr. Beckmeyer.

- If he is not here by--
- He'll be here.

Do you know the circumstances
under which this food was prepared?

When you're a private detective, doc,
you don't ask questions.

You figure your client wants you
to know, he'll tell you.

What did you find in--?

[KNOCKS]

Come in.

Mr. Davenport, this is Dr. Mitchell.

- How do you do?
- Sorry, I'm late.

Won't you sit down?

Must be bad news
if you don't think I can take it standing.

- Well, you see--
- What did you find in there?

Arsenic.

I thought she'd be
a little more original.

But then arsenic worked for her
before, so why change, right?

I don't think I follow you,
Mr. Davenport.

Who you talking about?

My wife.

- Where's my wife?
- Well, she--

- Myrna, Myrna!
- Oh, what's wrong, Ed?

Mind your own business, Louise.

- Myrna!
MYRNA: Coming, dear.

- Ed, you know what the doctor said.
- Yeah, we all know.

Packed your bag.
Don't drive too fast.

You can still make Bakerstown
before--

You hypocrite.

Telling me not to drink,
to listen to the doctor.

I don't know what you mean.

Those sandwiches you packed
for my trip last week,

they were loaded with arsenic.

Ed, what are you trying to do to her?

You're a fool, Louise.

Ask your precious cousin
about Uncle Charlie.

Didn't you think something
was wrong when he died?

Here, read it for yourself.

You poisoned him
and now you're trying to get rid of me.

- Please.
- There's a letter in my office.

It's to the police, telling how
you've been trying to kill me.

If I die, you'll go right after me.

Straight to the gas chamber.
Remember that.

MYRNA:
Ed.

[SOBBING]

[GRUNTS]

Hello?

- Hello?
WOMAN: Yes, sir?

This is Mr. Davenport in Cabin 6.

Who's the nearest doc around here?

Dr. Renault.
He's just around the corner.

Well, get him over here right away.
I'm sick.

[GROANS]

ED:
Come in.

[RINGING]

Hello.

This is Dr. Frank Renault.

I'd like to talk
to Mrs. Edward Davenport, please.

Well, she's, um-- She's not in.

Is there any message?

Can you get in touch with her?

Her husband is very ill.

Are you related to Mrs. Davenport?

Yes. Yes, I'm her cousin.

Well, frankly, madam,
the situation is critical.

He's in an oxygen tent right now.

Hello?

I'm here, doctor.

He's in the Vista Motel
on San Fernando Road.

- Cabin 6.
- We'll--

Uh, we'll be there right away.

Thank you so much for calling.
Goodbye.

Garden Club.
Arrangements Committee again.

Oh. I thought it might be Ed.

Ohh. When are you going
to start thinking about yourself?

What kind of a husband is it

who writes letters
accusing his wife of poisoning him?

I don't believe Ed did that.
I think he was just talking.

Was he?
I bet he has it all written down.

It might even include his notion
you killed Uncle Charles.

Oh, that's ridiculous.

I tell you, Myrna,
you've got to protect yourself.

For your own good,
you ought to see a lawyer.

Do it just to please me.

LOUISE: Of course, Mr. Mason,
coming here was my idea.

I was afraid that if anything
happened to Ed,

that letter might get
into the hands of the police.

Why should something
happen to him?

Well, the Lord moves
in mysterious ways.

We never know when our time is up.

This, um...

...Uncle Charles your husband
has accused you of poisoning,

did he leave you any money?

How much?

A great deal.

And to see Ed run through it
would just make you sick.

- Mr. Mason, I tell you--
- Please, Louise...

- He isn't interested.
- I didn't say that, Mrs. Davenport.

That letter could be damaging.

That's why we want you to get it
for us, Mr. Mason.

Now, here's the authorisation
and the, uh, retainer.

And this is the key to his office
with the address on the tag.

As long as Mr. Davenport is alive,
I have no right to touch that letter.

Well...

Well, there's something
that I haven't mentioned.

