All language subtitles for Perry Mason S03E10 The Case of the Lucky Legs.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

And now the announcement
you've all been waiting for.

The winner of the contest

to choose "The Girl
with the Lucky Legs" is...

number three, Cloverdale's
own Marjorie Cluny.

Yes, the big contest is
over and by your purchases

and your votes, you
have helped to put

Cloverdale on the
glamour map of the world.

And now, the man
responsible for all this:

Mr. Frank Patton of
Stellar Screen Productions.

Mr. Patton.

Thank you.

Miss Cluny, it is my
privilege to present you

with this contract
for the title role

in our forthcoming
Stellar production.

Congratulations.

Thank you, Mr. Patton.

And my thanks to all
those who voted for me.

I'll try not to let you down.

Congratulations, good luck.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. Yes, sir

Good for you, Marge.

Thank you. Wonderful.

Folks, for the record here
and now, let me prophesy

a meteoric career

for this lovely young
girl from Cloverdale.

A career which
will establish her

as one of Hollywood's
brightest stars.

Bob, please.

Now, look here, Doray...

I've stood by and
watched you put over

this fake promotion of yours,

lining your pockets

at the expense of
our local merchants.

But I don't care about that,

no, that's just money you're
taking out of Cloverdale.

Margy is something different.

You'd better treat
her right in Hollywood.

Do you understand me, Patton?

She's not expendable.

You might be.

How long ago was this
"Lucky Legs" contest?

That was a month ago.

But, uh, Margy's
Hollywood career

lasted exactly two days.

Then they told her she
didn't photograph well enough.

According to this contract,

that gave them
the right to cancel.

All right, Mr. Bradbury,
what do you want of me?

Well, Margy's disappeared.

We've gotta find her.

I also want you to find Patton

and put him where he
belongs: behind bars.

What did the district
attorney's office tell you?

How did you know I went there?

You're a successful businessman.

You'd know if the
district attorney

thought he could
get a conviction

on the basis of this contract.

Well, Mr. Burger did say that
the man undoubtedly was a crook,

but it was a question of,
uh, proving criminal intent.

And so it is.

Well, up to the moment,
this is all I could dig up.

Newspaper clippings about
the contest, data like that.

All right, I'll look it over.

Della, get hold of Paul,

tell him I want to
see him right away.

Yes, Gertie?

I'll be right out.

You know, Mr. Bradbury,
you seem to have more

than just a passing
interest in Marjorie Cluny.

She was my secretary.

If that, uh, contest
hadn't come along,

I think it's safe to
say that, by now,

she'd be my wife.

You'd, uh, might as well go
out this way, Mr. Bradbury.

You'll hear from me soon.

Thanks, and spare no expense.

Someone else from
Cloverdale, Utah.

A Bob Doray wants
you to find Frank Patton

and put him behind bars.

Come in, Mr. Doray.

Won't you sit down.

What did J.R. Bradbury want?

Did you follow him here?

Look, I can't pay you
as much as he can,

not in cash at any rate, but...

I'm willing to sign a
note for any amount.

You're too late.

I've already
accepted his retainer.

Yeah, I should have known.

Look, Bradbury's just
trying to obligate Margy.

He thinks he can
get her to marry him.

Evidently you think so too.

Mr. Doray.

You didn't ask me
to find Marjorie Cluny.

So?

So it would help if you'd
tell me where she is.

Quite a character, this Patton.

Seems he's pulled
his "Lucky Legs" stunt

in a lot of small towns.

I located one of the
winners of a few years ago,

girl from Montana

who stayed on in Hollywood.

You saw her?

No, spoke to her on the phone.

She said if there's
anything she can do

to help put Patton out of
circulation, just ask her.

Uh, by the way, she
gave me Patton's address.

Three-O-two, the
Holliday Arms apartments.

What's the girl's name?

Thelma Bell, St. James
Bungalows, Number 12.

Crestview 7-3891.

Good work, Paul.

All right, Della,

let's go calling.

Miss Bell or Mr. Patton?

Patton.

We'll need that briefcase
left by Mr. Bradbury.

What's in it?

Oh, for one thing,
proof that Patton

showed up at the
Cloverdale newspaper

with an ad and a mailing list.

And had marked
copies of the paper

sent through the mails.

