Perry Mason (1957) s05e18 Episode Script
The Case of the Tarnished Trademark
Itheme.]
[Man.]
And so that is just like l told you.
[laughter.]
All right, all right! Now listen some more! Already it is 30 years since l came here from Copenhagen to start my shop.
l do not marry.
l put my heart in my hands and shape the wood.
People like, and l make the shop bigger and bigger, and l put more and more men to work.
Good men, all of you.
The best.
Old friends, l know what is in your heads.
You want to know why l stop you from work to talk to you like this.
l think everybody that knows Axel Norstaad knows my dream that someday, here in our little Danish part of the Valley, we have our own Children's Hospital.
And now, at last, l find a way to make this dream to be fulfilled.
Edie, you will help me? You will tell them for me, yes? Of course, Axel.
This is my new and good friend Miss Morrow, from Beverly Hills.
When l tell Edie what l want to do, she helps me.
What's happened is this: Axel is selling his shop here and with it his highly honored trademark.
The proceeds will go into a Hospital Fund, and l'm happy to tell you that the local church committee and others have pledged that they will match that amount dollar for dollar.
[Men grumbling.]
Boys, boys, what does this mean? You are afraid you lose your jobs? You think Axel Norstaad would let this happen? Of course not.
Now l will show you your new employer.
Mr.
Martin Somers of Long Beach, where he has big, big furniture factory.
Mr.
Somers, l introduce you around.
Tell your boss l just dropped in to-- Mr.
Hadley.
We didn't expect to see you here.
l'm sure you didn't.
Losing bidders are supposed to go home and shut up.
l gather it's all signed and delivered.
Sorry l gave you such a legitimate omer.
l don't know what you mean.
lt's nothing, Axel.
Everybody wanted your trademark.
Mr.
Hadley just needs a consolation drink, that's all.
lt isn't me that needs the drink.
Miss Morrow, you may be a very fine little promoter, but your knowledge of the furniture business-- You just say those things to me, Hadley.
And maybe you better say them outside.
Take it easy, Axel.
l'm the one he's throwing the sour grapes at.
You bet your life l am.
The slide trombone of the furniture business.
Well, Norstaad, according to your bidding rules, the highest bidder is supposed to put down _50,OOO before the contract is signed.
Have you seen one penny of Somers' money yet? l've got the check right here.
- That satisfy you? - No.
l think Mr.
Hadley is being quite hysterical.
Axel, a deal is a deal, and l see no justification for the slightest delay in signing the contract.
Good.
Let's do it right now.
Lisa, give to me the contracts.
There's no fool like an old fool.
When first l see sketch like this one month ago, l say yes.
This is what Children's Hospital should look like.
And then l say, ''Mr.
Reed, it is like you Iook into my mind and into my heart and put on paper what you see there.
'' Now it is all done with blue paper and arithmetic.
Edie, you like it? Yes, l like it very much indeed.
You don't know how happy l am to hear that, Miss Morrow.
Why shouldn't you hear it? lsn't Edie friend of yours? l tell you a secret, Latham.
When you bring me sketch and idea, this is very good.
But ne_ thing you do for me is even better.
When l say ''Where we will get the money?'' you say ''l know beautiful lady who knows all about how to raise money.
'' Axel, please, you're getting carried away Well, what l meant was, well, you know how important this is to me.
l think l told you, Mr.
Norstaad, that l've been in South America for a good many years, and l've been out of the construction game.
This is my chance to get going again.
And if you both like the plan, then maybe the Hospital Committee and the others-- Of course they like it.
Of course you get job.
Just you watch how Edie pushes this through.
Nowhere in the world is another woman like-- Please, Axel.
Oh.
Of course.
lt gets late, and we should take ourselves home.
Oh, Miss Morrow, you might like to point out to the Committee that the design for the hospital conforms pe_ectly to the topography of the land.
Oh, land.
Yeah, Edie, you pay over deposit money already? No, not yet.
But Maigret, he says-- Don't worry.
l just thought it was better if Mr.
Somers replaced his _50,OOO personal check with a certified one, that's all.
He said he'd have it for me tomorrow, and l'll see it goes directly into escrow.
Good.
Fine, fine.
Good night, Edie.
Good night, Axel.
Good night, Miss Morrow.
Much obliged for everything.
l mean it, darling.
You've handled everything just pe_ectly.
Good night, Mr.
Reed.
[pounding on door.]
All right, all right.
Coming! Coming, coming! For first time in 30 years, l let myself sleep as much as l want-- - l know-- - and you have to come wake me up.
l know, Axel, but something is wrong.
Lisa, you forget Mr.
Somers is boss now.
Call him in Long Beach-- No, no.
No, Axel.
He's the one who's making it wrong.
This morning l got a notice from him at the lumber yard.
He's canceling the regular monthly order for the shop.
Oh.
Oh, that's too bad.
Axel, you didn't buy all these years from Carl just because he's my brother.
You bought because he handles the highest grade of S and F hardwood.
Sure, sure, but if Mr.
Somers wants to buy somewhere else, can l stop him? You want me to tell you why he cancelled out? l'll tell you why.
Because he wants to buy cheap commercial grades of lumber.
Nothing but spruce and hemlock.
Carl, if Somers did like you say, he will cheapen trademark.
He would make it nothing.
Why would he want to kill goose that lays the golden eggs? That's crazy.
But Carl loses his biggest account.
What can we do? [phone rings.]
l will talk to you later.
And do not worry so much.
- There will be bigger things for all of us.
- [ring.]
[ring.]
Hello.
Long distance? Chicago? See here, Mr.
Norstaad.
l've been your leading representative in the Midwest for the past ten years now.
You can't do this to me.
Do? l do something? You, Somers, who's ever running things-- He's got a salesman in Chicago trying to saturate the market.
Why, he's taking orders at prices so low the furniture bearing your trademark could be sold retail for less than l paid you.
Oh, no.
No, that's impossible.
ls it? Well, l've seen signed duplicates of the orders with my own eyes.
l call you back.
Parker.
l told you l wanted you to bring me some pieces to show to salesmen.
These pieces ready to show to anybody.
- l've told you l want production-- - But he's not in today.
lf you'll call for an appointment-- So now l need an appointment, huh? What's the matter? You are hiding from somebody? No, no, of course not.
Come on into my omice where we can talk, Norstaad.
Aha.
Ramsey from Chicago, he calls me.
He tells me that you sell furniture under my trademark cheaper than l can make it.
l want to know how can you do that? That's my business, l'm afraid.
No, mine.
For 30 years l work to build up trademark.
Just because we sign contract does not mean that l do not care what goes on.
The only thing that concerns you, Norstaad, is that l have a further payment of _200,OOO to meet in four months, and after that a continuing royalty of 50/o on any furniture l sell under your trademark.
l will not let you cheat people under my name.
That is my design on top, but not underneath.
This is not my chair.
This is not a piece of furniture.
This is toothpicks.
This is trash.
Parker! Parker! All right.
lf you want to play rough, l'll show you l can play a lot rougher.
Now go on.
Get out of here.
Get out of here before l bash in your thick skull! All right.
l go.
But don't think that you blum me for one minute.
Miss Morrow called about the certified check.
Never mind that.
Get me Reed on the phone right away.
- Who? - Latham Reed! And hurry it up.
Would you please tell Miss Morrow that Axel Norstaad is here? Sorry, but she isn't in.
Would you care to leave a message? No, l've got to talk to her.
l've got to see her right away.
Well, she just this moment left.
When she will be back? Soon, l imagine.
Good.
l will wait.
So l wait and wait and wait and wait, and still she doesn't come or call or anything.
What makes you so sure she didn't know you were there and why? What kind of talk is that? - Please, Carl.
- Please what? Why do you need a woman to do things for you? To ask about things? This is none of your business.
Well, you sure don't need help from the lady who fixed up your contract with Somers in the first place.
You be quiet! Oh, stop it, Axel.
Both of you.
Stop it.
So, what about you, Lisa? You think l'm becoming a mouse, too? Huh? All right! l show you! l show everybody! [ring.]
l'll get it, Della.
Mason speaking.
No, no, you just caught me.
We've been working late.
Mr.
Mason, you'll be in your omice first thing in morning, yes? Well, l'll be here, but l have a calendar full of appointments.
Cancel them.
l be there at 9 sharp.
And then you fix Somers for me.
Do what? Somers.
Martin Somers.
l tell you all about it tomorrow, but now l got many people to call.
You be there.
Goodbye.
Hello, Axel.
Shall l call him back? No.
l guess not.
He'll be here first thing in the morning.