Louise, that telephone call that came
just before we left the house

was from a Dr. Renault. Ed's very ill.

- Why didn't you tell me?
- I was afraid you'd run to him

instead of coming here,
which was more important.

- Where is he?
- He's in a motel.

The Vista Motel
on San Fernando Road.

Go with her.
Let me know if something happens.

- I can't tell you how--
- Better hurry.

Traffic gets bad this time of day.

As you can see, he is too weak
to be moved to a hospital.

I thought it best to keep him here.

If he didn't feel well, he should've
turned around and come home.

It's only an hour's drive.

[ED GASPING]

My... My wife.

Put poison in candy.

Save your strength, Mr. Davenport.

He says he became ill
after eating some chocolates.

He's out of his mind.
He didn't know what he was saying.

I hope this convinces you

that going to Mr. Mason
was doing the right thing.

Poison in the candy.

Don't touch it.

I packed this candy with his clothes
the way I always do.

There's nothing wrong with it.
I ate a piece myself.

[ED GASPING]

Doctor.

He can't breathe.

RENAULT:
Nothing wrong here.

Lift the plastic.

- What did you give him?
- Coramine.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Davenport.

Under the circumstances,
I'll have to call the police.

- The police?
- I have no choice.

You wait here, honey.
I'm gonna call Mr. Mason.

If he was to get that letter
from Ed's office,

there'll never be a better time.

How do you plan to get in there?

I don't think we have to.

Davenport wanted that letter
found by the police easily.

- Here, you take that one.
- All right.

This is it.

"To be opened
in the event of my death

and contents delivered
to the authorities.

Ed Davenport."

Does it belong to the widow
or the authorities?

I'll answer that
after I've read the contents.

- Is that working?
- I'll see.

Yeah.

I'll get some water boiling.

- Find anything?
- Mm-hm.

There was a $17,300 withdrawal from
Davenport's checking account today.

He certainly didn't do it.

The entry was in a feminine hand.

[PHONE RINGING]

Shall I get it?

- Mrs. Davenport knows we're here.
- Right.

Hello.

MAN:
Unit 13.

Desert Motel. Bakerstown.

[HANGS UP]

Hello?

Hello?

- Wrong number?
- Oh, I guess so.

All he said was Unit 13,
Desert Motel, Bakerstown.

He didn't even say hello.

He didn't even say hello.

- Unit 13, Desert Motel, Bakerstown?
- Uh-huh.

I wonder what it could
possibly mean?

Make a note.

Call the Drake Detective Agency.
Send Paul up there to investigate.

First thing tomorrow?

First thing tonight.

I guess this does it.

It's blank.

Invisible ink?

No.

Lieutenant Tragg, Homicide.
You Dr. Renault?

Yes, lieutenant. The victim--
Rather, my patient.

--is in there.

He said his wife poisoned him.

The young one.

- You Mrs. Davenport?
- Yes.

There's a question as to how
your husband met his death.

Oh, it was a heart attack.
He was under a doctor's care.

Who has the key?

He's gone!

[GASPS]

I wonder why he put blank pages
in there?

Could be a trap

to make the police think
we removed incriminating evidence.

[SIREN APPROACHING]

Sounds like someone
has already sprung the trap.

Good evening, officer.

- Won't you come in?
- Who are you?

My name is Mason
and I'm an attorney.

This my secretary, Miss Street.

What are you doing here?

Taking charge of Edward Davenport's
affairs for his widow.

He's not dead.

- He isn't.
- I'm sorry.

This is my authorization.

This is Mr. Davenport's secretary,
Miss Rita Norge.

I know why you're here.

You want that letter.

He wrote a letter to the police
in case he died.

It's in my desk.

Please, get it.

Just a minute, officer.

I wouldn't open that if I were you.
That's part of Davenport's estate.

I had no intention of opening, sir.

I'll just bring it
down to headquarters.

I'm sure they'll know
the right procedure.

[PHONE RINGING]

Answer it.

Hello?

Oh.

It's for you.

Thank you. Hello?

