Original subtitles

How about explosion, fire? Simple. Direct.

Oh, I know what destroyed the body.

But is that what killed him?

Dr. Stone!

Oh!

Quincy, your Dr. Stone just blew us out of the water.

I don't understand you, Dr. Quincy.

If Dr. Stone is willing to attest

that Mr. Farrell is dead, it seems to me

that reasonable men might expedite matters

by agreeing to issue an immediate death certificate.

I'll nail you!

I only testify to what I believe is possible!

You're not thinking of killing him?

Gentlemen, you are about to enter

the fascinating sphere of police work:

the world of forensic medicine.

This court's calendar is predicated upon witnesses being here

when their testimony is required.

I assume the District Attorney's office

is aware of that very obvious fact.

Absolutely, Your Honor.

The medical examiner assured me that he...

I don't know where he is.

I've sent someone to look for him.

The coroner's office is three blocks away.

This court will recess for 15 minutes.

That's five minutes to travel each block.

My mother, who is 94 and in a wheelchair,

could travel that distance with time to spare.

Yes, Your Honor.

All rise.

It never hurts to have an irritable judge,

providing she's irritated at the right side.

That medical examiner is in for a rough time, Doctor.

The judge's attitude doesn't interest me, Mr. Borland.

The evidence matters, nothing else.

Quincy! Where's Schiller?

He was supposed to be here 10 minutes ago.

His back went out.

He's gotta testify.

He can't move his neck.

One shoulder's higher than the other.

His hands point south while he's going north.

If his face was blue,

he'd look like an early Picasso.

Quincy...

Dr. Stone!

Oh!

Oh, I heard you moved back East.

That's when I retired. I've moved back.

Oh, how's Edith?

Uh, none of us is young anymore.

Oh, your wife will always be young.

Give her my love, will you?

Hey, listen, we have to have dinner... the three of us.

I'll fix it on my boat.

I've followed your career

in the journals, even in the daily papers.

I like to know how my students are getting along.

Oh, Sam. Sam Fujiyama.

I'd like you to meet Dr. Herbert Stone.

My pleasure, sir.

He taught me pathology.

Well, he taught me everything I know.

I assume you're here to represent the medical examiner.

Oh, well, I'm pinch-hitting.

I barely had a chance to look at the material.

We'll talk later. If you need more time to prepare,

I'm sure Mr. Borland will agree to a delay.

Oh, I thought I recognized that lawyer, Borland.

His tongue against your scalpel

in a cutting contest, my money goes on him.

Sam, never mind him.

You may not realize this, but this could be

one of the highlights of your life.

Just being in the same room with Herbert Stone.

The man is a giant.

And if you're gonna play Jack the Giant Killer,

you better go over these autopsy reports.

Now, this section of the victim's pancreas

shows severe injury to the organ,

possibly as a result of a blow

he received in the automobile accident.

See.

The pancreas normally secretes digestive juices

which flow into the small intestine.

Now, in this case, because of the injury,

those juices seeped into the tissue of the pancreas,

and it began digesting itself.

Tell me, Dr., uh, Quincy... Yes.

Uh, could there be other causes

for what you indicate happened

to the poor gentleman's pancreas?

Oh, yes, of course. There's disease,

and certain natural processes.

But in this case the evidence is quite clear.

Do you know Dr. Stone?

Yes.

Uh, and you're familiar

with the textbooks he's written?

I've memorized them.

I studied under Dr. Stone.

How would you rate him as a pathologist?

Top of the list. He's the best.

No further questions, Your Honor.

Lights, please.

Uh, the witness may step down.

There is no question

that there is pancreatic tissue destruction.

Would you say, Dr. Stone,

that a blow to the abdomen could produce this condition?

Yes, it clearly could result in this kind of injury.

It could. However, I don't believe it did.

I agree with Dr. Quincy

in that other conditions can produce this effect.

I depart

in that I am confident what we are looking at,

here is the outcome of a natural process.

Your witness, Counselor.

Lights, please.

How do I show he's wrong?

I can't say he's wrong.

He's not just another witness, you know.

He happens to be Dr. Herbert Stone.

Counselor?

Uh, just one moment, Your Honor, please.

Quincy, your Dr. Stone just blew us out of the water, man.

What am I gonna say?

I don't know.

Oh, either he's wrong or all of this is wrong.

Come on, man, this whole case is riding on this.

It's a matter of interpretation.