Axel, you think l don't know how it is with you? Lisa, please.
No more talk.
But all day long, you haven't eaten enough for a sparrow.
And now it's late.
Oh.
[laughing.]
Oh, that.
We'll go to your place.
l'll make you some supper.
Then you have a good night's sleep.
Look.
What is it? l don't understand.
What does that mean? l'm going to find out.
Maigret! Maigret! Maigret! Maigret! What's going on out here? Why you knock my sign down? Why you put up ''Sold''? Because it is sold to another party.
A shoe company, Axel.
They wanted a bigger area, but-- No.
You cannot.
Now you listen to me.
l warned you l couldn't wait.
l'd be a fool to, particularly after that check bounced.
Like l told the church committee-- Wait, wait.
Bounced? What check bounced? That personal check for 50,OOO from Somers.
l wanted to tell you about it the day l talked to you, but she didn't want me to.
She? Your friend from Beverly Hills.
Axel, l know Miss Morrow's done quite a good promotion job.
At least she sure did sweep everybody around here om their feet.
lf you got something inside, say it.
Don't make up the words.
l tried to get hold of her all day.
Best l could do was a lot of messages she was tied up someplace.
Tied up, my foot.
My wife saw her car parked at a bar down the highway not more than two hours ago.
- Where? - Outside a motel.
The Windmill Inn.
[loud jazz.]
Lars! Lars! Come here quick! Hurry, Lars! What is it, Mr.
Svenson? Somebody complained the radio in Number 3 had been on loud all night.
l went in to check, and-- Hurry, Lars! [continues.]
There.
[music stops.]
Who is it? Name is Somers.
Well, go on, call an ambulance.
l already phoned the doctor.
What for? lf your head was bashed in like that, you'd be dead, too.
[Man on radio.]
Mr.
Somers had driven up from Long _each and registered at the Windmill MoteI in the Danish section of the Valley around 7:OO last evening.
Police are believed to be following several leads in the peaceful, placid little suburb of Los Angeles [radio shuts oM Just a rehash of that T a.
m.
broadcast you heard.
Looks like Axel is one of the leads the police are following.
That's why l thought we'd better get out here, Della.
Why don't you go over and order us some aebliskive? Beg pardon? Danish pastry.
l shouldn't be upstairs too long, then we may have a better idea ofjust how much time we'll be spending here.
[knocking.]
Hello.
l'm Perry Mason.
Oh, Mr.
Mason.
lt's so good you're here.
Come in, come in.
[Axel.]
Lisa, who comes? Hello, Axel.
Oh, hello, Mr.
Mason.
When l call you last night-- uh, meet Lieutenant Anderson.
We've met.
You Mr.
Norstaad's lawyer, Perry? No, no, not for this.
For something else.
This morning l forget to call you and tell you l do not need appointment anymore.
But it is all right.
You send me bill anyway.
And now you turn around and go back.
Goodbye.
Well, Axel, as long as l'm already here-- No, no, no, you're such a busy man.
We don't want to keep you.
Goodbye.
Goodbye, Perry.
All right, Axel.
Good luck, Andy.
What's the matter? They stop serving? Mm-mm.
Floyd Chapman's over there.
All right, let's have a meeting of the Bar Association.
Perry.
What on earth? Hello, Miss Street.
- Hello.
- Well, Counselor.
[both.]
What are you doing here? l'm afraid l can't answer that satisfactorily.
Can you? Don't see why not.
Comee? Thank you, yes.
Right now l'm waiting for Lt.
Anderson.
l thought he ought to know about a call l got yesterday afternoon from this man Somers who was murdered.
Mind letting me know about that call? l represent Axel Norstaad.
Norstaad? Small world.
Somers wanted me to be ready to file an injunction this morning restraining a man named Norstaad from any future acts of violence and#or inte_erence.
And also to put a private detective on the trail of one Latham Reed.
l didn't take the case, though.
Too busy.
Who's Reed? Some building contractor that Somers said may have made om with a certified check for _50,OOO.
When, do you know? Yesterday afternoon.
Oh, there's Anderson now.
lf you'll excuse me.
Certainly nice to have seen you both.
- Goodbye.
- Bye-bye.
[door closes.]
[Axel.]
No.
lt cannot be that you have not heard from her in all this time.
You must tell me where-- Have l interrupted you? Please, Mr.
Mason.
Why do you not leave like l tell you? Well, it seemed obvious you didn't want to talk in front of Lt.
Anderson.
But l do not need you.
Axel, what happened between you and Somers yesterday that caused him instruct his attorney to file an injunction against you? Oh, that.
That is nothing.
l broke a chair, and l had a few words with him, that is all.
Don't you feel that you could be in trouble over Somers? The way you talked about him over the phone to me-- Of course not.
That is not the trouble that worries me.
But you admit you are worried.
Don't make your lawyer's talk with me! Axel, have you been able to locate Edie Morrow? Who told you about her? Lisa Pedersen.
Lisa is a snoop! Listen to me.
This is not how Axel talks about people.
And yelling at his friends.
That's all right, Axel.
lf you'll just explain the background of all this, perhaps we could help you find Miss Morrow.
lf that's the thing that concerns you.
Ja.
Ja, it is.
And just one thing you must promise me, Mr.
Mason.
lf you do find where Edie is, first tell me, not them.
Mr.
Mason? Perry, this is Mr.
Hadley.
Sam Hadley, the furniture man.
Oh, yes.
You were one of the bidders on the Norstaad Shop and trademark.
- What can l do for you, Mr.
Hadley? - Plenty.
l was just talking to Axel on the phone, and he tells me that you're going to resolve this mess that he's got into.
Are you assuming that now Mr.
Somers is dead, Axel will sell his trademark to you? Why not? l would have had it-- l should have had it in the beginning if it hadn't been for a lot of skullduggery.
ln my hands, Mr.
Mason, there is no limit to what can be done with the Norstaad line.
l'd expand his old shop, use the real estate that it's on.
l've waited and worked all my life for an opportunity like this.
All right, Mr.
Hadley.
You can keep in touch, if you like.
That's all l wanted to say.
l intend to keep in touch.
Well, it boils down to this, Perry.
Somers was such a slick manipulator that few in the trade knew that he was close to being bankrupt.
Apparently, he grabbed at the Norstaad trademark as a last, best hope of survival.
lf he was so hard-pressed, what about the _50,OOO down payment? Well, on the strength of getting the Norstaad line, Somers signed some long-term contracts with various supply houses, in return for which they loaned him sizeable sums of money.
Still this wasn't enough to boost the total up to 50 grand in time, but this didn't faze Martin Somers at all.
He simply stalled by writing a personal check for 50 grand which he knew would bounce, until, of course, yesterday when he apparently had the balance.
What about the rest of the cash-- the _200,OOO he was supposed to pay in four months? By then, he would have had time to hit the national market with cheap imitations of the Norstaad line.
And, by factoring his invoices and using the valuable trademark as bank collateral, chances are he could have swung that, too.
And then would have gone on exploiting the trademark for another six months or so, after which it would have been quite worthless.
Right.
But what a killing he would have made in the meantime.
What did you find out about Latham Reed? That, l'm afraid, is going to lift your client right om his launching pad.
Reed is Edie Morrow's ex-husband.
[phone rings.]
Yes, Gertie? Put her on.
Hello, Lisa.
Axel what? Where did he go? l don't know.
l said to Axel, ''Go back into the apartment.
'' l said, ''Eat something.
'' But then the phone rang, and he answered, and then he asked me to go back into the shop and not to listen.
But he only spoke for a very short time, and then he went out.
Who was it on the phone, Lisa? He didn't want to tell me, but l know.
l know it was her.
Miss Morrow? How do you know? Because she called early this morning.
Carl told me.
l made him tell.
Did your brother tell you what she said on the earlier call? Yes.
For Axel to call her at a number.
At, uh, at MOuntain 3 349T.
Sorry, but the lodge is full up.
No checkouts today.
We're looking for a woman.
She was driving an expensive convertible with a man asleep in the back.
They told us at Conley Corners she stopped there about 8 a.
m.
asking for a room.
We do mostly vacation business.
The woman was around 40-- very striking, silver haired.
Now, did she, uh, stop here? l sent her down to Joe's Cabins, a few hundred yards down the road.
l guess she found a vacancy there, all right.
What makes you think so? l've seen her car shuttling back and forth to the junction once or twice.
Matter of fact, she went in that direction not ten minutes ago.
Toward the stores.
Thank you.
l'll drive up to Joe's Cabins.
l'll take a look at the junction.
Yeah, l-l'm Reed.
Latham Reed.
