All language subtitles for Perry.Mason.S09E20.The.Case.of.the.Scarlet.Scandal.DVDRip.x264

You scared the devil
out of me, Moose.

Nobody ever got the devil
out of you. You're all devil.

Since when does our sheriff patrol
in his own car and in civilian clothes?

You haven't changed,
have you, Elaine?

You always did know the
best way to win an argument:

never be on the defensive.

What do you want, Moose?

Are you gonna psychoanalyze me,
talk about old times or put me in jail?

Arrest Dick Bayler's wife?

No.

No, I'm no brighter than I was
when we were in high school, Elaine,

but I'm not stupid either.

Will you get out of the way?

Wait a minute.

You're too smart to be fooling
around with this two-bit musician.

Why don't you just turn around?

There's nothing at the end
of this road but trouble for you.

You don't know what trouble is.

Do you wanna keep that badge?

Then keep your dirty
ideas in your dirty mind.

It's beautiful.

I'm gonna call it
"Concerto for Cynthia."

Don, darling, I thought
it was for Mrs. Bayler.

Oh. She's my patron.

You're my girl.

Do you know what?

What?

Maybe, just maybe,
I'm in love with you.

Get your things and get out.

I don't take orders from you.

I'll leave when Don tells
me to and not before.

Look, you've got
no right to come ba...

No right?

This is my cottage, my wine, my
candles, and you're on my time.

This place you own, not me.

Oh, you do have some pride.

That's a surprise. Good.

Your girlfriend can pack your things.
You're getting out of here tonight.

But first, you're
coming with me.

We have an appointment
at Scarlet Point.

Wait a minute. What's got
you screaming at high C?

What have I done?

What's changed all of a sudden?

Come on. Now!

Don't go, Don.
You don't need her.

With your talent, you
don't need anyone else.

Something's wrong. I
better find out what it is.

Start packing my things.

Don, you don't know who you're
to meet or why or what set her off.

- Don't go.
- Darling, do as I tell you.

Please.

Get in.

- Tell me what this is about.
- Why don't you tell me

about the lies you made up to regale
your beatnik friends at Natasha's?

Elaine, I swear I've
never said a word.

You swear. You liar.

Put this money in this envelope.

And read this.

"Your husband will learn of
monkey business with Hobart

unless you leave
10,000 Wednesday night

in barricade pipe
stanchion Scarlet Point.

Fink about this
and you are dead."

Have you gone to the sheriff?

Moose?

And give him something
to show to my husband?

Nobody's gonna
know about this but us.

I know who's
pulled this extortion.

Nobody holds me up
and gets away with it.

Elaine, that guy could be here.

Waiting.

Let's leave the
money and beat it.

I thought people were awake at
dawn up here in the backcountry.

Bayler's estate is the
biggest one on the lake.

Why don't you admit it, Paul?

California's most brilliant
private detective is lost.

California's most brilliant
attorney isn't much help.

No wonder we can't find
anyone. They're all here.

No parking here.

We're from out of town, officer.
We're looking for the Bayler Estate.

You up here to see Mr. Bayler?

- Yes, I'm his attorney.
- Well, he's up with the sheriff.

Come on, I'll take you in.

Oh, come on now, honey.

I don't wanna give
you a hard time,

but I picked up Hobart
right after I heard the shots.

- Is my son awake?
- You saw them leave the cottage.

She made him go with her.

All right, if she made him go with
her, then he didn't wanna go, right?

And they argued, right?

Well, she busted in on us.

- She was jealous.
- No.

In fact, she told me
to pack Don's things.

Well, then I thought she
was throwing him out.

That made him mad.

I know what phonies like
you are made of, Hobart.

No-talent bums

who trade on a pretty face and
a good line to take the gullible,

who figure world
owes them something

because they can daub a brush
or sing a song or play a piano.

- Why did you kill her?
- I didn't kill her!

And I don't have to answer
your questions, Mr. Bayler.

You'll answer.

When I get through
with you, you'll answer.

Don couldn't have
fired that pistol.

I tried to teach him to shoot

and he can't hit a 6-foot
target from 10 feet away.

- How did you know it was a pistol?
- Well, it sounded like a pistol.

So from a quarter mile
away, you heard the shots.

Somebody tried to blackmail her,

saying there was something
between her and me. Well, there wasn't.

And she was gonna leave
the money at the Point

and try to find out who did it.

So I put the money in a pipe stanchion
and that's when I heard the shots.

You liar. The sheriff
didn't find any money there.