Using the mails to defraud, huh?

Think you can make it stick?

Perhaps I can make him think so.

At least it will
start him talking.

Keep on it, Paul. Will do.

That girl's frightened.

He must be in. There's
no key in his box.

Maybe he doesn't want company.

Is he dead?

Stabbed...

with a wood-carving knife.

"Mr. Patton, Margy called.

"Crestview 7-3891, 5:05 p.m.

I must see you tonight."

Let's go, Della.

The police will
have to be notified.

Mm-hm.

Well, I live in the
apartment just below

and when I heard
this woman yelling...

You told me all that before.

Now, uh, could you make
out what she was saying?

Well, something
about "Lucky Legs."

And then I heard something fall.

Very heavy. Guess
he isn't home, Della.

Let's go.

Ah, something wrong, officer?

This woman said she
heard a commotion.

Did you two people
just get here?

Well, we stopped up
to see Mr. Frank Patton,

but no one answered
the door, and...

Well, someone was sure
here when I called the police.

Yes, Miss Fields.

My name is Mason.

This is my secretary,
Miss Street.

Well...

We'll be on our way.

I... I guess we can
find you if we need you.

You mean, you think
the girl who bumped you

was our client, Marjorie Cluny?

That's what I'm
gonna see her about.

You'd better go home in a cab.

But how are you
going to find her?

That telephone message
on Patton's table.

Isn't Crestview 7-3891
the same telephone number

that Paul gave
us for Thelma Bell

at the St. James Bungalows?

They're the same.

You and your memory
for phone numbers.

J.R. Bradbury, please.

Mr. Bradbury, this
is Perry Mason.

Oh, Mr. Mason,

I hardly expected to
hear from you so soon.

I hardly expected
to call you so soon.

Frank Patton is dead.

Patton dead?

You mean, he was...?

Murdered.

When? Who?

I don't know who.

But just as we arrived
at the apartment house,

a girl I'd say was in a
state of panic left hurriedly.

She was about 5'6",
blond, blue eyes.

Around 120 pounds.

That could have been Margy.

Remember, Mason,
she's your client,

you've got to find
her and protect her.

All right, Bradbury.

Good evening.

I'd like to speak to
Miss Cluny, please.

Margy? Heh.

What gave you the
idea she was here?

You left your shower running.

Miss Cluny?

Miss Cluny, my name is
Mason, I'm an attorney.

I've been retained
by J.R. Bradbury

to represent you.

I don't want an attorney.

I'm afraid you're going to need
one when the police get here.

Police? Why should they...?

You were in Frank Patton's
apartment, were you not?

You're the man I bumped into.

Right in front of his
apartment house.

And you told the police? No.

But why shouldn't
I have told them?

Because you were
in Patton's apartment

at about the time he
was stabbed to death?

No, no, I wasn't. Stabbed?

With a wood-carving knife.

Or shouldn't I have
talked to the police

because there was a
phone message from you

on a table in his living room?

But she didn't kill him.

How do you know?

Because she told me so.

However, you were in
his apartment, Miss Cluny.

I had an appointment to
see him at 8:00 tonight.

I was late.

What happened
when you got there?

Nobody answered when I knocked.

I was angry.

I thought he was
putting me off again.

I tried the door
and it was unlocked,

so I walked in.

I've never done
anything like that before.

Then what did you do?

I didn't do anything. He was...

Touch anything?

Yes. What?

I didn't know whether
he was dead or not.

I tried to pull the
knife out. I couldn't. I...

I ran out of there.

Did anyone else see you

in or around the
apartment house?

I don't know. I just
wanted to get away.

Mr. Mason, I didn't kill
him. You have to believe me.

It isn't what I believe, Margy,

it's what the police
are going to believe.

You left a rather broad trail.

Margy...

What are you doing here?

I was about to ask you that.

All right, Margy, hurry
up and get dressed.

We've got to get out of here.

Mr. Mason is my attorney,
I'll do whatever he says.

Isn't it about time you
started listening to me?

Bob Doray, when
are you going to stop

trying to order me around?

I said, get dressed.

I think both of you
girls better get dressed.

All right, Doray, what is it?

Nothing.

Now, there must be something.

You dashed in here with
a wild look in your eye,

told her she had to hurry,
that she had to get out of here.

