Perry Mason (2020) s01e08 Episode Script

We have ten cars driving the
city looking for her, Mother McKeegan.
She's wearing a white robe and has
a bloody nose. How hard can this be?
You need to hold still, Mother McKeegan.
- You need to work faster.
- It'll scar if it's not done properly.
Do we know where Emily Dodson is?
There was a lot of confusion
at the cemetery.
- Elder Seidel?
- No.
For heaven's sakes, bring me the baby.
Okay. Okay.
Come on. Come on.
Okay.
Find Sister.
And get word to Emily Dodson.
Okay. It's okay.
Every mother needs her child. Hmm?
Miss Pitlick gave the okay.
Okay. I'm gonna bunk in with Hazel.
You can sleep here in my room.
Look, it'll help with the swelling.
- I don't care about my eye.
- I know.
But just think about how
it will look in court.
In court? Of course. No, you can't have
the crazy lady looking crazy.
I may have a vanishing cream
and foundation combo for that shiner.
Where is my son, Miss Street?
What happened to his body?
I don't know. I
I think
I think maybe someone
most likely moved him.
Long before Easter.
- Long
- Maybe it'll be a relief
when they send me to jail.
The trial isn't over.
I know who the jury sees, Della.
What they think of me.
You know, I'd probably think
the same thing.
But I wanted my baby back.
I wanted him back
more than anything in the world.
I know.
I just wish that you'd known me
sometime before all this.
'Cause I think that you would say
that I was a damn good mother.
Do you solemnly swear
that the testimony you're about to give
you're about to give will be the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth, so help you God?
I do.
Detective Ennis.
- You ever killed a man?
- Objection.
- Irrelevant. Badgering.
- Sustained.
It's okay, Mr. Barnes, Judge.
The answer is yes. I killed three men
while overseas serving my country.
You were a soldier in the army?
Just like you, Mr. Mason.
And when you got back, you got a job
as a patrolman for the LAPD?
- I believe in service.
- Soldier, cop and now detective.
That first kill, you get him
with your rifle or was it up close?
- Mr. Mason.
- Withdrawn. Withdrawn.
So, you were the first detective
on the scene
the night that Gannon, Sarecki and Nowak
delivered Charlie dead in the arms
of my client. Is that correct?
Charlie!
I was. I was at my Elks Lodge,
which happens to be one building over
from where your client was
How'd she tell it? Waiting.
So you hear the commotion
at your Elks Lodge,
and you go running down the street
to see if you can help, which you do.
- I'm a cop, on or off the clock.
- Did you nab them in the act?
Kidnappers were smart.
A busy area, good escape routes
Well, how smart could they be?
They were dead the next day.
The location was smart.
And I'm sure your client
did her part to sell it.
She's a million-dollar weeper, this one.
Your Honor, I ask you to declare
Detective Ennis a hostile witness.
Objection, Your Honor.
There's only one hostile man here.
Case law is clear on this, Mr. Barnes.
Let the record reflect
that the witness is hostile.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Detective Ennis, when the kidnappers met
to divvy up the ransom, I'm curious,
how do you suppose that George Gannon,
God-fearing, gun-toting accountant,
double-crossed two lifetime
professional hoods?
Caught them off guard, I'd say.
But how did he drive across town
with a bullet in his shoulder
and a busted hip?
- Objection, Your Honor.
- My mistake. I'm so sorry.
I got my autopsies confused.
One more like that, Mr. Mason
So, Two-Gun Gannon, back at
his bungalow, regrets the whole thing.
He burns the money in the fireplace,
types a suicide letter,
sets the letter down,
then he shoots himself
in the head with a shotgun.
Because Because what?
Because the gun he used on Sarecki
and Nowak was undignified?
I didn't live in the man's mind.
I just saw the mess he made.
But when you come across
a crime scene like that,
does it remind you
of the six men that you killed?
- I said three, not six.
- Strike that from the record, please.
Denver, August 1914,
you were working as a strikebreaker
for a company called
Colorado Fuel and Iron
You're all over the place, Mason.
You helped put down workers
at the Ludlow Massacre.
I protected real Americans
who don't like communists.
This is a list of senior management
at Colorado Fuel and Iron.
Could you please read out
this name for me, please?
- What name?
- This one right here.
- "Eric Q. Seidel."
