"What happened last night?" "I was busy." "You could have phoned or was it too much trouble?" "Too much trouble." "Don't be like that, Gary." "How about tonight?" "What do you say, honey?" "You're spilling my beer." "MAN:" "Excuse me." "Perhaps you can give me some assistance." "That station waggon outside belongs to you?" "On the door is painted "Bannister Farms."" "Belongs to my boss, Mr. Bannister." "Allow me to introduce myself." "My name is Stefan Riker." "May I?" "Help yourself." "Would you care for another beer?" "No." "Perhaps something to eat?" "Look, Mr. Riker, let's not waste time breaking the ice." "I gotta pick up my boss's wife in a couple of minutes." "Which is exactly why I'm here." "Have you ever seen this lady before?" "No." "Can't say that I have." "You're sure?" "I'm positive." "If I'd ever run across a number like this, you can bet your life I'd remember." "But if my luck changes, I'll let you know." "I'll keep a hold of this, just in case." "Why are we stopping here, Gary?" "I thought maybe we ought to have a little talk, Mrs. Bannister." "I was having a beer in Hennessy's Bar when this fellow came up to me and started asking me a few questions." "Said his name was Stefan Riker." "And he had a picture of you." "You must be mistaken." "Uh-uh." "No, no." "It was you." "But don't you worry about a thing, Mrs. Bannister." "I didn't let on it was you." "I can't explain, but I am very grateful to you, Gary." "I kind of thought maybe you would be." "You know, ever since the first time we met," "I've had a great big yen for you." " Let go of me." " Oh, it's all right." "I can keep my mouth shut." "I guess I kind of forgot I was just a hired hand." "Are we going to go home now?" "Sure, Mrs. Bannister." "Anything you say." "One-seventeen." "For six furlongs?" "Get rid of him." "Mrs. Bannister's awful fond of that horse." "I'm not in the business of raising pets." "Get rid of him." "Okay." " Where's Lisa?" " Upstairs." "Getting another one of her headaches?" "Is it any wonder?" "Just what do you mean by that?" "You don't appreciate a single thing she's done for us." "Look at how wonderful she's been." "Even my own mother wasn't" "[DOORBELL RINGS]" "I hate to interrupt your spirited defence of your stepmother, but don't you think you'd better answer that?" " Good evening." " Yes?" "I wonder if I could see Frau--?" "That is to say, Mrs. Bannister?" " I'm her cousin." " Her cousin?" " Oh, please, come in." " Thank you." "Won't you please come this way?" " I know Lisa will be delighted." " Thank you." "How long have you been in this country?" "Approximately two weeks." "Where'd you come from?" "East Germany." "That's the part the commies control." "I could tell you stories, Herr Bannister." "Hello, Lisa." "Well, aren't you going to say anything?" "[SPEAKS IN GERMAN]" "This is your cousin, Stefan." "You must forgive her, Herr Bannister." "I'm sure that I'm the last person in the world she expected to see." "I can understand that since she told me she had no living relatives." "DORIS:" "Lisa?" "Lisa." "What have you got there?" "[PILLS CLATTERING]" " It's the only way." " You don't know what you're saying." "I would rather die than go back." "Go back where?" "Lisa, listen to me." "Who is Stefan Riker?" "A man I once knew in Berlin." "He's a friend of my father's." "I thought your father's dead." "My father's name is Hans Gerbhardt." "He's the real head of the Communist Party in East Germany." "The man who is responsible" "But they can't hold you responsible for what your father is." "This is America, Lisa." "But I have no right to be here." "I'm in this country illegally." "My passport was forged." "They can send you back." "So you see why those pills are the only solution?" "Oh, don't say that." "Promise me, Lisa, you won't do anything foolish." "I'll think of something." "[KNOCKING ON DOOR]" "Oh." "Miss Bannister, is it not?" "It most certainly is." "Aren't you going to invite me in?" "Please." "You must excuse me." "I'm astonished by your metamorphosis." "What a lovely room." "I'm glad you approve." "You wouldn't consider me inhospitable if I ask you what you are doing here?" "I could say I was in the neighbourhood." "That would hardly be the truth." "Uh-huh." "Actually, I'm very curious