Original subtitles

But what if he comes here?

Look, Sharon, there's nothing to worry about.

Grover was probably drunk or just sounding off

when he threatened to kill you.

Not kill me.

Just "mark me up," he said.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

Come on. Give me the key.

Sharon?

- What are you doing? - I called the police.

There's no need.

I don't think he'll bother you anymore.

- Where is he? - Over here, behind the couch.

It's Art Grover all right.

He's dead.

I... I killed him.

I killed him.

The police.

The police?

Why, Duke, what'll we do? They can't find a dead man here.

Listen. Listen, Duke, you've got to help me.

There's nobody else. I mean, you know what it means right now.

I'm about to get my big chance, the chance of a lifetime, Duke.

There'll never be another,

- not like this. - But, Sharon...

Look. Look, all you have to do

is just take him out of here.

Uh, ah... Somewhere where... Anywhere.

That would help both of us.

I suppose that, um...

Could you stall the police for a while?

Oh. Yes, yes, yes.

I'll, uh...

- I'll straighten the room. - All right.

All right, I'll take him down the back way.

Okay, hold it there.

- What's your name? - Uh, Stearns. Jake Stearns.

Look, I was just trying to help the fella, that's all.

You were trying to help yourself. Let's have it, everything you got off of him.

I have a watch.

This guy's dead.

I didn't hit him at all.

Look, he was just sitting there like that

- Let's go, let's go. - And I smelled the booze.

I thought he had passed out.

Look, sure, I heisted his wallet and his watch...

I swear, Mr. Mason, I've been following your advice

ever since that last fight when you got me out of the contract with that,

oh, that crooked bum of a manager.

You don't have to convince me of a thing, Duke.

You can ask my boss.

I've been working like a horse. I've been promoted twice.

Mr. Mason,

I've never been in any, what you'd call real trouble,

until tonight.

At which time you went with your girlfriend to her apartment

- because she'd been threatened by... - Art Grover.

I was boiling mad when I walked in there,

- as I told you. - And you had a fight with Grover.

Now, you didn't get me down here at midnight just to tell me that.

You're my lawyer, right?

And what I tell you, it's not supposed to go any further,

just man-to-man?

Whatever you tell me, Duke, won't be divulged without your permission.

In that fight with Grover

I killed him.

But it was an accident, I hit him too hard.

He hit me first so you could...

Well, if the cops find out, I mean,

you could tell them it was self-defense, right?

You left the body and did not call the police?

Sharon called them.

But, uh, before we knew he was dead.

Then before they came, I took the body out of there

and just before I called you, I dumped the body in an alley off Hill Street.

But why, Duke, why?

I was trying to help Sharon!

She's got this big chance to be the White Snow Princess on TV

and in the magazines and all that.

And something like this happening in her apartment,

well, it would louse her up for sure.

All I could think of was I had to get the body out of there.

The fact that you killed him accidentally, that can be explained,

possibly by a manslaughter charge, a self-defense plea,

though a professional boxer's fists are a deadly weapon.

But how do we explain that you carried the body out of there?

- I don't know. - I don't know either.

- What are you gonna do? - Call the police.

- We'll go down there. - No.

Listen, you said you wouldn't tell anybody what I told you.

Duke, every minute you wait before reporting it, you're hurting yourself.

Look, Mr. Mason, since I was a kid,

I've got this thing about being closed in.

If they put me in a cell, I'll go nuts!

Now, listen, Duke, we'll explain exactly what happened,

we'll prove self-defense and show that your girlfriend was threatened.

And suppose they don't believe any of it?

It'd louse Sharon up for sure and it won't do me any good either.

They'll put me in a cell.

I'd do time at the least.

Duke, this isn't gonna be easy for you or for Sharon

- but a man's dead and you killed him! - He was a first-class rat!

I'm not sorry for him!

All right, Duke, I'll go along with you this far.

I'll try to find out if the body's been found and the cause of death.

But tomorrow morning when we've had a chance to think it over

and we know how to plead, we are going to the police.

I don't have to think it over!