Where you going to
take her? No place.

I'm speaking to you
as Margy's attorney.

Margy phoned me.

I know what she found
in Patton's apartment.

If you really had the best
interests of that girl at heart,

you'd leave now and
let me handle things.

Yeah, Bradbury hired
you. He'll get all the credit.

Bob, who'll get the blame if
she's convicted of murder?

Hey.

Who said you could go
poking around in my closet?

Have something to hide?

Oh, well, now, wait a minute...

You were also the winner,
or I should say victim,

of the "Lucky Legs" contest.

That would give you the same
motive as Margy to kill Patton.

That's right. But it
just so happens I didn't.

I couldn't have. I went to
dinner with my boyfriend.

His name would be?
George Sanborne.

I'd like to talk to him.

Well, now, you go right
ahead if you want to.

He lives at the
Alvesta Apartments.

His phone number
is Oldfield 4-1654.

Hello?

Mr. Sanborne?

Speaking.

This is the Hollywood
Receiving Hospital.

A woman named Thelma
Bell was injured an hour ago

in an automobile accident.

She's asking for you.

Receiving hospital?

What are you talking about?

I dropped Thelma
off at her place

no more than a half an hour ago.

Who are you? What are you up to?

Sorry.

Satisfied?

Oh, where's Bob?

He had to leave. Oh.

I'd like you to stay at
a hotel for a few days.

As soon as you've checked in,
call my secretary, Della Street.

But no one else is to
know where you are.

I'll get a few things together.

You mean, she
can't even tell me?

That way the police
can't make you tell them.

Ah, you make sense...

sometimes.

That wood carving.

Oh, it doesn't take
very much room.

Who carved it?

I did. Why?

It's good.

Quite good.

Mr. Sanborne.

Yeah, who are you?

My name's Mason.

I'd like to talk to you.

I heard of you, an attorney.

I heard of you, a prize fighter.

That's right, 19 K.O.'s.

How many against attorneys?

I called you a little while
ago about Thelma Bell.

Oh, so, uh, you're the guy.

You told me you'd
been out together

until a quarter of 9.

Well, I was.

What time did you pick her up?

A little after 7.

Where'd you go?
Eddie's Bar and Grill.

Will, uh... Will they
remember you there?

Go ask 'em.

When you first sat
down, what did you order?

Bourbon on the rocks.

Both had bourbon?

Yeah. Then what?

We had a steak sandwich.

Both had steak sandwiches?

Yeah.

Rare.

Then what?

We switched to highballs.

Bourbon highballs? Yeah.

You both had bourbon highballs?

Yeah. Doubles.

You're lying.

Yeah. Hey, wait
a minute... Look,

you both had
bourbon on the rocks.

You both had rare
steak sandwiches.

You both had double
bourbon highballs.

Haven't you any imagination?

Hello.

I'd like to speak to Mr. Doray.

Mr. Robert Doray.

Okay, hold it.

Isn't he in?

I'm ringing.

I'd like to leave a
message, please.

Yes, ma'am.

This is Miss Street,
Perry Mason's secretary.

The message is: Developments
indicate a long trip advisable.

Suspicion mounting
in M's direction.

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

Good morning, Della.
Good morning, Perry.

What word from Marjorie Cluny?

None yet. Mr. Bradbury
called bright and early though.

Oh?

Wants you to represent Bob
Doray if the need should arise.

Why Doray?

The police are looking for him.

Seems his car
with the Utah plates

was spotted near
Patton's apartment house

shortly before the murder.

Well, why should that
concern Mr. Bradbury?

And why should
he assume the cost

of his rival's legal defense?

Yes, Gertie?

Lieutenant Tragg.

Put him on.

Good morning, lieutenant.

Yes, I'll be right there.

Della, get hold of Paul.

Tell him to wait right
here for me till I get back.

"Suspicion mounting
in M's direction."

She didn't say who she
meant by M, did she?

No. Well, it doesn't
matter. I know.

Uh, you got the name right?

Miss Street, Perry
Mason's private secretary?

She phoned the message?

Yes, sir.

Well, that's why I asked
you to meet me here, Perry.

When did all this happen?

About 40 minutes ago.

Where's Doray?

Already gone, skipped.
Lock, stock and barrel.

