All language subtitles for Ellery Queen - 22.The Adventure of the Disappearing Dagger.eng

This aging detective has
just named his last murderer.

Who killed him?

Was it the munitions maker?

If anybody killed Drew,
it was that cowboy pilot.

The ex-con flyer?

I didn't kill him, Inspector.
Now that's the blessed truth!

The alert junior executive?

He drugged the coffee.

The many-talented sculptress?

He could have fallen asleep,
and I'd have to commit the murder.

The master mechanic?

If that's what you're driving at,
you're on the wrong highway.

Or was it someone else?

Match wits with Ellery Queen

and see if you can guess
who done it?

TV: In North Africa,
the tide turns for allied forces.

Heavily reinforced British troops

led by Lieutenant General
Bernard L. Montgomery

attack Rommel's Nazi-Italian army
at El Alamein.

Suffering heavy losses, the enemy
is defeated all the way to Tunisia.

The allied sweep continues

in what some observers
believe to be

the beginning of the end of the war
in North Africa.

Meanwhile, In New York's
Westchester County,

business leaders
serve as pallbearers

at the funeral of the designer
of the Madison automatic rifle.

Friends and relatives mourn

as Stuart Hendricks
is carried to his final rest.

Alyssa Hendricks,
widow of the murdered president

of the Madison Munitions Company,

is escorted by Brandon Childs,

who is slated to be
the new company president.

Other mourners include
Gerald Hacker,

former Hendricks aide,

who will not comment
on future plans,

and Hamilton Drew,
the private investigator

whose solution of the case
led to the arrest of Buck Nolan,

pilot of the company-owned plane
in which Hendricks was killed,

over 10,000 feet in the air

during a flight
from Chicago to New York.

Nolan is seen here
shortly after the grand jury

brought an indictment
of First Degree Murder.

In Atlantic City, it's swimsuit time

as the gals compete for the title
of 'Miss Boardwalk of 1942.'

These leggy lovelies
are the cream of the crop...

Come in, please.
I've been expecting you.

Would you mind
stepping into the light?

I'm afraid my eyes
aren't what they used to be.

Oh.

So it was you.

You killed Stuart Hendricks.

Yes, it was a trick.

I only had part of the solution.

Now, I have it all.

TV: Good luck, girls.

Bye, now.

Bye-bye.

The old place looks good
after a week in Wrightsville.

Yeah, at least
you finished your book.

All I did was find trout
smarter than I am.

Well, you caught one, didn't you?

Dad, you dropped something.

I don't think so.

Oh, you're right.
It's a telegram.

The boy must have put it
under the door.

Here.

Who's it from?

Oh, it's from Hamilton Drew.

He wanted me to come
to his apartment last night at 9:00.

Does he say why?

Only that it's urgent,
and he couldn't reach me by phone.

Well, it's 8:30.
You think he might be up by now?

Maybe. He wasn't feeling
too well lately.

Old age is creeping up on him.

He's unlisted.

Where's that address book?

Address book?

No, never mind. Never mind.

You know, if it hadn't been
for Hamilton,

I never would have made Inspector,
maybe not even detective.

He took me under his wing.

Left the force in --
when was it? -- 1938.

Wanted me to join him
in a private detective agency.

I sure learned a lot
from that old bird.

Strange -- him quitting
after all these years.

Not so strange.
He was 65 years old.

They thought he was too old
to do the job.

[Telephone rings]

Hello?

Oh, hi, Velie.
Yeah, Dad's here.

We just walked in the door.
What's up?

Okay, thanks, Velie.
Be right there.

Well, what is it?

There's been a murder, Dad.

[Sighs]

It was Hamilton Drew.

[Sighs]

That's it, Inspector.

Any clear prints, Kelly?

Yeah, sure, that's the trouble --

prints all over the room
and no way to isolate the killers.

If we just had the murder weapon--

Well, we don't have
the murder weapon.

All we know he was stabbed.

So check on what you've got.

Yes, sir.

He must have known
he was in danger.

That's why he was so anxious
to get in touch with me,

find time to go fishing.

Dad, you had no way of knowing.

Did you see this?
A 1942 newsreel film.

"MacArthur Escapes
from the Philippines,

Rommel in North Africa,

'Miss Boardwalk contest',
Hendricks Funeral."

-What's that?
-I said Hendricks's funeral.

Let me see that.

Why, sure. That's it.
The Hendricks case!

What?

Stu Hendricks. He was
the president of Madison Munitions.

He was flying from Chicago
to New York in a big private plane

with his wife and two men
from his company.

Sure! Sure, I remember that.
He was killed... somewhere.

Yeah, over Pennsylvania.

He was stabbed to death.
The murder weapon was never found.

[indistinct shouting]

-Take it easy!
-Come on. Shut up.

Inspector, I found this guy
hiding in the stairwell in the alley.

I wasn't hiding.

Somebody clipped me from behind
and shoved me down there.

And he had this on him
in a shoulder holster.