Pathology is not always an exact science, you know.

It's the importance you give to a...

To a shadow or a faint line.

If it was anybody else but Dr. Stone...

I have no further questions, Your Honor.

Quince, I know he was your teacher, but...

Professor. He was a professor of pathology.

He could've been wrong, couldn't he?

Of course, he could've been wrong.

There's a better chance I am.

Just remember, I didn't even prepare the slides.

It doesn't make too much sense to me.

The department wouldn't have pursued the case

unless it was sure.

Will you knock it off, Sam?

If Herbert Stone tells you that black is white,

you better check your vision

before you start arguing with him.

I still believe... Will you knock it off?

Sam.

Dr. Astin said I could stay.

Hey, that's great.

After all those things I broke.

Hey, don't say anything.

What?

Uh, I told him, uh, I did it.

Sam!

Oh.

Oh.

Sam, what's the matter?

Uh, it's nothing.

I'll tell you later. Uh, excuse me.

Sam, are you bleeding?

Oh, I-it's nothing.

Blood. He didn't say a word.

Well, they're right. They are inscrutable.

It sure looks like injury to the pancreas.

You know Quincy, letting Borland defeat us today

doesn't do us any good. It's bad for our image.

Yeah. I got a good shot at an ax murderer next week.

You can get 3-to-1 in Las Vegas.

That'll be terrific for your image.

Yeah, terrific.

Still, you know, Dr. Schiller said

he gave you an airtight case.

Yeah, Dr. Stone arranged for it to spring a leak.

Dr. Herbert Stone?

That's right.

Ah!

Well, Quincy, I'm sure you did your best.

Thank you.

It just wasn't good enough.

You didn't win, but we'll overlook it.

Uh, right now I want you

to get over to, uh, Petrochem Refinery.

They had an accident.

An oil refinery? Was it bad?

Would I be sending you there if it were good?

No.

Hey, give me a hand!

I haven't been able to get ahold of Farrell's wife yet.

Keep trying.

Got enough pictures there?

Sure have, Quince.

Okay, rush them through. Well, you got it.

You finished? For now.

Can you give me the cause of death?

Soon as I know.

How about explosion, fire? Simple. Direct.

Oh, I know what destroyed the body.

But is that what killed him?

What's the mystery?

The deceased, William Farrell,

vice president of Petrochem Refineries.

Quincy, he was seen by the gate guard

driving onto the grounds

10 minutes before the explosion.

That reminds me.

His glasses were beside the body, broken.

And did you check into the car

to see if he had an extra pair there?

You think he'll need them now?

Just check it out. Let me know.

Were you able to get a blood type?

The guy was burned so badly, his blood cooked.

Hmm.

The test result's zilch.

Maybe I won't need it.

I'm getting Farrell's medical history.

I'll check it against our findings.

Mind if I take my, uh, coffee break?

Now?

With Alice?

That's probably the right name for it: break.

Morning, Sam.

Morning, Lieutenant.

Sgt. Brill told me

you were interested in Farrell's glasses.

Yeah, I've been running tests for two days.

The glasses belong to Farrell.

I don't know if the body did.

Oh, fill me in on it.

Well, a guy as near-sighted as Farrell

always carries an extra pair of glasses.

Do you know what would happen

if he broke the pair of glasses he was wearing?

He'd be practically blind.

Is that all you've got to go on?

Did you find a second pair?

I don't believe you, Quincy.

You mean, you're holding up on a death certificate

because a... a pair of glasses are missing?

I have a hunch I'll find a lot more

when I finish the tests I'm running.

Sam's having coffee.

Look, Farrell was called to the plant

because a foreman there, he suspected a gas leak.

Now the arson boys checked out everything,

and it all adds up

to an accident, nothing else.

I'm not satisfied.

Oh, you never are.

Quincy, the guy could have broken his glasses

the day before he died.

Yes, he could've, but I called his optometrist,

and he hadn't ordered a new pair.

I don't believe you.

Lieutenant, how are you?

Great, great.

I'll tell you, if my job was paid on the basis of piecework

instead of a flat salary,

Quincy here would make me a rich man.

Quincy, I just got a call

from an attorney, uh, Martin Borland.

He's been retained by William Farrell's widow

to, uh, force issuance of a death certificate,

so that the, uh,

woman can collect her husband's insurance.

Why, is Farrell dead?

Well, at this point I sure hope so,

because you examined him. Now isn't he?

