Original subtitles

Your passes, please.

Thank you.

- All right. You may proceed. - Thank you.

One moment, please.

Will you step from the car, please?

- Ah, yes, Gerta Pommer. - Yes.

The young man with you?

Uh, my nephew, Thomas Pommer, as you can see from other passport.

Yes, I see.

Well, Hoffer, could it be you are mistaken?

Mistaken, Herr Stromm?

For what you have attempted, fräulein,

people have spent years in prison.

Understand, Mr. Mason,

I know you have come here as a kindness,

as so many have shown me kindness in this country.

But you cannot change my mind.

I will do as they ask.

I will go back to East Germany.

You risked your life escaping from the Russians after the war.

You now trust them to keep their word?

You believe that once you're in their hands

they'll free your granddaughter?

Yes. They want me.

They do not need a 6-year-old child.

Six? Then you've never seen her.

We would not even have known that she existed.

Our letters to our daughter went unanswered.

Then two months ago, we heard of our daughter's death

and of her child in an orphanage in East Berlin.

How did you receive this information?

Could you come in, please, Gerta?

Through my assistant.

Miss Pommer, Mr. Mason.

- How do you do, sir? - How do you do, Miss Pommer.

I want to show Mr. Mason the photograph of my grandchild.

Yes.

Are you certain this is your daughter's child?

Gerta has seen her.

And the picture of my grandchild is identical

with the picture of my little mouse, my daughter, when she was a child.

We all went to West Berlin.

And then Gerta, she should be blessed,

she went across beyond the wall to bring Elke back to us.

Miss Pommer, weren't you arrested at the border?

- Yes. - Who negotiated your release?

The East German government questioned her and threatened her

and then allowed her to return with a proposal.

I was to take word to Herr Professor Ritter

that if he would return to East Germany to do his work,

Elke would be released to join her grandmother in the West.

At least they're offering a solution.

Not a solution, Doctor.

Blackmail.

Well, it is clear what I must do.

Oh, but it isn't clear.

You have no positive identification of the child

they claim is your granddaughter.

You've no guarantee they'll keep their agreement should you go over.

An American citizen has no right to negotiate with a foreign power.

I love this country, Mr. Mason.

I would do nothing to hurt it.

But you exaggerate my importance.

The trade is simple. My life is nearly over.

But the child's life stretches out beyond this century.

By trading my few years for her many,

I can assure her a good life, a meaningful and free life.

Tell him, Mr. Mason.

Make him realize

that he cannot trade himself as animals are traded.

- But there is no alternative. - There is.

Mr. Mason can go to East Berlin and negotiate for you.

Negotiate what, Mrs. Ritter?

Elke's release in return for the Fermi Prize money,

$50,000 that we never touched.

The law makes this a matter for the State Department,

but Professor Ritter thinks

that the department's first move would be to rescind his passport.

I see. To keep him from going back, no matter what.

Well, can't you alert the department on the QT?

That would entail betraying the confidence of a client.

However, I did plant a seed that may bring in the department.

Why do the communists want the professor?

Think what it would have meant

if Einstein had decided he preferred the East to the West.

And in scientific circles, Paul,

Professor Ritter has the respect of the world.

Perry Mason's office.

I think it's the call you're waiting for. Washington D.C.

Perry Mason speaking.

Oh, yes, of course I remember.

At the reception following your address before the American Bar Association.

I had hoped Mrs. Ritter would call you.

Only the reason that I gave her.

I have no right to negotiate.

In that case, sir, I'd be more than happy to proceed.

Goodbye.

Della, call Professor Ritter's home, would you please?

Who was that?

That, Paul, you'll learn from my memoirs.

Hello, this is Mr. Mason's office. Is Dr. Ritter there?

Yes, of course, Mrs. Ritter. Perry?

Hello?

He's what?

He is on his way to East Germany, Mr. Mason.

I found a note he left for me on his desk.

Yeah. Bitte.

He says that when he reaches East Berlin

he will have Elke sent to the American zone.