Mr. Mason,

something terrible has happened.

Ed's gone.

Yes, I know.
I spoke with Miss Ansel earlier.

I'm very sorry.

No, no, you don't understand.

He isn't dead.

He's disappeared.

That's, um... That's very interesting.

What happened?

Well, the doctor declared him dead,
but he must've been only unconscious.

Now the police can't find him.

All right.

I'll call you later at home.

Goodbye.

I think that concludes our business,
officer.

That's just what I was thinking.
Shall we go?

- Well, we're in trouble.
- For what?

Davenport's body has evaporated.

Is he alive?

If he is, I've committed
a crime or two.

Such as?

Taking charge of an estate
before there was an estate.

Some people might think
I was overzealous.

The district attorney included?

The district attorney included.

So this man calls from L.A. last night.
He give me the name of Stokes.

John Stokes. Of course,
how many gives their real names?

And what am I supposed to be,
a human lie detector or something?

PAUL: He did send you
the money for the cabin?

MANAGER:
Sure, 5 bucks by telegraph.

He said to hold Number 13
till midnight tonight.

Well, it's after that now,
so I rented it.

Business is business, I say.
Ha-ha-ha.

Hey, you know, I used to be a nurse.

Practical, but not registered.
Ha-ha-ha.

I didn't study so I didn't get the cap.

The cap, you know.

[MANAGER LAUGHING]

Hey, that's funny, he's still there.

He talked to me over an hour ago.

- Who is he?
- A policeman.

He was looking for Stokes too.

- Said something about narcotics.
- Thank you very much.

- Good night.
- Yes, thank you.

Does the name John Stokes
mean anything to you?

John Stokes? No.

Think it has anything to do
with Ed's disappearance?

It might.

My investigator went to Bakerstown
last night.

He thinks your husband
used the name of "Stokes"

in making a reservation
at a motel there.

Doesn't make sense.

[DOORBELL RINGS]

I'll get it.

Mr. Mason, I wanna thank you
while I have a chance.

- For what?
- For destroying that letter.

But I didn't destroy the letter--

Well, hello, counsellor.
Kind of early for you, isn't it?

All right, Tragg. I'll go quietly.

I'm not here for you. Not that
Burger doesn't wanna see you.

And you'll have to come down
to headquarters with me.

- What's the charge?
- Oh, no charge. Just a few questions.

She knows nothing further
about her husband's disappearance.

Well, maybe she can tell us
something about her uncle.

We understand he died
eight months ago

under what we call
"unusual circumstances."

We've got a court order
to exhume the body.

You work pretty fast.

If I'd known that you were
the attorney for Mrs. Davenport,

I'd have done even better.

There was nothing wrong.
Uncle Charles died of pleurisy.

Coroner said
it was arsenic poisoning.

But that's impossible. I was with--

Lieutenant?
Found this in the garage.

TRAGG:
Hmm.

Sixty-two percent arsenic.

Would you know anything about this,
Mrs. Davenport?

I use that to spray plants.

TRAGG: You sure you didn't
use it for anything else?

The candy in your husband's
motel room was loaded with the stuff.

LOUISE: No.
TRAGG: Quite a coincidence, isn't it?

- You bought him that candy.
- Louise.

And when I wanted to get a nurse
for Uncle Charles you said no,

it wasn't necessary.
You could take care of him yourself.

MASON: Miss Ansel, I must--
LOUISE: What a fool I was.

When Ed showed me that report
from the lab,

I thought it was something
he'd made up.

- What report?
- You don't believe--

Go on, Miss Ansel.
You were saying?

Ed brought back a report yesterday
from the Pacific Laboratories.

It proved there was arsenic in some
sandwiches that Myrna made for him.

That's not true.

All along I thought Ed was crazy.

All along I thought
it was something he'd arranged.

But you killed Uncle Charles
just the way you killed him.

I didn't, I didn't.

[MYRNA SOBBING]

Well, Burger's going to love
this case.

With a witness like this,
how can he lose?