- Eric Q. Seidel.
Senior VP at Colorado Fuel and Iron,
and currently
elder in charge of finances
at the Radiant Assembly of God,
and George Gannon's boss.
I have two witnesses that put Sarecki
and Nowak in Denver as well.
All four in the same place
at the same time.
So tell me, Detective Ennis,
how was the Los Angeles reunion?
- Objection. Argumentative.
- Sustained.
We have two further eyewitnesses
that place you at a Chinatown brothel,
picking up a prostitute
by the name of Tang Yin,
driving her to an auto court in Newhall
for the sole purpose
of nursing Charlie Dodson.
The tragedy is, this young lady
is so high on heroin,
Charlie asphyxiated
on her poisoned milk.
- Come on. This is ridiculous.
- This is an affidavit
from a private investigator
by the name of Pete Strickland.
Puts you at the same brothel,
the same night that Tang Yin
suddenly overdosed.
And then your old pal,
Eric Q. Seidel,
suddenly disappears
just as he is set to testify
about financial irregularities
at the Radiant Assembly of God.
Sarecki, Nowak, Gannon,
Eric Seidel, Tang Yin,
Charlie Dodson.
And the one person who connects them all
is Detective Joseph Ennis.
It won't work, Mason.
- You kidnapped Charlie Dodson.
- He's not gonna confess.
You stood over his body and you said,
"Now, let's just sew up his eyes
and get the cash."
- The kid was already dead.
- He's not gonna confess.
I'm not done yet.
No one confesses on the stand.
There's a reason
why Barnes didn't call him.
No one ever confesses on the stand.
Oh, my God. All right. Okay.
Even if I come up short,
I can make a circumstantial case.
How many of those exhibits that you
were waving around are legitimate?
Uh
- Della?
- He made up one of them,
- and fudged two.
- Mmm-hmm.
And Judge Wright is not going
to let you turn Ennis hostile,
or let you get away with half
of that bullshit that you just tried.
Maybe don't bring up the second autopsy.
Did you feel like you're about to break?
- No.
- No?
You were drowning.
I threw you a water donut.
Rest the case.
What?
You've got the jury
thinking about the hundred grand
that the church needed for their loan.
Introduce the general ledger that shows
they got close to
a hundred grand in "donations"
around the time
that the ransom note was left.
Call no one else.
- That is gutless.
- That's reasonable doubt.
Oh, my God. All right. Okay.
Look, I know we've all had
a particularly fucked up Easter Sunday.
Almost killed in a near riot.
We're in court tomorrow.
He is a detective
that has killed the witnesses
that can finger him for the same crime
he himself is investigating.
We have to go after him.
Come on.
I
Well, I guess you could
introduce the Denver affidavits,
the one from Sister Alice
refuting the jail matron.
But then you'd have to get Barnes
to stipulate to admissibility,
which he won't do.
- Then you'd have to call Sister Alice.
- You could call Emily.
Yeah, let's do that.
Let's call the woman who just signed
over her infant's rotting body
to Our Sister
of the Stolen Nurse's Outfit,
so we could put her on a plate
for Barnes to gobble the fuck up.
Let's absolutely do that.
All respects, Della, I would call Ennis
before I call Emily.
And that's exactly what I'm gonna do.
And since there's no more air to breathe
with his ego in the room,
I bid you all a good night.
He's right.
You don't go in unless you got him.
And you really don't got him.
- You've been out here for ages.
- I'm trying to clear my head.
- Is it working?
- Well, not with you talking.
I think you should put Emily
on the stand.
- She deserves a chance to
- She deserves to walk free.
Hopefully, into a clean,
well-lit asylum.
She's as clear-headed
as I've ever seen her.
A little raw from the riot,
but she wants to be heard.
Your arrogant prick friend
Burger is right.
I am gonna rest the case.
We don't have Ennis.
He will deny everything.
I'll just look desperate.
So I'm just gonna stand
in front of Barnes
and that fucking dinosaur judge
and say, "You know what?
I give up. Let's just hang her
and go home for dinner."
I tried prepping her.
- You did You tried to prep her?
- We talked. She's ready.
She's ready to take the stand.
- Did you and Hazel hash this one out?
- No.
Is this the collective wisdom
of a coven?
I have watched a parade of men
get up there and demean her.