I am to wait for her there.

- So we are too late. - I'll be in touch with you, Mrs. Ritter.

Paul, check the overseas airlines and travel agencies.

And then?

Professor Ritter is on his way to East Berlin.

Chances are, he'll take an indirect route to disguise his destination.

You want me to catch up with him and keep him from crossing over.

That's right. Della, I'll need my passport.

Mr. Mason, over here.

The name's Carleton. Sam Carleton.

Uh, porter, just put those bags in the car.

I'm sorry, Mr. Carleton, I don't believe we've met.

Oh, of course. I recognized you immediately, so I figured...

Well, I'm Carleton Tours, Mr. Mason.

Your travel agent in Los Angeles told me to take good care of you

- while you're in Berlin. - Oh, this is indeed rare service.

It's only the beginning.

Uh, Mrs. Ritter, Miss Pommer. Mr. Carleton.

Ladies. Well, since we're going to be seeing a lot of one another,

I want you to start by calling me Sam, okay?

Right. Now the first order of business is to get you to your hotel.

I am sorry, fräulein. I should watch where I am going.

- Coming, Miss Pommer? - Yes, I'm coming.

- But, Frau Zimmer, please. - No.

- Uh, I promise. - No, Herr Hoffer, no more promises.

- You are late. - I had trouble getting away.

Is that the matron from the orphanage?

Frau Zimmer, an old and valued friend.

And the elderly woman at the train station is Frau Ritter, of course,

- but where is the professor? - He will he here soon.

- And the American, who is he? - Perry Mason, an attorney.

- He will represent the Ritters. - Represent.

What is there to represent?

The professor defects or he does not. It is as simple as that.

- There are complications. - Such as what?

- Beer, fräulein? - Yeah, danke.

Nein, nein, nein.

These, uh, complications...

I would prefer Mr. Mason told you about it.

You will tell me and now.

You forget, Hoffer, this is West, not East, Berlin,

and here I do what I please.

Ah, I concede defeat, fräulein.

But just what is it you please to do?

First, I give you instructions concerning the child Elke,

and, uh, your valued friend over there.

Elka, come with me.

- You are Mr. Mason? - Yes.

This is Elke. She speaks quite good English.

- Good morning, Elke. - Hello, sir.

If you don't mind, I'd like to speak with her alone.

I was not instructed to allow that.

You are being so instructed now.

Sit down, Elke.

- Could I ask you some questions? - Yeah.

When was it they took you away from your mother?

It has been almost one year.

They say she is too ill to take care of me.

They take her to the Krankenhaus.

The hospital?

Did your mother ever tell you what her mother called her

when she was a little girl?

A funny name, Klein Maus, because she was so quiet.

That's right, Little Mouse.

If you know, how come you ask me?

To make sure you're the Elke your grandparents are looking for.

Oh, I am. I am Elke.

Here is someone your grandmother sent to you so you won't be alone.

Wunderbar!

Such things are not permitted to children, Mr. Mason.

Elke, join the others at once.

One think we're certain of now,

Elke is really your granddaughter and not some child being used as bait

to lure your husband into East Germany.

I've never doubted that she was my granddaughter.

You must admit there was some cause for doubt.

I thought the child might be an invention, a part of their plan.

Don't underestimate the East German Peoples' Republic.

I'm not underestimating them.

I'm giving them credit for all the deviousness

they've proved themselves capable of.

Oh, I'm sorry to overhear,

but I came in through the bedroom door.

You are probably wondering

why I would try such a thing, so impossible a task.

- Here, liebchen. - Danke.

I question not the act itself, but the wisdom of it.

What made you believe you could manage it?

Oh, I have friends, Mr. Mason,

friends who help many people to escape from behind the wall.

And they help me. They have found Franz Hoffer for me.

You know Franz Hoffer?

I never saw or heard of him until Elke and I were stopped at the border.

And I didn't see him again until, uh, yesterday

when he gave me the note at the train station.

I wonder how he knew we were arriving.

I have no idea.