And if you'da checked my wallet,
you woulda found the permit.

I'm a licensed P.I.

Inspector, don't you remember me?
Ray Vogel.

Vogel? Vogel.

Yeah, Harlem Division,
before the war.

Yes, sir.

It's all right, Velie. Sit down.
Here, here. Take it easy.

Now, what are you doing here?

A special assignment
for the old man.

He had some people coming
to see him last night.

He asked me
to get a good look at them,

then hang around after they left
in case one of them came back.

You mean, he expected
one of them to come back?

Yeah. I was supposed
to let myself in with a passkey,

get an earful, then put the nab
on the suspect.

Only it didn't work out that way.

Did you see the people come in?

Yeah, and I saw them go out.

I stood around for a while,

then about midnight
I heard a car pull up into the alley.

I didn't like the sound of it --
just a hunch.

I went out to take a look, and blam!

Did you get a look at the car?

Nope.

Can you put some names to those
faces you saw?

Yeah. Oh, he gave me a list.

-Here.
-Oh. Thank you.

"Mr. and Mrs. Brandon Childs,
Gerald Hacker,

Norma Lee Burke, Buck Nolan."

Jumpin' Joehosophat!

You know these people, Dad?

Well, I know the last one.

But Nolan -- he was the pilot
of the Hendricks murder plane.

When Hamilton Drew solved
the case, he fingered Nolan.

Yeah, but wasn't he acquitted?

Of murder, yeah,

but he went to prison for stealing
the plans of a new rifle.

He vowed to get even
with Hamilton Drew.

-Hey, Velie!
-Yes, sir.

Run a check on this list, especially
this last name -- Buck Nolan.

-Find him. Bring him in.
-Yes, sir.

BROADCASTER: On the local scene,
the body of Hamilton Drew,

former Deputy Chief of Detectives
for the New York Police Department,

was found in his West Side
apartment early this morning.

Drew, the victim of a stabbing,

was apparently alone
at the time of his death,

which occurred
between midnight and 2:00 a.m.

inspector Richard Queen,
in charge of the investigation,

said several leads
are being explored.

Stay tuned to this station
for further details.

Well?

Jerry's phone doesn't answer.

Well, maybe we ought to go back.

What for? Drew's death
has nothing to do with us.

[Sighs]

After last night?

What about last night?

Look, Alyssa, we were there.
We left.

If anybody killed Drew
it was that cowboy pilot.

You remember five years ago,
darling, the way it was?

If we go back and tell the police
what happened last night,

it'll be like Stu's death
all over again.

Questions. Accusations.

Now we promised ourselves
a day in the country.

Let's enjoy it.

[Engine turns over]

Can't locate him?
That's ridiculous!

Traffic Division finds
a station wagon

registered in Nolan's name
parked on the steps of Grant's Tomb.

Then this morning they let him
pick it up right under our noses.

-Good morning, Grace.
-Dad, they didn't know.

Good morning.
Oh, Inspector.

Her name's Norma Lee Burke.

She wants to talk to you
about Hamilton Drew's murder.

And you were the stewardess
on the Hendricks murder flight?

Five years ago.

And a few hours ago, you were
in Hamilton Drew's apartment.

We were ordered to show up --

all the people
who were on the plane.

I don't remember a Mrs. Childs
being on that flight.

Well, she was Mrs. Hendricks then.

Maybe she came with the job.

Inspector, I know
you must be looking for Buck.

After his threats to Mr. Drew,
it had occurred to us.

We wouldn't have gone,
either one of us,

if Mr. Drew hadn't said
he had new evidence.

Miss Burke, could you tell us
exactly what did happen last night?

Well, Buck and I went together.

We were a little late,
and when we got there,

everyone was there already.

I hadn't seen any of them
in five years.

Good evening.

I'm so glad you all came.

And I want to thank you
for humoring an old man.

Why the wheelchair?

A minor inconvenience, Mr. Hacker.

This had better be worthwhile, Drew.

Brandon, no one forced us
to accept this invitation.

You were curious, and so am I.

Curiosity leads to discovery,
they say.

Don't they also say something
about it killing the cat?

An interesting observation,
Captain Nolan.

Under the circumstances,
most interesting.

Look, Mr. Drew, just why did you
ask us to come here?

To tell you all that I have solved
the murder of Stuart Hendricks.

After all this time?

My only excuse is
that the killer meant to mislead me

and succeeded...

...until now.

The killer was arrested
five years ago.

The jury just wasn't offered
enough proof.

There wasn't any proof
because I didn't do it.

Oh, come on. You stole
those automatic rifle plans.

The police found them
in your apartment.

Another frame-up!

I did five years on that lousy charge,
Drew, and I won't forget it.

Please, Buck. At least listen
to what he has to say.

Maybe he can prove
you were framed.

Yes. Exactly what is
this new evidence, Mr. Drew?

This will have a special meaning
for one of you.

ELLERY: What was this thing
that he showed you?

NORMA: I don't know.