MYRNA: You've got to believe me,
Mr. Burger. I'm telling the truth.

I wanna believe you, Mrs. Davenport,
very much.

But there are lot of things here
that are unexplained.

What was your husband doing
with that candy?

The doctor told him to eat some
any time he felt the urge to drink.

I see.

Only this batch happened
to be loaded with arsenic.

I know.

BURGER: And your fingerprints
happened to be on the box.

MASON:
Why shouldn't they be?

She's admitted
she packed the candy.

What's that got to do
with her Uncle Charles?

Well, he died of arsenic poisoning.

And I'm sure
when her husband's body--

As far as we know,
her husband is still alive.

What about the statement
of Miss Ansel?

The outburst
of an hysterical woman.

All right, Mrs. Davenport.

You're free to go
on your recognisance.

We'll be in touch with you.

Mr. Mason, I'd like to speak to you
for a minute, please.

It's all right, Mr. Mason.
I can get home alone.

Did you open an envelope
in Ed Davenport's office last night,

an envelope addressed to the
authorities in the event of his death?

As one attorney to another,

I'd say that question
was improperly phrased.

As a matter of fact, it's loaded.

All right, I'll rephrase it.

Can you deny
that you steamed this open

and replaced the original contents?

Who gave you the right
to open that?

[PHONE RINGS]

Hello. Hold it.

It says right on the envelope,

"to be delivered to the authorities
in the event of my death."

Exactly. Who says he's dead?

Dr. Renault.

Corpses don't run away

unless they never were corpses
in the first place.

Oh, for heaven's sakes.

Hello. Yes.

You have? Where?

Great work, Tragg.
You go ahead. I'll join you.

I think maybe we'll get
some answers now.

We've caught up
with the runaway corpse, Mr. Mason.

They found Davenport's body.

TRAGG: Get in touch
with the morgue right away.

- Right.
- Any word from the coroner?

- Not yet.
- No question it's Davenport.

Dr. Renault identified the body.

- Who discovered the body?
- Those two kids.

The father put in the call. He runs
the gas station down the highway.

Mr. Medford? Mr. Medford,

this is District Attorney Burger
and Mr. Mason.

BURGER: How did your boys
happen to find the body?

Well, uh, they found the grave first.

- When was this?
MEDFORD: Tuesday afternoon.

Looked like one of them slit trenches,
only deeper.

They told me about it
only I didn't pay no attention.

You know how kids are.

Yesterday, they played here again.

Then this morning, it was filled up.

They dug some,
then came a-calling for me.

I see. Thanks, Mr. Medford.

I'll be in touch with you later.

KENNY:
Lieutenant.

Excuse me.
Radio call from the coroner.

He finish the preliminary autopsy?

It was arsenic.

All right, Tragg.
You know what to do.

Let's go, sergeant.

Mason, I'll make you a deal.

I've got everything I need
for a first-degree murder conviction.

- But?
- You have your client plead guilty

and I won't ask
for the death penalty.

I understand the husband
mistreated her and--

Then you'll charge her with first degree
on her uncle's death, is that right?

[CHUCKLES]

All right, Mason.

In that case, you'll have
some explaining to do yourself.

You destroyed vital evidence
to protect your client.

We'll see how that sits with a jury.

You are pretty enough without that.

All right, Paul, what is it this time?

Why, Grandma, what a suspicious
mind you have. Is the boss in?

No, he went over
to see Mrs. Davenport.

PAUL:
Mm.

"Jason Beckmeyer,
licensed private investigator."

Remember me telling you
about a guy watching Unit 13

- at that motel up in Bakerstown?
- Yeah.

I got a hold of his licence number
before he took off.

And this is the gentleman
in question?

Mm-hm.

- Know anything about him?
- No. Not much.

He, uh, runs a small detective agency.

I wonder what he was doing.

[PHONE RINGS]

Yes, Gertie?

I'll be right out.

Speak of the devil.

Guess who's in the reception room
right now.

Mr. Jason Beckmeyer himself.