But you might as well know now, Mr.
Mason, l-- l just can't remember.
What can't you remember? Here, sit up.
Nothing.
From that moment yesterday afternoon when Somers omered me a highball and l said no, make mine lemonade.
Thought it tasted funny - for lemonade.
Used to be an alcoholic.
For three years l didn't touch a drop.
Didn't even smell a cork.
l'll kill that Somers.
Someone already has killed him.
Yeah.
Edie told me.
First good news l've had since she brought me to.
Where did she find you? Mmm.
You'll have to ask her that when she comes back with more comee.
You took a certified check yesterday, isn't that right? A check for _50,OOO? A check that Somers asked you to deliver and endorse over to a hospital fund? How should l know? When she found me, she said that l had _T,OOO in _500 bills.
- Now-- - [door opens.]
Now what? l couldn't spot her, Perry.
No sign of Axel, either.
Think maybe she arranged to duck out and meet him somewhere else? She just went down to get me some more comee.
Millie's Barbecue.
Maybe that's around on the other road.
l was beginning to think you wouldn't come.
Edie, always l come when you need me.
Axel, l've so much to explain to you.
No, no.
Not now.
l-- l only wanted to help you, but l did everything wrong.
l should have told you in the beginning.
l don't want to hear.
Come, get into the car.
l have money.
Come.
- What? - And no one will catch us.
And whatever has happened, l don't want to know.
Come.
[Mason.]
Axel.
So.
Who tells you where to find us? Never mind that.
Axel, as your attorney-- You stay out of this.
Well, they can't have her.
Somers he was no good.
Take it easy, Mr.
Norstaad.
lt's not the lady l'm arresting for murder.
lt's you.
Now, Mr.
Pedersen, we've heard testimony that on the afternoon of Somers' murder Axel Norstaad got so angry that he smashed a chair and threatened Martin Somers.
Did the defendant say anything to you about this occurrence? No, but l could tell he was amully upset.
Would you tell us what he said or did? Yes.
l was sure that Axel had seen Mr.
Somers in Long Beach, so l wanted to hear how he'd made out.
And how were you able to tell that he was amully upset? Axel loves animals.
He's always feeding stray cats and dogs at the shop.
Well, this favorite cat was meowing to come in.
Axel picked up a comee cup from the desk and threw it.
Mr.
Pedersen, why were you so anxious to learn the results of Axel's meeting with Mr.
Somers? Well, like l said, the Cabinet Shop had been my best account, and now Somers was cutting me om from it.
Did this come at a particularly inopportune time for you? Yes, l'd fixed up my lumberyard.
Fixed it up? In what way? New sheds, boosted my inventory of hardwoods, andthings like that.
Thank you.
That'll be all.
Now, when Mr.
Somers called you the afternoon of the murder and you went to see him, Mr.
Reed, was anything said about the defendant? S-Somers called him a wild man.
He-- He said he'd going to tame him if it was the last thing he did.
What explanation, if any, did he give for calling you in and telling you this? Said he wanted my help.
What kind of help? Through my former wife Edie-- Edith Morrow.
He had an idea that she could wrap him around her-- the old guy around her little finger.
- Objection, Your Honor.
- Sustained.
Your witness.
Mr.
Reed, was Axel Norstaad aware of the fact that you and Miss Morrow were previously man and wife? No.
Was it your idea or hers to keep this from him? Mine.
l'd been an alcoholic.
l was afraid if he found out too much about my past, it would ruin my chances.
What chances? Of getting the full contract on the hospital.
Would you tell us the background of that contract? Well, there wasn't a contract yet.
You see, l-- l met Mr.
Norstaad and drew some preliminary sketches.
Then you referred him to Miss Morrow? l said that l knew a woman that was talented in business, that's all.
He went to her himself.
Talented in business.
Did you tell him that she was successful, wealthy? Not exactly, but-- Not exactly? Then did you tell him that her car had only been one quarter paid for? That the e_ravagant apartment in which she entertained his committees had only been rented the day after they met? That her fur coat was borrowed? Stop that! l object.
l object.
Mr.
Reed, you've admitted that you tried to conceal the facts of your past life.
Did Mr.
Somers know those facts? Yes, he did.
l won't ask you to incriminate yourself, Mr.
Reed, but when you were first interviewed by me and then by the police, you had several thousand dollars in your pocket.
l just can't explain that.
Do you recall cashing a certified check the previous day? No, l can't recall anything.
Now, Mr.
Maigret, what time was it when you told Axel Norstaad that you had just seen Miss Edie Morrow outside a motel called the Windmill Inn? Axel stormed up to my house about 9:OO, l'd say.
Maybe a few minutes later.
And when he left your house, did he go in the direction of the motel? Yes, sir.
He-- well, he left my place running.
Running? Tell me this, how far is your place from the Windmill Inn? lt's about three blocks, that's all.
Well, Axel came roaring into my barroom at the motel.
When he got his breath back, he says he's looking for this Edie Morrow.
Says he's going to find her if he has to tear the place apart.
Well, l finally got it across to him that she'd walked out some time before with a man named Somers.
What did the defendant say then? He demanded to know where they'd gone.
All l could tell him was that Somers was staying at the motel.
So Axel rushed om again.
Now, we've heard the testimony of the autopsy surgeon to the emect that Martin Somers met his death sometime between 9 and 9:30.
What time was it that the defendant rushed out of your barroom? Mm, 9:10, 9:15 maybe.
Thank you.
Cross-examine.
No questions.
Miss Pedersen, you were employed by the defendant as his confidential secretary? No, sir.
l was the entire omice force-- stenographer, bookkeeper, everything.
From the time when l was still a young woman.
Now, referring you to the morning after the homicidal death of Mr.
Somers.
On that morning, when you arrived at the Norstaad omice, the defendant already there, and you saw him lighting something in the stove, is that correct? The stove? The old-fashioned pot-bellied stove in which wood scraps were burned to keep the omice warm in the winter.
Only it wasn't winter, and it wasn't cold.
And nevertheless, you saw Mr.
Norstaad that morning lighting a match to something in that stove, didn't you? Yes.
They made me tell it, Axel.
No further questions.
Now, Miss Pedersen, since you've described yourself as the whole omice force, perhaps you can tell us about the bids.
Bids? Oh, you mean for Axel's real estate? His shop and trademark.
Yes.
How many bidders were there? l think there were about 15 bids.
They were all in writing, by-- by registered mail.
Now, who looked at those bids? Prior to the granting of the contract, that is.
Mostly just Axel.
Mostly? Did anyone else see them? They were always locked in my desk.
Did Axel tell you to show them to anyone else? Yes.
To Miss Morrow.
When my men went to look at Norstaad's shop, there was still smoke coming out of the chimney.
Naturally, they checked further.
l see.
l show you now this police exhibit and ask you if you can identify it for us, Lieutenant.
lt's a scorched bit of material we found in the stove.
Was this material subjected to laboratory analysis, and if so, what were the results? We found a bloodstain on it-- blood of the same type as that of the victim.
Were you able to discover where this material with the victim's bloodstain on it came from, Lieutenant? Uh, Norstaad, the defendant, had two pair of pants to the suit he was wearing the night Somers was killed.
One pair is now missing.
And this material is identical to that of the suit.
lt's been established that Mr.
Somers was located in bungalow number 3.
Where were you, sir? Here, two doors down.
What time did you check out? l'm a salesman, see? And l like to travel at night.
So it was about 20 past 9 when l put the bags in the car.
That's when l saw him.
Saw whom? Him.
Let the record show that the witness pointed to the defendant, Axel Norstaad.
What was he doing when you saw him? He was running like a scared rabbit out of the cabin.
How can you be so sure of your identification of a figure you saw running away into the night? Well, l ought to be able to identify Axel Norstaad.
l've been selling him a line of paint specialties for years.
This is how it was, Mr.
Mason.
First l went to see the bartender.
Then l went into the omice of the motel, and l saw the register.
And Somers is room 3.
l knock on the door.
There is no answer.
But the door is open, and the radio is playing, so l go in.
''Somers'', l say, ''if you try to make trouble for Edie like you do for me--'' And then l see him on the floor.
l bend down to look.
And it was while you were bending over him that you got the blood on your trouser leg.
Yes.
And when l saw that also how it would look if someone come in and find me there, then l-- How do you say it?-- l lose my head and run away.
Do you believe me, Mr.
Mason? No.
But you're getting closer to the truth.
Since l am grown man, l do not lie, big or little lie.
That was before you met Edie Morrow.
- How many times-- - Axel! You heard everything in court.