To tell you the truth,
I was afraid to ask.

But it was metal --
sort of dull-looking, like lead.

And it was tear-shaped,
with a ring at the small end.

Tear-shaped with a ring
at the small end?

That sounds familiar.

I think I know what it is.

What, Dad?

Look like that?

Oh, yes! That's it!

Only his was a lot bigger.

It's sinker used by fishermen
to weigh down the line.

Hamilton Drew
showed his guests a sinker

and said it had a special meaning
for one of them?

That's right.

Then Mr. Drew said that he would
turn over his proof in the morning

and that this time
there wouldn't be any mistake.

Oh. And now, if you'll excuse me,

I -- I do have to catch a cab
to the airport.

How long will you be out of town?

Until late tomorrow evening.

One more thing, Miss Burke.

Did you and Mr. Nolan,
by any chance,

visit President Grant last night?

Oh, well, Buck was pretty upset.

We went to a bar,
then we drove around --

I mean, as long as Buck could drive.

I got him into a cab,
took him home.

I put him to bed and left.

What time was that?

Around midnight.

Look, Inspector,
I know how it looks to you,

but you're wrong.

For all of his faults, down deep

Buck is one of the kindest,
gentlest men I know.

Come out of there!

I know you're in there, Childs!

Now you're gonna have to talk to me
sooner or later!

I got something to say to you!

Are you Brandon Childs?

Not me, pal. The skunk's either
lit out or he's hidin' in there,

and I'm stickin' around
till I find out which.

What's your name?

Who's asking?

Name's Nolan, Sergeant.

-Buck Nolan?
-Right.

I have orders to pick you up,
Mr. Nolan.

Pick me up?

[Laughs]

Now that's real funny.

Ain't no one picks up
Buck Nolan, friend. Nobody!

That's why Hamilton
wanted me there --

to help catch a killer.

Dad, I'm sure Vogel did his best.

Yeah. Well, I wouldn't have been
found in an alley

with a goose egg on my head.

Inspector, I was checking out
an address on Brandon Childs,

and I ran into that pilot,
Buck Nolan.

I got a couple of boys
bringing him up now.

Velie, what happened to your eye?

Well, he didn't want to come.

Hamilton Drew was alive
the last time I saw him.

I didn't kill him, Inspector.
Now, that's the blessed truth.

Drew said he was going
to turn up new evidence

regarding the Hendricks murder,

and this time there wouldn't be
any mistakes.

Now, could you tell me
what he meant by that?

Sure. He meant that somebody
framed me last time,

and he had the goods on them
at last, so they killed him.

-Now who's "they"?
-"They" is someone who isn't me!

Sit down.

Buck, forgive me, but I haven't had
a chance to read those files yet.

Could you refresh my memory
about the airplane murder?

Why, specifically,
did Hamilton suspect you?

Because of the window
and the drugged coffee, I guess.

What?

The missing dagger, son.

As soon as the plane landed,

they searched it
for the murder weapon.

They couldn't find it.

Now, the only way to get rid of it

was to drop it out the sliding window
next to the pilot's seat.

And I never left that seat.

Believe it or not,
it's the God's honest truth.

What about the coffee?

They found some kind of drug
in the coffee thermos.

Chloral hydrate, as I recall.

Anyway, I never touched the stuff,
and neither did Stu Hendricks.

Drew figured we were the only ones
awake on the plane.

Then later,
when they found the copies

of the plans for the rifle
in my apartment--

Copies?

I never saw 'em before.
Someone put 'em there.

The jury didn't agree.

Well, they were wrong.

Look, I didn't kill Hendricks,
and I sure didn't kill Drew.

Why should I?

He couldn't hurt me
with any new evidence --

couldn't hurt me a bit.

You know, Dad, Buck's right.

He was tried once
for the Hendricks murder.

He can't be tried again.

Well, he can be tried
for Hamilton Drew's murder,

and in my book, revenge is
still spelled with a capital

Then why didn't you hold him?

Where's the evidence?

Yeah. Yeah, Velie?

They are, huh?

And what about Hacker?

All right, keep somebody posted.
Fill me in first thing in the morning.

Mr. and Mrs. Brandon Childs
are out of town somewhere,

nobody knows where.

And Mr. Hacker is
likewise unavailable.

All right. One suit jacket with a hole
through the breast pocket.

Through the heart?

Dead center,
just like Hamilton Drew.

Dad, this picture.

White powder all over the floor.

Thermos jug --
the glass liner is broken.

So?

So -- what's in that survival kit?

The usual thing
for an emergency landing --

flares, canned goods, butane stove,
water, maybe a few chocolate bars.

-It was wartime, you know.
-Dad? What about this?

The dagger, or whatever it was,
went straight through.

It was probably
in his inside coat pocket.

"Hendricks, if you want
the Madison Automatic Rifle back,

follow previous instructions
without delay.

Every day past deadline
will cost you an additional $10,000."

That must have been some rifle.