I'm not gonna tell the police anything and you're not. You can't!

No matter what I told you, you can't tell them anything.

Yes? DUKE: It's Duke. Let me in.

Duke.

- Sharon. - Oh, Duke.

Duke, it's 3:00 in the morning. I've been worried sick over you.

You didn't come back, you didn't call.

Sharon, we've gotta talk.

What did you tell the cops when they got here?

Where were you?

What did you do with the body?

If I don't tell you, you don't know. If you don't know, it's better for you.

Now, answer me, what did you say to the cops?

Oh, well, they just asked some questions.

What kind of questions?

Well, like why did I call them and what happened?

And I said someone was robbing my apartment

and, uh, I heard them inside and...

- You didn't tell them I was here? - No, of course not.

I said I'd seen a man, a stranger, in the hall,

and I'd asked him for help and he came inside,

and he chased the robbers out,

and then disappeared before I could get his name.

And they believed that?

It's an awful lie but they believed it.

Sharon, I'm in a bind. I don't know what to do.

Nothing. Duke, do nothing.

My lawyer, I just talked to him.

- He says I gotta turn myself in. - Turn yourself in?

But why? Duke, Art Grover was rotten.

Besides, it was an accident.

They'll lock me up, Sharon, in a cell.

I'll go out of my mind!

Oh, Duke.

Duke, you're in this because of me.

I should have called the police when Art Grover threatened me

but I should never have involved you in this.

Sharon, honey,

it's my fault. Really.

I lost my temper. I bungled it.

And now if I go to the cops,

I'll have to tell them about the body and that'll make a liar out of you.

It'll kill your chances for that big job.

Oh, don't worry about me.

So I lose the job.

I'm just concerned about you.

Oh, Duke,

they'd put you in a jail.

Tiny cell, maybe without even a window.

You won't... You won't tell anybody what happened here tonight, will you?

I mean, if the cops ask you questions, you'll stick to your story?

I hate to put you on a spot like this, Sharon,

but I gotta know you'll stay by me.

Oh, Duke, of course I will.

Of course I will.

Well.

Perry, Paul.

Somebody must be in real trouble to get both of you down here.

Just wanted to see what your Records Section has

- on a man we're interested in. - Art Grover. Do you know him?

Art Grover. No, doesn't ring a bell. A client?

Just checking him up.

Well, I'm in an expansive mood.

Come on in. I'll give you a hand.

Honey, you got anything on a fellow named Art Grover?

My name is Millicent, lieutenant, not honey.

And I just this minute sent a file on Arthur Grover to Homicide.

Well, you're way ahead of me, Perry. I didn't know he'd been booked.

- Where are we holding him? - In the morgue, I hope.

Time of death was estimated at 8:20 last night.

Oh, I get it, Perry.

We picked up your client for the murder of Art Grover.

Make sheet says, "Arthur Grover, age 36, vital statistics,

three arrests by bunco, served two terms Washington State Prison."

Mm-hm.

Who are we holding?

Boy, you really picked yourself a prize package this time, Perry.

"Drunk and disorderly, assault, petty theft, shoplifting,

carrying a concealed weapon, one, two, three convictions for mugging.

Petty theft."

That Jake Stearns is really something, Perry.

Report says when they picked him up he was working over the body.

You want me to dig out a file on Art Grover?

No, I'll, uh, drop by your office and look at it, Steve.

Well, I suppose you wanna see Jake Stearns, Perry?

- No, thank you, Steve. - Well, then why the inquiry?

- What's all this about? - Thanks, Steve. Thanks a lot.

Perry, they've got the wrong man. You're gonna have to get Duke to...

Do you have a dime?

I'll be with you in a few minutes, Steve.

Duke, Perry Mason.

You no longer have a choice, Duke.

Another man's being held for the murder of Art Grover.

I can't turn myself in.

That guy that they picked up didn't do it, so he'll get off.

I got myself to worry about.

It's a cinch you're not worrying about me.

Well, I am worried about you.

I'm worried because the longer you put off talking to the police, the...