Now, listen, I'm warning you,
honey, this guy is not worth protecting.

You're just getting yourself
in deeper and deeper.

Now, suppose we make a deal.

You give me the straight dope

and you can go right back to
Natasha's and be there in time for work.

I've told you what I know.

It's just not what
you wanna hear.

- What's his girlfriend doing here?
- You are gonna have to hold up

until Mr. Bayler comes out.

Now, keep it quiet or I'll make
you wait outside the building.

I think you're...

- Perry Mason?
- Bayler's attorney.

- Did you fly up?
- DA know you're here?

Maybe Bayler called Mason

to assist the DA in
prosecuting the killer.

He killed her.

Unless there's something we
can do, the business can wait.

No, I want you to stay, Perry.

Life goes on.

I'll sign the contracts
you brought up.

You're a hometown kid, Cynthia.

And you're not
gonna let us down.

You're not gonna let
a crumb bum like this

get away with killing a
fine lady like Mrs. Bayler.

He didn't do it.

Okay. You can go.

Mr. Bayler, I'm terribly
sorry about your wife.

But Don didn't kill her.

You speak when you're spoken to.

Don't talk to her
like that, Bayler.

It burns you up, doesn't it?

Because there's at least
one human being in town

that won't start singing
when you give the downbeat.

You watch what you say.

All right, get him out of here.

Here they come now.

- Did you confess, Hobart?
- How about it, sheriff?

What's Mason doing in there?

Don't you see what's happening?

He's an outsider.

They're gonna make
a scapegoat out of him.

He has rights.

He does have rights, doesn't he?

The girl is right, Dick.

Her friend was being
physically abused.

He didn't have
benefit of counsel.

Her friend?

That's put with
Victorian quaintness.

Their relationship has
nothing to do with it.

It has everything to do with it.

Elaine kept cash, I don't
know how much, in her room.

There's not a dollar there now.

I figure she went down
there to pay them off.

A variation of the badger game?

Exactly.

She probably used
the money to bait them.

And when she threatened to put him
in jail, that phony musician killed her.

My son.

I told you I wanted to see
Howard as soon as he got up.

Yes, sir, but he
was not in his room.

- Get him.
- Yes, sir.

Your father wishes
to see you, Mr. Bayler.

Mr. Bayler.

Mark, when you
mister me, you're mad.

Now, what did I do?

Your father doesn't know it, but
you weren't home at all last night,

and it's not the first time.

Well, as long as
he doesn't know it.

That idiotic target shooting, I
owe that to Cynthia Perkins too.

She probably can't write
her own name legibly,

but she won a
national pistol match

and became Scarlet
Center's celebrity for a week.

Elaine told her to
stay away from him.

I didn't know we had company.

Son, this is Perry
Mason and Paul Drake.

- My son, Howard.
- How do you do?

Let's go inside, son. I
have to tell you something.

I, uh, think we better go.

Oh, wait.

We'll get down to business soon as
Ed Kesko gets in from Sacramento.

We'd like to check in at
the hotel anyway, Dick.

My secretary is due
with the papers we'll need.

I'm sure you and your son
could use the privacy right now.

What is it?

It's about your mother, son.

What did she do? Leave you?

What happened?

- Is she dead?
- I'm sorry, Howard.

I guess you didn't know my
stepmother very well, Mr. Mason.

I had gotten used to the
idea that, one way or another,

she wasn't gonna be
around here much longer.

Howard.

But, uh... Well, uh, I'll tell you,
Cynthia, a murder case takes a lot of time.

Charlie, please, I've been
to three different lawyers

and they all say the same thing.

Not much of a compliment
to me coming here

after you run out of lawyers.

Charlie, is everybody in
this town afraid of Bayler?

Of course not.

But, uh, Cynthia, what you really
need is a good criminal lawyer.

The best one in California is
in town right now, Perry Mason.

Maybe if you could
raise the money, uh...

Mason, Drake, how
the devil are you?

Glad you're here. Your boss
is coming apart at the seams.

Maybe you can calm him
down. I tried, but without success.

Well, I can feel for him.

He tries to play
the tough operator.

But the truth is, he loved
Elaine and needed her,

even though she did
give him a hard time.

Perry. Come on back in
here. I wanna talk to you.

Ed, you too.

Well, come on.

Well, I guess at a time like this,
you just gotta make allowances.

I'll be right back.

I just talked to that
Cynthia Perkins.

She had the gall
to call you here.

I'll give it to you straight,
Perry. You're not to see her.