Oh, it was.
The MAR helped win the war.

It was issued in '43.

Apparently, Hendricks paid the price.

If it led to his murder,
he paid extra.

Dad, I may have a clue.

-To Hamilton's killer?
-No, to Stuart Hendricks' killer.

Oh, Ellery, that case is
a five-year-old dead end.

Dad, the ransom note
is in the pocket

this side up
with the stamp showing --

just like in the photo, see?

ORGY-

Problem.
The holes don't match.

What holes?

The stab wound.
It went through the jacket,

through the letter,
into Hendricks' heart.

But that's not possible
with the letter in this position.

That's right.

But with the letter upside down,
like that,

the holes match perfectly.

So?

So, whoever killed Hendricks
stabbed him,

took the letter out, maybe read it,

and put it back.

What's your point?

We're assuming that whoever killed
Hendricks killed Hamilton Drew.

That's logical.

So maybe we can solve Hamilton's
death by solving this one.

You're sure you got all the props?

Yes, I think so.

I looked like a fool in the last show
when I couldn't find the chicken.

-Did you remember the chicken?
-Oh, I'm pretty sure.

You've got to check these things.

Chicken, chicken.
Who's got the chicken?

Eureka!

Hi, Marvin.

Well, if it isn't
the chicken inspector's son?

Yeah, been a long time,
How've you been?

Oh, as straight as a pin
ever since I came out on parole.

Well, I haven't gone near a pocket
or glanced through a purse.

-Marvin.
-Excuse me, Queen.

Breaking in the assistant.
Yes, my dear?

Marvin, when should I use
the blindfold --

while you're collecting watches
from the audience?

Ixnay, ixnay, you'll give away
the whole show. Vamoose!

Watches, Marvin?

Well, I give 'em all back.

What do you take me for,
a cheap thief?

My parole officer send you?

No, no, no. Marvin, I got a problem,
and I hope you can help me solve it.

If I wanted to make
something disappear,

what would be the best way to do it?

Well, that all depends.

If it's a coin...

...you simply blow on it thusly.

Well, well.
No, it's not a coin.

Not a coin.
A handkerchief?

-That's a little harder.
-Yeah.

It takes of diligent practice
and self-denial.

Oh, boy, that's good.
It's not a handkerchief either.

Deck of cards.

No, not cards.

Well, then, it has to be a chicken.
It's the only prop I have left.

Marvin, it's a dagger.

A dagger?
That's a new one.

The great Gilhouie used
to make a goat disappear,

but a dagger, I don't know that one.
What's skimmin'?

Well, this dagger disappeared right
after it was used to kill somebody.

Don't look at me. I was
in Philadelphia on Thursday.

And I can prove it.

That was five years ago.

I've got an alibi.

I know exactly what I was doing
five years ago.

-What?
-Seven years.

Marvin, how would you make
a dagger disappear?

There are only three basic ways.

You conceal it, you get rid of it,
or you change it into something else.

Sorry, pal, but I gonna go on now.

If you wanna find that dagger,
you're looking at the wrong place.

You're right, Marvin.
Thank you.

Good luck!

I can do that, too, I'll bet.

That's why he's Marvin.

Come on.

That's her, Lady A.

Lady A. "A" for Alyssa?

Yeah. Hadn't been up in the air
in five years --

not since the killing.

It's a real shame.

According to the police report,
Hendricks was killed with a dagger --

blade maybe
seven, eight inches long.

And they never found it.
Screwy, huh?

The plane lands, nobody gets off,

and yet, everything is turned
upside down and inside out --

and no dagger.

But yet, there he was -- cold dead
with a knife wound in his heart.

Could anybody have opened
a window or a door?

No. It was all locked
from the outside.

It was in the cargo compartment,
in the rear.

All except that door. You couldn't
open that door in mid-flight

without everybody knowing about it.

No, sir. I gotta go along
with the cops on this one.

There ain't but one way that knife
could get off that plane,

and that's through
the little vent window

near the pilot's seat in the cockpit.

Come on, I'll show you.

Mr. Buffo, I understand there was
no co-pilot the night of the flight.

Well, didn't need one.
Stu was an ace flyer.

Anything happened to Buck,
Stu could have flown her.

As a matter of fact,
he did many times.

Also got an automatic pilot up there.

Ah-ha.

And the passengers, four of them,
were in here.

-And the stewardess?
-Yeah, Norma Burke. Great little gal.

And the thermos -- where was that?

Uh, back there.
Norma brought it on.

I see. So anybody
could have gone back there

with the passengers facing away.

They could have drugged the coffee.

Yeah, even Buck.

Like I say, he sometimes put her
on automatic pilot

and came back here to --

well, you know, nature calls,
even at 10,000 feet.

Yeah, well, Buck says
he never left the pilot's cabin.

Maybe he didn't.
I just said he could have.

And Hendricks was killed
back here?

Right.

You can see there --
police marked where he fell.

Like I say, the plane
hasn't been up since that day.