I'm doing that new pubic symphysis section.

This is the first slide. Take a look at it.

I know we haven't tested this in court yet,

but I feel strongly

we can establish that victim was in his 205.

Well, I see what you mean.

It's, uh, very interesting,

but I wouldn't call that conclusive.

Well, I would say it was strongly suggestive that

the, uh, victim might be a younger man.

Look, if Mr. Borland...

I'll check for basement-membrane

alterations with an electron microscope.

Quincy, that'll take days.

You know, you'll tie up the whole lab.

Uh, the slide is very nice,

but it is only suggestive evidence,

so on what basis are you going to give me such chaos?

On the basis of our need to be sure.

Quincy.

Dr. Stone, I presume? Hmm.

How are you, sir?

I am Dr. Astin.

Good morning, Quincy,

I was delighted to hear that we'd be working together.

The Farrell case?

Yes, I've been retained to represent Mrs. Farrell.

Of course I'm sure I'll agree with your findings

after I've examined the tissue samples.

Dr. Stone, if I may say so, sir,

I am very honored to have you here.

Now, you may not be familiar with, uh, Dr. Quincy's work,

but I'm sure you'll find he is a...

I trained him.

Quincy, if you could give me

whatever materials you've put together,

I could go right to work.

Sam, you are a disgrace.

I not only run a tight ship,

but a neat ship.

I expect the appearance of my people

to reflect credit on our department.

Now clean up.

See you later, sir?

Oh, uh, excuse me.

Sit down, sir.

Thank you.

So this is really a beautiful lab.

Okay.

A man could do good work here.

I had a lab just like this for 37 years,

before I retired.

I know.

It doesn't belong to you.

You're only permitted to use it as long as you...

You ever thought of going back into private practice?

Oh, n-not any more than you thought about leaving the university.

Hmm, I'll take the specimens,

and maybe you could arrange a small room

with a microscope where I could study them.

You're gonna use mine.

I want you to see this pubic-symphysis slide.

Now there are bone abnormalities...

I'll look at the slides in private.

I'm perfectly capable of reaching my own conclusions.

You wouldn't want me to be influenced

by my personal feelings for you, now, would you?

Oh, no... no... no. Look, I'm so excited about this...

Good. Just so long as we both understand

that we're going into an adversary hearing

where we'll be representing opposite sides.

Well, how can there be two sides to truth?

Maybe you could show me into some room

where I could work undisturbed.

Sure, I'd be glad to. Good.

Adam, show Dr. Stone to the serology lab, please.

Sure thing.

I'll be eager to hear your findings.

I'll report them to Dr. Astin.

Oh! My, that was a close call!

Hi, Alice.

Hi.

Oh, Alice.

I'll clean it up.

No. No, I'll handle it.

I don't understand you, Dr. Quincy.

If Dr. Stone is willing to attest

that Mr. Farrell is dead,

it seems to me reasonable men might expedite matters

by agreeing to issue an immediate death certificate.

Who says I'm reasonable?

Well, that'll be the day. Right, gentlemen?

Quincy, Dr. Stone has examined the tissues.

He finds no evidence to support your position.

But the pubic symphysis is evidence.

Inconclusive.

You pointed out the abnormality yourself.

Yeah, but I have other slides.

Quincy, your dedication makes me proud

that you were my student.

However, there does come a time

when one must back down.

In this case,

in light of the circumstances surrounding Farrell's death,

failure to issue a death certificate

is unwarranted harassment for the widow.

But, Dr. Stone,

if we say that Farrell died in that fire,

the case is closed.

Now if we're mistaken in our identification,

we may never know who the dead person is.

A murderer may go free.

You never taught me

to practice forensic pathology that way.

You're confusing stubbornness with principle, Quincy.

Well, maybe I am.

I just can't see it, that's all.

Dr. Astin, I have great respect

for Dr. Quincy's tenacity,

but I can't allow my client to be harmed,

so that he can indulge in some baseless crusade

for what he alone conceives to be truth and justice.

I don't believe that I am alone.

I'm sure Dr. Stone agrees that there is doubt

about the identity of the victim.

Oh, I'm afraid I can't agree with any such thing.

Dr. Astin, I believe you have the authority

to order a death certificate issued.

No, he doesn't... he doesn't have that kind of authority,

not without an inquest.

Not when the examining pathologist

questions the cause of death.