I told the girl in the sheriff's
office in your presence

that I wouldn't consider
defending Hobart.

I'm here for a brief vacation
and a few hours of business.

As soon as you've
signed contracts,

Paul and I will be moving
up the coast to fish.

But, Dick,

I don't like being ordered
around any more than you do.

Now, come on, fellas, there's
no sense in this kind of arguing.

Shut up.

That girl has been turned
down by one lawyer after another,

and now she's
trying to reach you.

No reason why I
shouldn't do that.

I pay you a $10,000
retainer each and every year,

and that's reason enough.

Not reason enough for me.

You have an obligation
to me as my attorney.

Yes, I do.

But it's not going to
conflict with my obligation

as an officer of the court, as a
citizen and as a human being.

You listen to me.

No, you listen to
me for a change.

There's a mob psychology
building up here.

I saw it in the
streets this morning.

I saw it in the
sheriff's office.

I see it here in the
newspaper you own.

Headlines read by every
potential juror in this town.

It couldn't be more obvious.
He's convicted before he's tried.

He killed Elaine.

If you help him in any
way, you'll pay for it.

You understand?

Yes, Dick.

I understand.

That's more like it.

You know, what I've
always liked about you, Perry,

you're tough, but
you're practical.

To, uh, ahem... To justice.

Your retainer will be returned in
full in the mail tomorrow morning.

Now, wait a minute.

What's wrong?

We just drank to justice.

The truth of the matter is,

she's not as blind as she looks.

If he tries to defend that
coffeehouse bum in my town...

This may be hard
to believe, Dick,

but there's a few people
around that you can't buy.

How would you know?

I pay you to open
doors in Sacramento,

not to open your
mouth around me.

Howard, your radio.

I didn't dare hope you'd
defend Don, Mr. Mason.

Let me make myself
clearly understood, Cynthia.

I haven't said I'd defend him.

As I told you, when you got
off the train this afternoon,

by tomorrow at this time,

Paul and I will be at the
other end of two fishing lines.

Of course you will.

Cynthia and Hobart...

- What's his first name?
- Don.

Cynthia and Don are gonna
tell me everything that happened

the night of murder. You
take down every word.

Then with Paul, we'll
go over the transcript,

and then we...

I'm sorry to keep you waiting.

Oh, that's all right, sheriff.

I suppose everyone has to
wait an hour and 20 minutes.

I take it you're Hobart's
lawyer, Mr. Mason.

Well, I'm only
consulting with him.

Come on, it's 15
minutes before he eats,

so you'll have to make it short.

That won't be enough time.

Well, that's okay by me
if he wants to miss chow.

I'm overwhelmed by your
cooperative attitude, sheriff.

Sorry, ladies, nobody
else sees the prisoner.

No, it's important that I get Miss
Perkins and Mr. Hobart together.

Sure, you'd like to get them together
so he'll lie and she'll swear to it.

No dice. Just you.
Those are my orders.

Who gives you
your orders, sheriff?

You wanna see
the guy or don't you?

Now, before you say
anything, Mr. Hobart,

I want you to know I'm
not gonna be your lawyer.

So don't tell me anything
you want kept confidential.

Just tell me what you've told the police
and what you are going to tell them.

I gotta get a lawyer.

I'll try to get you one.

Now, you were saying that
you and Cynthia were alone.

Right. That's when
Elaine came in there

and started
screaming like Lucia.

Had she been angry
with you before?

Not that mad.

I mean, uh...

Well, to tell the truth, Mr. Mason,
she'd been bugging me lately

because I hadn't been
turning out the symphony.

Yeah, see, she set
me up at the cottage,

gave me food, money,
you know, patron of the arts.

It was darned decent
of her, but, uh...

But she expected
you to be her lover.

Oh, no, no.

Elaine Bayler was quite
a woman, Mr. Mason,

but, uh, she didn't cheat,
at least not with me.

No, it was just that...

Well, she expected me
to sit down and write music

as if all I had to do were to
turn on a faucet and let it pour.

I had to live.

It's not easy to play jazz
piano all night at Natasha's

and to write your
symphony all day.

What happened when
you left the cottage?

Uh, Elaine showed me the note.

Describe the note
as you remember it.

Well, uh, it was made up of
letters cut out of newspapers.

Said she'd be killed
if she told about it

and to leave $10,000 in the
barricade pipe at Scarlet Point

or they'd tell her husband
she'd been carrying out with me.

- She had the money with her?
- Yes. Yeah.