about you." "RIKER:" "That's unfortunate." " You see, Miss Bannister" " Doris." "I'm not the sort of man you should interest yourself in." "That's exactly what does interest me." "You know, I have a curious feeling that underneath that bold exterior, you're really quite frightened." "That's very funny." "Shall we see?" "So you're not frightened, huh?" "Good morning." "That'll be all for now, Gary." " Well, if you want me." " I'll let you know." "That's all you gotta do." "Done all right for yourself the past three months." "Pardon?" "This car." "Those clothes." "This is the land of opportunity, Herr Bannister." "You think I don't know what's been going on here?" "I want it to stop." "Otherwise?" "Otherwise, we" "RIKER:" "Oh, Lisa, your entrance was most unfortunate." "I believe your husband was about to threaten me." "I never wanna see you here again." "You understand?" "I'm sorry you feel that way, Herr Bannister." "As far as I can say, you and your family are always welcome at my home." "[SPEAKS IN GERMAN]" "And in People v. Bernard, 347 U.S. Reports 506," "Supreme Court held that such testimony on the part of the witness was clearly inadmissible and grounds for reversal." "In view of these authorities, we feel that the writ of coram nobis should be granted." "And if it isn't, Mr. Hudson will go to the gas chamber Friday." "I'll type this right up." "[DOOR OPENS]" "We were in England now, I'd be able to say," ""That must be the charwoman."" "It's only 1:30." "She doesn't get here till 3." "Mind if I investigate?" "Afraid someone might steal the rug?" "No, that's insured." "I was worried about the switchboard." "Hello." "Could I help you?" "I would like to see Perry Mason." "I found that in my pocket." "What's your name, dear?" "I don't know." "That's why I came here." "I was hoping Mr. Mason knew me." "Here." "Sit down right over here." "I'll get you a drink of water." "You're very kind." "Are you Perry Mason?" "Yes." "Have you ever seen me before?" "Why, no." "She must have been in an accident." "She found this in her pocket." "How did you get here?" "A man gave me a ride." "Can you remember where this man picked you up?" "I think the sign said "Canyon Road."" "Could it have been Sunset Canyon Road?" "Della, call the garage." "Have them bring my car." "I'll take her to Lakewood Street Receiving." "All right." "Information, I want the phone number of Perry Mason." " Has she been identified yet?" " No." "[PHONE RINGS]" "MASON:" "I just don't understand it." "Yes?" "All right, Gertie, put him on." "It's an Edward Bannister." "Hello?" "Yes, Mr. Bannister." "Hold on just one minute, please." "He says he's her father." "Yes, Mr. Bannister." "What can I do for you?" "A great deal, I hope." "That was my daughter, Doris, who walked into your office last night." "But of course, I'm sure." "Have you called the authorities?" "Why not?" "First of all, I, just this minute, saw the paper." "I don't get up too early." "Don't you think it's strange none of her friends have identified her?" "She has none." "Now listen, Mason, do you suppose you could get Doris out of there and do whatever else is necessary?" "Well, it's nothing you couldn't handle." "I'm crippled." "Oh, I'm very sorry." "I'll do what I can." "Oh, incidentally," "I think Doris was wandering around Sunset Canyon Road last night." "Does she know anyone around there?" "She's been seeing a great deal of a man named Stefan Riker." "I think he has a house somewhere near there." "No, no, that's R-I-K-E-R." "Phone book, will you, Della?" "What's your address?" "All right, I'll be in touch." "Well, we have a client, Miss Doris Bannister." "Why does she need a lawyer?" "What intrigues me." "She's been seeing a man named Stefan Riker." "See if he's listed, will you?" "R-I-K-E-R." " Stefan." " Mm-hm." "Riker, Riker..." "Riker." "Riker, here it is." "Stefan Riker." "1417 Sunset Canyon Road." " Get your coat." " Going to the hospital?" "No, I'm gonna see Mr. Riker first." "Her father didn't identify her because he's just seen the paper." "Her friends didn't come forward because, apparently, she has none." "I'd like to find out what Mr. Riker has for an excuse." "TRAGG:" "Oh, I'd say about 2:00." "Yeah." "Sure, we'll be here another hour anyway." " What's