Then I would hope, doctor, that you schedule the inquest

as soon as possible.

An inquest?

To spare this poor widow any additional suffering. Yes.

An inquest.

Would Thursday at 2:00 be soon enough?

What are you... I need more time than that!

Thursday would be fine, Doctor.

Dr. Quincy, schedule it for Thursday.

Sam, you all right?

Yeah.

Watch where you're kneeling.

Hi, Dr. Quincy.

Hi. Excuse me.

Hey, where are you going?

To see Mrs. Farrell, the phantom's widow.

Oh.

Mrs. Farrell, I know this is difficult for you,

but it could be important to me

if I could find out something

about your husband's medical history.

Well, surely you've learned the name of his doctor.

He would be a better source.

I spoke to his doctor.

Except for his eyes,

your husband was in very good condition.

Then you've answered your own question.

Except that it doesn't jell with what I've been finding.

I understand that you and your husband

traveled out of the country a great deal.

Latin America, Indonesia.

Were there any medical incidents

he didn't tell his doctor about?

I don't know.

I... I don't know what he discussed with his doctor.

This is your profession.

You deal with death every day.

Are you aware of its effect on the living?

The pain, confusion, the torment.

Why are you adding to it?

I don't mean to.

The police...

The police officer asked m-me about Bill's glasses.

He said that you were interested.

Yes, I am.

Well, I was, uh, I was upset.

I... I wasn't thinking clearly.

Bill had broken the bridge piece the morning...

The day that it happened.

I said I'd have them fixed.

I just... I never got around to it.

They've been here in his study all the time.

W-Would they be of any help to you?

Yes, they will.

Good.

Then can I expect you to end this dreadful ordeal?

Well, there will be an inquest.

Because of your stubbornness.

My attorney told me

that everyone was in agreement but you.

I'm sorry.

Sorry?

Well, I don't accept your apology

because if you were sorry, you would stop all of this.

I...

I can't discuss this with you anymore.

I really am sorry.

We could be in trouble.

You said we couldn't be, that there was no way.

I still think so, but there's too much

riding on this to take a chance.

Bill, you're not thinking of killing him?

No, you don't use blasting powder

to open a tin of sardines.

It's enough if Dr. Quincy is unable

to continue his activities

for the next several days.

Please report to the nurses' station,

What are you sneaking around for?

I thought you were asleep.

I didn't wanna disturb you.

How are you feeling?

Okay.

How can you sleep in a hospital?

Every time you nod off,

the nurse wakes up to give you a sleeping pill.

Turn on the light, will you?

Will you pick up the weight?

Sure it's all right?

Pick it up, will you?

Besides, I don't wanna sleep, I wanna talk to you.

What took you so long to get here?

I had important crimes to take care of.

Oh, somebody tried to kill me.

That's not important?

Quincy, you walked in on a burglar.

He slugged you because you blocked his way out.

When he was hiding.

Why didn't he wait? I might have left.

If he wanted to kill you, why didn't he?

I don't know.

Why don't you find him and ask him?

Look, in the past couple of months,

there's been at least six boats ripped off down here.

Yeah, what'd he take off my boat?

Just your stereo.

Probably some hyped-up kid needin' money for a fix.

Did he take my binoculars?

No.

Well, they're pretty expensive.

I had a spare microscope under the table.

Did he take that?

It's still there.

Don't you see?

If he was a burglar, he would have taken everything.

It was just a cover-up.

Will you stop trying to make a conspiracy?

Now be glad you scared him off,

or he would have ripped you off completely.

You're lucky.

I'm lucky?

My head feels like it's busted wide open.

My back feels like

somebody's driving a 10-inch spike in it,

and you say I'm lucky?

Quincy,

if whoever was on that boat wanted you dead,

you wouldn't be breathing very good right now.

You were out cold.

They could have done anything.

What about the glasses?

Well, I don't know. I didn't see 'em.

Maybe the burglar took 'em.

Not mine. Farrell's.

Isn't it just marvelous

that his missing pair of glasses turn up

soon as there's a little heat put on the case?

I mean, when is a coincidence too coincidental for you?

When you get your teeth into one,

and won't let it die a natural death.

Goodbye, Quincy.

I'll let you know the results of Thursday's inquest.

What results? I'm gonna be there.

Maybe.

Maybe?

Oh, boy.

I don't believe it.

Sam here.

Sam, Quincy.

Well, I feel lousy. That's why I'm in the hospital. Yeah.