Now, do you still think you should hide the truth just because it might implicate that woman? Of course l do.
She is good woman.
l do not kill, so how you think l can possibly-- No, no, l-- l do not know so much.
Got it, Perry.
You find that man at the bank? Yep.
The certified check was issued, all right, but so far it hasn't been cashed.
Now that the weekend's over other checks are starting to come! in.
With that 50,OOO earmarked by the bank, there's just not enough money in Somers' accounts to cover them.
But l don't understand.
Somers never intended that the certified check be cashed, Della.
He had it drawn up in case anyone made inquiries at the bank.
But he intended to return it after the weekend to cover his other checks.
He was just stalling for time.
How do you explain the _T,OOO found in Latham Reed's pockets? Planted on him by Somers, of course.
Somers just wanted the poor guy to think he'd cashed the check, just as he wanted everyone to think it.
Why, that stinker.
ltem 2: The State's dug up an airlines clerk who says that the day before the murder, two tickets to Copenhagen were reserved by the Somers omice in the name of Edie Morrow.
Burger may be holding that back, though, at least until the jury trial.
ln other words, they don't know that l know.
Paul you finally deserve some supper.
Good.
But wait a minute.
l haven't served up the piece-de-resistance yet, as we hungry men say.
Well? About those bids.
On the day the bidding omicially closed, Somers had already turned out the first pilot models of the Norstaad line at his factory.
Now, Miss Morrow, Why did you find it necessary to talk to Mr.
Somers at the motel in the evening? Well, l'd been looking in every bar l could find, and l was still unable to locate Latham-- Mr.
Reed.
And inasmuch as Mr.
Somers had threatened to put a private detective on his trail, l just had to beg for time.
Well, did you discuss Axel Norstaad with Somers? Yes, briefly.
You were well aware, were you not, that Martin Somers had instructed his attorney to file an injunction against the defendant the ne_ morning? Yes.
And you were afraid of what Mr.
Norstaad would do when he found out about this? l wanted Mr.
Somers to wait at least until l could find Latham until l found out what had happened to the _50,OOO so l could go to Axel and explain everything - and tell him how much at fault l was and-- - All right.
And what did Mr.
Somers say? Did he agree to give you more time? He said it all depended.
Depended on what? On whether or not the defendant stayed away from him, let him alone? l suppose so.
Please, don't make any suppositions.
Answer me yes or no.
- Yes! - Thank you.
Your witness.
Miss Morrow, did it ever occur to you that Somers might have lied about giving Reed that certified check for delivery? Yes.
But he was very positive.
So positive that he flew into a rage and threatened you with his cane? No, no.
It was nothing like that.
He seemed to be very sure of getting me to do what he wanted.
Does that explain the tickets to Copenhagen reserved in your name at a Los Angeles airlines omice? Or did you reserve those tickets yourself-- How did he find out about that? intending to leave town as soon as you or Latham Reed had _50,OOO in hand? No, no, the tickets were Mr.
Somers' idea, and it was just an idea, that's all.
lt wasa gift he planned.
What sort of gift? What were the tickets for? He said he wanted to get Axel out of his hair.
He suggested l persuade him to go away on a long trip with me.
A honeymoon.
What was your answer? Well, how on earth could l promise to marry a man who's never said one word but ''furniture'' to me? Who never in any way has told me that-- that he feels as l do? ls this court to understand, Mr.
Hadley, that you had a meeting with Mr.
Somers the day of his death? Yes.
It was at his factory, that same evening, about 6:30, before he left Long Beach.
How did this meeting come about? Well, l had heard a rumor that he was going to close down the cabinet shop, so l went right over to see him.
l figured that the least he owed me was a chance at Axel's real estate.
l also wanted to know if he was going to fire all those fine craftsmen.
- l wanted to hire some of them.
- What did Mr.
Somers say to that? Told me to help myself, that they'd all be looking for a job ne_ morning.
l told him that Axel would blow his top.
l think that'll be all, sir.
Thank you.
Cross-examine.
Just where at the Somers factory did this conversation take place? Well, it was in the parking lot that l ran into him, actually.
You share a common parking lot with Somers' factory? No, no, of course not.
Then how did you know you'd be able to reach him there? l called him at his omice.
They said he'd be leaving.
- You called from where? - From my home.
- Really, l don't see-- - You went home and then you decided? No, no, l'd gone home for an early bite because l knew l had to come back to the omice that evening.
lt was on my way.
Really, Your Honor, l don't see-- May it please the court, l ask permission at this time to recall a witness.
Yes, Axel told me to put in calls Iong distance-- one for you and one for Mr.
Hadley.
The call to Mr.
Hadley, what time was that? Right after you hung up.
About 8? 8:30? Was the call completed? No.
The phone rang and rang, but no answer.
All right.
So l drove up to the Valley.
lt was there at the motel that l spoke to Somers.
l lied to the police, Your Honor, and then l didn't know how to stop the lie.
But l did not kill Somers.
l swear it.
Mr.
Burger, in view of Mr.
Hadley's admission, l'll leave the matter of perjury charges against him up to your omice.
ls it your desire to recall Mr.
Hadley at this time, Counselor? There is one point l believe this witness might be able to clarify, Your Honor.
All right, proceed.
Now, Miss Pedersen, Iet's explore Mr.
Hadley's suggestion that there was collusion in the handling of the bids.
Now, you testified, did you not, that the bids were kept locked in your desk, that only Axel and Edith Morrow knew what the figures were? Yes.
Yes, l think so.
Then let me ask you this.
Why had your brother Carl expanded his lumberyard, building new sheds and so on, when his principal client was about to sell out to a purchaser yet unknown? Well, uh, Carl is sometimes a fool.
Miss Pedersen, isn't it possible that your brother Carl knew who the highest bidder was going to be? Knew and expected Mr.
Somers to reward him with lumber contracts far exceeding anything he'd ever dreamed of? l don't understand.
We all know what kind of a man Somers was.
lsn't it possible that he promised those lumber contracts in return for private information about the other bidders? No.
No, no, no.
Carl, he would never get mixed up in anything like that.
lsn't it even possible that your brother Carl advanced money to Somers? He didn't pay him one penny.
Then did you? To help your brother? You were the person in whose desk the bids were kept.
You, the person who knew everything that was going on.
All right.
l told Carl that l would fix it with Mr.
Somers about the bids, yes.
Because Axel was so stupid to sell our shop was no reason for everyone to sumer.
That big, stupid-- lt was my shop! My omice! Who do you think everyone was looking to for running things? Me.
Lisa Pedersen.
But l paid Mr.
-- Mr.
Somers nothing.
Who else did you tell about those bids? Who else could have had private dealings with Somers? l don't understand.
l don't remember.
Lisa, do you recall correspondence with a certain shoe company in Chicago? A company interested in obtaining a large building site? A company who had written concerning the property occupied by Axel's cabinet shop? Oh, that.
l-- l threw that in the wastebasket.
Yet that company still expected to obtain the property, just as they'd already obtained the land ne_ to it, the land once slated for Axel's Hospital? Now think hard, Lisa.
Who else did you tell about the bids? lt must have been a man who dealt with Somers, since he obviously knew what Somers had planned.
lt must have been a man who, on the night of the murder, told Axel where to find Somers.
Now, it must have been-- [Lisa.]
Yes.
Yes, l told him.
Somers was a crook.
And out-and-out crook.
Oh, yes, l knew it.
And what he was up to-- everything.
l paid him to tell me.
ln return l was to have an option on the property he never intended to use anyway.
Yes, l could make a killing on my own land, but they had to have the other property, too.
l'd promised l could deliver.
Oh, l made a killing, all right.
When l tried to get Somers' option in writing, he wanted more money to cover all those checks that he was kiting, or else he'd block my sale, block it so l couldn't deliver.
He wanted more money, then more.
We got into a fight, and-- that's-- that's how l made my killing.
Axel, for heaven's sake hurry up! The plane won't wait, Axel.
l forgot l need another shirt.
Here, l'll do that.
lt's so nice of both of you to come and see us om.
Ja, we send you a postcard from Copenhagen.
And, Mr.
Mason, you won't forget-- The hospital.
Don't worry.
We'll get that land back.
And raise the money.
Mr.
Hadley's already helping.
Ja.
l forget my necMies.
Here.
Edie, you just get him outside.
We'll bring the suitcases.
Ja, we go.
There is no fool like an old fool.
Ah.
Such a pity.
Hm? That a man like that should have to wait all those years to get married.
Don't you agree? You've been my legal secretary Iong enough to know that that's a leading question.
Here.
You take that one.
Uh-- Subtitled By J.