this?" " Hot stuff." "They're all from the same girl, a Doris Bannister." ""Sometimes I feel you're only using me as an excuse to see her." "I know I seem like a jealous female always spying on you, but remember, darling, you belong to me."" "That's nothing." "You ought to read some of the others." " I can hardly wait." " Excuse me, lieutenant." "TRAGG:" "Where did this come from?" "QUINCEY:" "Found it out by the driveway." "Killer must've dropped it accidentally." " Good work, Quincey." " Thank you, lieutenant." "When you get a minute, Sgt. Marlowe would like to see you." "Yeah." "Let me know when you trace this." " Yes." " Come on, Davis." "Don't forget to get a shot of this." "TRAGG:" "Marlowe." "I thought you'd wanna see this, lieutenant." "Yeah." "She must've been keeping an eye on her boyfriend" " before she went in to kill him." " Looks like." "I'd like to meet that Doris Bannister." "I think that can be arranged." "Yeah." "Let's go." "Seen enough?" "Too much." "That was Sergeant Davis of the Homicide Division." "Murder, all right." "DORIS:" "Why are you asking me all these questions?" "Can't you leave me alone?" "I just wanna help you, Doris." "My name isn't Doris." "Then what is your name?" "I can't remember." "Mr. Mason." "Well, it's unquestionably general amnesia." "I'd like to move her to a private sanatorium." " With your permission, of course." " Well" "You're worried about your responsibilities and you're quite right." "But as Miss Bannister's attorney, I'm prepared to give you a release." "And I'm sure it would be perfectly legal." "Hello, counsellor." "Well, hello, lieutenant." "What's Homicide doing here?" "Well, what Homicide does everywhere." "Investigating a murder." "A fellow named Stefan Riker." "Do I understand that you're representing this girl?" "And she shouldn't be disturbed." "She won't be." "He's going to make sure of that." " Well, hello, Mr. Drake." " I was afraid you'd be gone." " Any luck?" " Nope." "What did you find out?" "Police think Miss Bannister killed Riker." "I had that feeling when I saw Tragg." "The way they figure it, Doris was crazy about the guy and he was two-timing her." "How do you see it?" "I don't." "Only one that can tell me anything is my client." "She's suffering from loss of memory." "How do you go about fighting it?" "Strictly a rear-guard action." "Just wait for the district attorney to advance theories and do your best to knock them down." "By the way, has anyone from the DA's office seen Doris yet?" "Burger talked to her himself." "She claims she can't remember a thing." "From what I hear, that suits Mr. Burger just fine." "Feels she's using it to cover up just because she has no alibi." " You think it's an act?" " I hope not." "Amnesia is generally induced by a severe shock." "Committing a murder might come under that heading." "So would an automobile accident." "How would Doris get out to Sunset Canyon Road?" "No." "The police would have a record if she'd been in an accident." "Not if she were driving alone and ran off the road." "Might never find the car in these hills." " But you want me to try?" " I'd like you to try." "Anything else?" "Yes." "Just on the chance that Burger is right about Riker and there is another woman, you might try to find her too." "Fine." "EDWARD:" "Lisa." "Stop fidgeting." "I'm sorry." "Do you think it will be much longer?" "[DOOR OPENING]" "Doris." "Oh, Doris." "Darling, how do you feel?" "Darling, it's Lisa." "Don't you know me?" "Take me back, please." "MASON:" "Just a moment." "Doris." "Do you remember me?" "Perry Mason." "You said you wanted to help me." "I do." "And so do they." "All right, matron, we'll call you." "Let's stop this nonsense." "You know perfectly well who we are." "Now, I got you the finest lawyer that money can buy." "That's enough, Mr. Bannister." "She's my daughter." "And she's my client." "You do want me to represent you, don't you, Doris?" "Do you know what you're accused of?" "They say I killed a man." "A man named Stefan Riker." "What do you remember?" "Just coming into your office and everyone asking me questions." "That's all?" "Matron." "Doris." "You let Mason know if you need anything." "Doris." "I'll be in to see you tomorrow." "This is ridiculous." "Well, can't you see it's all