Mm-hmm.

I guess they looked for the dagger
in this survival kit, huh?

Like I told you, they searched
the whole plane -- nose to tail.

Mr. Buffo, is there any reason

why there would be
plaster of Paris all over the floor?

Plaster of Paris?
I wouldn't know.

There's some traces of it
right there.

You know, it's probably
none of my business,

but don't you think it's strange

Mrs. Hendricks marrying Mr. Childs
so soon after the killing?

That's right, Mr. Queen,
it's none of your business.

Oh, Mr. Childs?

Jerry Hacker.

-And you've got no business here.
-I'm sorry, Mr. Hacker--

It's all right, Buffo.
I'll take care of it.

All right.

Look, Mr. Queen,
we have a company rule here.

This plane is off-limits.

Oh? Whose rule is that?

Straight from the top.

Oh, Brandon Childs.

Mr. Queen, you are not the police.
You don't have a warrant.

You are trespassing.
Please leave.

You know, of course,
that somebody killed Hamilton Drew.

That's right. Buck Nolan.

Oh? Do you know something
I don't know?

[Sighs]

I know it in here.

I know he killed him just like
I knew he killed Stu five years ago.

You know something?
I really loved that man, I really did.

And for him to be killed
by that freak Nolan...

I'll want to tell you something,
Mr. Queen.

This time they're going to put
that cowboy away for good,

and there's nothing
that you can do to stop it.

-A sinker?
-That's right, Dad.

-I don't get it.
-Neither do I... yet.

I found it in the survival gear
on the Hendricks' murder plane.

It's hangared out
at the Floyd Bennett Field.

Now, remember, Dad -- Hamilton
showed his suspects a lead sinker.

The clue his solution
of Hendricks murder.

Well, Dad, I don't think he'd really
solved it -- not completely.

If he had, he wouldn't have had
Ray Vogel around

to help him trap the killer.

Well, this sinker
has to mean something.

I'll tell you one thing.

Jerry Hacker was sure upset
to see me come off that airplane.

Something to hide?

Oh, I don't know about that,
but, boy, is he a liar.

His bosom pal -- Stu Hendricks?

From what I was able to learn,

Hendricks was about to fire him
for incompetency,

and that was before the murder.

Well, you have to eliminate him
as a suspect.

He left Hamilton's, went straight
to a party on Sutton Place --

didn't leave
till 5:00 in the morning.

Well, what about the Childs?
Did you talk to them?

They went straight home,
got up at 6:00 in the morning,

drove up to Connecticut
to see some friends,

didn't even hear about the murder
till they got home late that evening.

So they alibi each other.

You know, maybe I ought
to talk to them.

Sure, sure, if you want to.

I'll be finished in a moment,
Mr. Queen, then we can chat.

Huh?

Oh, uh, don't hurry on my account.

Have you ever worked in clay?

Have you ever worked in clay?

Hm?

No. No, my medium is paper
and typewriter ribbon.

This is very nice.

Oh, I'll tell Brandon you liked it.
It's one of his early ones.

-Your husband?
-Yes, turn it over.

"B.C. March 1940."

You know, Brandon introduced me
to all this after we were married.

He made two of them?

He made dozens of them.

He gave them as gifts.

They're plaster, Mr. Queen,
made from a mold.

I think that's it, Wanda.
Thank you, you may get dressed.

Are you going to question me
about Stuart's death or Mr. Drew's?

Your father couldn't seem
to make up his mind

which killing he was investigating.

Will you want me at the same time
tomorrow, Mrs. Childs?

No, thank you. No.

I'll call you when I'm ready
to begin something new.

Well, you know my number --

Bowling Green --
0-5-5-5.

Yes. Thank you, Wanda.

Bye.

Bye.

I think that was for your benefit,
Mr. Queen.

I already know
her telephone number.

Would you like a pencil?

No, thank you. I have
a good memory... for some things.

Look, Mr. Queen. Strange
as it seems, I liked Mr. Drew.

And I'm sorry he's dead,

but neither Brandon nor I
had anything to do with it.

I know that.
You were both here asleep.

Mm-hmm. Dog tired
with the alarm set for 6:00

so we could get an early start
to Connecticut.

So you went straight to sleep.

Yes.

Oh, meaning that my husband
pretended to fall asleep,

left the house,
committed the murder,

then returned
without my knowing about it.

I didn't suggest that.

But the reverse is also possible.

He could have fallen asleep,
and I left to commit the murder.

Look, Mrs. Childs--

Oh, come on.
Let's not fence, Mr. Queen.

Six months after Stuart died,
I married Brandon Childs --

out of the bed of one president,
into another one.

I know what people think.

Could I ask you one thing?

Why were you
on that flight that night?

Why was I anywhere
with Stuart Hendricks?

He was a beautiful dreamer

with absolutely no business sense
whatsoever.

[Sighs]

When the plans for the rifle
were stolen,

and the ransom note came,

his first reaction was to contact
the authorities.