I should have kept my mouth shut. I never should have told you.

Now, you just forget it, everything.

Uh, Duke.

Well, Paul, he won't turn himself in.

Which puts you in one heck of a spot.

There must be more behind this than Duke's admitting.

His refusal just isn't rational.

He can't be such a darned fool that he...

Look, I'm going to Duke's apartment.

I want you to start with Homicide's report on Art Grover.

Learn everything you can about him.

- What about Sharon Carmody? - I'll see her.

- How much time do we have? - No time.

There are only three things I can do: try to talk Duke into surrendering,

so far a lost cause, press Sharon Carmody or...

Or you can turn your client in yourself.

I'd be breaking my word to him and I can't do that.

And I can't stand by silently while an innocent man goes on trial for murder.

All set, baby? You're next.

Rudy, please.

How can I feel inside like the next White Snow Princess

when my agent calls me baby?

I'm sorry, princess.

If you knew how I feel...

You can make it, can't you, Rudy?

Because your part in this is just as important as mine.

While I'm on camera,

you have to be in that booth holding Madam Rosa's hand.

You have to convince her that I'm the greatest thing since...

Well, since... Since white snow.

I'll do my best.

Thank you, sir.

Oh, remember, Rudy,

remember way back

when we first heard about the White Snow contest?

You told me what the odds were and I said I still wanted to try.

I know.

And now here we are.

Just one more step

and I'll have the biggest assignment in the business.

I'll be the White Snow Princess.

I'll say one thing.

Nobody could have worked harder, done more to get the job.

Good luck, baby.

The tryouts for the White Snow Princess have been taping all day.

Three finalists.

Sharon Carmody goes on next.

But you can see her when she finishes, Mr. Mason.

Thank you.

The purity of fresh, wind-driven White Snow

in each and every White Snow product.

Cleanliness is next to godliness,

and at White Snow, purity is our watchword.

The fresh, clean, distilled essence of all that is good

and unspoiled and clear clean.

Whatever White Snow product you select to protect the health,

the clean sweetness of your precious, precious family,

you can be sure that the White Snow label is your guarantee

of absolute, unsullied, unadulterated purity.

You have the word of your White Snow Princess.

- Uh, how well-educated is this girl? - I don't... I'll find out.

No marriage? No divorce?

No, Madam Rosa, absolutely not.

She's a perfect symbol for your products.

Are you an agent?

Our next finalist, Ms. Sharon Carmody.

Sharon is ready, Madam Rosa.

I am your White Snow Princess

and I bring you greetings and good wishes

from the sincere and able people at White Snow Castle.

Who are dedicated to the purity and goodness

of the products we prepare for your sacred castles,

your homes.

You who have already tried them have sensed immediately the purity of...

Uh, this girl, tell me about her.

She's a sweetheart, a real sweetheart.

What I mean is she's not faking that princess bit.

She is a princess. You can sense it just by talking to her.

What about her personal life?

- You know what I mean. - Perfect.

She's not like the other girls in this business.

She's, like, clean.

She's got respect for herself.

Of absolute, unsullied, unadulterated purity.

You can take the word of your White Snow Princess.

Rudy, how did we do? Rudy... Oh.

Ms. Sharon Carmody?

My name is Perry Mason.

I'm attorney for a friend of yours, Duke Maronek.

Duke?

Uh, is he in some kind of trouble?

I think you know what kind of trouble he's in, don't you, Ms. Carmody?

Why should I know?

I haven't seen Duke for, well...

Well, let's see, it's been...

It's been days.

I understand you knew a man from Seattle named Art Grover.

Yes, I know him.

He was found dead in an alley last night.

The police have arrested a man for his murder,

a man with a felony record.

Should that mean something to me?

Look, I won't pretend that I'm sorry about Art because

well, if you'd known him,

what he was like...

The police are convinced that this man Stearns killed Grover.

They're charging him with murder.

I see.

Is that all you have to say?

What more should I say?

Ms. Carmody,

I appreciate why you're doing this,

and what the White Snow assignment means to you.