an act?" "Do you think she killed Stefan Riker?" "Of course not." "Then why should she pretend amnesia?" "How should I know?" "She must have some crazy reason." "Look, Mason, I don't fool myself about anything." "See these legs?" "I was thrown by a horse ten years ago." "Doctors said they'd fix me up as good as new." "I knew they were lying." "I got rid of all of them." "I can't stand anybody trying to make a fool of me." " What happened to the horse?" " Huh?" "The one that threw you." "I had him destroyed." "Is that what you're trying to do to your daughter?" "Bye, Mrs. Bannister." "You want anything else, Mr. Marshall?" " How about you?" " No, not just now, thank you." "I'm sorry I can't be any help, Mr. Mason." "Never know unless you try, Gary." "Look, I'd cut off my hand up to here for the Bannisters." "They're real swell people." "Now, there's a few people got the wrong idea about the old man." "His bark's worse than his bite." "What do you think about Mrs. Bannister?" "A real lady." "They don't come any finer." " Is it true that Doris lost her memory?" " Mm-hm." "Well, that's too bad." "She sure is a nice girl." "I hope they go easy on her." "Do you think she killed Riker?" "Of course not." "How well did you know him?" "Didn't know him at all." "Just saw him around the ranch a couple of times." "Hey, I gotta go." "Heavy date?" " Helene." " No, it's all right, Gary." "I'll take care of it." "Well, like they say..." "[SPEAKS IN SPANISH]" "Well," "I think this should take care of everything." "Well, thanks." "Mr. Marshall a friend of yours?" "Mr. Marshall is a very loyal, devoted friend of Gary Marshall and no one else." "I heard him feeding you that line about the Bannisters." "Oh?" "Why is it a line?" "Well, he was always knocking the whole family to me." "Really?" "And you know that Riker fellow?" "The man who was murdered?" "[PHONE RINGING]" "Well, Gary used to meet him in here all the time." " Oh, now, you must be mistaken." " Don't tell me." "Excuse me." "You Perry Mason?" " Yeah." " There's a phone call for you." " Over here." " Thanks." "Hello?" "Yes, Paul." "I got good news." "You can now prove your client's amnesia is the genuine article." "I just found her car." "I don't see how she got out of it alive." "Then she was in an accident." "Sunset Canyon Road." "I'll meet you there in half an hour." "Well, there it is." "How in the world did your men ever spot the car from up there?" "Faulkner's half bird-dog on his father's side." "Wish I'd brought along my hiking boots." "Now let Burger claim she's faking amnesia." "She's lucky she just lost her memory." "Paul." "It's in neutral." "So it is." "Can't very well drive a car in neutral, she must have pushed this thing off the hill." "The crash might have jarred it into neutral." "It could be." "And it looks like she's using you for a passing." "She wrote that herself." "Well, it proves that great minds run on the same channel." "Soon as I saw your car parked up there, I figured what's good enough for my friend Mason is good enough for me." "And the State will prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the defendant, Doris Bannister, was in love with the deceased." "That she jealously spied on him constantly." "And that when she discovered there was another woman, she killed him." "And then pretended to be suffering from amnesia in an attempt to avoid the consequences of what she has done." "That first morning when you examined the defendant, what did you find?" "Well, I thought she was suffering from general amnesia." " General amnesia?" " Yes, sir, there" "There seemed to be total loss of memory." "When you say, "There seemed to be total loss of memory," doctor, you mean that you subsequently changed your mind?" "Yes, sir." "I am certain now that Miss Bannister never suffered from amnesia." "And you think she was faking?" "Definitely, sir." "Thank you, doctor." "Oh, doctor, one thing more." "Did Miss Bannister have any visitors on her first day in the hospital?" "Yes, she had, Mr. Perry Mason." " Her attorney?" " Yes." "He said he wanted to move the patient to a private sanatorium." "And what happened to prevent this move?" "The police arrived." "I see." "Thank you, doctor." "Your witness." "Doctor, you testified you subsequently