Ask the right questions,
and they'll see through it.
That's what this is.
- That's what this is about.
- They'll give her a chance.
This is just a crusade for you.
And what? Emily's what? Your proxy?
No, that is not what I meant, Perry.
Yes, it is, because you see
a woman being "demeaned by men,"
you think it's about you.
Guess what. It's not.
And I'm sorry to be the one to
break this to you, sweetheart,
but padding around
your little boarding house
with your little hand model girlfriend
isn't the same as being framed
for killing your fucking kid.
You didn't think I knew about Hazel?
I figured you knew.
I just didn't think you'd
throw it in my face like that.
I'll type up the questions for you
in case you wake up and realize
I'm right.
Ain't gonna be too much longer.
The newspaper here made it sound
pretty bad for your white lady.
If you know, why'd you ask?
'Cause I wanna know
what you think about it.
I'm just trying to see
this thing through.
And I'm trying
to figure out where my home is.
Enough, Clara. Enough of that.
This man, Ennis. You don't understand.
If he wants you gone, you're gone.
I had to keep you safe,
keep our child safe.
Well, I hope it was worth it.
Yeah.
I love you, babe.
Night.
So the kid snuffed it
sucking a milkmaid's tit?
Yep.
- And the hooker's dead?
- Mmm-hmm.
- And Seidel's what?
- Seidel's dead.
Yeah, probably.
We were slow. And he was smart.
- I'm just about out of moves.
- Don't sound much like you.
Yeah, well, that's the fuck
of this lawyering thing.
You can have all the truth on your side,
but if you can't prove it,
if you can't hold it in your hand,
it don't exist.
You said "just about out of moves."
Yeah.
Well, seems like you got this
hotshot Negro investigator now.
- Don't see why you don't put him on it.
- He can't do it.
And there's nobody else I can ask.
So you're just gonna race past
an apology, huh?
- "Do me this one, Strick."
- I know you've been busting ass.
- I ain't been myself.
- Or maybe this is just you in a suit.
So, what's the move?
Dinner's been on the table
for half an hour now.
I'm not keeping you from it.
It is the day after Christmas.
I don't understand.
That's right. That's right, Emily.
It's the day after Christmas.
It's a regular day with regular things
that have to be done at the store, okay?
Okay. I'll put a plate in the oven.
No, put it in the fridge.
I'm gonna be home late.
How late?
So I'll just begin it
Yeah, it's just us chickens tonight.
Heigh-ho, everybody
Heigh-ho
Fuck.
Life is just a bowl of cherries
It's only cherries
You work, you save, you worry so
But you can't take your dough
When you go, go, go
Life is just a bowl
of cherries
So live and laugh at it all
And the turtle keeps a shell on his back
so wherever he goes, he's home.
Yes. But who loves you more?
And that was George calling you?
Yes.
What did he say to you on that call?
He told me how much he missed me,
how much he loved me.
I mean, you gotta understand.
My husband
- Objection. Narrative.
- You'll get your chance in a hot minute.
I'm sorry. Judge?
Thank you. I'm sorry.
You were saying your husband
My husband was gone all the time,
and when he wasn't,
he was
unkind.
He was the only man I'd ever known,
and so I always thought that
this was the way of man and wife.
But with George, I
I felt as though I were
a person.
And now, you know
It was all a lie.
Will you tell me
thatjoke again?
Knock, knock.
He kept me on that phone
for over an hour that night.
And he told me he loved me
while they broke into my home
and stole my son.
This is my last question.
Emily, did you have anything to do
with your son's kidnapping?
I've realized, Mr. Mason, that I have
only had one love in my life
and it wasn't Matthew.
Wasn't George.
It
was my son.
He was
my heart.
So, no, I had nothing to do
with his kidnapping.
Thank you.
Nothing further, Your Honor.
Thank you, Emily.
"Take me away, George,
to some island in the ocean,
and set fire to the boat
that got us there."
I said a lot of stupid things
in those letters.
A more accurate account would have been,
"Take me away, George,
to the Star Motel,
where we can have sex
and I can abandon my boy."
- Objection.
- Sustained.
Quite right. It was objected to
because it is objectionable.
Married woman fornicating
with her lover in one room,
while her infant boy,
the only love of her life,
cried out from behind a wall.
- Is there a question here, Judge?