I can even appreciate that you think that you're helping Duke

but you're mistaken.

- Lies can't help him. - Lies?

What lies? I haven't told you anything.

Often the thing we should say and don't

can be more of a falsehood than an out and out lie.

Mr. Mason, you never really told me what you want me to say.

At the present, I'm not free to spell it out,

but you can't allow a miscarriage of justice

simply because you wanna protect your friend or yourself.

Eventually you'll both suffer for it.

Sharon, are you decent?

I've just been to Duke's apartment, but he's moved out.

Now, if you know where he is, and you are his friend,

I'd suggest that you try to convince him to get in touch with me right away.

I've got a feeling we're in, Sharon.

In her own way the old girl practically flipped.

And I'm dying.

Would you have a drink?

Hmm?

Oh.

Water?

I need a doctor.

Well, keep trying.

It's obvious by now that he's hiding somewhere or that he's left town.

If Drake calls in from Seattle, please tell him to check with me.

Yes, thank you.

With all the men Paul has looking for Duke, you'd think they'd find him.

If by some miracle Duke should call,

get in touch with me right away, I'll be in court.

Your Honor, the evidence is overwhelming.

The defendant, Jake Stearns, is a chronic felon.

He has operated in this same manner for the past ten years.

He has multiple felony convictions on his record.

He was apprehended by police...

Sure, I'm gonna do my best for you, Jake, but I'm a lawyer, not a magician.

- It's a bum rap. - It's always a bum rap.

You were going over the body.

The dead man's wallet and watch were found on the defendant's...

Jake, your best bet is to take your chances with the jury.

The dead man's blood was on the defendant's clothing.

I can't refute a word the Deputy DA's saying.

Had patrolled the alley minutes before and found it empty.

There's no way out for you, Jake.

There's no reasonable doubt that Art Grover was murdered

or that Jake Stearns...

Jake, you don't have a witness, an alibi, a shred of proof.

They ain't gonna railroad me.

I didn't kill that guy. I swear before all that's holy, I didn't.

Jake Stearns therefore be bound over to Superior Court

for trial for the murder of Art Grover.

Your Honor, if the court please,

I have information vital to this case

and I request that I be heard in chambers as amicus curiae.

In all my years of practice,

this is one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do.

I must either violate my responsibility to my client

or violate my responsibility to the court.

Then you have no real choice, Mr. Mason.

An attorney's first obligation is to the administration of justice.

My client, Duke Maronek,

admitted to me that he killed Art Grover

and left the body in an alley.

So Mr. Stearns was guilty of robbery but surely not murder.

I told you so.

Grover had to be stiff before I ever touched him.

This guy Duke knocked him off and lucked into letting me take the rap.

Take the defendant out, bailiff. You gentlemen sit still.

Thanks, pal,

I never figured a guy like you would ever turn stoolie for a guy like me.

Have him rebooked on that charge of robbery.

Your Honor,

you must realize that we were acting on the facts we had.

And you had no questions?

You were completely satisfied

that the defendant in this action was the murderer?

And I suppose you, as public defender,

were prepared to challenge Mr. Vincent's case?

Well, I...

No, sir, I was, uh...

Your Honor, for the purpose of a preliminary hearing,

we felt that we had enough

and by the time we went in to trial...

Well, the police had a few things that

well, were not quite clear.

Lieutenant?

Your Honor, for one thing, according to the medical examiner's report,

"Art Grover's death was caused by a blow to the head

apparently inflicted by a blunt instrument."

Now, when we went to pick up Jake Stearns,

- he had no such weapon on him. - What about a fist?

Well, it obviously wasn't Jake Stearns.

It could have been your client's, Mr. Mason.

Duke Maronek was a professional boxer, wasn't he?

I apologize, Your Honor.

Make your apologies to Mr. Stearns, Mr. Vincent.

Mr. Mason, does your client know that you've, uh, turned him in?

I've tried every way possible to get in touch with him, to reason with him.

But two things apparently have driven him into hiding,

his loyalty to a friend and a psychotic fear of imprisonment.