Tragg...

you don't really believe
Della made that call?

Don't I?

What would be the purpose?

Oh, same purpose
you always have.

To protect your client,
to create confusion,

to evade the law.

Didn't you tell Marjorie
Cluny to go in hiding?

Is it a crime for me
to ask Miss Cluny

to change her address?

Yes, it is, when
we're looking for her.

Don't you think it
would be a good idea

to let me know when you're
looking for one of my clients?

You knew all right.

You planning to
call in a mind reader

to establish that fact?

Won't have to now, not
with Thelma Bell around.

Oh?

She volunteered the information.

Hi, Paul. Hi, Perry

I've got some news for you.

Good. Della, the minute
we're through here,

get hold of Thelma
Bell. Let's have it, Paul.

Well, Miss Fields, who
lives in the apartment

directly beneath Patton's,
works for Stellar Studios,

the outfit Patton
used to be tied up with.

Also, the police
have traced the...

The wood-carving knife. Right.

It was bought two days
ago in a little art shop.

A girl who bought it answered
Marjorie Cluny's description.

Perry, you already
knew it was hers?

I was afraid it might be.

Paul, what about
that list of phone calls

Bradbury made from his hotel?

There were a group of calls
to various messenger services

which we're still checking out.

And there were a couple of
calls that were pretty interesting.

One last night to
Thelma Bell's apartment.

And the other this morning

to the Agua Caliente
Hotel in Mexico.

Della, call the
airport charter service

for a flight to San
Diego right away.

Mm-hm. Why San Diego?

San Diego means Mexico.

California requires
a three-day wait

for a marriage license,
Mexico requires none.

Gertie, I want you...

Oh, put him on. Paul.

Mine.

Yeah? Oh, hi, Harry.

Uh-huh.

I see.

Uh, good going, thanks.

Well, San Diego was a
good idea but a little late.

Bradbury and Margy
Cluny were picked up

just this side of the border.

And?

She was booked for murder.

Death was instantaneous,

the knife entering
and penetrating

between the fifth and sixth ribs

and continuing through
both walls of the aorta.

Was the fatal thrust such

that it would require
considerable strength, doctor?

No.

Then the murder could have
been committed by a woman?

Oh, yes.

Thank you, doctor.
Cross-examine.

Forgive me, doctor,

but in the official
photographs of the deceased,

the knife didn't seem to
be in the area you describe.

It wasn't, not in
the photographs.

I don't understand.

The second wound was
not the cause of death.

There was more than one wound?

Oh, yes, there were two.

Thank you,
doctor, that'll be all.

You're excused.

Yes, sir, those are the prints
found on the murder weapon.

Were they
identified, lieutenant?

Yes, they're the
prints of the defendant,

Marjorie Cluny.

And can you
identify this object?

Oh, yes, that... That's
the murder weapon.

If it please the court,

I should like this
photograph and the knife

entered in evidence

and marked as the People's
State Exhibit A and B.

No objection, Your Honor.

Now, lieutenant, are you
familiar with this letter?

Oh, yes.

Would you tell us, please,
why you're familiar with it?

Well, I found it
on the decedent.

And could you read the
letter to the court, please?

"October 1st, to Mr. Patton.

"I'm down to my
last few dollars.

I won't be put off any
longer with empty promises."

- Signed, Marjorie Cluny.
- Mm-hm.

Thank you, lieutenant.

I should like this letter
marked for identification.

Mr. Mason?

No objections.

Now, lieutenant, just
one final question.

Where was the defendant
when she was apprehended?

A few yards from
the Mexican border.

Really?

Thank you, lieutenant.
Cross-examine.

Lieutenant,

didn't the fingerprint
expert's report say,

in effect, that there
were indications

the knife handle had
been wiped clean?

Yes, but there were three
latent fingerprints found:

a thumb, index and middle
finger of the defendant.

But no other
latent fingerprints?

No, no.

Was this not a
condition compatible

with the knife handle
having been wiped clean

before the defendant's
fingerprints were superimposed?

A condition, yes.

Thank you,
lieutenant, that'll be all.

You may step down, lieutenant.

I call Miss Laura Fields
to the stand, please.

Do you swear to tell the truth,

the whole truth and
nothing but the truth?

I do.