- Yes.
When you weren't having sex
with George Gannon in motels,
did you tell him about
your husband's money, Mrs. Dodson?
No. We never talked about money.
Yeah, but you told him Matthew
was Herman Baggerly's son.
And from that, he understood
Matthew had access to money.
Well, I didn't think
I didn't realize
Mrs. Dodson,
isn't it true that if George Gannon
hadn't known those facts about Matthew,
he never would have come up
with his plan to hurt Charlie?
I don't understand.
Mrs. Dodson, if it hadn't been
for your affair,
there never would have been
a kidnapping.
Yes, I suppose that is true.
Yes, you abandoned Charlie in his room
to answer the phone call
from your lover George,
just as you abandoned him
to have sex at the Star Motel.
Did you not fail to prevent
the perpetrators
from taking Charlie away, Mrs. Dodson?
- He called to distract me.
- You failed to stop them. Yes or no?
Yes. But
Yes. You wanted
to get your baby out of the way
so you could run away with this kind man
who made you feel like a person.
Stop.
Run away to an island in the ocean
and set fire to the boat
that got you there.
- Objection. Badgering.
- Sustained.
You whispered "guilty"
at the arraignment.
You confessed at the jailhouse.
Why don't you make it official
for the record?
- Objection.
- Please stop, sir.
- Mr. Barnes.
- Please. Please.
Isn't it your fault Charlie's dead?
Isn't it true, Mrs. Dodson,
that if it hadn't been for your actions,
your perfect Charlie boy
would still be alive?
Yes. Yes.
What? No more tears for your boy?
All cried out.
Hmm.
You may be excused, Mrs. Dodson.
Bailiff, will you kindly help
Mrs. Dodson?
Quite a show
you put on today, Mason.
Real heart-tugger.
Almost made me feel sorry
for the murdering little snipe.
You and I both know she's innocent.
Do we?
Gene, ain't he said something in his
opening about catching Charlie's killer?
You come at my partner again,
they'll find your rat-chewed
carcass floating in the sewers.
- Do you got me?
- Gene, come on.
See you at the hanging.
Phone call. Barbara. Charlie photo.
Ransom note.
No, ransom note should be first.
Seven thousand on top
of your debt I paid.
And my last bottle of mescal
- for the bad timing.
- I'm busy.
It's a fair price.
It's a fair price and then some, papi.
I'm gonna file a motion
to stay on your sales contract.
A motion to delay your closing.
And a motion to cure your title defects.
I'm a lawyer now.
So I'll see you in court.
Just take the money.
Well, that would constitute
an agreement, so why don't you fuck off?
Phone call.
Barbara. Charlie photo.
There are 30 airfields
in Los Angeles right now.
When this Prohibition shit is over,
there's only gonna be five of them left.
I'm a wetback and a woman.
I need to stay ahead
of the rest of them.
Here we go.
- Anyone want any more peas?
- I'll take some.
The peas are wonderful, June.
The man at the market wanted
to sell me some old cans,
but I knew better.
These are from the new cans.
Did Mr. Mason say I did good today?
- He thought you did incredible.
- You shined up there.
In conclusion, gentlemen
and ladies of the jury
Um
Yeah. To In summation
To conclude, ladies
and gentlemen of the jury,
Mr. Barnes tricked you.
Mr. Barnes has tricked you,
sleight of hand. He made you look
It was sleight of hand
Mr. Barnes has made you look at Emily,
when what you should be looking at
Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury, to conclude
In conclusion, it's all inconclusive.
I'm sorry, Charlie boy. I can't do it.
Charlie Dodson
On the 26th of December, 1931,
the day after Christmas,
a man broke into Emily Dodson's home
and took her child.
We all know what happened next.
I took this photograph when I was
then an investigator on this case.
And I stood over
Charlie Dodson's body in disbelief.
Because little boys
who look like this
shouldn't end up like this.
So what do we do
when something
as horrific as this happens?
Because we have to do something, right?
We have to be able to feel
that we can fix this.
So here we are.
You, the jury, me, now the lawyer,
and all of us wanting
desperately to fix this.
When I took this photograph
I have never wanted anything more
than to find those who are responsible
and make them pay.
I wanted
I wanted vengeance for Charlie.
And I wanted to take that act
of vengeance into my own hands.