Frankly, I don't think he would have agreed to come forward.

I think he'd die, he'd kill himself, possibly, before he'd turn himself in.

He's liable to get that opportunity.

Duke Maronek killed Art Grover by his own admission

but by accident and in self-defense.

Duke is not a murderer.

Innocent men don't run generally, Mr. Mason,

and murderers can't keep running.

We'll find him.

And when we do, I'll try to remember that fine distinction

that you have between murderers, killers.

- Goodbye, darling. I'll be back about 6. - Bye, dear.

Good afternoon. I'm Paul Drake.

I called Mrs. Bronwyn earlier.

Paul, it's so good to see you.

Please don't give me away.

It's been a long time, Paul. You look wonderful.

- And you look wonderful too, Fern. - Thank you.

Oh, Paul, this is my husband, Dave Bronwyn.

- How do you do? - How do you do?

Paul called earlier, I forgot to mention it.

He's in Seattle just for the day.

We haven't seen each other since we were in school back east.

Well, I was going out

but this is the kind of an occasion when we ought to open a bottle.

Well, that'd be great but I really only have just a few minutes.

Oh, you run along, darling.

Next time Paul's in town we'll throw a party.

I'll hold you to that.

It's a pleasure knowing one of Fern's old friends.

Thank you.

- Bye, darling. - Bye.

I apologize for that, Mr. Drake.

Well, you see, Dave doesn't know about the past.

It's all right, Mrs. Bronwyn.

I didn't call you or come here to make trouble for you.

How did you find out about me?

Well, if there's anything thicker than thieves...

Well, private detectives often work together

and that's how I got a lead on you when I was checking on Art Grover.

I haven't had anything to do with Art Grover

since two years before I was married and that's three years ago.

But you don't deny you were part of the badger game

he ran up here in Seattle?

He ever tried to get in touch with you since your marriage?

Why should he? It was all over.

I'd been a fool and I realized it.

I'm married to a fine man, Mr. Drake.

Mm-hm. And a wealthy one.

Didn't Grover threaten to expose your past to your husband?

What do you mean?

You know what I mean, Mrs. Bronwyn.

You made out three checks at six-month intervals to Art Grover,

one for a thousand,

one for 2,000, one for 2,500.

Oh, my.

I didn't know what to do.

He promised the last time that he wouldn't bother me anymore.

I'll bet he made the same promise the first two times.

No, the last time was different. He wanted something that I have.

He told me that if I'd give it to him,

he could make a big score and he wouldn't bother me again.

- Did you give it to him? - Of course not.

It was the only protection I had.

I suppose now with Art dead I have to deal with you.

I wanna see what you wouldn't show Art Grover. That's all I want.

- What choice do I have? - None.

All right.

Well, I don't have it here but I'll bring it to you at your hotel later, all right?

Thank you, Mrs. Bronwyn.

I'm gonna trust you, Mr. Drake.

And I'm gonna trust you.

Sharon's the bystander who ends up getting hurt.

She's no bystander, Mr. Blair.

Art Grover was killed right here in this apartment.

Duke Maronek admitted this to his attorney, Perry Mason.

If you implicate her in this murder,

have her name plastered over the papers, on the radio,

she can kiss the assignment with White Snow goodbye.

I don't seem to be getting through to you, Mr. Blair.

It's not a question of my implicating her, she is already implicated.

Now, do you have anything to say, ma'am,

or does he do all your talking for you?

Lieutenant, I wanna help.

In a way I'm responsible because...

Well, because Duke came up here to protect me from Art Grover,

and if I hadn't asked Duke to help me he wouldn't be in all this trouble.

Then you admit that you saw two men in this apartment

and witnessed the murder?

- She wasn't a witness to it... - I wasn't talking to you!

You know, you seem to know everything.

Were you present? Were you here when it happened?

- We don't have to answer questions. - You think not?

How would you two like to be held on suspicion of being accessories?

Lieutenant, please, can't you understand?

I feel indebted to Duke.

What kind of girl do you think I am?