State your name.

Laura Fields.

Now, Miss Fields, what
time was it in the evening

when you heard this
sound of a heavy body

falling in the
apartment above you?

I looked at the clock,
it was 20 after 8.

And what did you do?

I phoned upstairs.

With what result?

There wasn't any answer.

I thought that
was kind of funny.

Well, the fire escape
leads upstairs, so I went up.

Did you go into the
Patton apartment?

No, sir. Well, what did you do?

I stopped and looked
in through the window.

And what did you see?

I saw a woman
kneeling on the floor.

Did you get a good look at her?

No, all I could see
was a pair of legs

and white shoes.

Oh, the white shoes were
stained with something dark.

Yes, thank you.
What happened then?

She got up and ran
out of the apartment.

And did you get a good
look at her face then?

Yes, I did.

That's her there.

Marjorie Cluny.

I see. Thank you, Miss Fields.

Your witness.

Miss Fields, you said that right
after you heard the heavy thud,

you telephoned the
apartment directly above you.

Yes, sir.

Now, how did you
know the phone number?

Well, I knew Frank Patton.

How well did you know him?

Just as a neighbor.

I have no desire to
entrap you, Miss Fields,

but let me advise you
that I have here proof

that you once were
married to Frank Patton.

A Photostatic copy of
your marriage certificate.

That's past history, we've
been divorced for years.

Yet you still lived in the
same apartment house?

Yes.

And you knew his
telephone number?

Yes.

I still felt as if I
were married to him.

And that's why after
hearing the commotion,

you went up the fire escape,

and suspecting
something was wrong,

then telephoned the police?

Yes.

On the night of the murder,

why didn't you tell the
police the whole story?

I didn't want it
to seem as if...

I was afraid that
if they found out

I'd once been married to Frank,

they'd think I went in the room.

Then you in fact did
not go into the room?

No, I didn't.

Now, on the night of the murder,

after trying to
phone the deceased,

how much time elapsed before
you went up the fire escape?

A few minutes.

Ten minutes?

No, not that long.

One minute?

Well, a few minutes. Four, five.

Enough time for the
real killer to have escaped

and for Miss Cluny to have
innocently entered the room?

And upon seeing the body,

been shocked into
kneeling beside it

to see if Mr. Patton
was still alive?

I don't know.

I'm not an expert on time.

Thank you.

Oh, uh, one more
thing, Miss Fields.

You testified that when
you looked into the window

you saw a woman kneeling down.

Yes.

She was wearing white shoes.

Yes.

There were dark stains on them?

Yes.

Were there any stains
on her stockings?

No.

The shoes were stained,
but the stockings were not?

That's right.

Thank you, Miss Fields.

You may stand down, Miss Fields.

And on the afternoon
of October 2nd,

you personally sold

this wood-carving
tool to the defendant.

Is that correct? Yes, sirree.

To the defendant,
Marjorie Cluny.

Your witness. Thank you.

May I, Mr. Burger? Of course.

Mr. Clayton, how
can you be certain

you sold this knife
to the defendant?

Well, it isn't often
that a pretty girl wants

to buy something like
that and doesn't even know

that it's a wood-checking
tool she's after.

She didn't seem to know
much about wood carving?

No, sirree.

Thank you,
Mr. Clayton, that'll be all.

You're excused, sir.

I call Thelma Bell.

So I ran into her at
Stellar Studio one day,

and when I found out

she was another one of us
unlucky girls with "Lucky Legs,"

and practically broke, I
let her move in with me.

I see.

Now I show you this knife

and I ask if you've
ever seen it before?

Uh, yes, I have,
at the apartment.

Under what circumstances?

Oh, Margy said she
bought it for a friend.

When was this?

Uh, oh, the day before
Mr. Patton was killed.

October 2nd?

Was that the last
time you saw this?

No. No, I remember
seeing it on a table

sometime before I went
out the following evening.

That was the evening
of the murder? Yes.

Now, what time did
you go out that night?

Oh, about 5.

And the knife was
there when you left? Yes.

Was the defendant in
the apartment at that time?

Yes.

And what time did
you get back that night?

Oh, about, um, 6:30.

Was the knife there then?

Um, no.

And was the defendant at home?

Uh...

Uh, no. BURGER: I see.