Well, that was a noble gesture,
but it did absolutely nothing for us.

Oh, it preserved our integrity,

but we would have been
out of business.

So you're saying that you ran
Madison Munitions?

I'm saying Stu needed help --

certainly more than Brandon
has ever needed.

Maybe that's why I gravitated
towards him, even before Stu died.

That's right, Mr. Queen, even before.

So you told him
to pay off the ransom?

Yes, which he did,
but he wouldn't leave it at that.

He kept looking around,
trying to find out who was behind it.

And you know that I think that he was
also almost on to Buck Nolan

before Buck killed him first.

So you think Buck did it, too?

Doesn't everyone?

Is this plaster of Paris?

Yes. It's used for making molds --

for casting plaster models,
you know, like the one you admired.

Yeah.

What is it, Mr. Queen?
ls something wrong?

NOLAN: Didn't have time
to see me, huh?

Well, you'll see me now, Childs.

CHILDS: Get off my property
before I call in the police.

Not until you and me
settle a few things.

I don't have to answer to you.

Yeah, well, you have to answer
to somebody, Mister,

about Hendricks, about that gun,
about the old man.

Somebody is framing me.

We've all heard that before.

Yeah, well,
you're gonna hear it again.

Now you stay put and listen to me,
or I'm gonna--

You're gonna what, Nolan?
Kill me, too?

-Buck, hold on!
-Stay out of this, Mr. Queen.

-Brandon!
-It's all right, darling.

No, it's not all right.

I've been framed twice.

Once for murder,
only that didn't take,

and once for stealing
those rifle plans, and that did.

And now it looks like someone's
fixing to frame me for killing Drew.

-No one's accusing you.
-Oh, just a matter of time.

When I was the company pilot,

my flight plans
came out of his office.

And he ordered to ship
those rifle models,

and the plans came out of his office.

Jerry Hacker handled all that.

Same difference.
He was working for you.

And I'm telling you,
I aim to do something about it.

I take it that's a threat.

Buster, you take it
anyway you want to.

Ellery, I don't understand you.

Buck Nolan publicly threatens
to get even with Hamilton.

A week after he gets out of prison,
Hamilton is murdered,

and you say it doesn't add up?

-What does the sinker mean?
-How should I know?

How about the plaster of Paris
in the cargo compartment?

Can't help you.

Sinker, plaster of Paris,
a broken thermos bottle --

there must be
a connection somewhere!

Sounds like a short circuit to me.

-Ah-ha.
-Huh? What happened?

-I just saw something.
-Where? Where?

Down here. At the bottom
of the page in the small print.

Oh, yeah.

Let's go, Dad.

Let's go? It's almost
Inner Sanctum time.

Gotta see a man about a gun.

Ellery, don't you ever get inspired
while the sun is shining?

[Brakes screech]

Mr. Buffo?

Your wife said we'd find you here
still working.

How'd you get past security?

-I showed him my badge.
-This is my dad.

Inspector Richard Queen.
Homicide.

How do you do?

You come to take another look
at that plane?

I got my orders about that.

Nice work, Mr. Buffo.

Well, thanks.

My son tells me
you've done little gun designing.

I was looking through the police files
on the Hendricks murder.

The designer of the MAR
is listed as Stuart Hendricks --

assisted by S. Buffo.

Yeah, I helped out.

Go right on working,
if you like, Mr. Buffo.

Uh, wouldn't call it "work".

I was just putting a new gunsight
mount on this .30-.30 barrel.

I'd like to finish it
before the alloy sets.

Alloy?

Oh, yeah.
Eutectic fusible alloy.

Fancy name, ain't it?

But it does the job --

low melting point, easy to handle,

and, well, it fuses
the mount to the barrel.

What can I tell you, Mr. Queen?

Well, for one thing,
why you let Stu Hendricks

take all the credit
when you did the work.

There's nothing in his background

that suggests he knew anything
about gun design.

But there sure is in yours.

And that pretty much proves
my son's point.

Look, when you work for a man

and he wants to take credit
for something --

well, he's paid you
for the privilege.

We never got any credit.

We?

Uh, me or Brandon Childs.

Well, he's the one
who figured the design,

but I did most of the work.

Hmm. You know
what that means, son?

It means that Brandon Childs
wouldn't have much reason

to steal the plans for the gun.

He could drawn 'em up again
in his sleep.

If that's what you're drivin' at,
you're on the wrong highway.

Well, him and me, we worked here
five or six weeks every night.

No, he wouldn't steal them plans.

-The possibilities are dwindling.
-What about Jerry Hacker?

[Gunshots]

Who knew we were coming here?

No one. We were being followed.
Keep your head down.

Dad, that car!

What happened?
You fellas okay?

Ellery, what about that car?

It's Buck Nolan's car.

-Have you got a phone?
-Yes, sir.

Call Police Headquarters.

Oh, I can't.
The switchboard's shut down.

Dad, we're not going anywhere,
at least not for awhile.