Then listen to me, Ms. Carmody, and listen to me carefully.

I want two things from you,

corroborate Duke's story to his attorney

and then help me find the guy.

In return, you won't be involved, the newspapers won't have a story

and you can go on being Miss Snowplow or whatever you wanna be.

Now, that's my deal.

I want an answer.

Now, you wait.

You answer it.

All right, lieutenant, it's true what his lawyer said,

but I'm sure Duke didn't mean to do it.

He just got so scared, that's why he carried the body out.

Hello?

Hold a minute.

Truthfully, I don't think I could bring myself to turn him in

even if I knew where he was.

Now, where are you?

I hate to put Sharon on the spot like this, Rudy,

but I gotta get out of town, fast.

My lawyer put the finger on me.

I need a couple of hundred.

Say, 300.

Duke, the cops are here now and I know they've got the airport,

the train station, the buses all covered.

You'd better play dead for a while until this quiets down.

Look, Rudy, can you let me have the money?

When? How soon?

As soon as the thing cools down, a few days.

Duke, I've got a place up in the canyon. I'll tell you how to get there.

It's just a shack but there's groceries and a couple of bottles.

You can stay there a few days

until I can sneak up there with the money for you.

Lieutenant, Duke's a big, tough-looking fellow

but in some ways he's like a little boy.

Like this thing he has about being closed in.

He won't even get in an elevator.

He doesn't like the doors closed in a room.

Ms. Carmody, are you gonna tell me where he is?

- I don't know. - Well, I don't believe you.

Until you decide to help me,

don't count on being Miss Snowplow or whatever.

I think you're in this and I'm not going to keep it a secret.

The cop, Drumm, how did you get rid of him?

He's going to...

We can forget about White Snow, Rudy.

We're not forgetting what we've been working for,

not after all we've been through, All that I've been through.

But he wanted me to tell where Duke is

and won't believe I don't know.

Well, I do. That was Duke on the phone,

and as far as I'm concerned Drumm can have him.

Rudy, he's in this because of me. You can't turn him in.

You think not?

Just watch me.

All right, Mr. Blair, you've got your deal.

As far as I'm concerned, you and the girl are well out of it.

Look, you, uh, won't tell him how you found out?

No, Mr. Blair, I won't tell him.

This is Lieutenant Drumm.

I want you to send all cars to Canyon Extension Road.

Set up roadblocks on Randolph Avenue, Sleigh Drive

and Cabiness Road.

The shack is located on Hill 1184. Exercise extreme caution.

The suspect is heavily armed.

Try to take him alive but if he offers any resistance, protect yourselves.

I just got in from Seattle and I have something for you.

You know, this is a funny business.

- You look under a plain old rock... - Meaning Art Grover?

Meaning Art Grover, and you never know what you're gonna turn up.

In this case a lady from Seattle who used to be Grover's partner

in a slick little badger game they ran there, Fern Bronwyn,

now a respectable matron and that's the gist of what she told me

about their little shakedown operation.

"A beautiful girl as a lure, important men in compromising situations."

This took a little doing but I finally talked Fern into giving me this,

on condition we keep her out of it.

You know, Paul, I have a terrible feeling.

About what?

I may have put the finger on the wrong man.

All set, pal, the brass ring and all the...

- Who are you? - I'm a friend of Sharon's.

Sorry, friend, not today.

No friends, no visitors, no nothing. Out. Now.

- Who are you, her keeper? - The guy who got her a big chance

and the guy who's gonna see she doesn't blow it. So...

I'm still gonna wait.

No, you're not, friend.

Nobody sees Sharon today until it's over and she is in.

Well, just a minute.

You try throwing me out and Sharon will be out, permanently.

That sounds like a threat.

Take it any way you want. That's the way it is.

You can wait in here and as soon as it's over, I'll tell her you're here.

Now, uh...

You just sit there. You can see it all on the monitor.

Hi, Bill. Well, what's going on?

- Well, nobody's come up or down. - Well, that's good.

That means he's still up there. Don't let any traffic through. Let's go.