- Mr. Beckmeyer?
- That's right.

I'm sorry, Mr. Mason's out right now.
I'm his secretary, Miss Street.

Oh, I wanted to see Mason.

He's representing
the Davenport estate, isn't he?

Well, he represents Mrs. Davenport.

Well, I did some work for her husband
and I'd like to get paid.

What kind of work?

I don't know if I should talk about it.

- Well, you can't expect Mr. Mason--
- No, uh...

Davenport wanted me to keep an eye
on The Desert Motel in Bakerstown.

- What was his reason?
- He didn't say.

He just said I should watch Unit 13.

It was reserved
by a man named Stokes.

Did you see Mr. Stokes?

Yeah. He came in late that night.

- What did he look like?
- He was tall,

good-looking guy with grey hair.
He was about 6'2".

He was driving a white sports car.

I got a good look at him
while he was talking to the manager.

Well, I'll relay your message
to Mr. Mason.

- Can he do anything about my bill?
- Oh, he'll call you.

Tell him any time he needs
an operative, I'm available.

- I'll tell him.
- Thanks.

PAUL: What did he want?
- He found Stokes.

No kidding?
Did you get a description?

Yes. He said he was tall, about 6'2",
had grey hair

and was driving a white sports car.

Though I can't understand why
he thought he was good-looking.

[PHONE RINGS]

Yes, Gertie?

- It's for you. Don Gregory.
- Oh, yeah. New man I just put on.

Yes, Don. Uh-huh.

You're sure of that? Right away.

He's been tailing Rita Norge.

She went into Davenport's office
ten minutes ago. She's still there.

She's not supposed to be.

Lieutenant Tragg said
everyone should stay away.

That was my impression.
I'm gonna go get Perry.

Nothing to be afraid of.
We didn't knock for obvious reasons.

- You have no right--
- Have you?

I came to get my personal things.

Including those papers?

They were in my desk.

I think the district attorney
might find this rather peculiar.

Mr. Davenport seems to have sold
a few of his investments recently.

He sold all of them
a few months ago.

Are you in the habit of drawing money
out of Mr. Davenport's account?

No.

You withdrew over $17,000
yesterday.

What business is it of yours?

The Davenport estate is in my hands.

I'd like to see his widow
receive her full share.

Don't worry, Mr. Mason.

She'll get everything
that's coming to her.

MASON:
I realise how busy you are, lieutenant,

but do you think you could possibly
spare me just a few minutes?

Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Mason.
You got something on your mind?

Yes, I think you ought
to check Rita Norge again.

Find out what she was doing
at Davenport's office Thursday night.

Well, I did.

Mr. Davenport ask her to drop by.

- Why?
- Well, he had an errand for her.

He was going to phone the office
and tell her where to go.

You know what I mean.

You believe that story?

Listen, the day Ed Davenport
was at the Vista Motel,

someone withdrew $17,300
from his checking account.

Now, who do you suppose
that someone was?

Rita Norge?

I think she was planning to leave town
with the money.

That's why she killed him?

Isn't it possible?

Yeah.

But there's just one teeny thing
wrong with that theory, Mr. Mason.

Miss Norge
was in yesterday afternoon.

What do you suppose she wanted?

Don't tell me she turned
the money over to you.

All right, I won't tell you.

But if you'd care to see
a duplicate of the receipt I gave her,

I'd be happy to oblige.

Miss Ansel.

Yes?

I'm Jason Beckmeyer.
You called my office this morning.

Yes, I wanted to see you.

BECKMEYER:
Well?

I can't talk here.

Could you come to my house
this evening?

- Okay, what time?
- Right after court's adjourned.

- Here. Here is my address.
- I know the address.

Thank you.

BURGER: And in your capacity
as deputy coroner for this county,

you performed an autopsy on the body
of the deceased, Edward Davenport?

HOXIE:
I did.

BURGER:
What did you find, Dr. Hoxie?

HOXIE:
After making certain tests,

I detected the presence
of a specific poison, arsenic.