She gave me an envelope to put it
in and told me to stick it in the pipe.

- And you did.
- Uh-huh.

Did you hear or see anything
unusual during that time?

A car went by, I think,
on the main road.

Yeah, I heard it.

And then after I put the money
in the pipe, I heard the two shots.

But if she were right there,

why didn't you see who fired
the shots or hear them run away?

She wasn't right there.
She backed the car around

to hide it in the bushes,
so it wouldn't be seen.

She wanted to wait there
and see who took the money.

That's why she picked
me up, to be a witness.

What did you do when
you heard the shots?

Well, I ran down the
road toward the car.

And that's when the
sheriff grabbed me.

Was he in his car?

No, he was standing over Elaine.

And he put his fist in my
mouth before I could say a word.

Mr. Mason, I've told them
everything I've told you,

but they've got their minds
made up. They're gonna kill me.

- Did they find the gun?
- I don't know.

Don, do you have a gun?

No.

Well, uh, there are a few
guns in the case at the cottage.

Belong to Mr. Bayler, I guess.

Mr. Mason, I wouldn't know a
.22 target pistol from a shotgun.

I hate guns.

And I'll be back to
see you tomorrow.

Try to get some sleep.

- Uh, sheriff.
- Sleep? Ha.

With this hanging over me?

Oh, Mr. Mason, I forgot to tell
you. Ed Kesko came by to see me.

- Why?
- I don't know.

I've talked to him a few
times at Natasha's, but...

Did he ask you any questions?

No, just talked.

Oh, he did ask about the money,
how much money there was.

All right. Good night.

Now, sheriff, I suggest
you feed Mr. Hobart.

That's a joke. I told you
he was gonna miss chow.

If he does, I'll hit
you with a court order,

petition for a change of venue,

and advise the press that
you're abusing your prisoner.

And if you think
that's a joke, try me.

I wouldn't do
that if I were you.

This is snake country, friend.

You ought to be wearing boots if
you're gonna tromp around in this brush.

You're right. Thanks.

- My name's Aaron.
- Paul Drake.

You're working on
the Bayler murder?

Yeah. Aaron, uh,
you know this area?

Pretty well.

Well, if you could spare
about an hour of your time

and maybe show me around
and answer a few questions,

it's worth $20.

Doesn't hardly seem right.

All right, 25.

Put your money away.

You fellas used to living in the city
got a set against a man doing a favor

for a stranger.

And what do you
figure that means?

Well...

These tracks are deep.

They were made by a heavy
car, I'd guess the Bayler car.

Now, these tires are
smaller, lighter impression,

and they go up to the dead end.

Now, it's my guess that after the
heavy car went up toward the Point,

the lighter car that had gone to
the dead end backed out here.

This fresh gash in the
tree and the blue paint

would indicate that
whoever backed out

was in a hurry and
drove a blue car.

That's pretty good,
Mr. Drake. Pretty darned good.

Thirty feet.

That tell you
anything, Mr. Drake?

No, not yet.

But that broken
branch would indicate

that a car with a high antenna
for transmitting was here.

That's smart.

Good figuring.

Not really. I knew the
sheriff was here last night.

Now, from those
tracks in the road,

the position of Mrs. Bayler's
car and those bullet holes,

the shots must have been
fired from someplace over there.

Sheriff.

Sheriff, this is Paul Drake.

What do you want, Drake?

Just some information.

If you want information,
read the papers.

Sheriff, I'd like to
cooperate with you.

Anything I don't need any
more of, it's cooperation.

Now, clear out.

Aaron, see he gets
back to the road, will you?

That sheriff is gonna die young.

He stays mad.

I bet those shots were
fired from over there.

I'd like to know if they turned up
the money or the blackmail note yet.

I have learned a few things
from you today, Mr. Drake,

so I'm gonna tell you some back.

They haven't found the money yet
and I'm not sure they ever will find it.

They did find the
note, though, in the car.

Don Hobart told the
truth about that anyway.

And right over there is
where the shots were fired.

How do you know that?

Well, for one thing, I picked up
these two .22 cartridges over there.

Well, I'll be.

Do you know if the
gun's turned up?

Not yet.

Aaron, Lady Luck smiled
on me when I found you.

It's nice to meet one person
in this town who's on our side.

Now, those are the first two
mistakes you've made today, Mr. Drake.

You didn't find me, I found you.

And I'm not on your side.

Now, I'm Moose
Dalton's lab technician,

fingerprint expert
and ballistics man.

But the truth
never hurt anybody.