R.
Media Services, Inc.
Burbank, CA
[Man.]
And so that is just like l told you.
[laughter.]
All right, all right! Now listen some more! Already it is 30 years since l came here from Copenhagen to start my shop.
l do not marry.
l put my heart in my hands and shape the wood.
People like, and l make the shop bigger and bigger, and l put more and more men to work.
Good men, all of you.
The best.
Old friends, l know what is in your heads.
You want to know why l stop you from work to talk to you like this.
l think everybody that knows Axel Norstaad knows my dream that someday, here in our little Danish part of the Valley, we have our own Children's Hospital.
And now, at last, l find a way to make this dream to be fulfilled.
Edie, you will help me? You will tell them for me, yes? Of course, Axel.
This is my new and good friend Miss Morrow, from Beverly Hills.
When l tell Edie what l want to do, she helps me.
What's happened is this: Axel is selling his shop here and with it his highly honored trademark.
The proceeds will go into a Hospital Fund, and l'm happy to tell you that the local church committee and others have pledged that they will match that amount dollar for dollar.
[Men grumbling.]
Boys, boys, what does this mean? You are afraid you lose your jobs? You think Axel Norstaad would let this happen? Of course not.
Now l will show you your new employer.
Mr.
Martin Somers of Long Beach, where he has big, big furniture factory.
Mr.
Somers, l introduce you around.
Tell your boss l just dropped in to-- Mr.
Hadley.
We didn't expect to see you here.
l'm sure you didn't.
Losing bidders are supposed to go home and shut up.
l gather it's all signed and delivered.
Sorry l gave you such a legitimate omer.
l don't know what you mean.
lt's nothing, Axel.
Everybody wanted your trademark.
Mr.
Hadley just needs a consolation drink, that's all.
lt isn't me that needs the drink.
Miss Morrow, you may be a very fine little promoter, but your knowledge of the furniture business-- You just say those things to me, Hadley.
And maybe you better say them outside.
Take it easy, Axel.
l'm the one he's throwing the sour grapes at.
You bet your life l am.
The slide trombone of the furniture business.
Well, Norstaad, according to your bidding rules, the highest bidder is supposed to put down _50,OOO before the contract is signed.
Have you seen one penny of Somers' money yet? l've got the check right here.
- That satisfy you? - No.
l think Mr.
Hadley is being quite hysterical.
Axel, a deal is a deal, and l see no justification for the slightest delay in signing the contract.
Good.
Let's do it right now.
Lisa, give to me the contracts.
There's no fool like an old fool.
When first l see sketch like this one month ago, l say yes.
This is what Children's Hospital should look like.
And then l say, ''Mr.
Reed, it is like you Iook into my mind and into my heart and put on paper what you see there.
'' Now it is all done with blue paper and arithmetic.
Edie, you like it? Yes, l like it very much indeed.
You don't know how happy l am to hear that, Miss Morrow.
Why shouldn't you hear it? lsn't Edie friend of yours? l tell you a secret, Latham.
When you bring me sketch and idea, this is very good.
But ne_ thing you do for me is even better.
When l say ''Where we will get the money?'' you say ''l know beautiful lady who knows all about how to raise money.
'' Axel, please, you're getting carried away Well, what l meant was, well, you know how important this is to me.
l think l told you, Mr.
Norstaad, that l've been in South America for a good many years, and l've been out of the construction game.
This is my chance to get going again.
And if you both like the plan, then maybe the Hospital Committee and the others-- Of course they like it.
Of course you get job.
Just you watch how Edie pushes this through.
Nowhere in the world is another woman like-- Please, Axel.
Oh.
Of course.
lt gets late, and we should take ourselves home.
Oh, Miss Morrow, you might like to point out to the Committee that the design for the hospital conforms pe_ectly to the topography of the land.
Oh, land.
Yeah, Edie, you pay over deposit money already? No, not yet.
But Maigret, he says-- Don't worry.
l just thought it was better if Mr.
Somers replaced his _50,OOO personal check with a certified one, that's all.
He said he'd have it for me tomorrow, and l'll see it goes directly into escrow.
Good.
Fine, fine.
Good night, Edie.
Good night, Axel.
Good night, Miss Morrow.
Much obliged for everything.
l mean it, darling.
You've handled everything just pe_ectly.
Good night, Mr.
Reed.
[pounding on door.]
All right, all right.
Coming! Coming, coming! For first time in 30 years, l let myself sleep as much as l want-- - l know-- - and you have to come wake me up.
l know, Axel, but something is wrong.
Lisa, you forget Mr.
Somers is boss now.
Call him in Long Beach-- No, no.
No, Axel.
He's the one who's making it wrong.
This morning l got a notice from him at the lumber yard.
He's canceling the regular monthly order for the shop.
Oh.
Oh, that's too bad.
Axel, you didn't buy all these years from Carl just because he's my brother.
You bought because he handles the highest grade of S and F hardwood.
Sure, sure, but if Mr.
Somers wants to buy somewhere else, can l stop him? You want me to tell you why he cancelled out? l'll tell you why.
Because he wants to buy cheap commercial grades of lumber.
Nothing but spruce and hemlock.
Carl, if Somers did like you say, he will cheapen trademark.
He would make it nothing.
Why would he want to kill goose that lays the golden eggs? That's crazy.
But Carl loses his biggest account.
What can we do? [phone rings.]
l will talk to you later.
And do not worry so much.
- There will be bigger things for all of us.
- [ring.]
[ring.]
Hello.
Long distance? Chicago? See here, Mr.
Norstaad.
l've been your leading representative in the Midwest for the past ten years now.
You can't do this to me.
Do? l do something? You, Somers, who's ever running things-- He's got a salesman in Chicago trying to saturate the market.
Why, he's taking orders at prices so low the furniture bearing your trademark could be sold retail for less than l paid you.
Oh, no.
No, that's impossible.
ls it? Well, l've seen signed duplicates of the orders with my own eyes.
l call you back.
Parker.
l told you l wanted you to bring me some pieces to show to salesmen.
These pieces ready to show to anybody.
- l've told you l want production-- - But he's not in today.
lf you'll call for an appointment-- So now l need an appointment, huh? What's the matter? You are hiding from somebody? No, no, of course not.
Come on into my omice where we can talk, Norstaad.
Aha.
Ramsey from Chicago, he calls me.
He tells me that you sell furniture under my trademark cheaper than l can make it.
l want to know how can you do that? That's my business, l'm afraid.
No, mine.
For 30 years l work to build up trademark.
Just because we sign contract does not mean that l do not care what goes on.
The only thing that concerns you, Norstaad, is that l have a further payment of _200,OOO to meet in four months, and after that a continuing royalty of 50/o on any furniture l sell under your trademark.
l will not let you cheat people under my name.
That is my design on top, but not underneath.
This is not my chair.
This is not a piece of furniture.
This is toothpicks.
This is trash.
Parker! Parker! All right.
lf you want to play rough, l'll show you l can play a lot rougher.
Now go on.
Get out of here.
Get out of here before l bash in your thick skull! All right.
l go.
But don't think that you blum me for one minute.
Miss Morrow called about the certified check.
Never mind that.
Get me Reed on the phone right away.
- Who? - Latham Reed! And hurry it up.
Would you please tell Miss Morrow that Axel Norstaad is here? Sorry, but she isn't in.
Would you care to leave a message? No, l've got to talk to her.
l've got to see her right away.
Well, she just this moment left.
When she will be back? Soon, l imagine.
Good.
l will wait.
So l wait and wait and wait and wait, and still she doesn't come or call or anything.
What makes you so sure she didn't know you were there and why? What kind of talk is that? - Please, Carl.
- Please what? Why do you need a woman to do things for you? To ask about things? This is none of your business.
Well, you sure don't need help from the lady who fixed up your contract with Somers in the first place.
You be quiet! Oh, stop it, Axel.
Both of you.
Stop it.
So, what about you, Lisa? You think l'm becoming a mouse, too? Huh? All right! l show you! l show everybody! [ring.]
l'll get it, Della.
Mason speaking.
No, no, you just caught me.
We've been working late.
Mr.
Mason, you'll be in your omice first thing in morning, yes? Well, l'll be here, but l have a calendar full of appointments.
Cancel them.
l be there at 9 sharp.
And then you fix Somers for me.
Do what? Somers.
Martin Somers.
l tell you all about it tomorrow, but now l got many people to call.
You be there.
Goodbye.
Hello, Axel.
Shall l call him back? No.
l guess not.
He'll be here first thing in the morning.
Axel, you think l don't know how it is with you? Lisa, please.
No more talk.