Would you please tell the court,
doctor,

what conclusions you draw from this.

There is no doubt that death
was caused by stoppage of the heart,

due in turn to ingestion
of the poison.

Do you have an opinion as to
how the poison was administered?

Through food the victim ate
an hour before his death.

Did you analyse the candy
found in Mr. Davenport's room?

- I did.
- What did you find?

- It contained arsenic.
- Thank you, doctor.

[CROWD MURMURING]

Dr. Hoxie, when you say
"stoppage of the heart,"

do you mean that a heart attack
caused Davenport's death?

Yes, although the poison

would have caused his death
in 12 hours in any event.

Did you test the body
for blood alcohol?

I did. It contain 0.15 percent
of alcohol.

That's enough to indicate
the beginnings of intoxication.

MASON: Then the arsenic could have
been administered in a drink?

- That is possible.
- So you were merely hypothesizing

when you said that the poison
was introduced into the system

through the chocolates.

I beg your pardon.
I said nothing of the sort.

I said I felt that the poison
had been introduced through the food.

What do you mean by "the food"?

Well, the victim ingested a meal
of bacon and eggs

approximately an hour
before his death.

- You found no trace of chocolate?
- I did not.

Thank you, doctor.

I will now call Dr. Frank Renault.

CLERK:
Dr. Renault to the stand, please.

JUDGE: You may step down.
HOXIE: Thank you.

RENAULT:
I got to his cabin around noon.

He said he'd eaten several chocolates
an hour before.

Did he say
where he got the chocolates?

RENAULT:
He said his wife bought them for him.

BURGER:
How do you account for the fact

the coroner found
no chocolate in the body?

When Mr. Davenport told me
he'd been poisoned,

I immediately pumped his stomach.

I see.

Your witness.

Well, Dr. Renault, your testimony
seems to be in accord with Dr. Hoxie's

regarding this fatal heart attack.

- Yes, sir.
- Now, uh, when did death occur?

At exactly 15 minutes past 5 p.m.

MASON: At which time you locked
the door of Davenport's cabin?

I did.

One thing puzzles me, doctor.

You say you pumped
the victim's stomach?

That's fairly routine procedure
in cases of poisoning.

Well, how do you account
for the fact

that Dr. Hoxie found traces
of bacon and eggs

eaten approximately an hour
before death?

Well, uh...

I don't know.

You must agree
it's a peculiar situation.

Dr. Hoxie has Mr. Davenport
sitting down to bacon and eggs

while you have him
in an oxygen tent.

If the court please, I agree
that it's a peculiar situation.

In order to investigate
that situation further

I request an adjournment
till tomorrow morning.

Does the defence
have any objections?

- None at all, Your Honour.
JUDGE: Very well.

You may step down.

The case is adjourned
until 10:00 tomorrow morning.

Check Dr. Renault back to the day
he hung out his shingle.

All right.

MASON: Everything's gonna work out.
- Thank you.

Will you drop this by the office
for me?

Where you going?

It's such a nice day,

I thought I'd ask Della
to take me for a walk in the country.

For a minute,
I nearly thought you were serious

when you said "a walk in the country."

Well, aren't we?

I can think of more
picturesque places.

MASON: According to those kids,
this grave was prepared in advance.

Who would have known Davenport
was gonna get sick

and have to call a doctor?

And who would have known
he was gonna die?

His secretary?

No, that wouldn't work.

Why not?

Well, if Rita Norge were dishonest,

she never would've turned
that money over to Lieutenant Tragg.

If she'd hidden a couple of hundred
thousand belonging to Davenport,

then the money she gave Tragg
would've been a cheap price

to pay for a reputation of honesty.

True.

What are you looking for?

The coroner said that Davenport had
eaten bacon and eggs before he died.

- Well?
- Well, where did he get them?

Hmm. We passed a diner
about seven or eight miles back.

Can you see him walking in there
in pyjamas?

Well, don't tell me he pitched a tent
and cooked over a campfire.

What about a modern version
of the same? A house trailer?