Uh, I only know that when the East Germans released me

to take the offer to Professor Ritter,

uh, I was told that Hoffer is to be my contact.

Do you know him, Mr. Carleton?

Now, you promised to call me Sam.

- Do you know him, Sam? - No.

But I know of him.

I mean, I've never actually run into him going back and forth,

but I know his name.

If you want to deal in the black market,

get a forged passport, you see Franz Hoffer.

Somehow, he is at home on both sides of the wall.

That doesn't surprise me about Hoffer.

He seems a very cold and cruel man.

You've seen him again this morning?

Yes, and he's agreed to take you to a highly placed official in East Berlin

with whom you can discuss your offer for Elke.

Who is this highly placed official?

Hoffer wouldn't tell me.

My advice to you, Mr. Mason,

is not to go until this highly placed contact is revealed.

But that's exactly why I'm here.

It's another long-distance call from Mr. Drake.

Hello? You're where?

Well, that was quick.

Then you'd better get moving.

Is Hans still in New York where Mr. Drake found him?

No, Mrs. Ritter, your husband's at the London Airport,

about to board a non-stop plane to Frankfurt.

Frankfurt?

- Then he'll be here this afternoon. - Unfortunately, yes.

And the appointment for tonight...

It will be too late.

Professor Ritter.

Mr. Mason, what are you doing here, and how did you find me?

- Your wife will explain. - Emma?

She is here too?

Yeah, Hans,

- I am here. I am here. - Emma. Emma.

Please, Emma, I have made up my mind.

I am going there now.

Professor, go back to the hotel with Emma.

I'm meeting the East Germans tonight to negotiate.

If we're successful there'll be no need for you to cross that border.

Forgive me, Mr. Mason, but I do not believe what you tell me.

If I go with Emma, for my own good, you will say,

you will not allow me to cross.

Professor Ritter, your wife has been terrified

that you'd manage to cross over before we could stop you.

Gerta has risked her life to prevent it.

Mr. Drake has followed you for 6,000 miles

to be certain of your safety.

I apologize, Mr. Mason, but a man must do what he must do.

I don't want your apologies.

I want your promise that you will wait one more day.

Hans, please.

Perry, I hate to do this, but should I just put him in the car?

No, Paul, if Professor Ritter is so intent on martyrdom,

so naive he's willing to turn himself over before the child is freed,

so arrogant as to believe that he and only he

has a solution to this dilemma, then he should go.

One more day I will wait.

That was close.

Too close.

And if we fail tonight, we won't have another chance.

In the middle of the next block, there is a very small hotel.

The Middlestadt. He will wait in the lobby.

Mr. Mason, I am Franz Hoffer, and, uh, who is this?

- A friend, Mr. Paul Drake. - Wait here.

There will be passes for both of you

waiting at the point where we will cross.

- We're going into East Germany? - Yes, but not far, Mr. Drake.

Only to a small chalet a few hundred yards from the border.

Franz Hoffer, with the two men for whom you are to provide passes.

You are doing a good business tonight, eh, Hoffer?

This is government business. The passes, please.

Perry Mason. And Paul Drake.

Good until morning.

I will now show you what is known in the Eastern Sector as a safe house.

May I present Mr. Mason and Mr. Drake.

This is Herr Wolfgang Stromm.

Be seated, gentlemen.

I would offer you some vodka,

but since it is Russian, I assume you would not care for it.

- You may leave us now, Hoffer. - As you say, Herr Stromm.

I've here a small dossier on you, Herr Mason.

It seems you are a most important man in your own country.

Relatively unimportant.

No, I say it merely to point out that you're not important here.

Thanks.

As for you, Herr Drake, it appears you arrived in West Berlin

a few hours ago on the same plane that brought Professor Ritter here.

That's right.

Shortly after your arrival, you and Herr Mason and Frau Ritter

prevented the professor from crossing into East Berlin.

Why did you do that?

To give us time to present a counter-proposal,

an offer of something other than the professor

for Elke Dietrich's release.

Knowing the capitalist mentality, I am sure that something is money.