And now Madam Rosa Bruening of White Snow

would like you to meet her brand-new White Snow Princess,

Ms. Sharon Carmody.

You'll see on this rehearsal, Madam Rosa,

you've made a very wise choice.

And here she is, your White Snow Princess.

Thank you.

And thank you, Madam Rosa.

I am your White Snow Princess and I bring you greetings

from the sincere and able people at White Snow Castle.

Who are dedicated to the purity and goodness...

Good...

Oh, no.

Of all the dirty, stinking, lousy tricks!

No, no, no!

- No! - Kill the sound, quick!

You.

I thought you wanted to stay out of this.

Well, I did but, well, after you left, I got worried.

I wanted to see how it would turn out.

Well, come on, you'll have a chance to find out.

No!

No!

No!

No!

Why did you do it?

Why did you put that picture on the monitor? Why?

That picture might save a man's life.

Sergeant, it's up to you to get us there on time.

And we're all going together.

Don, here.

Duke!

Give yourself up before someone gets hurt!

I told you, I don't wanna hurt anybody!

We don't wanna hurt anybody either.

Okay, Sam, let's use that tear gas.

See if you can lob a shell into that window over there.

- How's it look? - Nobody has come up or down.

Let's go.

Let's try one more. That ought to do it.

Steve, wait.

Perry, what in the devil are you doing here?

If there's anyone this man wants to kill, it's you for blowing the whistle on him.

Maybe you're right, Steve,

but I have to talk him into giving himself up.

No chance.

Well, I'm gonna try.

Mason, what are you doing here?

Are you trying to make me kill you?

I'm trying to save your life, Duke.

I don't wanna kill you any more than I wanted to kill Art Grover,

but that doesn't mean I won't.

I'll give you a ten count to get out of here, Mason.

One.

Two.

Three. MASON: Listen, Duke,

you didn't kill Art Grover.

Are you nuts?

Two days ago Perry told the judge that Duke killed a man.

Now he's trying to make Duke believe that he didn't.

I told you how I slugged him, knocked him behind the couch

and when I got the lights on, he was dead.

But it wasn't Grover you slugged.

It was Rudy Blair.

Grover was already dead behind that couch.

He was there when you entered the room.

I don't believe it. Four.

Five.

- Six. - Duke, I promise you.

- It's all true. - You're lying.

Just like you were when you promised to keep quiet.

Art Grover was killed because he threatened to expose Sharon's past

and ruin any chance to win the White Snow contract.

Then it was Rudy Blair who knocked off Grover.

No, Duke.

Rudy Blair only helped the murderer pin the killing on you.

But who?

Who would have done that?

This is Lieutenant Drumm.

There's a girl going down the hill in one of our cars.

Stop her at the roadblock.

I stopped her. She's all right.

We've got her, Perry,

and alive.

Yes?

Perry, you have a client out here who's complaining about his bill.

Will you see him?

Have him come in and bring the statement.

Mr. Mason, I came here to pay my bill and now I...

I told him there was no bill.

Look, I appreciate it, Mr. Mason, but I owe you a lot more than money.

Sit down, Duke.

You don't owe me a thing. I owe you, if nothing else, an explanation.

- I know what you're gonna say... - Duke, I broke a promise to you.

I want you to understand why.

You see, some lawyers prefer

not to know whether or not their clients are guilty.

I've never gone along with that. I've always wanted to know the truth.

Well, the thing is, I didn't know the truth to tell you.

I guess I really goofed that first night I came here to talk to you.

I should have done what you told me then and turned myself in.

You should have seen Perry those next few days,

when another man was being held for the murder

you said you had committed.

If anyone was ever on the horns of a dilemma...

Right now, I've got a dilemma.

Do I wave my fist at you and pound the desk,

and yell and make you take my money?

Or do I ask you two to go to one of the nicest places

on the Strip and order the biggest steaks they've got?

Would that also include the biggest bottle of champagne?

Ha, ha. Right. And maybe one of those flaming desserts to boot.

Your dilemma I can solve.

Let's go.