changed your mind about Miss Bannister's amnesia." "Yes, sir." "Further physical examination proved that there was nothing wrong with her." "Isn't it true, doctor, that amnesia can be psychic in origin?" "That Miss Bannister might be well organically and still suffer from a loss of memory?" "Well, there's nothing to indicate that this was the case here." "For example, she had no trouble with difficult problems in algebra." "But wouldn't she be able to do problems if she suffered from partial amnesia?" "She would still remember isolated facts and have the ability to associate." "She's supposed to be suffering from general amnesia, not partial." "And who made the first diagnosis of general amnesia?" "I did, sir." "Thank you, doctor." "Oh, doctor, one more thing." "In regard to my underhanded effort in trying to remove Miss Bannister from the county hospital, let me read you an article from The Times dated February 1 st." ""Our county hospitals are badly overcrowded." "In many cases, patients must be moved out before they should be." "The situation cries for relief."" "Does that sound familiar?" "Yes, sir." "I said that in an interview." "Yes, you did." "Thank you again, doctor, that's all." "Would you explain this exhibit to the court, lieutenant?" "It's a plaster cast we made of the ground directly beneath the rear window of Mr. Riker's apartment." "Did you find anything on the premises which could have caused these imprints?" "Yes, that aluminium ladder there." "This is my State's Exhibit 3." "Would you place the rear legs of the ladder in that plaster cast?" "Like this?" "You'll notice they fit." "Yes, they do fit." "Where was this ladder situated when you found it, lieutenant?" "Right next to the rear window of Mr. Riker's apartment." "BURGER:" "And did you climb it yourself?" "TRAGG:" "I did." "BURGER:" "What were you able to see?" "TRAGG:" "Well, I had an unobstructed view of everything that went on in the room." "Did you find any fingerprints on the ladder?" "Yes, sir." "The defendant's." "I think that about covers the matter, lieutenant." "Will the clerk please return the ladder to the exhibit table?" " Your witness." " Just a moment." "May I, Mr. Burger?" "BURGER:" "Of course." "Lieutenant Tragg, isn't it true that the fingerprints on this ladder might have been left there days or even weeks before the murder?" "Might have been." "And isn't it possible that the defendant could've used the ladder indoors and left her fingerprints on it at that time?" "Anything is possible, Mr. Mason." "Now, lieutenant, how do you explain the fact that no trace of the defendant's footprints were found on the ground near this ladder?" "Because there's a stone path near the window and the defendant could step directly from that to the ladder." "Now, lieutenant, the ferrules of this ladder do not fit this cross-section exactly." "Well, naturally, not exactly." "With any weight on the ladder it would move around." "And consequently, the holes would be enlarged." "I see." "All right, clerk, I'm through with the exhibit, thank you." "Lieutenant Tragg, as I understand your position, if the ferrules of that ladder had fit perfectly, that would be definite proof that the prints were made by that ladder." "That is correct." "But since they did not fit perfectly, that still proves the prints were made by the ladder." "I must say, lieutenant, I just do not understand your logic." "No further questions." "You may step down." "Raise your right hand, please." "Do you swear the testimony you are about to give would be the truth, the whole truth?" " I do." " State your name." " I'm Lisa Bannister." " Be seated, please." "Mrs. Bannister, you knew the deceased," "Stefan Riker, very well, didn't you?" "I knew him." "Then you were aware that he was in love with the defendant?" "I object, Your Honour." "Counsel is leading the witness." "I'll withdraw the question." "If the court please, however, this is an adverse witness." "She has refused to testify for the State and she has repeatedly avoided service of summon." "I see." "You may proceed, Mr. Burger." "Mrs. Bannister, you're very fond of your stepdaughter, are you not?" "Oh, yes, I am." "During a vacation last summer," "I understand that you wrote to each other daily." "Is