But all day long, you haven't eaten enough for a sparrow.
And now it's late.
Oh.
[laughing.]
Oh, that.
We'll go to your place.
l'll make you some supper.
Then you have a good night's sleep.
Look.
What is it? l don't understand.
What does that mean? l'm going to find out.
Maigret! Maigret! Maigret! Maigret! What's going on out here? Why you knock my sign down? Why you put up ''Sold''? Because it is sold to another party.
A shoe company, Axel.
They wanted a bigger area, but-- No.
You cannot.
Now you listen to me.
l warned you l couldn't wait.
l'd be a fool to, particularly after that check bounced.
Like l told the church committee-- Wait, wait.
Bounced? What check bounced? That personal check for 50,OOO from Somers.
l wanted to tell you about it the day l talked to you, but she didn't want me to.
She? Your friend from Beverly Hills.
Axel, l know Miss Morrow's done quite a good promotion job.
At least she sure did sweep everybody around here om their feet.
lf you got something inside, say it.
Don't make up the words.
l tried to get hold of her all day.
Best l could do was a lot of messages she was tied up someplace.
Tied up, my foot.
My wife saw her car parked at a bar down the highway not more than two hours ago.
- Where? - Outside a motel.
The Windmill Inn.
[loud jazz.]
Lars! Lars! Come here quick! Hurry, Lars! What is it, Mr.
Svenson? Somebody complained the radio in Number 3 had been on loud all night.
l went in to check, and-- Hurry, Lars! [continues.]
There.
[music stops.]
Who is it? Name is Somers.
Well, go on, call an ambulance.
l already phoned the doctor.
What for? lf your head was bashed in like that, you'd be dead, too.
[Man on radio.]
Mr.
Somers had driven up from Long _each and registered at the Windmill MoteI in the Danish section of the Valley around 7:OO last evening.
Police are believed to be following several leads in the peaceful, placid little suburb of Los Angeles [radio shuts oM Just a rehash of that T a.
m.
broadcast you heard.
Looks like Axel is one of the leads the police are following.
That's why l thought we'd better get out here, Della.
Why don't you go over and order us some aebliskive? Beg pardon? Danish pastry.
l shouldn't be upstairs too long, then we may have a better idea ofjust how much time we'll be spending here.
[knocking.]
Hello.
l'm Perry Mason.
Oh, Mr.
Mason.
lt's so good you're here.
Come in, come in.
[Axel.]
Lisa, who comes? Hello, Axel.
Oh, hello, Mr.
Mason.
When l call you last night-- uh, meet Lieutenant Anderson.
We've met.
You Mr.
Norstaad's lawyer, Perry? No, no, not for this.
For something else.
This morning l forget to call you and tell you l do not need appointment anymore.
But it is all right.
You send me bill anyway.
And now you turn around and go back.
Goodbye.
Well, Axel, as long as l'm already here-- No, no, no, you're such a busy man.
We don't want to keep you.
Goodbye.
Goodbye, Perry.
All right, Axel.
Good luck, Andy.
What's the matter? They stop serving? Mm-mm.
Floyd Chapman's over there.
All right, let's have a meeting of the Bar Association.
Perry.
What on earth? Hello, Miss Street.
- Hello.
- Well, Counselor.
[both.]
What are you doing here? l'm afraid l can't answer that satisfactorily.
Can you? Don't see why not.
Comee? Thank you, yes.
Right now l'm waiting for Lt.
Anderson.
l thought he ought to know about a call l got yesterday afternoon from this man Somers who was murdered.
Mind letting me know about that call? l represent Axel Norstaad.
Norstaad? Small world.
Somers wanted me to be ready to file an injunction this morning restraining a man named Norstaad from any future acts of violence and#or inte_erence.
And also to put a private detective on the trail of one Latham Reed.
l didn't take the case, though.
Too busy.
Who's Reed? Some building contractor that Somers said may have made om with a certified check for _50,OOO.
When, do you know? Yesterday afternoon.
Oh, there's Anderson now.
lf you'll excuse me.
Certainly nice to have seen you both.
- Goodbye.
- Bye-bye.
[door closes.]
[Axel.]
No.
lt cannot be that you have not heard from her in all this time.
You must tell me where-- Have l interrupted you? Please, Mr.
Mason.
Why do you not leave like l tell you? Well, it seemed obvious you didn't want to talk in front of Lt.
Anderson.
But l do not need you.
Axel, what happened between you and Somers yesterday that caused him instruct his attorney to file an injunction against you? Oh, that.
That is nothing.
l broke a chair, and l had a few words with him, that is all.
Don't you feel that you could be in trouble over Somers? The way you talked about him over the phone to me-- Of course not.
That is not the trouble that worries me.
But you admit you are worried.
Don't make your lawyer's talk with me! Axel, have you been able to locate Edie Morrow? Who told you about her? Lisa Pedersen.
Lisa is a snoop! Listen to me.
This is not how Axel talks about people.
And yelling at his friends.
That's all right, Axel.
lf you'll just explain the background of all this, perhaps we could help you find Miss Morrow.
lf that's the thing that concerns you.
Ja.
Ja, it is.
And just one thing you must promise me, Mr.
Mason.
lf you do find where Edie is, first tell me, not them.
Mr.
Mason? Perry, this is Mr.
Hadley.
Sam Hadley, the furniture man.
Oh, yes.
You were one of the bidders on the Norstaad Shop and trademark.
- What can l do for you, Mr.
Hadley? - Plenty.
l was just talking to Axel on the phone, and he tells me that you're going to resolve this mess that he's got into.
Are you assuming that now Mr.
Somers is dead, Axel will sell his trademark to you? Why not? l would have had it-- l should have had it in the beginning if it hadn't been for a lot of skullduggery.
ln my hands, Mr.
Mason, there is no limit to what can be done with the Norstaad line.
l'd expand his old shop, use the real estate that it's on.
l've waited and worked all my life for an opportunity like this.
All right, Mr.
Hadley.
You can keep in touch, if you like.
That's all l wanted to say.
l intend to keep in touch.
Well, it boils down to this, Perry.
Somers was such a slick manipulator that few in the trade knew that he was close to being bankrupt.
Apparently, he grabbed at the Norstaad trademark as a last, best hope of survival.
lf he was so hard-pressed, what about the _50,OOO down payment? Well, on the strength of getting the Norstaad line, Somers signed some long-term contracts with various supply houses, in return for which they loaned him sizeable sums of money.
Still this wasn't enough to boost the total up to 50 grand in time, but this didn't faze Martin Somers at all.
He simply stalled by writing a personal check for 50 grand which he knew would bounce, until, of course, yesterday when he apparently had the balance.
What about the rest of the cash-- the _200,OOO he was supposed to pay in four months? By then, he would have had time to hit the national market with cheap imitations of the Norstaad line.
And, by factoring his invoices and using the valuable trademark as bank collateral, chances are he could have swung that, too.
And then would have gone on exploiting the trademark for another six months or so, after which it would have been quite worthless.
Right.
But what a killing he would have made in the meantime.
What did you find out about Latham Reed? That, l'm afraid, is going to lift your client right om his launching pad.
Reed is Edie Morrow's ex-husband.
[phone rings.]
Yes, Gertie? Put her on.
Hello, Lisa.
Axel what? Where did he go? l don't know.
l said to Axel, ''Go back into the apartment.
'' l said, ''Eat something.
'' But then the phone rang, and he answered, and then he asked me to go back into the shop and not to listen.
But he only spoke for a very short time, and then he went out.
Who was it on the phone, Lisa? He didn't want to tell me, but l know.
l know it was her.
Miss Morrow? How do you know? Because she called early this morning.
Carl told me.
l made him tell.
Did your brother tell you what she said on the earlier call? Yes.
For Axel to call her at a number.
At, uh, at MOuntain 3 349T.
Sorry, but the lodge is full up.
No checkouts today.
We're looking for a woman.
She was driving an expensive convertible with a man asleep in the back.
They told us at Conley Corners she stopped there about 8 a.
m.
asking for a room.
We do mostly vacation business.
The woman was around 40-- very striking, silver haired.
Now, did she, uh, stop here? l sent her down to Joe's Cabins, a few hundred yards down the road.
l guess she found a vacancy there, all right.
What makes you think so? l've seen her car shuttling back and forth to the junction once or twice.
Matter of fact, she went in that direction not ten minutes ago.
Toward the stores.
Thank you.
l'll drive up to Joe's Cabins.
l'll take a look at the junction.
Yeah, l-l'm Reed.
Latham Reed.
But you might as well know now, Mr.