Now, what time did the
defendant come home that night?

Uh, it was a couple
of minutes till 9.

And would you tell us
please what her mood was?

Well, it was pretty terrible.

I mean, I was scared
because she was so scared.

Did she say what
she was scared of?

Yes, um, well, she said
that... That Patton was dead,

b-but she didn't kill him,

and would I please, please,

help her wash the
stain off her white shoes.

And where are those shoes now?

Well, after we cleaned them,
I put them in... In the closet.

And later I went back
to look at them, but...

they weren't there.

They were gone? Yes.

Thank you, Miss
Bell. Your witness.

Miss Bell, you testified

that a pair of white shoes
disappeared from the closet?

That's right.

What else
disappeared from there?

A pair of stockings.

Silk stockings? Yes.

Had they been washed?

Yes.

Why?

To get out the blood stains.

To whom did those
stockings belong?

To Margy.

Would you say many women
wear silk stockings today?

No, I guess not.

Uh, how many women
in this courtroom

would you say are
wearing silk stockings?

I wouldn't know.

Well, I would.

Only one.

You.

What if I do happen to be
wearing silk stockings today?

I ask you once again, Miss Bell,

to whom did those
stockings belong?

And I'll tell you again. Margy.

How could that be?

You heard Miss Fields
say that she saw stains

on the white shoes
but not on the stockings.

I don't care what she says.

Didn't you once tell Miss Cluny

that you were extremely allergic
to nylon and had to wear silk?

No. I almost always wear nylon.

Then may I ask you to...

wrap this nylon stocking
around your wrist,

leave it there

while I proceed
with the questions?

Why should I?

Why shouldn't you,

if you're telling the truth?

Thank you.

Now, then, you testified
that Miss Cluny returned

to your apartment a
couple of minutes before 9.

Yes.

And told you Patton was dead.

Yes.

At that time, hadn't
you called a friend

to ask him to lie for you,

to say that you and
he had been together

during that period of time
that the murder was committed?

Now, isn't it true that instead
of being with that friend,

you actually were
in Patton's apartment

about the time of the murder?

No, I wasn't.

You also denied
being allergic to nylon.

All right, they
were my stockings

and I did go to
Patton's apartment,

but I didn't kill him.

Then you were the one
Miss Fields heard screaming

something about "Lucky Legs."

Well, I couldn't take
it anymore, I mean...

Well, all his lies

about trying to get me a
break in the movies, and...

Well, I blew my top, and
I... I bawl like a baby, so...

I was in fixing my face
in the bathroom, and...

I heard this fall.

No cry, no scuffle?

No, just one great
big thud, and...

Well, I-I mean I was so frozen,
I couldn't do anything and...

Well, I heard this door shut,
and I opened mine and...

I saw him lying there.

And the bloodstains
on your stockings?

It was from bending over
him, to take out the knife...

in case he wasn't dead.

Did you hear the telephone ring?

Yes, yes, y-yes.

Well, it was then
that I realized

that I'd touched the knife.

And you inflicted
the second wound?

Yes.

And wiped the
fingerprints from the knife?

Yes.

But I didn't kill
him, Mr. Mason.

I-I swear I
didn't kill him, I...

Honest, I didn't kill him.

Your Honor, since the
innocence of the defendant

is here clearly established,

I move for a dismissal of
the charges against her.

Well, I'm interested in
your reasoning, Mr. Mason.

Evidence here presented
by the prosecution

has deduced the fact

that there were two
knife wounds in deceased,

the second of which was
not the cause of death.

Now, Miss Bell had wiped
the knife clean of fingerprints.

And therefore when the
defendant touched the knife,

it was clearly after
the fact of murder.

Hmm.

Mr. Burger?

Your Honor, I am most
anxious to argue this point,

but my arguments
will require some time.

Oh, it's almost 5,
it's time to adjourn.

I'll reserve argument
and consideration

of the motion for the defense
until 10:00 tomorrow morning.

Court's adjourned.

I've asked you over
and over again, Margy,

why you suddenly decided
to cross the Mexican border

and marry Bradbury.

And I've told you over
and over again, Mr. Mason.

Why wouldn't any girl
want to marry a man so rich,

kind, generous?

You haven't said you love him.

If I didn't, why would
I want to marry him?