-Is he in there, Velie?
-Near as we can figure, Inspector.

I've got three men on the back.

-Did you feel the hood?
-It was still warm. It was driven.

Let's go.

-Wait in the car.
-Oh, no, Dad.

Wait.

Take him down
and book him attempted murder.

I'm telling you, I never did it!

I swear to you, I didn't!
I've been at home all evening!

It's another frame-up!

-He's guilty.
-He's not guilty.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

He was reading, he says.

Somebody stole his car, he says.

Every time I turn around
in this case,

I fall over Buck Nolan,
and you say he's innocent.

Dad, I know how it looks.

-Want a glass of milk?
-No.

Oh, come on, have a glass of milk.
It's good for you.

Dad, he didn't drive that car.
The mirrors are wrong.

-What?
-The mirrors.

They're set for somebody
5'6" or 5'7".

-Buck is my height, right?
-So?

Well, I sat behind the wheel.
He didn't drive that car.

-Have a cookie.
-I don't want a cookie.

Why are you being so stubborn?

Why does Buck Nolan
have to be guilty?

'Cause Hamilton Drew
said he was?

That's not the reason.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Listen, the old man
made a lot of mistakes,

but he was the first to admit it.

Now, I'm no different -- I just
have to be shown where I'm wrong.

I can't. Not yet.

Have a cookie.

I don't--
All right, I'll have a cookie.

And a glass of milk,
and we'll go to bed.

-Oops.
-What happened?

Oh, it's Can Edison.
They're digging up the streets again.

-Ow.
-What's the matter?

I'm looking for a candle,
and I've found it.

Here.

That isn't going to put
any light on the subject.

Wait a minute. There we go.

There we are.

Now what are you doing?

I'm looking for an ashtray
to put the candle in.

Well, you're dripping
all over the tablecloth!

I'm sorry!

Now look. Look at the mess.

I see. I'll wipe it up.

No, no, no. Let it harden,
then you can peel it off.

All right.

-Let's go to bed.
-Okay.

Well, that's it.

Now I know how Stu Hendricks
was killed

and who must have killed him.

You have all the clues,

but do you know which ones
point to the murderer?

The melted wax helped me
put it together.

Remember the white powder
on the floor of the airplane.

And don't forget the ransom note
that was put back the wrong way.

And don't forget the sinker.

Well, that's it. You got it?
Let's find out.

Hello. Hi, Dad.

Thank you all for coming.

You know, Mr. Childs,
we don't have to be here.

It's all right, Jerry.

We all know why we've been
summoned, Mr. Queen.

Let's get on with it.
Where do we start?

On the plane.

Watch your step.

Will you all take the seats
that you had the night

that Stuart Hendricks
was killed, please?

Mrs. Childs. Mr. Childs.

Mr. Hacker.

Velie, you be Stuart Hendricks,
the victim.

He sat in the front seat
on the right side.

Buck, would you stand up there
by the door

so you can see what's going on?

Thank you.

Norma, would you take your seat,
please?

-Where do you want me, Ellery?
-Right back here, Dad.

Now, obviously, we're not going
to recreate the entire flight.

Everything we're concerned with

happened after the coffee
was drugged.

Norma, who drank the coffee?

All of us, except for Buck
and Mr. Hendricks.

If I had, I would've gone
dead to sleep,

and none of us would be here now.

Oh, right, we get it.

He didn't drink the coffee because
it would have put him to sleep.

He drugged the coffee.

I didn't drink the coffee
because I didn't drink the coffee.

Hold it, hold it, please.

Please.

The fact is, I think,
the coffee wasn't drugged

till after the plane was in the air.

Now, the coffee was back there.

Anybody could have slipped
the chloral hydrate

in the top of the thermos

while everybody's back
was facing away.

-You're guessing.
-Am I?

My dad's been standing back
by that thermos jug

for the past several minutes.

Did he put anything in the coffee,
or didn't he?

Cup of coffee, Hacker?

Okay, so maybe somebody could
have spiked the coffee. But who?

Well, the killer, of course.
Obviously he didn't drink any of it.

Oh, might have pretended to,
but didn't really.

Now, after everybody was asleep,

the killer and Mr. Hendricks

went back
into the cargo compartment.

They had something to talk about.

ALYSSA: The ransom
for the stolen rifle plans.

Well, let's just say
it was a private matter.

-Velie.
-Yeah.

You're Stu Hendricks, the victim.
I'll be the killer.

Let's all go back
in the cargo compartment

and see what happened, okay?

Come on.

Watch your step.

Now, this is where
Stu Hendricks was killed.

And this is how.

The killer had already planted
this dagger in the survival kit.

Is that the murder weapon, Maestro?

No, but it's a lot like it.

I made this to match
the dimensions of the wound.

You made it?

Yeah, Dad. It's not hard,
once you know how and what with.

Now, the killer...
stabbed the victim

in the heart through the jacket

and the envelope
in the inside pocket.

Really, Mr. Queen.