Suppose you take that way,
I'll take this one.

- Sing out if you find anything.
- All right.

LOUISE: You've got to understand,
Mr. Beckmeyer.

My cousin didn't kill her husband.

I, uh... I don't know what
possessed me to say what I did.

I always talk too much.

Most people do.

That's why I wanted to talk to you.

I know who killed Ed.

Then I suggest you go to the police.

It was that secretary.

That Rita Norge.

Where do you suppose
all the money went?

What money?

Well, my Uncle Charles
left Myrna over $280,000.

She has less than $40,000 left.

Now, Ed Davenport
didn't spend all that.

He gave it to that woman
to hold for him.

Over $200,000.

That's a very interesting theory.

How do you suppose
we can prove it?

We?

Well, you're a private detective.
You ought to know about these things.

How do we get the police
to question her?

- They already have.
- I mean really question her.

If they could be suspicious,
wouldn't that help?

How would it suit you, Miss Ansel,

if the police found arsenic
in Miss Norge's apartment?

You mean you would--?

Well, you want them to question her.
If they found arsenic they would.

- But wouldn't that be--?
- Framing?

That all depends on how you look at it.

If Miss Norge is guilty, we have
just put the police on the right track.

And then if she's innocent,
why, she could easily prove it.

That's right.

Of course, you know this kind
of operation runs into money.

Oh, I don't care what it costs.

Just wanna try to make it up
to Myrna.

BECKMEYER:
Hm.

Tell me, Miss Ansel,

where do you get your ideas
about private detectives?

From the movies?

But this was your idea.

That's right.
Now I've got another one.

I think I'll save this for the DA.

Perry.

Perry, over here.

Crankcase oil.

A car must have stood here
for some time.

DELLA:
Well?

Nice work, Della.

This is it.

CLERK:
Will the court please rise?

Be seated.

If the court please, I'd like to continue
my cross-examination of Dr. Renault.

CLERK:
Dr. Renault to the stand, please.

JUDGE:
You were sworn in yesterday, sir.

You're still under oath.

Dr. Renault,

when was the first time you were
called in to treat Mr. Davenport?

On Wednesday around noon.

Who called you in?

The owner of the Vista Motel.

He said one of his guests was ill.

Are you the only doctor
in the neighbourhood?

Yes, sir.
I live just around the corner.

Had you ever seen Mr. Davenport
before you were called in?

I don't understand.

Had he ever consulted you
at your office?

Not that I recall.

I should like you to remember, doctor,
that you're under oath.

Now, had you ever seen
Mr. Davenport

before you treated him
at the Vista Motel?

I... I may have.

For what purpose?

You ought to know
that the conversation

between a doctor and a patient
is privileged.

Did he tell you then
that he wanted to die

or rather that he wanted
to have it appear that he had died?

I repeat, the communication between
a doctor and a patient is privileged.

Very well.

Now, uh, doctor,

will you please tell the court

what medical degree you hold
and from what institution?

Doctor of Health Medicine.
Jackson State Medical College.

MASON:
Where is this college located?

Well, uh,

it's no longer in existence.

MASON: Was the school accredited
to any medical association?

- No.
- Dr. Renault,

did you not conspire
with Ed Davenport

to stage his death
in the presence of his wife?

And then wasn't your plan
to accuse her of poisoning him?

I refuse to answer on the ground
it would tend to incriminate me.

MASON: That certainly
is your constitutional right.

However, I'm sure the answers
can be gained from another source.

That's all, doctor.

If the court please, I'd like to call
Jason Beckmeyer to the stand.

- Paul?
- Don't worry. My man will be here.

CLERK:
Mr. Beckmeyer.

Raise your right hand.

You solemnly swear the evidence
you're about to give is the truth

- and nothing but the truth?
- I do.

Be seated and state your name.

Jason Beckmeyer.

Mr. Beckmeyer, you are
a licensed private investigator?

That's right.

MASON:
You were employed in that capacity

by the late Edward Davenport?

I was.