And I'm willing to
wait until after the trial

to put Don Hobart
in a gas chamber.

Now, here is the pipe
where Hobart put the money.

Here's where the
shots were fired.

Here's where Mrs.
Bayler's car was parked

and here's where the
sheriff's car was parked.

Now, I walked back through the
woods on this side to the dead end road

where the little
blue car turned in

after the Bayler car
had gone up to the Point.

Someone had been
there before me.

And as the matted track was
erratic, it must have been at night.

Good job, Paul. Darned good job.

I'm impressed.

Even though I must
say, I'm still laughing

about your encounter
with Mr. Aaron Chambers.

Yeah, well, I'm not.

Even though I'll admit, I was only the
second best detective out there today.

You're positive they
haven't found the weapon.

Well, they hadn't when I got back,
and it was almost dark by then.

That could be bad. Very bad.

- Why?
- Well, it can't hurt Hobart.

He was picked up at the scene
and he didn't have the gun.

So whoever killed Elaine
Bayler must have carried it off.

Well...

Let's go. PAUL: Where to?

Why, to find the gun.

There's supposed to
be a gun case in here.

I just hope there's
no gun missing from it.

Because if there is, your
client could have taken it.

That won't be
necessary, Mr. Drake.

- Aaron.
- I heard a car coming,

thought I'd wait and see who'd
be visiting here this time of night.

- Well, my name is...
- Oh, I know you, Mr. Mason.

Been reading
about you for years.

Now, that pretty lady
there, I don't know her.

- Miss Street, this is Mister...
- Chambers.

I think you were interested
in that gun case, Mr. Mason.

Well, they're all here.

At least we know if
Hobart did fire the shots,

he didn't use a gun
he had access to.

Would seem that
way, wouldn't it?

Of course, this isn't the only
place he could've gotten a gun.

You play beautifully.

I'm amazed at your touch.

Do you have any other talents,
Aaron, like, uh, maybe skydiving?

Nope. Tried it once
and didn't like it.

Well, thanks for everything,
Mr. Chambers. I enjoyed meeting you.

Well, my pleasure.

Well, see you folks around.

Good night, Aaron.

Good night.

All right, you can come
out now. They're gone.

You were telling me why
you came out here, Mr. Kesko.

Perry, what is the
matter with you?

You haven't said one word
since we left Mr. Chambers.

I'm baffled, that's all.

Yeah, Chambers has
the same effect on me.

No, it's not Chambers
that's bothering me.

That .22 target pistol
has been fired recently.

But Don Hobart couldn't
have put it back in the case

if indeed it is the
murder weapon.

But that's great.

You subpoena the gun,
and if it is the murder weapon,

you can prove that Don
couldn't possibly have returned it.

No, Della, that's too
simple, too convenient.

- Paul?
- I'll be with you in a minute.

Perry.

Oh, come right in.
Here's a good table.

There.

Isn't Cynthia working tonight?

Oh, she'll be out.

She's got a little problem. She's
cooling him off back in her room.

Well,

you can see this is no place for
a guy with a headache tonight.

See, it's tourist
weekend, this is.

If they're gonna have
something to talk about all winter,

then we've gotta put
on a show for them,

you know, like make
them feel Bohemian.

This is the show?

You don't think Abe over
there is an artist, do you?

He drives a laundry
truck during the week.

And these kids, they
hardly ever dance like this.

And most of the time we
put on, like, folk singing

with a small combo, of course.

And until the police wise
up and let Don Hobart go,

we're out a piano player.

I can recommend one.

Do you know Aaron Chambers?

Oh, sure. He came in here a
few times with Elaine Bayler.

He used to sit in with
the combo, plays trumpet.

Elaine Bayler come in often?

No, not lately.

She used to.

Until her old man, Dick
Bayler, put the nix on it.

Said if I didn't keep her out
of here, he'd close me up.

What was bothering him?

Oh, Don Hobart, I suppose.

But Bayler was all wrong.

Hobart's not a bad kid.

I never had any
trouble with him.

Believe me, if he killed Elaine
Bayler, then I'm a ballerina.

And besides, Cynthia
had a thing for him,

if you know what I mean.

Hey, Ed, baby.

Good evening.

I'm sorry we haven't been
able to get together, Perry.

But anything that's between
you and Dick Bayler is...

Well, it doesn't mean
that we've got a feud.

Of course not, Ed. Sit down.

No, thanks, I'm just gonna
have a snort and get right back.