that correct?" "Yes." "I show you now this letter." "And I ask if it is in your stepdaughter's handwriting." "I'm not sure." "BURGER:" "Mrs. Bannister, you're under oath." "Well, I tell you, I'm not sure." "Mrs. Bannister, you testified only a few seconds ago that you and your stepdaughter exchanged daily writings during your vacation." " How long was this vacation?" " A month." "Then you must have seen 30 of her letters." "Surely, you're familiar with her handwriting?" "Now I ask you again." "Is this letter in your stepdaughter's handwriting?" "Yes." "Thank you." "If it please the court, I would like to read this letter into the record." "Proceed." "It's dated March 7th." ""Darling, why do you lie to me?" "I know you saw her again on Monday." "It's times like this I get so mad I could kill you." "Sweetheart, don't do this to me, not if you love your Doris."" "I should like this marked as an exhibit for the State." "Thank you, Mrs. Bannister." "Your witness." "Mrs. Bannister, how long had you known Stefan Riker?" "Since I was 19." "But I thought you were cousins." "We were." "Distant cousins." "I had never met him until 1947." "And where did that meeting take place?" "In Berlin." "Which at that time was occupied by the Soviet Union." " Yes." " Were you fond of Riker?" "I hated him." "MASON:" "Yet he was a constant guest at your home." "I tried to prevent it." "I begged Doris not to see him." "But she ignored your advice." "Yes." "Mrs. Bannister, I would like to quote from this letter Mr. Burger just read." ""I know you saw her again on Monday."" "Do you know who this woman was that Riker saw again on Monday?" "No." "Mrs. Bannister, I'd like to remind you, you're still under oath." "Why, I tell you, I don't know." "MASON:" "Did you ever visit Riker in his apartment?" "LISA:" "No." "MASON:" "Did you ever meet him elsewhere?" "No." "Why must you make these horrible accusations?" "Because I don't believe you're telling the truth." "Thank you, Mrs. Bannister." "That's all." "DORIS:" "Why did you have to do that to her?" "Why did you have to humiliate her?" "So you finally decided to give up that amnesia routine." "I'm not giving up anything." "Listen to me, Doris." "No one believes you had amnesia." "When you had the doctor on the stand" "It was part of my job to discredit the doctor." "But when the court adds up the evidence, the phoney accident, the way you used that ladder" "I didn't use the ladder." "How can you be sure?" "You had amnesia, remember?" "All right, Mr. Mason." "I killed him." "What?" "Stefan and I quarrelled that night and I left." "I drove around for a while and then about midnight, I went back." "I got on that ladder and looked in." "He was with that woman again." "What's her name?" "I never did find out." "When she left, I went in and shot him." "All right." "You were in the apartment." " But after Riker was killed." " No." "What did you see that made you think" " your stepmother had killed him?" " What?" "I can't think of anyone else you'd be trying to protect." "You're right." "Now, isn't that funny?" "After all those fairy tales you hear about the wicked stepmother, no one ever did as much for me." "So you repay her kindness by suspecting her of murder." "I'm beginning to believe your father." "You are mixed-up." "You make a childish gesture and endanger your own life and Lisa's." "And all for nothing." "It wasn't all for nothing." "You still insisting Lisa is guilty so you can take bows?" "I tell you, she was there that night." "I got there around midnight." "Stefan was already dead." "In his hand was Lisa's medallion." " The chain was broken." " What kind of a medallion was this?" "It was round." "About this big." "It had a little gold horse on one side." "My father gave it to her on their first anniversary." "I took it out of Stefan's hand and threw it away." "And on that kind of evidence you decided Lisa was guilty?" "The fact she was seeing Stefan doesn't mean a thing." "You don't kill the man you love." "She wasn't in love with him." "She hated him." "She hated him even more than I did." "Your letters certainly sound like it." "Well, I had to pretend to be jealous to keep him away from her." "Otherwise, I thought he" "What's his hold on Lisa?" "You'll never find out." "I