- Am I not correct, Herr Mason? - Why, yes.

- How much money, Herr Mason. - Fifty thousand dollars.

Do you have the money with you, Herr Mason?

- Hardly. - I will listen to no more promises.

I want what was agreed upon now, not later.

And you actually believe that the East German Peoples' Republic

would so demean itself as to accept such a sum?

Hasn't the Peoples' Republic already demeaned itself,

using a child to blackmail a scientist into defecting?

Merely a move in a chess game.

And besides, my country is not involved, officially.

That's what I was given to understand.

Herr Mason, you are offering me a bribe?

Well, no matter. It is not acceptable.

Professor Ritter

or nothing.

Mr. Mason.

But where are Emma and Elke?

Emma and Elke?

- You did not send for Emma? - No.

About a half hour ago,

Franz Hoffer telephoned for Mrs. Ritter.

He said the offer for the child had been accepted.

What else did he tell her?

Oh, he did not speak directly to her. Emma was downstairs.

Mr. Carleton took the message.

Yes, well, uh, Hoffer said,

you wanted Mrs. Ritter to bring the money

to where you and Elke were waiting.

He said there'd be a car outside the hotel.

How did she know where to go?

Hoffer said, uh, you were in the Eastern Sector,

at somewhere called a safe house.

Gerta said she knew where that was.

Good luck.

Mr. Mason, I saw you crossing the bridge ahead of me.

- Have you heard what happened? - Yes.

I tried to stop her at the border, but I had trouble finding a taxi.

What do you plan to do now?

Make certain that Hoffer delivers Elke.

Mr. Mason, I was told you were going to meet us at the border.

Where is Hoffer?

He's in the next room making arrangements for us to cross.

Is something wrong?

You shouldn't have come here alone, Mrs. Ritter.

But he told me if I did not come at once,

we would never get Elke.

This was our plan, was it not?

No, Emma, it was not our plan.

But I gave him the check.

Hoffer.

Dead?

Yes, Paul. Very dead.

Well,

I seem to have arrived at a most inopportune time, Herr Mason.

I have listened to you for the last time.

If it weren't for you, all of this would not have happened.

Negotiate. Offer the money, you said.

"You are naive, arrogant," you told me.

No, Mr. Mason, it is you who are naive and arrogant.

The American authorities have been alerted.

Emma will have every protection her citizenship affords.

And that is no protection. They hold her for murder.

But she's not guilty. She'll be acquitted. The State Department will act on it.

They will do nothing because there is nothing to be done.

I wish to have your forgiveness, Mr. Mason,

because I have spoken to you in such a way.

I know whatever you did, it was with an open heart.

You just don't understand that you're fighting on the other side.

It's time.

Stromm agreed on the phone that Elke would cross over to our side

as the professor crosses over to the east.

At least I will see her, as we pass.

You'll take care of her, Mr. Mason,

until Emma is freed or until Gerta returns.

Liebchen. Liebchen.

They lied, Paul.

They had no intention of returning Elke.

They gave their word.

What good is their word?

You've betrayed an old man.

You involved an innocent child in a cruel hoax.

You harassed an old lady

and subjected her to the torture of a murder charge.

And you've made me feel like a fool for believing you could be trusted

to keep your word.

What I have done has been done for the best cause.

Of course. The end justifies the means.

You know your Lenin, Herr Stromm,

but apparently you don't know the meaning of honor.

And you do? You hypocrite.

Was it honorable when you tried to bribe me, failed,

and then bribed Franz Hoffer, a thief and a renegade?

Was it honorable when your client,

to avoid payment of the money, killed him?

I offered no bribe.

I made a counter-proposal reducing your blackmail demand

to dollars instead of human flesh.

- And Mrs. Ritter did not kill Hoffer. - That is not for me to decide.

It is a decision for the Peoples' Court.

Then let me see the Ritters. Mrs. Ritter is an American citizen.

She is entitled to proper representation

and as soon as my government arranges for my credentials...