How are you doing

with those sections for the electron microscope?

Astin said to stop work on that.

Why did Astin do that?

Well, you forget it. Get right back.

Yes, I want you back on the job.

Now keep it cooking.

Yes, sir.

That's right. I... I want the epoxy resin polymerized in section

when I come back to the lab on Thursday.

Quincy, I'm liable to get fired.

Sam, you got your choice.

You can be fired Thursday by Astin

when he finds out or get fired by me now.

Right.

Call me tomorrow and give me a report.

Come in. I'll talk to you then.

You got accident insurance, Quincy?

Hang this up for me, will you?

What'd they do? Demote you?

Now you're selling insurance

instead of investigating claims?

No. I'm just being friendly,

and I just wanna see if you're covered,

but not by my company.

Listen, take that weight, put it on the rope, will ya?

Oh, yeah.

Here we are.

At the rate you thieves charge for insurance,

I can't afford to be covered or uncovered.

Here you are.

Does this mean we're engaged?

I just hope we're on the same side this time.

What does that mean?

You're up against Herbert Stone

in the Farrell case, aren't you?

Yeah.

You're, uh, buddy-buddy, right?

What is it, Max?

I'm going after him, Quincy.

I don't want you to get in my way.

Wait a minute. I mean, he's not a criminal.

He's not Public Enemy Number One.

Maybe he's not that to you

But Stone has testified on four of my company's cases

in the last six months,

and every time he's blasted us.

Now they were small cases, but I get the pattern.

He's your original "Have microscope, will testify to anything."

Max, he's truly one of the great, honorable

men in pathology.

You've flipped out.

Quincy,

you're remembering the Stone of years ago.

This is a different guy.

He's hustling expert witness fees

and using all kinds of ruses.

I know the type.

You're ripping into Stone

because he testified against your company.

He cost you a few bucks, not even your money...

Yours, Quincy. Everybody's.

We all have to foot the bill for fraud.

And we all have to pay the tab in higher insurance rates.

I'm not touched with your concern

for my insurance costs.

I know Herbert Stone.

The Farrell case is big time

$1 million is involved.

Maybe a murder thrown in to make it interesting.

You wouldn't let your friendship with Stone

get in the way of a heavy thing like that, would you?

You just got in the way of our friendship, Max.

I'm very tired. Do you mind?

Okay, Quincy. See you around.

Hello. Finished?

Oh, a long time ago.

Do you know this hospital

has made a major breakthrough in science?

What's that?

It has managed to make grapefruit,

orange juice, eggs, bacon, toast,

and coffee taste like... Oatmeal. Oatmeal.

Oh, you've heard it before? I've heard it before.

Hope you can change this.

Hey, feeling better, huh?

Well, two visits from the busiest cop in town.

I'm flattered.

I just wondered how you were feeling. That's all.

I feel pretty good,

but you'd be one lousy crook, 'cause you're a rotten liar.

Look, I was talking to the doctor.

He wants you to stay in the hospital till Monday

for more tests. It's very important.

Well, the inquest is important, too.

Astin says he doesn't need you there.

He doesn't need me there.

That's what he thinks, 'cause I'm gonna be there.

Look, Quincy,

I've been thinkin' about, uh,

what you mentioned about that thief.

I think maybe somebody's trying to kill you.

Oh, out of the blue you believe me now.

Well, I know what you're trying to pull.

And you won't get away with it.

You can't keep me here.

Sorry.

Court order.

You're under protective custody.

Now you stay here until the doctor says

it's okay for you to leave.

Who do you know that's big enough to keep me here?

Garcia.

Hey, you just relax, take it easy.

You'll feel fine. I'll see you later.

Dr. Pierce,

report to OR. 3, please.

Dr. Pierce, please report to OR. 3.

Hi, Garcia.

Hello. Danny's.

This is Quincy. Where have you been?

What do you mean, "where have I been?" Right here.

Then why didn't you answer the phone?

It rang twice and I'm answering the phone.

It rang six times.

Six, two.

Listen, the phone isn't attached to my ear, you know.

All right, listen.

You gotta sneak me out of this hospital.

Yeah. What's the matter?

You don't wanna pay your hospital bill?

Will you stop with the jokes? Now do what I tell you.

Yeah, but, Quincy, how, what...

You know, I never been involved

with no hospital break.

This will be your maiden effort.