Oh, out of gratitude for
his having instructed me

to defend Bob Doray if that
should become necessary.

Really, Mr. Mason.

I broke up with him even
before the contest came along.

He's such a hothead.

Is that why you're so
positive he's guilty?

What are you saying?

When Thelma left the bungalow,
didn't Bob pay you a visit?

Didn't you give Bob that knife?

I...

Did you go out together?

N-no, he left.

And a little while after
I went out to dinner.

I see.

Well, now where is he?
Why's he been in hiding?

I don't know.

Mr. Mason, he didn't
kill Frank Patton.

You were the one who said
he was a hothead, Margy.

Now, Mr. Bradbury
asked me to protect Bob,

but I can't let that conflict
with my responsibility to you.

But isn't that all
taken care of?

Didn't you prove
I didn't kill him?

I offered what I think is proof.

But I want to get
at the truth, Margy.

And proving that
you didn't kill him

isn't the same as
proving who did kill him.

But they are going to dismiss

the charges against
me, aren't they?

It's impossible to tell
what the judge will do.

Well, I'll see you tomorrow.

Matron.

Perry.

You locate Bob Doray?

Yeah, he's the
wood carver, all right.

He needed dough, so
he sold one of his figurines

to a little art shop
on Olvera Street.

I've traced him to a third-rate
hotel the other side of town.

Well, hello, Tragg.

Paul has some
information for you.

The whereabouts of Robert Doray.

And in addition to the
forgoing, Your Honor,

relative to the defense
motion to dismiss,

the prosecution has
a request to make.

Go ahead, Mr. Burger.

Before the court
rules on this matter,

the prosecution would
like to call another witness.

All right, call your witness.

I call Robert Doray.

Your Honor, in view of this
witness' persistent efforts

to evade questioning
by the police

and his lack of cooperation

since we discovered
his whereabouts,

I request the court's permission

to treat him as
a hostile witness.

All right, Mr. Burger, you may
consider him a hostile witness.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, Mr. Doray, did
you visit the defendant

at Thelma Bell's
apartment on October 3rd,

the evening of the murder?

Yes.

Was it between 5 and 6:00?

Yes.

Did she show you this knife?

Answer me, did she?

Yes.

What did she say about it

and what did she
then do with it?

She said it was
to be a gift for me.

Then she put it on
the table by the mirror.

A gift.

All right, what time did
you leave the apartment?

About 20 minutes to 6.

And did you leave
the defendant there?

Yes.

Did you take your gift with you?

Well, Mr. Doray, did you
take this knife with you?

That's why I kept out of sight.

I went into hiding.

I didn't take it, Margy.

He did.

I mean, I really thought he did.

Your witness.

No questions.

Your Honor, in view of these
unexpected developments,

and before the court
rules on my motion

to dismiss this case
against the defendant,

I would like to recall
Miss Thelma Bell

for additional
cross-examination.

Mm. Permission granted

and, Miss Bell, will you
take the stand, please.

Now, Miss Bell,

you testified that you
had asked your friend,

George Sanborne,
to be your alibi

the night of the murder.

Yes.

You'd gone out
to dinner with him,

did he return with
you to your apartment?

Yes. How long did he stay?

Not very long.

About 45 minutes.

In fact, he left about 7:15.

Wasn't that rather a short date?

Did you have a fight with
him, Miss Bell, or an argument?

An argument.

About Frank Patton?

No, no.

Miss Bell, you won a
"Lucky Legs" contest

and came to Los
Angles several years ago.

Three years ago.

Isn't it true that you
stayed on in Los Angeles

primarily because
of Frank Patton?

Yes, he promised
that... Marriage?

Now, isn't it a fact

that all your arguments have
been about Frank Patton?

Isn't it a fact that
George Sanborne

is a very jealous man?

Now, look, you're giving
everybody the wrong impression.

Now, Miss Bell,

on the afternoon of October 3rd,

did you receive
a telephone call?

What do you mean?

Oh, perhaps anonymous,
asking for your address?

Oh, yes, yes, there was,

but he said he
was a delivery man.

You told him where you lived?

Sure.

But there was no
delivery made that day.

In fact, I'd even
forgotten about it.

How about an envelope?

An envelope?

No.