- Nice to see you.
- Oh, Ed,

I understand you were asking my
client about the money that's missing.

Well, yes, I did talk to him.

Dick wanted me to check.

But there's no problem about that
now. The money has been found.

- Where?
- At Scarlet Point.

The sheriff was out there wandering
around alone and he found it.

How much money was there?

I think Moose
said it was $2,000.

You think this is
a madhouse, huh?

I wouldn't trade places with
Ed Kesko for all the money.

He works for a
madman in a madhouse.

Every day of his life.

And now, it must be even worse.

You know why?

Because he introduced
Elaine Bayler to Don Hobart.

Pardon me.

Hey, listen, you take it easy.

I don't get it. What
does Bayler want?

His tinhorn police
decide they can't kill me

and get away with it,
so they pick up Cynthia.

I'll talk to Cynthia, Don, but
you better realize one thing.

There's nothing tinhorn
about this Police Department.

Give them credit for that.

Well, why does
Bayler have it in for us?

I can't believe they're
acting on Bayler's orders.

He may have influence to bend
the law, but he can't break it.

Then why can't I talk to her?

She's just a kid.
She's scared to death.

How could she help but be.

I sat in that cell and all I could
think of was a movie I once saw.

The cyanide pellets dropping.

All right, Mr. Mason,
you can see her now.

Paul, I'll meet you and
Don back at the hotel.

They're letting you out.

You belong in here.

You dragged Cynthia
out to your place.

You had her snowed as
bad as you fooled Elaine.

You...

Howard.

Come in here. Now.

I swear I'm telling
you the truth.

Why didn't you tell me the truth
about following Don and Elaine Bayler

to Scarlet Point,

the truth about finding the gun
and putting it back in the cottage,

and the truth about helping
yourself to part of the money?

I didn't touch the money.

They can't say I did.

They can't say I
killed that woman.

No?

Can they say you lied to
them about your whereabouts?

Can they say you left
tire tracks down there,

that your car scraped the tree,

that Elaine Bayler warned you
to stay away from her stepson?

That the defendant
purchased .22 caliber bullets

the day prior to the murder.

The blackmail note was
written on her stationery.

That she threatened
the decedent.

And driven by motives of
jealousy, greed and revenge,

Cynthia Perkins
killed Elaine Bayler.

This is not the Scarlet
Center Community Theater.

There will be no applause
from the spectators

or there will be no spectators.

Do you wish to make an
opening statement, Mr. Mason?

- No, Your Honor.
- All right, Mr. Woodmire,

call your first witness.

Yes, sir, I can
identify those exhibits.

Those are the defendant's shoes.

Soil and heel imprint
were traced to the area

where the shots were
fired at Scarlet Point.

And this.

That target pistol
was a murder weapon.

It had traces of face
powder and lint on it,

which matched the same two items
found in the defendant's pocketbook.

Your Honor, if the sole
purpose of the district attorney

is to show that the
defendant was at Scarlet Point

on the night in question,

and that she did remove that weapon
from that place, defense will stipulate.

The spectators will be advised that
any reaction to the proceedings here

is a prerogative of this court.

The bailiff is advised that
he will remove any spectators

who challenge that prerogative.

It was about two
weeks before Elaine...

Well, Elaine went
down to the target range

my son has on our place.

Miss Perkins, the
defendant, was there with him.

I heard some shouting,
so I went down there.

I hate to put you
through this, Mr. Bayler,

but what did you see and hear?

Elaine ordered her
to get off the place.

When she refused to leave,
Elaine called her some name,

and told her to stay
away from my son.

Well, the girl picked up
one of the target pistols.

She waved it at
Elaine and she said:

"One day you'll talk that
way to the wrong person

- and you'll get yours."
- Cross-examine.

Now, Mr. Bayler,

you said the decedent called
the defendant some name.

- What name?
- Well, it's not the kind of thing

you say in court.

But it is the kind of thing
you say in front of your son

and his invited guest.

Objection.

I don't know what you're
objecting to, Mr. Woodmire.

The conclusion is logical.

Objection overruled.

Did your wife, in your presence,

ever have an argument
with anyone else?

- Your Honor...
- Before the district attorney objects,

I'll remind him that he opened
the door in a previous examination.

- Well, Mr. Bayler?
- I don't recall.

Well, Cynthia said she
wanted to leave Scarlet Center.

She said...

She said she couldn't
stand it any longer.

Did she say why
she wouldn't leave?

She said because it'd
look funny if she did.

And what day was this?

The afternoon after
the, uh, murder.