When I see your credentials,

then you may see the Ritters, not before.

Are you the public prosecutor, or aren't you?

If a woman's life doesn't concern you, then what does?

Herr Mason, I despair discussing subtleties with Americans,

but consider, Herr Mason, what is the only real,

irreplaceable treasure in our world?

A mind like Professor Ritter's.

If you can swallow your prejudices for just a moment,

you will recognize what I have already accomplished.

The opportunity to work with a man of Professor Ritter's eminence

will undoubtedly attract many other similar brains

from all over the world.

But, again, by what means?

By any means, Herr Mason.

And that is all the time I have to waste with you, Herr Mason.

If your credentials arrive properly authenticated by my government,

you may represent Frau Ritter at her trial, if not...

She must take her chances without you.

Well, Herr Mason.

Still no word from your government? Perhaps they are ignoring you.

Herr Stromm, if this is in truth a court of law,

if you make any pretenses to justice,

you will allow me to see my client.

Client? You have no client.

You have no legal standing whatsoever.

Perry, got them. All properly signed and sealed.

Well, Herr Stromm?

Court will convene in 15 minutes.

You may have ten minutes with your client.

Ten minutes? That's hardly time to discuss...

Ten minutes, Herr Mason. Take it or leave it.

Mr. Mason.

Ten minutes, no longer.

Herr Prosecutor, state your case against this woman.

In the matter of the death of Franz Hoffer,

a citizen of the Peoples' Republic, we have irrefutable proof

that Frau Emma Ritter and only Frau Emma Ritter had both the motive

and the opportunity to kill the deceased.

Then proceed with your case, Herr Prosecutor.

You were present when Herr Mason first visited the chalet

and made an offer of $50,000 for the child, were you not?

Jawohl, mein herr.

And where did he say this money was?

With, uh, Frau Ritter.

And where were you when this was being discussed?

With Herr Hoffer in his inner office.

Yes, in his inner office, listening as Herr Mason knew he would be,

because the money was not being offered to me,

it was cleverly being offered to a man without loyalties,

to a man who would do anything for such a sum. To Franz Hoffer.

A most ingenious scheme that almost bore fruit.

What did Hoffer do when he heard the offer of money?

He became quite excited

and told me to bring the child to the chalet at once.

Ah, what did you do after you delivered the child to the chalet?

I waited outside with the child.

- Who was with Hoffer at that time? - Only Frau Ritter.

Frau Magistrate, I request permission to offer objections

to testimony presented without regard for the rules of evidence.

The weighing of evidence is the function of this court.

Permission denied. Proceed, Herr Prosecutor.

And it was approximately one hour

after the two Americans crossed the border for the first time

- that Frau Ritter crossed? - Yeah.

And she came before the two Americans,

along with Fräulein Pommer, crossed a second time.

Yes, uh, approximately five minutes before.

- You are positive of that? - I have it here in my log book.

Read it into the record.

First the two Americans accompanied by Hoffer at 1:40.

Then Frau Ritter at 2:41,

and then Fräulein Pommer at 2:46,

and then the two Americans again at 2:55.

A five-minute head start.

Five minutes alone with Hoffer and the child

ample time for Frau Ritter to commit murder.

I went to the chalet as has been said.

And what then?

Herr Hoffer went into the inner room to make arrangements for Elke and me

to cross back to West Germany.

What did you do at that time?

Elke and I waited in the outer room

and then

Herr Mason and the others came and they found the body.

No, no, Frau Ritter. That is not what you did.

As Franz Hoffer was arranging for you

and your grandchild to return to West Germany,

you went into the inner room,

waited until the arrangements were completed,

- then stabbed him to death. - No!

Then you took back the cashier's check,

which you there upon destroyed.

Surely the court will not allow Herr Stromm

to state conclusions based on facts not in evidence?

Herr Mason, you will please not prompt the court.

Proceed, Herr Stromm.

Frau Ritter, how do you account for the fact

that a search of the body and of the premises

revealed no cashier's check?

I only know

I did not go into that inner room.