Mason, l-- l just can't remember.
What can't you remember? Here, sit up.
Nothing.
From that moment yesterday afternoon when Somers omered me a highball and l said no, make mine lemonade.
Thought it tasted funny - for lemonade.
Used to be an alcoholic.
For three years l didn't touch a drop.
Didn't even smell a cork.
l'll kill that Somers.
Someone already has killed him.
Yeah.
Edie told me.
First good news l've had since she brought me to.
Where did she find you? Mmm.
You'll have to ask her that when she comes back with more comee.
You took a certified check yesterday, isn't that right? A check for _50,OOO? A check that Somers asked you to deliver and endorse over to a hospital fund? How should l know? When she found me, she said that l had _T,OOO in _500 bills.
- Now-- - [door opens.]
Now what? l couldn't spot her, Perry.
No sign of Axel, either.
Think maybe she arranged to duck out and meet him somewhere else? She just went down to get me some more comee.
Millie's Barbecue.
Maybe that's around on the other road.
l was beginning to think you wouldn't come.
Edie, always l come when you need me.
Axel, l've so much to explain to you.
No, no.
Not now.
l-- l only wanted to help you, but l did everything wrong.
l should have told you in the beginning.
l don't want to hear.
Come, get into the car.
l have money.
Come.
- What? - And no one will catch us.
And whatever has happened, l don't want to know.
Come.
[Mason.]
Axel.
So.
Who tells you where to find us? Never mind that.
Axel, as your attorney-- You stay out of this.
Well, they can't have her.
Somers he was no good.
Take it easy, Mr.
Norstaad.
lt's not the lady l'm arresting for murder.
lt's you.
Now, Mr.
Pedersen, we've heard testimony that on the afternoon of Somers' murder Axel Norstaad got so angry that he smashed a chair and threatened Martin Somers.
Did the defendant say anything to you about this occurrence? No, but l could tell he was amully upset.
Would you tell us what he said or did? Yes.
l was sure that Axel had seen Mr.
Somers in Long Beach, so l wanted to hear how he'd made out.
And how were you able to tell that he was amully upset? Axel loves animals.
He's always feeding stray cats and dogs at the shop.
Well, this favorite cat was meowing to come in.
Axel picked up a comee cup from the desk and threw it.
Mr.
Pedersen, why were you so anxious to learn the results of Axel's meeting with Mr.
Somers? Well, like l said, the Cabinet Shop had been my best account, and now Somers was cutting me om from it.
Did this come at a particularly inopportune time for you? Yes, l'd fixed up my lumberyard.
Fixed it up? In what way? New sheds, boosted my inventory of hardwoods, andthings like that.
Thank you.
That'll be all.
Now, when Mr.
Somers called you the afternoon of the murder and you went to see him, Mr.
Reed, was anything said about the defendant? S-Somers called him a wild man.
He-- He said he'd going to tame him if it was the last thing he did.
What explanation, if any, did he give for calling you in and telling you this? Said he wanted my help.
What kind of help? Through my former wife Edie-- Edith Morrow.
He had an idea that she could wrap him around her-- the old guy around her little finger.
- Objection, Your Honor.
- Sustained.
Your witness.
Mr.
Reed, was Axel Norstaad aware of the fact that you and Miss Morrow were previously man and wife? No.
Was it your idea or hers to keep this from him? Mine.
l'd been an alcoholic.
l was afraid if he found out too much about my past, it would ruin my chances.
What chances? Of getting the full contract on the hospital.
Would you tell us the background of that contract? Well, there wasn't a contract yet.
You see, l-- l met Mr.
Norstaad and drew some preliminary sketches.
Then you referred him to Miss Morrow? l said that l knew a woman that was talented in business, that's all.
He went to her himself.
Talented in business.
Did you tell him that she was successful, wealthy? Not exactly, but-- Not exactly? Then did you tell him that her car had only been one quarter paid for? That the e_ravagant apartment in which she entertained his committees had only been rented the day after they met? That her fur coat was borrowed? Stop that! l object.
l object.
Mr.
Reed, you've admitted that you tried to conceal the facts of your past life.
Did Mr.
Somers know those facts? Yes, he did.
l won't ask you to incriminate yourself, Mr.
Reed, but when you were first interviewed by me and then by the police, you had several thousand dollars in your pocket.
l just can't explain that.
Do you recall cashing a certified check the previous day? No, l can't recall anything.
Now, Mr.
Maigret, what time was it when you told Axel Norstaad that you had just seen Miss Edie Morrow outside a motel called the Windmill Inn? Axel stormed up to my house about 9:OO, l'd say.
Maybe a few minutes later.
And when he left your house, did he go in the direction of the motel? Yes, sir.
He-- well, he left my place running.
Running? Tell me this, how far is your place from the Windmill Inn? lt's about three blocks, that's all.
Well, Axel came roaring into my barroom at the motel.
When he got his breath back, he says he's looking for this Edie Morrow.
Says he's going to find her if he has to tear the place apart.
Well, l finally got it across to him that she'd walked out some time before with a man named Somers.
What did the defendant say then? He demanded to know where they'd gone.
All l could tell him was that Somers was staying at the motel.
So Axel rushed om again.
Now, we've heard the testimony of the autopsy surgeon to the emect that Martin Somers met his death sometime between 9 and 9:30.
What time was it that the defendant rushed out of your barroom? Mm, 9:10, 9:15 maybe.
Thank you.
Cross-examine.
No questions.
Miss Pedersen, you were employed by the defendant as his confidential secretary? No, sir.
l was the entire omice force-- stenographer, bookkeeper, everything.
From the time when l was still a young woman.
Now, referring you to the morning after the homicidal death of Mr.
Somers.
On that morning, when you arrived at the Norstaad omice, the defendant already there, and you saw him lighting something in the stove, is that correct? The stove? The old-fashioned pot-bellied stove in which wood scraps were burned to keep the omice warm in the winter.
Only it wasn't winter, and it wasn't cold.
And nevertheless, you saw Mr.
Norstaad that morning lighting a match to something in that stove, didn't you? Yes.
They made me tell it, Axel.
No further questions.
Now, Miss Pedersen, since you've described yourself as the whole omice force, perhaps you can tell us about the bids.
Bids? Oh, you mean for Axel's real estate? His shop and trademark.
Yes.
How many bidders were there? l think there were about 15 bids.
They were all in writing, by-- by registered mail.
Now, who looked at those bids? Prior to the granting of the contract, that is.
Mostly just Axel.
Mostly? Did anyone else see them? They were always locked in my desk.
Did Axel tell you to show them to anyone else? Yes.
To Miss Morrow.
When my men went to look at Norstaad's shop, there was still smoke coming out of the chimney.
Naturally, they checked further.
l see.
l show you now this police exhibit and ask you if you can identify it for us, Lieutenant.
lt's a scorched bit of material we found in the stove.
Was this material subjected to laboratory analysis, and if so, what were the results? We found a bloodstain on it-- blood of the same type as that of the victim.
Were you able to discover where this material with the victim's bloodstain on it came from, Lieutenant? Uh, Norstaad, the defendant, had two pair of pants to the suit he was wearing the night Somers was killed.
One pair is now missing.
And this material is identical to that of the suit.
lt's been established that Mr.
Somers was located in bungalow number 3.
Where were you, sir? Here, two doors down.
What time did you check out? l'm a salesman, see? And l like to travel at night.
So it was about 20 past 9 when l put the bags in the car.
That's when l saw him.
Saw whom? Him.
Let the record show that the witness pointed to the defendant, Axel Norstaad.
What was he doing when you saw him? He was running like a scared rabbit out of the cabin.
How can you be so sure of your identification of a figure you saw running away into the night? Well, l ought to be able to identify Axel Norstaad.
l've been selling him a line of paint specialties for years.
This is how it was, Mr.
Mason.
First l went to see the bartender.
Then l went into the omice of the motel, and l saw the register.
And Somers is room 3.
l knock on the door.
There is no answer.
But the door is open, and the radio is playing, so l go in.
''Somers'', l say, ''if you try to make trouble for Edie like you do for me--'' And then l see him on the floor.
l bend down to look.
And it was while you were bending over him that you got the blood on your trouser leg.
Yes.
And when l saw that also how it would look if someone come in and find me there, then l-- How do you say it?-- l lose my head and run away.
Do you believe me, Mr.
Mason? No.
But you're getting closer to the truth.
Since l am grown man, l do not lie, big or little lie.
That was before you met Edie Morrow.
- How many times-- - Axel! You heard everything in court.
Now, do you still think you should hide the truth just because it might implicate that woman? Of course l do.