Take the witness, Mr. Mason.

Howard,

where were you on the night
of your stepmother's death?

Most of the time at home.

- All night?
- No, sir.

- Did you sleep there?
- No, sir.

Where were you?

At Natasha's.

All night?

I rode around a while.

Did you, uh, go
near Scarlet Point?

No, sir.

Well, I went by the cottage

because I knew Cynthia
was there with Don Hobart.

But I didn't go in.

Did you see anyone
else on the road?

Anyone who could identify
you and set the time?

Well, I parked.

I sat there a while. I
don't know how long.

I saw the sheriff came
by a couple of times.

He wasn't in his patrol car.

- He was alone?
- Yes, sir.

Did you see anyone else?

Yes. Ed Kesko.

Uh, he was coming
away from the Point.

Well, I tried to talk to the
defendant about Mr. Bayler's son,

but she wouldn't discuss it.

She said it's a free country

and I'll see her dead before
I'll let her tell me what to do.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Kesko, do you concur
with Howard Bayler's testimony

that he saw you in the vicinity
of the cottage near Scarlet Point

on the night of
decedent's death?

Well, yes, I did drive by. I
was going to Natasha's place.

Do you wanna tell the court about
your arrival at the Bayler home

on the morning after
Mrs. Bayler was shot?

Well, I didn't say that
I had been in town.

Uh, Mr. Bayler had been
trying to reach me in Sacramento

and he was upset already.

And I, uh...

So I just didn't correct the impression
that I had been in Sacramento.

But I didn't say that
I had been there.

What do you do for
Mr. Bayler in Sacramento?

I'm a registered
lobbyist for his interests.

You fix things for him in
Sacramento and elsewhere?

Objection.

Mr. Mason, it is hardly
a virtue for a lawyer

to drive thumbtacks
with a sledgehammer.

- Objection sustained.
- Yes, Your Honor.

I have no further questions
for the witness at this time.

But I reserve the right to recall
him if it should be necessary.

Well, when I talked to
Elaine, the decedent,

I could see she was real upset
and in a hurry to get to the cottage.

- Objection.
- Sustained.

Well, let me put it this way.

What did you do after she
drove off toward the cottage?

Well, I cruised the road a
few times past the cottage.

I was concerned about her.

Uh, first time by,
her car was there.

Second time, it was gone.

So I went on to Scarlet Point.

That's, uh, when
I heard the shots.

I ran toward the sounds and
I saw what had happened.

I knew I couldn't help Elaine, so
I went back to my car to radio in.

And I ran into Don Hobart.

I'm going to anticipate
the defense here, sheriff.

Did you see the
defendant in the area?

No, sir.

It wasn't until the next day that
we started smelling something fishy.

Aaron Chambers walked the
area with a private detective

and they came across some
tire tracks and a bruised tree.

That tied in with the
heel prints that we found

near the expanded cartridges.

So we started
looking for the car.

And meanwhile, we investigated
the purchasers of .22 bullets.

That led us to the defendant.

Her car checked, the shoes
found in her closet checked,

and the note which we found
crumpled on the floor of the car

matched with her stationery.

Sheriff,

I show you this envelope,
state's exhibit two.

Can you identify it?

Yes.

That's the envelope containing
$2,000 which I found at the scene.

It was on a rock outcropping
covered by a slab of granite

about 10 feet from the place
we found the expanded cartridges

and the heel prints
of the defendant.

You may cross-examine,
Mr. Mason.

You made a mistake when
you arrested Mr. Donald Hobart,

- didn't you, sheriff?
- I never said I was perfect.

Sometimes you make a
mistake and you correct it.

But when you find a suspect
on the scene of a murder...

The point is, Sheriff Dalton,

if you made a mistake one time,
obviously caused only by your zeal

and without regard
to any other influence,

you could have made
a mistake again, right?

- Objection. JUDGE: I
got the point, Mr. Mason.

Objection is sustained.

Let me ask you about finding
the $10,000 in the package.

Two thousand.

But I thought that when
the blackmail note was read,

it said 10,000.

Well, we figure that Mrs.
Bayler only put 2,000 in

since her purpose was
to bait the blackmailer,

not to pay her off.

Then you do not believe that, originally,
there was $10,000 in the envelope

and that someone
removed part of it.

It's speculation, but
that's our judgment.

Now, as I understand it,

you just happened to
be going by Scarlet Point,

you just happened to
look under a slab on a rock,

and there it was, the $2,000.