mean it, Mr. Mason." "You baited me into telling you this to justify my actions." "But if you repeat this story, I'll swear you made it up." "Yes?" "Will you hold on just one moment, please?" "Perry, I have Mr. Bannister." "Hello?" "Yes, Mason?" "Mr. Bannister, I know it's difficult for you to talk, so I'll put my questions so they can be answered simply." "You understand?" "I understand." "Now, is your wife wearing the medallion you gave her for your first wedding anniversary?" "No." "Come to think of it, I haven't seen it in several weeks." "Well, do you think you can secure it or copy of it for me before court convenes tomorrow?" "Well, why do you want it?" "I can't tell you about that now, but it is important." "Mr. Paul Drake will meet you at the Fenway parking lot tomorrow." "You can give it to him there." "It's right next to the courthouse." "Right." "Well, at least Mother Nature's on our side." " Good morning, Mr. Drake." " Can I help you?" "I can manage." "Did you get the medallion?" "I couldn't." "I tried, believe me." "I phoned New York last night, but they said it'd take three or four days to get a copy." "Mr. Mason's gonna be awfully disappointed." "How do you suppose I feel?" "She's still my daughter." "I call Edward Bannister, please." "MAN:" "Edward Bannister to the stand." "Raise your right hand, please." "Do you swear the testimony you're about to give would be the truth, the whole truth." " I do." " State your name." " Edward Bannister." " Be seated, please." "Were you in court the day your wife testified, Mr. Bannister?" "I was." "You must have heard the testimony of the ballistics expert, Mr. Redfield." "I don't remember it." "I'll be happy to refresh your memory." "He testified that it was a bullet from this gun that killed Stefan Riker." "Have you ever seen this weapon before?" "Well, Mr. Bannister?" "It looks like a gun that I own except that mine isn't chipped." "I assure you it is yours." "It was purchased from Acme Sporting Goods Company three years ago." "It was charged to the Bannister Farm's account." "Now, how long has it been since you saw this weapon, Mr. Bannister?" "Oh, it must have been eight or nine months ago." "And where was it habitually kept?" "In the tack room in the stables." " Whereabouts in the tack room?" " In a desk." "Does your daughter know where this weapon is kept?" "Yes." "I see." "Thank you very much, sir, that's all." "You may cross-examine." "MASON:" "May I?" " Of course." " Thank you." "Bannister, how many employees do you have at your ranch?" "About 12." "Are they all permitted to use the tack room?" "No." "Just the foreman." "What is your foreman's name?" "Gary Marshall." "Well, does Mr. Marshall occasionally use the desk in the tack room?" "Yes." "It was put there expressly for his purpose." "Yet Mr. Marshall never informed you the gun was missing?" "No." "You present your wife with any gifts on the occasion of your first wedding anniversary?" "I gave her a cheque for $5,000, a mink coat and a gold medallion." "Would you describe the medallion for us?" "Well, it was 18-carat gold about the size of a half-dollar and it had the figure of a horse on it." "How did Mrs. Bannister customarily wear this medallion?" "On a thin, gold chain around her neck." "Your Honour, aren't we getting pretty far afield?" "If the court please, Stefan Riker had such a medallion in his hand the night he was murdered." "That's a lie." "You mustn't believe him." "We will have order." "Miss Bannister, this is a court of law." "You will refrain from such outbursts in the future." " But he has no right" " If Your Honour please." "Mr. Mason is determined to confuse the issues in this case." "There's absolutely no evidence whatever that a gold medallion was found in the deceased's hand." "There's no such evidence because it was removed by an intruder." "If Mr. Mason has knowledge of the scene of the crime, we would be most happy for him to take the stand" " and testify." " Gentlemen." "This is a court of law." "You will conduct yourselves accordingly." "I beg your pardon, Your Honour." "I also beg the court's pardon." "But if the court will allow me to continue," "I can show such evidence." " You may continue." " Thank you, Your Honour." "Now, Mr. Bannister, can you remember