Now, when you returned to your
apartment with George Sanborne

at half past 6 that evening,

didn't you find that an envelope

had been pushed
under your front door,

one addressed to Marjorie Cluny?

No.

You did not find
any such envelope

anywhere in your apartment?

No.

That's odd.

A report from the Quick
Alert messenger service

states that an envelope
addressed to Marjorie Cluny

was picked up from Frank
Patton at 4:50 p.m., October 3rd,

and delivered to Miss
Bell's apartment at 5:50 p.m.,

but no one was home
and that the envelope

was slipped under
the front door.

No.

There was no envelope.

Thank you, Miss
Bell, that'll be all.

You may stand down, Miss Bell.

If it please the court,
I should like to call

James R. Bradbury to the stand.

Yes, Mr... Mr. Mason did call me

at my hotel that
evening at, uh, 8:42.

Did he know at that time
that Patton was dead?

Yes, he told me Patton was dead.

Your Honor,

this matter has only
just been brought

to the attention of my office.

Eight forty-two is
the time precisely

at which Officer
Tompkins phoned Homicide

to report finding the body

of Frank Patton
locked in his apartment.

I therefore ask that
defense counsel

be required to reveal how
he knew that Patton was dead,

if as he claims,

when he and Miss
Street arrived there,

the apartment was locked
and they were unable to enter.

Mr. Mason.

I need hardly point out to
you the grave consequences

this could have
upon your personal

and professional career.

Your Honor, I am prepared
to answer that question

at the proper time
and at the proper place.

But if it please the court,

I first have the right to
cross-examine this witness

before being called
upon to answer anything.

All right, Mr. Mason, proceed
with your cross-examination.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Mr. Bradbury,

where did you get Miss
Bell's telephone number?

What?

From the desk clerk at
Patton's apartment house?

I didn't get it.

Then how did you know
where Margy was staying?

In my office, you told me you
didn't know where she was.

Mr. Mason, I,
uh... I can't see that

that has anything
to do with this case.

Oh, I'd say it was
relevant, Mr. Bradbury.

It began to point to you
as Patton's murderer.

What's that?

Well, it put me on the trail,

so to speak,

of a letter or an envelope
sent by messenger.

What envelope? What messenger?

The envelope Patton
must have told you about.

The one he sent to Miss Cluny.

What was in it, Mr. Bradbury?

You tell me, Mr. Mason.
You started all this.

Isn't it true that Mr. Patton
was blackmailing you?

Blackmailing me? What for?

Weren't you so desperately
in love with Margy

that you made an
arrangement with him

to make sure she
failed in Hollywood?

You thought if
she were destitute,

she would have to marry you.

That's a lie.

Is it?

Once you learned
where Margy was staying,

didn't you go out
to the bungalow

because you had to
intercept that letter or lose her?

Tell me, Mr. Bradbury,

how did you get
into the bungalow

when you found nobody at home?

I didn't.

Then there wouldn't be
any fingerprints of yours

in Miss Bell's living room.

None around the table on
which the knife was lying.

All right.

Yes, I, uh...

I did go in.

And you found the envelope?

Yes.

You saw the wood-carving
knife on the table?

Yes, I saw it.

And knowing it must have
been Doray's, you took it with you.

Two birds with one stone.

Kill Patton, who
was blackmailing you,

put the blame on Doray,
who was your rival.

Isn't that the way it
happened, Mr. Bradbury?

Yes.

You know...

I didn't have to bribe Patton.

He was a faker and a
conniver, just as Doray said.

Margy...

Margy wouldn't have
had a ghost of a chance

out of that contest anyway.

If I didn't have to
start the whole thing,

I wouldn't have had to end it.

But he needed killing
anyway, didn't he?

We want you to have
this to remember us by,

and for good luck.
Well, thank you.

We appreciate everything
you've done for us, Mr. Mason.

I have a question.

Why did that Miss Fields call me

and say she was Della Street

and for me to get
of the country?

That was in return for a
few crisp hundred dollar bills

from Bradbury.

And how about that envelope
the messenger service delivered?

Well, it had to be something
he didn't want Margy to see.

We just had to guess
what that something was.

I wouldn't call that a guess,

I'd call it a logical deduction.

I see a great career
ahead of you, Margy.

As a diplomat.