I did not kill him.

Herr Professor Ritter,

I regret exceedingly the necessity of subjecting a man

such as yourself to this ordeal.

We only desire confirmation from you of certain matters of, uh, date,

place and so on.

The procedure requested by your wife's counsel.

Now, sir,

you first learned of the existence of your granddaughter...

I'm hungry.

What's that, sir?

How can I study if I am hungry?

Who took my books away?

Quiet.

How is a man to sleep?

Professor Ritter, are you all right?

My things. Where are my things?

This is not my razor.

Emma,

you should know I cannot abide pajamas.

Only a nightgown.

Old fashioned, I suppose, but so am I...

Try to get a hold of yourself, herr doctor.

There it is, the bells.

I can't get it out of my mind. Such a tragedy.

What did those people expect?

It's a wonder that poor old man was able to endure as much as he did.

Well, they outsmarted themselves.

Now he's no good to them or anyone else.

Mr. Mason, do you think that he might recover?

Perhaps by having his old familiar things around him...

I don't know, Gerta.

Well, what are you doing here?

The chambermaid let me in.

I thought there might be some arrangements I could make,

some way I might be of service.

You might help Gerta with the luggage.

She's going to pack the professor's things.

Sure, I'd be glad to.

Would you excuse us? Paul.

It's hard to believe, isn't it?

I mean, that Dr. Ritter had a breakdown?

He won't talk to anyone about it.

It's not certain. He could just be ill.

How did you know about that?

Well, Mr. Mason mentioned it, didn't he?

On his way in.

Well, what do you think?

For a travel agency representative,

our Mr. Carleton has been very busy.

I'm sorry. I seem to have picked this up by mistake.

Oh, thank you, Drake.

Just some notes I had for a travel book.

Let me know when you publish it. I'd like to buy a copy.

You'll be the first to know.

I can imagine what it must have been like in the courtroom

when the professor lost all sense of reality

and slipped into some dream world of his own.

I'm convinced he's lost his mind.

I've been thinking, Paul.

Before coming to Germany,

when I worked out the agreement with that editor,

it was with the understanding that if the East Germans dealt fairly with us,

there would be no story.

Well, they haven't dealt fairly,

and though the story will have a slant we hadn't anticipated,

I think now is the time to release it.

You, uh, think the communists will be embarrassed by the publicity?

Paul, men are shot down every day

trying to escape to the West.

The whole world watches and the communists couldn't care less.

They're not as sensitive to public opinion as we are.

Then, uh, what's to be gained?

Well, according to Herr Stromm,

they're recruiting other eminent scientists from around the world,

using whatever persuasion they can.

So?

How many scientists do you think would even consider going over,

no matter what the persuasion,

after they read what was done to one of the greatest of them all?

I'm going to call that editor.

By midnight, the story will be in print.

And by morning it will be picked up by newspapers everywhere.

Where are you going?

To take this to the old man and to be with Mrs. Ritter.

That suitcase is too heavy for you. Here, let me carry it down for you.

Oh, that's very kind, but it's not necessary.

I'll tell you what. My car is downstairs. I'll drive you over.

Well, if you're sure it's no trouble?

I won't have to change taxis at the border.

No trouble at all.

Well, so far so good.

The trap's baited, and midnight's the deadline.

Yes, if the word gets back to Stromm in time,

and Stromm does the right thing.

Doggone, I forgot something.

Gerta, why don't you go on down and have my car ordered around?

- I'll meet you in front, okay? - All right.

Right.

Julius.

Well, I checked with the hotel again. Not a word.

Ten o'clock. They must have cleared the checkpoint hours ago.

Surely Stromm has the word by now.

Gerta's pass, like ours, is good through tomorrow when court closes.

But Carleton's?

Carleton hasn't had any trouble crossing back and forth before.

What happens if we don't hear from Stromm by midnight?

The story is released, and our advantage is gone.

- This, I believe, you are waiting for. - Thank you.

- Is it...? - From Stromm.

Nein. Nein.