I still do.
And I think I hope, after standing
in front of you all these weeks,
you know how I felt.
How I feel.
But here's something
maybe you don't know.
If I thought for one second, truthfully,
that Emily Dodson was guilty,
I would walk her to the gallows myself.
If I thought that was the way to fix it,
I would have no choice,
because I now stand for the law.
And the law tells me, if you are guilty,
you must pay for your crime.
Emily Dodson is innocent.
The District Attorney
has done a great job,
a great job of playing to your passions,
tapping into your desire for vengeance.
I'm sorry. Our.
Our desire for vengeance.
He's raised public outcry, and then
he has attacked
this woman at every turn.
For what?
For having an affair?
Did he prove that Emily had anything to
do with the plot to kidnap Charlie? No.
Did he prove that Emily had
anything to do with Charlie's murder,
the murder of her own son?
No, he did not.
The truth is he did not,
because the truth is she did not.
And the District Attorney knows this.
And so he attacks her
because he cannot attack
the truth that Emily Dodson is innocent.
Written above Judge Wright here
are the commandments for this court.
"Find truth, seek justice,"
in that order,
because you cannot seek justice
without first knowing the truth.
And if the truth is hidden or obscured
by distraction or lies,
you'll never find justice, you'll never
achieve justice, and therefore
you'll never fix
what happened to Charlie Dodson.
I stood in that morgue
on New Year's Eve, and I wanted blood.
But I stand here today for the law,
and the law tells me
I have to be better than that.
We all have to be better than that
because a woman's life is at stake.
And on the 26th of December, 1931,
the day after Christmas,
a man broke into her home
and took her son.
He took her heart
and she'll never get that back.
That's the truth.
All I ask
is that you are as courageous
as you are honest in seeking justice.
Thank you.
The truth, Mr. Mason?
Ladies and gentlemen, the truth is
that woman had sex
with Charlie's kidnapper
and left her baby
crying in the next room.
The truth is she was arrested for these
crimes, and the truth, Mr. Mason, is
she confessed to them.
So, yes, please, ladies and gentlemen,
be honest and courageous in
seeking justice and find that woman
guilty.
- It's not your job to feed me.
- Oh, I know.
It was an entirely humanitarian impulse.
You haven't moved for hours. Thoughts?
I'm thinking Barnes
did some damage with Emily.
True.
But we might not have made day three
if we hadn't put her on the stand.
I want to apologize for the other night.
No, don't.
If we're gonna be working together,
we need to be people who can act
abominably on occasion.
You you wanna do more of this?
I prefer having a job
to the alternative.
I like Hazel. A lot.
She's a pip.
And it's none of your business.
Jury's done for the night.
Three days. Think it's a good sign?
E.B. would say,
"I'd rather be us than them."
I think it's more
"I'd rather be us than them."
Where the fuck have you been?
Chasing chocolate Easter bunnies?
Had me some sick days coming.
You missed five goddamn shifts
this week, Drake.
Had some things to do, Joe.
Joe? Who you calling Joe?
And why the fuck ain't you in uniform?
All rise.
The People v. Emily Dodson
is back in session.
The Honorable Judge Wright presiding.
Judge, all jurors present.
I've been given a note from the jury.
I'm going to read this note,
then I'm going to say a few things,
and I don't want any disruptions
while this happens. Is that clear?
"We tried our best.
We are deadlocked."
Order. Order.
"We cannot come to a decision."
Sit back down.
I appreciate all the hard work
you've given this court.
Three weeks away from your families.
Five days of deliberation.
- Mr. Foreman, did you write this note?
- Yes, Your Honor.
And can I assume your fellow jurors
know the contents of this note?
Yes, Your Honor.
I am declaring a mistrial.
Let's get out of here. Come on.
We're not answering anything.
One at a time, boys. One at a time.
Yes. We will be retrying this case.
Absolutely. Absolutely, absolutely.
You can chisel that in stone.
- Mr. Mason, are you happy?
- No. No, we're not happy.
Emily Dodson should have been acquitted.
Emily Dodson should
never have been arrested.
Well, let me tell you.
Anytime you're in a trial,
there's always one bullheaded juror
who doesn't know the law,
who thinks it's his or her job
to be contrarian.
- Well, won't happen at retrial.
- The system worked? In what way?