Now we're gonna need Sam to help us.

I gotta get out of here.

Okay, here's what we'll do.

Dr. Roberts,

report to Emergency, please.

Dr. Roberts, please report to Emergency.

Who is that?

Dr. Quincy.

He wasn't seriously injured.

He was due to be released in three days.

You know how fast it can happen.

How much time do we have?

10 minutes.

Dr. Stone is waiting in the inquest room.

I want you to tell him that I have to talk to him.

It's very important.

I'll be in the counselor's room.

Quincy, whatever you want to say to Stone,

he doesn't want to hear.

You're only going to make it rough on him or yourself.

I gotta find out, Sam, please.

I was distressed to hear about your accident, Quincy.

Thank you.

I didn't pull you out of the inquest room

to discuss the state of my health.

Quincy, my good friend,

it's obvious why you called me in here.

Obvious, unnecessary, and unwise.

Please...

In just a few minutes, very few minutes,

the inquest will be underway.

We can present our opposing views

for a fair-minded public resolution.

Why should we subject ourselves

to the unpleasantness of a private disagreement?

Because I have to understand.

It's driving me crazy.

I mean, I know you.

I know how you look at things.

I know what you are.

Okay.

Also I want to tell you what I've got.

I told you this is an adversary hearing.

You present your evidence. I'll present mine.

We are not adversaries. We're doctors.

Our only adversary is disease or bad medicine,

or lies.

Please hear me out.

I'm going to put Farrell's doctor on the stand.

I'm going to establish his physical condition

and his medical record.

I will rule out the possibility

of any bone abnormality

affecting the pubic symphysis.

Now that victim was at least 10 years younger than Farrell.

You're wasting my time. I've looked at your slides.

I differ with your interpretation.

That's not all. I ran other tests.

I will listen to whatever you have to say

when that court convenes.

Now will you please move away from that door?

No, I won't have you hurt.

I have evidence.

Doctor, I could have you up on charges

before the ethics committee of the Path. Society.

Your behavior

is... is incredible!

The only charitable view is that

you have temporarily lost your sanity.

And what have you lost?

What happened to that doctor with the open mind,

the one who believed

that the search for truth

was the highest goal a man could achieve?

I see no need to defend myself.

There's no point in continuing this conversation.

I'm not doing this for my sake.

I'm pleading with you not to go out on a limb.

Here it is.

I have electron-microscopic evidence

that is absolutely conclusive.

You consider the symphysis slides conclusive.

My confidence in your judgment

is long gone.

Do you know the kind of reputation you're getting?

Max Wilbur, the top insurance fraud investigator, said it.

He said, "Stone has a microscope,

and will testify to anything."

You're insulting.

I'm sorry.

But I can't let you get on that witness stand,

and paint yourself into a corner.

Now believe me, I have evidence

that you cannot refute.

If, as I suspect, your evidence is

of a caliber with your recent performance,

I will most certainly testify

that the pathological findings

are not inconsistent with those

that might be found in a man of Farrell's age,

and possible physical condition.

"Not inconsistent with."

"Might be present."

"Possible physical... Do you hear yourself?

Those are the words that cut the hard edge off the truth.

I always leave an area for doubt.

I consider none of us infallible.

I'll crucify you.

It won't be a lawyer asking you those questions.

It'll be me. What'll you answer then?

With the truth, as I see it.

As I always have.

"Oh, not inconsistent with." "Might be present."

"Possible physical con..."

I won't let you get away with those words.

I'll nail you!

I only testify to what I believe is possible!

It is impossible for the man who died

in that fire to be Farrell!

Who do you think you're talking to?

Some 3rd-year medical student?

I'm Herbert Stone.

37 years of my life

have been spent in the single-minded pursuit

of knowledge and honesty.

I can prove that with the imitation parchment

scroll given me by the university

when I was forcibly retired at the age of 65.

Oh, I had saved a little of my professor's salary.

Though occasionally,

I had advanced money to students

who were in some difficulty.

They were not all like you, Quincy,

in the matter of repaying.

I left the university with $300.

I may have lost some of my certainty at that point.

If it's a question of money, maybe I...

Absolutely not.

I'm in private practice now.

I make a great deal of money

by stating that all things are possible.

I will not go hat in hand to anyone, ever again.

My wife is terminally ill.

She's confined to bed,

needing nursing care around the clock.

She'll have that, Quincy.

She'll have anything she needs or wants.