Two thousand dollars
that all your deputies

were unable to find after two
days of searching, is that correct?

I don't know what you're
getting at but that's right.

If the court please,

I wish to request
a two-hour recess

for the purpose of preparing a
demonstration vital to my case.

I've been on the
bench for 12 years,

and this is the longest
preliminary hearing I can recall.

But since we're setting
records, I'll go along with you.

This court stands adjourned
until 2:00 this afternoon.

All right, Paul, saw it off.

Next thing you know, Moose
Dalton will have me booked

- for destroying county property.
- You'll have to take that chance.

Ha. We'll have to
take that chance.

I ask you once more, sheriff,

has this envelope been tampered
with since it came into your possession?

I put it right in the car and
took it back to my office,

where I counted the money
in the presence of witnesses

who signed on
the face of it there.

I put the money back
inside the envelope,

sealed it and put
it into the safe.

Sheriff Dalton, I take
your word, of course.

But since the envelope
was found outside,

it might have been damp.

And since it must have
been put there hurriedly,

it might have had mud on it.

Now, did you take the
envelope you found,

and once you got to your office,
transfer it to another envelope?

No. I told you, no.

Did you count the
money when you found it?

Well, I looked inside,
I saw it was money.

But I didn't count it till
I got back to my office.

Your Honor, I'd like to recall
Donald Hobart for cross-examination.

You may stand down, Moose.

Mr. Donald Hobart, come forward.

Mr. Hobart, you
are still under oath.

You may proceed, Mr. Mason.

Now, Don, is this the same
envelope the decedent gave you?

The same one she told you
to place in this pipe stanchion?

Yes, sir, I'd say
this is the envelope.

Will you show the court
what you did with the envelope

in following Elaine
Bayler's instructions?

- I put it in there.
- Now, would you do it again, please?

Your Honor, I'd like to recall
Sheriff Dalton to the stand.

He was just up
there a minute ago.

I will have order here.

You're still under oath, Moose.

What is your belief as to how the
envelope got from this stanchion

to where you tell
us you found it?

Well, Aaron Chambers
and I walked the ground.

And we figure that
what happened was,

the defendant was
waiting there for the payoff.

And she saw the money
put in this stanchion.

So in the time that it
took the big car to back up,

the defendant went
back down the road

and shot the decedent
as she had threatened.

Now, when she heard me
coming, she put the gun in her purse

and waited for Donald
Hobart to be picked up.

Then she went back to the
stanchion, took out the package,

but by that time, I
had the spotlights on.

And so not taking any chances,

she hid the envelope
to be picked up later

and beat it.

She didn't wanna get
caught with the money,

but she didn't mind getting
caught with the murder weapon.

Now, let's see if
that theory holds up.

Will you take the envelope
out of the stanchion, please?

So much for your
theory, sheriff.

What do you
think of this theory?

That Elaine Bayler
was killed by someone

who knew she would
go to Scarlet Point,

that she was killed because
she knew who her blackmailer was

before the shots were fired.

And the blackmailer
knew he'd been discovered.

That the killer had access
to the stationery used

for the extortion note.

That the killer knew the defendant
had purchased .22 cartridges.

That the killer had access
to the murder weapon.

But, Sheriff Dalton, the killer,

as killers always
do, made a mistake.

He described the murder
weapon before it was found.

He killed her not only because
she was throwing him out,

not only because he could no
longer trade on nonexistent talent,

he killed her because Elaine
Bayler was aware of his duplicity.

"When I get through with you,
they're gonna put you under the jail."

That's what she said.

"You're gonna wish
you were dead."

She told me.

Was she right, Mr. Hobart?

My favorite. Royal
coachman, real rainbow-killer.

You can fool around with
itty-bitty trout all you want.

I go for the big ones.
Now, I can just feel it.

There's a great, big, beautiful, 6-
or 8-pound, large-mouthed bass

just lying out there
in those weeds

waiting to pounce on my
favorite spoon. They can't resist it.

Well, I'm all packed.

As soon as your train leaves,
Paul and I will be out on the lake.

Did you have any
trouble with your ticket?

No, no, I just didn't buy it.

I'm going to be
riding back with you.

Now, wait a minute. You
don't like fishing. You said so.

It's not that we don't want you with
us, but you're gonna have to cut bait,

- and I just can't...
- And I thought we decided that I...

Now, just a minute,
if you'll let me explain.

I was just about to buy the
ticket when I heard something,

- and I had to come right back here.
- Something important?

The fishing season ended.

Yesterday.