Because I have an innocent client here,
undeniably abused by this system,
by the majority of your newspapers,
by this court, by the cops.
Hey, where was he today, Holcomb?
You keeping that blue line for him?
Keep walking. Keep walking, buddy.
Keep walking.
I did not lose the case.
It was declared a mistrial,
and it will have no bearing
should I declare my candidacy for mayor.
Now, let me ask you a question.
What's it like to walk around
with half a fucking brain?
What fucking fish-wrap pays you?
All right. I'm fine. I'm fine.
Just wanted to ask that question.
Emily, you have anything to say about
what happened at Evergreen Cemetery?
What happened at Evergreen Cemetery
was a disgrace, and we wait for the LAPD
to find Charlie's body
and arrest those who stole him.
- And who are you again?
- This is Della Street, my associate.
- You take the two buses?
- I did it just like you said.
That the other half?
This how much you gave
the other two jurors?
- What?
- The other two jurors.
The lady librarian, and the guy
that drives the trolley?
What are you talking about?
We was locked nine to three.
I wanna make sure I'm getting
what they're getting.
I'm the only one getting paid?
Ain't that a kicker.
Guess your housewife
didn't need me after all.
I don't know what
you're talking about, buddy.
I might have guessed five and ten,
but juror number three?
I mean, who saw that coming?
I'd have given 100-1 odds,
and still called you a sucker.
Had me fooled.
You haven't touched your cake,
Mrs. Dodson. It's awfully tasty.
You're a free woman now, Emily. Go on.
Nothing like a taste of freedom.
- Slice for you, Mr. Strickland?
- Actually, I'd like a little air.
I found a million-dollar baby
In a five and ten cent store
Plain little girl but what a lady
Just the kind I've been waiting for
Behind the chinaware
She smiled so sweetly
Right then and there
I lost my heart completely
I found a million-dollar baby
In a five and ten cent store
I'm
I'm gonna go work for Hamilton Burger.
- What?
- DA's office. You know, steady work.
Oh, okay. Look,
if you wanna make a point,
just go ahead and make
your fucking point.
I don't think you heard me.
I'm going over to Burger.
- To do what?
- Lead investigator. Get my badge back.
He's going after the church,
following the money.
Oh
- You mean the case I just fucking made?
- Listen to you.
- You just don't get it, do you?
- Get what?
Pete, if you need work,
I'll give you work. Name your salary.
Pete, I need you with me.
You don't even know Burger.
Eh.
You really should be happy, pal.
You won.
Mrs. Dodson, how can I help you?
Right this way.
She ran away once as a child.
She came back the next day
with her tail between her legs.
She hid herself in a tree
a couple of avenues away.
She's never been without me
for this long.
There was a sighting in Albuquerque.
I seriously I doubt the Sister
could have gone that far.
Well, it's a little past his bedtime,
but I don't think
he'll hold that against us.
Right? Right, Charlie?
I wanna hold him.
Of course. Of course.
He's been waiting for you.
He's smaller than Charlie.
His arms are shorter.
And his eyes are brown.
Hi. Hi. What about this?
Oh! Wow!
I think he likes the turtle.
Oh
Yeah. Yeah.
Somewhere the sun is shining
So, honey, don't you cry
You ready for this crib?
Watch your step, baby. You know it
And how did you come
across the evidence
for this financial malfeasance,
Mr. Strickland?
I was charged with tailing
- the church's money man, Eric Seidel.
- Mmm-hmm.
Upon a treetop high
And I staggered
out of that car.
And I heard this crying
in the middle of the road.
And it was this baby boy.
This baby boy was in the middle
of the road crying.
You became aware of
the Woodland Acres development,
which provided tax shelters
for the elders
of the Radiant Assembly of God?
Yeah.
They're all just a bunch of crooks
posing as men of the Lord.
And they got all kinds
of ways of doing it.
We'll wander, you and I
Goodbye to stormy weather
The clouds will soon roll by
And I delivered
this baby boy into this mother's arms.
Didn't I do that, Sister Dodson?
Yes, you did, Mother McKeegan,
and I held him.
And I knew that he was my son
resurrected from death.
Resurrected from death.
Delivered by heaven, right?
- Right?
- Yeah.
Because God wants us
to see these miracles.
God wants us to see these miracles.