Is it necessary to put my wife
through this a second time?

Yes, Mr. Childs, I believe it is.

Now, let's talk about that envelope
for a moment.

Dad, can you hold that?
Thank you.

Yeah.

-The other side.
-What?

-The other side.
-Oh, yeah.

Yeah. This envelope--

Well, let's go back
in the compartment

where we can talk about it.

This envelope with a letter
containing a demand for $100,000

for the return of the stolen
automatic rifle model and the plans.

Why, sure.

It was the thief
Stu went back to talk to.

They had an argument,
and the thief used the blade on him.

Wrong, Buck.

If the thief was a killer, he would
have taken the ransom note.

The fact is, the killer took
the envelope out of the pocket,

looked at it, but put it back.

But why?

Because it didn't implicate
the killer.

But it did fit in with the killer's
plans to frame Buck Nolan.

You believe he was framed,
Mr. Queen?

Yes, just as I believe
that Mr. Hendricks

knew that the real thief
was on the plane

and planned to turn him over
to the FBI when they landed.

Now, I know Brandon Childs
didn't steal the rifle plans --

he designed them.

Buck Nolan stole those plans.

Ah, Hamilton Drew
didn't believe that, and neither do I.

Now, you had access
to the shipping orders, Mr. Hacker.

You stole the rifle
and tried to frame Buck.

Now, you wait just a minute.

You took a shot
at my father and me last night

because you thought
we're getting close to the truth.

That must have been Mr. Nolan.

Nolan is 6'2".

The driver of that car
was more your size.

Would you care to tell me

where you were last night
around 10:30?

At another party?

Think about that very carefully
before you answer.

All right.

So I tried to provide myself
with a little cushion. So what?

We were at war.
Our troops needed that rifle.

Well, they got it, didn't they?

Why is everyone
looking at me like that?

ALYSSA: Oh, Jerry.

Why are you so surprised?

What do you care?

You think I don't know
what you thought about me,

you and Hendricks?

"Stay with the company, Jerry.
You've got a great future here."

And I believed it, too,

till one day I discovered
I was just one of his stooges,

and that's all I ever could be.

So you killed him and framed Buck!

No, I did not!

You heard what he said!
The thief is not the murderer!

ALYSSA:
Well, if it wasn't Jerry...

It was someone who had a good
reason for wanting Hendricks dead,

someone who wanted
to frame Buck,

and someone who knew how
to make a dagger disappear.

Dad, may I have that thermos,
please?

Thank you.

Mrs. Childs, would you hold this?

A spoon.

Look, Mr. Queen,
I really don't have much interest

in watching you drink
a cup of coffee.

Oh, I'm not going to drink it.
I'm just going to stir it.

Thank you.

I bought this spoon
in a novelty shop.

It has some very, very
interesting properties.

Like this.

-What happened?
-Where did it go?

It must be made of soap
or something.

Not soap, Buck. Metal.

But a special kind of metal --
eutectic fusible alloy.

The same kind of material used
to make the murder weapon.

Now, the killer
melted the dagger in the pan

over the stove in the survival kit.

Then he poured the hot liquid
into a plaster mold

that he'd already concealed
in the survival kit.

It cooled very rapidly
and changed into this form.

The whatchamacallit!

A sinker.

After the dagger changed form,

the killer smashed the mold
with the thermos bottle,

breaking glass liner inside,

leaving just a few traces of plaster
of Paris on the compartment floor.

Get to it, Mr. Queen.
Who killed him?

Someone familiar
with eutectic fusible alloy.

Someone also familiar
with mold-making

in order to, first of all,
cast a dagger itself,

then to recast it into a sinker

that would go unnoticed
in the survival box.

Brandon.

You already knew that Jerry Hacker
planned to frame Buck Nolan

for the theft of the rifle plans.

It made it more convenient
to frame him for murder, too.

What about it, Hacker?

-Brandon...
-You stay out of this, Jerry.

Look, I always thought
it was Nolan who killed him.

Then he did know
you were the thief.

Of course he did.
He cut himself in for half the money.

That's ridiculous.

Why do you think
he kept me around all these years?

He got everything --
Stu's wife, his job!

You should have let me
keep that money, Brandon!

You should have treated me better!

Velie, put the cuffs on.

Which one?

Both of them.

Dad, why does the coffee
always taste better in your office

than it does at home?

Because my secretary doesn't
make coffee at home -- you do.

-Excuse me, Inspector.
-Oh, Grace.

If you have a chance,

Ellery would like to jot down
your recipe for coffee.

Uh, it's only coffee and water.

Which one of those ingredients is it
that you're leaving out at home?

Dad, Grace has a matter
that she wants to talk to you about.

It's the Hendricks Case.

I'm closing the file,
and I'd like to know

who gets credit for solving it --
the department or who?

It was Ellery.

Who made use of an investigation
brought to a successful conclusion

by the late private detective,
Hamilton Drew.

May he rest in peace.

I'm sure he will.