That is one point I am certain about.

I'm due at the inquest.

All rise.

This coroner's inquest will please come to order.

Kindly be seated.

Case number 15211. William Farrell.

Dr. Astin?

Pardon me?

I would like to correct the record, please.

Case 15211. John Doe.

The identity of the victim has not yet been established.

We stand corrected. So ordered.

The purpose of any inquest is to bring to light

pertinent information surrounding a death.

However, in this case,

the issue is less the cause of death

than the identity of the deceased.

While this is not a court of law,

It is a legal court of inquiry.

Subpoenaed witnesses will be questioned under oath.

And, uh, Dr. Quincy

is the presiding medical examiner.

Dr. Quincy, would you state for the record

the official cause of death?

The subject was killed during a fire

and explosion at the Petrochem Refinery

on April 27, approximately 8:00 pm.

Exact cause of death:

extreme physical trauma due to the explosion.

The body of the victim was burned beyond recognition,

so the usual means of identification were useless.

May I, Dr. Astin?

Even the teeth gave no clues about the dental work

or even pathology in sit...

The point was made

that the victim was William Farrell.

I would like the jury to study

this recent photograph of Mr. Farrell.

You will notice that he is a man of about, uh...

Oh.

Sam.

Uh, to save time, we will stipulate

that Mr. Farrell was 37 years of age,

and in good health at the time of his death.

Oh, no... no, Mr. Borland.

Thank you very much, but, no, thank you.

Since we have not established his death,

and I don't really want a vague stipulation

about his good health,

I think the jury's entitled to the specifics

of his physical condition.

I call Dr. Albert Freeman.

Dr. Albert Freeman.

Why did Quincy refuse the stipulation?

I don't know.

Could he have something we don't know about?

I can't answer that.

He's a very resourceful pathologist.

So are you,

and have already been very well paid for your resources.

I'm depending on them.

Albert Freeman, M.D.

Dr. Freeman, how long were you

William Farrell's personal physician?

When's the last time you saw him?

12 years.

I saw him most recently five weeks ago.

How often did you see him when he was your patient?

Invariably, for an annual physical checkup.

Occasionally, to treat some acute condition

of flu, bronchitis,

once a very mild case of food poisoning.

Mr. Farrell enjoyed remarkably good health.

No sign of chronic illness?

None.

Now when he came to you for these annual physicals,

did you give him the routine urinalysis,

blood chemistry, chest x-rays, EKG?

Of course.

And they were all normal?

That's correct.

No pathology, no question of disease?

None.

Thank you, Doctor.

Your witness.

I didn't hear anything in Freeman's testimony

to hurt us, did you?

Quincy's setting the stage.

For what?

He said he'd done some additional tests.

Mr. Borland?

One moment.

You're the expert.

Do I try to take his testimony apart?

You can't.

No questions.

The witness may step down.

You guaranteed

that William Farrell died in that fire.

No... no... no, I guaranteed

there'd be no proof to the contrary.

I'll stand on that statement.

That's good enough.

Circumstantial evidence that it was Farrell

will prevail absent proof to the contrary.

Dr. Quincy.

Ladies and gentlemen,

you just heard William Farrell's doctor

testify that Mr. Farrell

suffered from no chronic illness.

Now I don't want to get technical,

but I have to try to make you understand what we're going to do.

I'm going to show you film of transmission electron microscope findings.

Sam, get the slide ready.

What's he got?

Probably a basement membrane.

I don't want medical code words.

I have to see the slide.

See it? Hell, you're gonna have to shoot it down.

Now this slide is a section of a normal arterial

from bone marrow.

This is the basement membrane.

See how thin it is, well defined? You see?

Give me the next slide, will you, Sam?

This is a similar section, only this was taken

from the decedent, the membrane.

Look how thick. It's thick because...

How do I tell you? It's filled with sickness.

We call it flocculent irregular hyaline thickening,

but it's sickness.

This condition never, now I repeat, never,

occurs unless the subject suffers

from diabetes mellitus.

The victim who died in that fire had diabetes.

Now we're not talking about some exotic disease

that might be overlooked or misdiagnosed.

We're talking about diabetes,

a common, readily recognizable entity,

a disease from which William Farrell

did not suffer.

And that's why I say it's impossible

that it was William Farrell who died in that fire.

This is where you earn your money, Doctor.