the last time you saw your wife wearing the medallion?" "Yes, it was the night of the horse show in Beverly." "Do you recall the exact date?" "March 27th." "Or two days before the murder of Stefan Riker." "To the best of your knowledge, does your wife still have possession of that medallion?" "I looked in her jewellery box last night." " Was it there?" " No." "Have you any idea where it could have disappeared to?" "Your Honour, I object." "Counsel is asking this witness for the rankest form of hearsay." "I disagree with my distinguished colleague." "It's not hearsay at all." "It is the best possible evidence." "Mr. Bannister is not venturing an opinion." "He is relating a positive fact." "He knows the medallion was in the dead man's hand" " because he placed it there himself." " What?" "Do you realise what you're saying?" "Perfectly." "You placed that medallion in Riker's hand in an effort to incriminate your wife." "Just as you deliberately dropped that gun near the driveway." "That's ridiculous." "You thought that your wife and Stefan Riker were having an affair which began in Germany." "And it pleased your distorted sense of irony to kill your rival and frame your wife for his murder." "Only your daughter intervened." "That's nonsense." "I didn't even know where Riker lived." "You were never at Riker's home at all?" "Never." "But you were in court yesterday when Lieutenant Tragg introduced this ladder and this plaster cast, were you not?" "Are you trying to say that I climbed that ladder?" "Not at all." "As the court will remember, this ladder does not exactly fit those impressions." "The State maintains this was due to the fact the ladder wobbled, moved around a bit, enlarging those holes." "Now, if the court will bear with me..." "These are imprints made less than one half an hour ago by Mr. Bannister." "These two holes were made by his canes." "The court would like to examine?" " The court would." " And so would the prosecution." "Now, you will notice a slight indentation" "Mr. Mason, perhaps it would be better if you stepped up here behind the bench." "Thank you, Your Honour." "Now, you'll notice the slight indentation here." "Now, the same indentation is present in the State's exhibit of the plastic cast supposedly made by the ladder." "If Mr. Burger will be kind to show us the ferrules on the bottom of the ladder." "Now Your Honour will notice there is nothing on either of these ferrules" " which would cause such a mark." " Then what did cause it, Mr. Mason?" "Mr. Bannister, may I see one of your canes?" "The other one." "Now Your Honour will observe that the ferrule on the bottom of this cane was apparently loose." "And so Mr. Bannister put a tack in it to keep it from coming off." "What are you talking about?" "I submit that on the night of the murder, you stood outside Stefan Riker's window to see if he was alone" " before you went in and killed him." " That's a lie." " Hi." " Burger just called." "Wanted to know if you were going to defend Bannister and when I said no, he was very disappointed." "He also wanted to know how you got on to Bannister?" "What did you tell him?" "I told him we never divulge professional secrets." " Good girl." " But just for my own information, what was it?" "Well, in the first place, Bannister had the best possible motive." "He thought Lisa was betraying him." "Then when Doris told me about the medallion," "I just felt that it had to be Bannister." "It was all in character." "Can you imagine anyone tearing that necklace off your neck without your knowing it?" "DELLA:" "Then it must've been a frame." "And poor little Doris, by upsetting it, put her neck in the noose." "That's the story." "Not quite." "What kind of a hold do you suppose Riker had on Lisa?" "I have no idea." "Well, they both came from East Germany." "You think there could've been a connection there?" "Now, suppose when Lisa came into this country, she got in by" "Della." "I have as much curiosity as the next person." "But if Doris was willing to go to the gas chamber to protect Lisa's secret, I think just this once, we ought not to pry." "What do you think?" "Think you've got something there." "After all, every woman's entitled to at least one secret." "What's yours?" "You'll never know."