She is good woman.
l do not kill, so how you think l can possibly-- No, no, l-- l do not know so much.
Got it, Perry.
You find that man at the bank? Yep.
The certified check was issued, all right, but so far it hasn't been cashed.
Now that the weekend's over other checks are starting to come! in.
With that 50,OOO earmarked by the bank, there's just not enough money in Somers' accounts to cover them.
But l don't understand.
Somers never intended that the certified check be cashed, Della.
He had it drawn up in case anyone made inquiries at the bank.
But he intended to return it after the weekend to cover his other checks.
He was just stalling for time.
How do you explain the _T,OOO found in Latham Reed's pockets? Planted on him by Somers, of course.
Somers just wanted the poor guy to think he'd cashed the check, just as he wanted everyone to think it.
Why, that stinker.
ltem 2: The State's dug up an airlines clerk who says that the day before the murder, two tickets to Copenhagen were reserved by the Somers omice in the name of Edie Morrow.
Burger may be holding that back, though, at least until the jury trial.
ln other words, they don't know that l know.
Paul you finally deserve some supper.
Good.
But wait a minute.
l haven't served up the piece-de-resistance yet, as we hungry men say.
Well? About those bids.
On the day the bidding omicially closed, Somers had already turned out the first pilot models of the Norstaad line at his factory.
Now, Miss Morrow, Why did you find it necessary to talk to Mr.
Somers at the motel in the evening? Well, l'd been looking in every bar l could find, and l was still unable to locate Latham-- Mr.
Reed.
And inasmuch as Mr.
Somers had threatened to put a private detective on his trail, l just had to beg for time.
Well, did you discuss Axel Norstaad with Somers? Yes, briefly.
You were well aware, were you not, that Martin Somers had instructed his attorney to file an injunction against the defendant the ne_ morning? Yes.
And you were afraid of what Mr.
Norstaad would do when he found out about this? l wanted Mr.
Somers to wait at least until l could find Latham until l found out what had happened to the _50,OOO so l could go to Axel and explain everything - and tell him how much at fault l was and-- - All right.
And what did Mr.
Somers say? Did he agree to give you more time? He said it all depended.
Depended on what? On whether or not the defendant stayed away from him, let him alone? l suppose so.
Please, don't make any suppositions.
Answer me yes or no.
- Yes! - Thank you.
Your witness.
Miss Morrow, did it ever occur to you that Somers might have lied about giving Reed that certified check for delivery? Yes.
But he was very positive.
So positive that he flew into a rage and threatened you with his cane? No, no.
It was nothing like that.
He seemed to be very sure of getting me to do what he wanted.
Does that explain the tickets to Copenhagen reserved in your name at a Los Angeles airlines omice? Or did you reserve those tickets yourself-- How did he find out about that? intending to leave town as soon as you or Latham Reed had _50,OOO in hand? No, no, the tickets were Mr.
Somers' idea, and it was just an idea, that's all.
lt wasa gift he planned.
What sort of gift? What were the tickets for? He said he wanted to get Axel out of his hair.
He suggested l persuade him to go away on a long trip with me.
A honeymoon.
What was your answer? Well, how on earth could l promise to marry a man who's never said one word but ''furniture'' to me? Who never in any way has told me that-- that he feels as l do? ls this court to understand, Mr.
Hadley, that you had a meeting with Mr.
Somers the day of his death? Yes.
It was at his factory, that same evening, about 6:30, before he left Long Beach.
How did this meeting come about? Well, l had heard a rumor that he was going to close down the cabinet shop, so l went right over to see him.
l figured that the least he owed me was a chance at Axel's real estate.
l also wanted to know if he was going to fire all those fine craftsmen.
- l wanted to hire some of them.
- What did Mr.
Somers say to that? Told me to help myself, that they'd all be looking for a job ne_ morning.
l told him that Axel would blow his top.
l think that'll be all, sir.
Thank you.
Cross-examine.
Just where at the Somers factory did this conversation take place? Well, it was in the parking lot that l ran into him, actually.
You share a common parking lot with Somers' factory? No, no, of course not.
Then how did you know you'd be able to reach him there? l called him at his omice.
They said he'd be leaving.
- You called from where? - From my home.
- Really, l don't see-- - You went home and then you decided? No, no, l'd gone home for an early bite because l knew l had to come back to the omice that evening.
lt was on my way.
Really, Your Honor, l don't see-- May it please the court, l ask permission at this time to recall a witness.
Yes, Axel told me to put in calls Iong distance-- one for you and one for Mr.
Hadley.
The call to Mr.
Hadley, what time was that? Right after you hung up.
About 8? 8:30? Was the call completed? No.
The phone rang and rang, but no answer.
All right.
So l drove up to the Valley.
lt was there at the motel that l spoke to Somers.
l lied to the police, Your Honor, and then l didn't know how to stop the lie.
But l did not kill Somers.
l swear it.
Mr.
Burger, in view of Mr.
Hadley's admission, l'll leave the matter of perjury charges against him up to your omice.
ls it your desire to recall Mr.
Hadley at this time, Counselor? There is one point l believe this witness might be able to clarify, Your Honor.
All right, proceed.
Now, Miss Pedersen, Iet's explore Mr.
Hadley's suggestion that there was collusion in the handling of the bids.
Now, you testified, did you not, that the bids were kept locked in your desk, that only Axel and Edith Morrow knew what the figures were? Yes.
Yes, l think so.
Then let me ask you this.
Why had your brother Carl expanded his lumberyard, building new sheds and so on, when his principal client was about to sell out to a purchaser yet unknown? Well, uh, Carl is sometimes a fool.
Miss Pedersen, isn't it possible that your brother Carl knew who the highest bidder was going to be? Knew and expected Mr.
Somers to reward him with lumber contracts far exceeding anything he'd ever dreamed of? l don't understand.
We all know what kind of a man Somers was.
lsn't it possible that he promised those lumber contracts in return for private information about the other bidders? No.
No, no, no.
Carl, he would never get mixed up in anything like that.
lsn't it even possible that your brother Carl advanced money to Somers? He didn't pay him one penny.
Then did you? To help your brother? You were the person in whose desk the bids were kept.
You, the person who knew everything that was going on.
All right.
l told Carl that l would fix it with Mr.
Somers about the bids, yes.
Because Axel was so stupid to sell our shop was no reason for everyone to sumer.
That big, stupid-- lt was my shop! My omice! Who do you think everyone was looking to for running things? Me.
Lisa Pedersen.
But l paid Mr.
-- Mr.
Somers nothing.
Who else did you tell about those bids? Who else could have had private dealings with Somers? l don't understand.
l don't remember.
Lisa, do you recall correspondence with a certain shoe company in Chicago? A company interested in obtaining a large building site? A company who had written concerning the property occupied by Axel's cabinet shop? Oh, that.
l-- l threw that in the wastebasket.
Yet that company still expected to obtain the property, just as they'd already obtained the land ne_ to it, the land once slated for Axel's Hospital? Now think hard, Lisa.
Who else did you tell about the bids? lt must have been a man who dealt with Somers, since he obviously knew what Somers had planned.
lt must have been a man who, on the night of the murder, told Axel where to find Somers.
Now, it must have been-- [Lisa.]
Yes.
Yes, l told him.
Somers was a crook.
And out-and-out crook.
Oh, yes, l knew it.
And what he was up to-- everything.
l paid him to tell me.
ln return l was to have an option on the property he never intended to use anyway.
Yes, l could make a killing on my own land, but they had to have the other property, too.
l'd promised l could deliver.
Oh, l made a killing, all right.
When l tried to get Somers' option in writing, he wanted more money to cover all those checks that he was kiting, or else he'd block my sale, block it so l couldn't deliver.
He wanted more money, then more.
We got into a fight, and-- that's-- that's how l made my killing.
Axel, for heaven's sake hurry up! The plane won't wait, Axel.
l forgot l need another shirt.
Here, l'll do that.
lt's so nice of both of you to come and see us om.
Ja, we send you a postcard from Copenhagen.
And, Mr.
Mason, you won't forget-- The hospital.
Don't worry.
We'll get that land back.
And raise the money.
Mr.
Hadley's already helping.
Ja.
l forget my necMies.
Here.
Edie, you just get him outside.
We'll bring the suitcases.
Ja, we go.
There is no fool like an old fool.
Ah.
Such a pity.
Hm? That a man like that should have to wait all those years to get married.
Don't you agree? You've been my legal secretary Iong enough to know that that's a leading question.
Here.
You take that one.
Uh-- Subtitled By J.
R.
Media Services, Inc.
Burbank, CA