What you propose is out of the question.

Impossible!

Perhaps it's just as well.

After what you've done to him,

Dr. Ritter is of no use to us in our hands,

but in yours,

there could be no better argument for living and working in freedom

than Professor Ritter's case.

We did not destroy his mind. We had no idea.

The old man must have been unstable all along.

- There is no doubt of his breakdown? - Unfortunately, no.

A board of eminent psychiatrists has been examining him,

they've only just finished.

What a frightening story this will make, Paul,

for the entire world to read.

I sent for you to make you a proposition.

Suppose I was to release Professor Ritter in your charge

in exchange for your silence.

- With his wife and the child? - Only the professor.

The child is my guarantee that you would keep your pledge of silence.

I can make one telephone call in your presence,

and not one word concerning,

Dr. Ritter's mental condition will be printed,

but if I don't make that call, then promptly at midnight...

The child is actually of no importance to us if you keep your word.

And neither is Frau Ritter.

A feeble-minded old man, a harmless child,

these we may give up.

But Dr. Ritter can't manage without her now, don't you understand that?

Nein, nein. I do not have the authority.

My superior has arrived.

They kept me waiting for two hours

while Professor Ritter was being questioned.

I'm a patient man, fräulein.

I'm used to waiting.

You may discuss your request, Herr Mason,

but I will recommend that under no circumstances

will the Peoples' Government free a murderess.

I told Herr Mason that in exchange for his silence,

concerning Professor Ritter's illness, we will release both the old man

and the child, but we will not free a murderess.

Is that your only objection, Herr Stromm,

Frau Ritter is no more guilty of murder than I am or you are.

So you say. MASON: Not I.

The testimony of your own witnesses in your own Peoples' Court.

I know that if your mind had not been filled with other concerns,

you would have seen it immediately in the testimony of the border sentry.

Fräulein Pommer crossed the border 9 minutes before Mr. Drake and I did.

What are you trying to tell me, Herr Mason?

Fräulein Pommer told us she crossed the border after we did.

In effect, she lied.

Just as she lied to the immigration authorities

when she applied for a U.S. visa,

just as she lied when she told her story to Professor Ritter,

as she lied about the carefully rehearsed attempt to escape with Elke.

Gerta,

you killed Franz Hoffer.

Sit down, all of you.

If you search her belongings carefully,

I imagine you'll find the stolen cashier's check.

Heh, no, you won't.

I didn't want the money. I destroyed the check.

Fräulein, not only have you killed this man,

you have made it impossible for us to refuse Frau Ritter's release.

I fear I shall have to report this to our superiors.

Report to them what you like,

I shall explain that I worked, planned,

and waited for so long to get Ritter back,

and then when we were at the point of success,

Franz Hoffer was going to give them our weapon, the child, for money.

Ha, I am proud I killed him.

I would do it again and again for the cause.

Herr Stromm, there is only one way to absolve yourself of any blame

for what has happened.

Gerta, you cannot mask murder with false patriotism.

The future of the state cannot be entrusted to such as you.

No, you don't dare. You don't dare. You can't take my place.

Now, fräulein, you have no place.

Don't you touch me. Wait, they are going to use you.

Don't let them, you idiot. You... You fool!

Sam, have you talked to your editor?

Julius is all clued in.

To stop the story, I just have to call my office,

before midnight.

Well, Herr Stromm?

Very well, Herr Mason, make your telephone call.

Well, Sam, maybe you'd like the first interview

with Professor and Mrs. Ritter and their granddaughter in Free Berlin.

Great. Are you all right, Dr. Ritter?

I am lucid, young man, in possession of my faculties.

At least I think so.

Mr. Mason,

you were right when you accused me of not using my analytical mind.

I did not realize exactly how you wished me to use it

until you whispered to me in the anteroom of the court.

That was an inspiration of the moment, doctor.

And he sure did use it.

He fooled a whole roomful of psychiatrists.

Well, isn't it time for that young lady to be in bed?

Yeah.

Oh, mein Klein Maus.