Did he ever ask you
to locate a doctor for him

who was not a member
of the American Medical Association?

He did. He wanted me to find a quack
who had an office near a motor court.

MASON: And you found a man
who met those requirements?

Yes, sir. Dr. Renault.

MASON: Did you make
the appointment with Dr. Renault?

BECKMEYER: No, no.
Davenport took care of that himself.

MASON: Would you happen to
remember the date of that meeting?

Yeah, it was February 7th.

MASON: Exactly one week
before Mr. Davenport died.

- That's right.
- You have any idea

what took place at that meeting?

BECKMEYER:
No, sir. No, I stayed in the car.

What other services
did you render Mr. Davenport?

Well, when he wanted a reputable
laboratory to do food analysis,

I put him in touch with Pacific Labs.

Did you ever act as dummy
for various bank accounts

so that Davenport could juggle
funds belonging to his wife?

BECKMEYER: I didn't know
where he got the money.

MASON:
But you did allow yourself to be used

for the purpose
of opening several bank accounts?

BECKMEYER: Yes, I did.
I didn't see anything wrong in that.

Were you at any time
engaged by Davenport

to drive him out of the country?

No, sir.

I have here a statement
from the Department of Motor Vehicles

which indicates
that you own a house trailer.

- Is that true, Mr. Beckmeyer?
- Yes.

Was the late Edward Davenport
ever in that trailer?

No, no. Never.

If an expert were to produce
fingerprints,

Davenport's fingerprints,
from the inside of that trailer,

would you swear on your oath
that they were forgeries?

Well, he might have
been in there once.

I don't remember for sure.

Mr. Beckmeyer,

isn't it a fact that Davenport
was in your trailer on the day he died?

Oh, no.

Then where did he get
the bacon and eggs?

- In that trailer.
- That's a lie.

And where did he get the liquor?
None was found in his room.

You gave it to him, did you not?

Generously spiked with arsenic.

I tell you, you're wrong.

Then answer this, Mr. Beckmeyer.

If you did not kill Davenport

why did you dig that grave
two days in advance?

- I didn't.
- What other reason could you have

for buying a shovel
from the Clarey Hardware Store

on that very same day?

Yeah.

Well, the chump was asking for it.

Never got tired of telling me
how smart he was.

He was gonna disappear
and leave his wife holding the bag.

Everybody would wonder
what happened to the body.

It was such a great plan

I figured with a little help from me,
it would be perfect.

Guess I was wrong too, huh?

[CROWD MURMURING]

PAUL:
Just a little bit more to the right.

That's fine.

You know, Paul I don't know
what we'd do without you.

Don't tell him that, Della.

He'll send us a bill in the morning.

You gotta admit my fees are
more reasonable than Beckmeyer's.

I hear there was almost
200 grand in his trailer.

Two hundred and ten to be exact.

You know, the thing that puzzles me
is Uncle Charlie.

- Who did him in?
- Ed Davenport.

He wanted his wife to be an heiress.

So he could steal her blind
and then disappear.

Mm-hm. That's when
Mr. Beckmeyer came in.

He was the guiding genius
of the plot.

I may not be very smart,

but I still don't see how you suspected
Beckmeyer in the first place.

That telephone call
you took in Davenport's office.

"Unit 13, Desert Motel,
Bakerstown."

That's right.

That call was obviously
for Rita Norge.

Yeah?

She had over $17,000 belonging
to Davenport, remember?

If Davenport did make the call,
why then--

Then Beckmeyer must have.

He wanted to get his hot little hands
on the money.

So Beckmeyer was responsible
for those blank pages in the letter.

No, no, that was Davenport's idea.

And a very provocative one.

He made sure the police would believe
that letter had been tampered with.

Well, you gotta give Davenport credit.
He wasn't anybody's fool.

He just never should've
hired Beckmeyer.

What's wrong with this picture,
anyway?

It's Beckmeyer's influence, Della.

Just a case
of a slightly crooked frame.

[MASON CHUCKLING]