Dr. Astin,

Dr. Quincy is a highly qualified pathologist,

but his conclusions don't always have the force

of the Sermon on the Mount.

Now he's led this jury to believe

that this slide presents irrefutable evidence,

and that is not so.

Oh, really?

Then you are prepared to refute it?

Yes, I am. Indeed.

Not personally,

but via one of the most distinguished pathologists

in this country, Dr. Herbert Stone.

Now, just a minute.

Dr. Stone, do you refute the evidence

that Dr. Quincy's presented on that slide?

Dr. Stone,

are you prepared to take the stand

and state under oath

that the consequence of diabetes

have not been demonstrated here?

I'll take the stand.

Dr. Stone, before you testify,

I would like you to take a look at...

Oh, my back. Sam. My back.

Dr. Quincy, are you all right?

Well, this spasm came back from the blow.

Would it help to lie down?

We could take a small recess.

Thank you. Good. Get me out of here. Very good, thank you.

Mr. Borland, Dr. Quincy's been in an accident.

I know you won't mind if we recess for half an hour.

It will take an hour, about an hour to get the...

Whatever will help. This inquest stands

adjourned until 3:20 this afternoon.

All rise.

Wait out here, Sam.

You have 35 minutes.

Thanks for reminding me.

May I come in, please?

Is the inquest over?

As far as you're concerned, it is.

What do you want?

Your husband.

If that's a joke, it's in very poor taste.

Murder always is.

Look, lady, I don't have time to play games.

I want you to leave.

A man was killed by your husband.

Don't insult my intelligence by telling me you don't know what I'm talking about.

You two stood to gain $1 million.

You're a very special person, Dr. Quincy.

I have never met anyone

who would intrude on the grief of a widow

with a wildly unreal,

unsubstantiated accusation of murder.

I'm not angry, I am just numb with shock.

Yeah, knock it off.

I presented irrefutable medical evidence at the inquest

that the man that died in the fire

was not your husband. I don't believe you.

I can't help the man who is dead,

but there is a man who will be as good as dead

if I don't get your cooperation.

He'll go on that witness stand. And he'll perjure himself,

and he'll destroy a lifetime of honor and decency,

and I'm not going to let that happen.

I don't know who you're talking about and I don't care.

Oh, I know you like to keep your victims nameless,

but hear this.

The police know that Farrell is not dead.

They're gonna keep looking.

The insurance company knows that he's not dead.

They're not going to pay off.

Let's face it, sister.

You're a loser.

I'll give you one more chance, no guarantees.

But you tell me where your husband is.

I'll do what I can for you.

Just words. You can't prove I've done anything.

I don't wanna listen to you.

But you're listening, aren't you?

Because you know you have no choice.

When they catch up with Farrell,

and they're gonna catch up with him,

you'll get what he gets.

You help me, I'll help you. I swear.

Otherwise, it's murder one.

You could be lying about proving that Bill's alive.

Call the coroner's office. Inquest Room 3.

Ask to speak to your lawyer. He'll tell you.

Your case is lost.

Get down here!

What are you trying to do, break my back?

What are you doing here?

I've got five minutes to make sure you guys get Farrell,

or I'm in contempt of Astin.

Where is he?

Shh. He's in there. Come on.

Brill.

Hey, get that girl out of there.

There's gonna be trouble.

That girl is Policewoman Billings.

She's got a gun under those towels.

She's captured four criminals in the past three years.

Who is it?

Maid.

Freeze.

Walk towards me, slowly.

Turn around, up against the wall.

That's an old man with no glasses.

He must be wearing contact lenses.

You'll feel more comfortable with these.

Take him away, Brill.

Oh, well...

What's bugging you now?

We may never know who died in that fire.

Oh, Quincy.

I'm sorry.

I just saw Dr. Astin.

Really?

Yeah, he offered me a job.

Consultant pathologist to the department.

I'd be working on problems arising

from differences between staff pathologists,

special situations, that sort of thing.

Sounds very interesting.

I guess it doesn't pay too well?

I wouldn't get rich. Who does?

But it must have its compensations.

You think I should take it?

Oh, I couldn't advise you what to do, Dr. Stone,

but if Astin recommended it,

I'd kinds go along with it.

Particularly when you were responsible for it.

Oh, no. Dr. Astin's a very independent man.

He's very stubborn.

Sure, sure. Thanks, Quincy.

Thanks for everything.

Now, Is there anything I should know about?

Never ask Alice to bring you coffee.