Who here has had a miracle?
Raise those hands. I'm talking to you.
Oh, boy. We have some believers
in this audience.
I'll answer the phones,
keep the office in shape,
maintain the files,
and I'll take notes for you
when you're with clients.
I'll do all of that because
we have no money at the moment,
but the minute we do,
we're hiring a girl.
Leaving you with what to do?
Continuing with all
the other things I'll be doing.
Executing wills,
handling real estate closures.
- The bread and butter of a small firm.
- I see.
And when we go to trial again,
I'll be writing up motions for you,
preparing witnesses,
advising you on jury selection.
That sounds like the work of a lawyer.
Which I will be in two years,
because you'll be paying for my
night classes at City College.
And when I pass the bar,
Mason and Associates
will be Mason and Street.
You two know there's a client
waiting in the other room?
- We're almost done.
- Yeah. We're negotiating.
Getting your ass handed to you,
more like it.
You'll pay me what E.B. was paying me,
plus 20%.
And any quarterly profits,
will be split 60-40.
- 90-10.
- 60-40.
I'd like to be paid in cash
while you two build the business.
We have a client waiting.
Let's, uh, haggle about this later.
So who is the client?
A woman who claims to be
a Mrs. Eva Griffin.
- "Claims"?
- Yeah, she looks phony to me.
I looked up all the Griffins
in the city directory.
There's a lot of Griffins,
but there is no Eva Griffin.
- What do I need you for?
- Thinking the same thing.
You're gonna make a great lady lawyer.
I'm gonna make a great lawyer,
no modifier.
Yeah, no modifier.
- Found that address you was looking for.
- Oh.
Expenses on the back side.
- You got receipts?
- Or you can just take my word for it.
Right this way, Mrs. Griffin.
- You're Mr. Mason, the attorney?
- I am. You've met Della.
This is my other associate, Paul Drake.
One of the best detectives in the city.
Pleased.
So, what brings you in today,
Mrs. Griffin?
I'm in trouble.
And she can pay the retainer.
You've come to the right place.
Put a roof over it.
More gaming space.
A new indoor fountain. Maybe get some
What do you call them?
- Those big goldfish?
- Koi.
Yeah?
No, that ain't it.
I wish I had your smarts, Mr. Howard.
You got a real knack for business.
You boys want the envelope
or double it in house credit?
- How about it, Gene?
- The envelope.
You always were the smart one.
- Regards to Woo Sing.
- Sure.
Double in credit, huh? Could've done
something with that. Who knows?
Listen, Joe.
If anything ever happens to me,
make sure Maddie gets my share, okay?
Of course.
And if anything were to happen to you,
I'll do likewise.
Look, I want you know,
Elaine and the kids
they're gonna be okay.
What the fuck? Get the fuck
Sorry, Joe.
Hope you don't mind
me getting this settled.
My shift's about over.
Gotta go cook for them what's home now.
Keep the change.
- Appreciate you.
- Yeah.
Hey, sweetie.
- Pretty long way from the choir.
- It's not so far.
There's an old mission up the road.
I go there sometimes and I pray.
Get any answers?
Not lately.
They're running a circuit down south.
Temecula, Encinitas, Escondido.
Fairly popular from what I hear.
You didn't come all this way
to show me this, did you?
I know how Charlie died.
I know that Ennis put a crew
together and took him.
I know that Gannon found out
about Baggerly.
I know that Seidel had a $100,000 hole
that he was trying to fill.
I knew all those things,
but I couldn't prove it.
The trial's over, Mr. Mason. You won.
- There's one thing I wanna know.
- Whether or not I'm a fraud?
Someone took that boy's body
out of the ground.
That's quite a trick to pull
with everybody watching. Even for God.
You really do wanna believe
in him, don't you?
No matter how hard you try,
you still hope that he's there.
A baby was killed
to prop up your church.
So you're telling me
that you can look at this
and you can still believe?
You wanna know things, Mr. Mason.
You wanna find things out
and prove things.
What comfort has that ever given you?
What peace?
When I saw you in there,
out of the blue, I thought maybe
Maybe you were tired of being alone.
Maybe I am.
I am, too.
But we will be, won't we?
Alone?
Why is that?
Goodbye, Perry.
Wait.
Did you really think
you could bring Charlie back?
I did, didn't I?