This is The Secret Store.
I don't know what to do about Susan.
She's completely deaf to logic and reason, even common sense.
She sees the whole thing as simply the loss of Alan's job and the loss of her own security.
She says that Amy is the only one that we care about.
She...
Amy, dear, couldn't you do your homework better in your room?
It must be pretty difficult to concentrate with people talking.
But then I wouldn't know what's going on.
Well, I must say, Alan's attitude is admirable.
When you think of all the time and effort that he put in making a go of his job to risk
it for...
Let's face it, to risk it for our sake.
It is admirable, but that's not the reason.
He's just as much concerned with the principle of this as we are.
He's quite a guy.
Peter, is Susan still angry at me?
Very.
But that's not your doing.
Even so, I just can't escape the feeling that she sees me as...
Well, as the one who's mainly responsible for her troubles.
Well, that's...
That's not your problem.
That's hers.
Now, darling, we know who's to blame in this.
Frank Bennett, no one else.
It's obvious that he's the cause of this disgraceful school situation.
Now, we've got to do everything necessary to expose him.
Well, what about Joe Sullivan?
Has he found anything?
Yes, he's out on the track digging up facts now.
The whole picture is coming clear.
Bennett's collusion with the superintendent of schools, his collusion with the building
commissioner.
Tom Wesley?
Yeah.
I was trying to reach him today.
Not in.
He has to check with Bennett before he can talk to me.
Well, why are you trying to reach Wesley?
Well, Sam Bloom says that I have to get the owner's permission in order to make another
survey of that building lot next to the high school.
They're covering up something there, and I'm going to dig it into the open, or I'm going
to know the reason why.
Amy?
Yes, Dad?
Have you been listening to what I was saying?
Of course.
Well, now, look, I'm very serious.
Now, I don't want you to breathe a word of this to anyone.
Well, of course I won't.
What kind of a nanny do you think I am?
I know what's at stake.
Peter, maybe if I talk to Susan, I...
Have you still got that on your mind?
Well, of course.
Oh, Peter, I don't want her to think that...
Darling, it's not your responsibility.
It's Alan's.
If he can see this thing in perspective and Susan can't...
I'll get it.
I wonder who that could be at this hour.
Hi, Sue.
Long time no see.
Nice of you to pay us a visit.
You're a sweet kid, Amy, but you're not fooling anyone.
You know I didn't come for a what else is new chat.
Well, it's just that I haven't seen you in so long to talk to that...
Well, you and I will have to get together some other time.
And I've already seen Daddy today.
That leaves me, I suppose.
I'm the one you want to see.
Yes, Myra.
You're the one.
Do you think it's safe to ask them?
Barbara, you know Perry Mason would never ask a witness a question
unless he knew the answer beforehand.
All right, go ahead, Mr. Burr.
Will you be with us for the next Perry Mason show?
Right here, Saturday.
Hi, this is George Goble and I alternate with Jack Benny every other Sunday.
And if you've been watching a tall, handsome fellow with wavy brown hair, a pencil-thin
mustache and a livid Heidelberg dueling scar on his dimpled chin, you've been tuning in
on the wrong channel.
So stay tuned to this one every other Sunday over most of these stations.
Hello, Mrs. Wesley?
This is Frank Bennett again.
Is your husband home yet?
Good.
Hello, Mr. Commissioner.
I'm returning your call.
Can you talk freely?
Now what was Joe Sullivan doing at the village clerk's office?
He what?
No, it's all right, Tom.
How could you have prevented him?
It's public property.
If he wants to photostat those records, he has a right.
Now tell me exactly what did he get?
The original deed to the Holland Avenue property.
And I suppose he also copied my option to buy it, hmm?
All right.
Now just calm down and listen.
Anybody questions your inquiries, you just tell them how it was.
The mayor asked you as building commissioner for your opinion.
You had a survey made and decided the land was unsuitable for building, just as you were
expected to do.
I know that wasn't quite the way it was, but you stick to your guns no matter what happens.
Sullivan claims this is only a routine survey being made by his newspaper.
I don't believe him either.
I'm going to call Hewlett and try to find out about it.
I'll try him now and call you back.
Hello?
Hello, George.
Frank Bennett.
How are you?
Oh, can't complain.
To what do I owe the pleasure?
Sorry to bother you at home.
Thought I might be of help.
I just came up with some more figures for your man Sullivan in connection with that
survey your paper is doing.
Sullivan's working on a number of projects.
Which one do you mean?
Well, he came to see me.
He said he was doing a survey for the Herald on the amount of undeveloped acreage still
left in Woodbridge.
Oh, that one.
Well, I think you should call him about that.
You're the editor.
Isn't it your project?
No, this is Sullivan's idea.
I don't interfere with the legwork of my reporters.
I just decide if the stories are newsworthy.
I see.
I'm sorry to have bothered you, George.
Oh, no bother, Frank.
But Sullivan is the one you should call.
Good night.
Good night, George.
Tom, I just spoke to Hewlett.
It's as I thought.
This is Sullivan's baby.
I'll bet my last dollar Peter Ames put him up to it.
What's that?
Ames has been trying to call you?
What did he want?
That's all right, Tom.
Keep on avoiding him.
How long?
Until I've wrapped up my deal, that's how long.
I've nursed that Holland Avenue property along this far.
I'm not going to let some two-bit do-gooders ruin the deal for me now.
Listen, I'm going to New York tomorrow.
Wrap this up as fast as I can.
You just stick to your story and we'll be all right.
I'll call you as soon as I get back.
Maybe it hasn't come home to you yet, Myra.
Maybe you just don't understand how serious the situation is.
I understand.
You do?
Then you want Alan to lose his job.
That's unfair, Susan.
Oh, what else can I think?
Her fighting with Bennett has already resulted in Alan's resignation.
It's that simple.
It is not that simple, Susan.
There is a matter of principle involved.
And Myra is not responsible.
Now, if you have any complaints, kindly address me as well.
Peter, please.
What principle?
Come Friday and there's no paycheck.
What happens to my baby?
How do I pay the rent?
How do I buy food?
Oh, Susan, you're exaggerating.
I am not exaggerating.
You know how long it took Alan to find this job.
Where will he find another one like it?
He'll find something else very easily if it comes to that.
He's an intelligent man.
And what's more important, he's a man of principle.
You and your infernal principles.
What principle is involved here?
Will you please tell me that?
Well, if you'll calm down, yes, I will tell you.
All right.
All right, I'm calm.
All right.
Susan, I...
I don't want this to sound like a high school civics class, but...
Oh, no, I'm expecting a lecture.
I let myself in for it.
Go ahead.
You know, there's sometimes I wish I could take you over my knee again.
Don't you think of anyone else but yourself?
Do you ever think of Amy, for instance?
Of course I do.
Well, don't you think she has a right to a decent life and a decent education?
We'd do the same thing for you if you were in her shoes.
We did the same.
Yes, you and my mother did, not her.
Say one more word like that, Susan and I...
No, Peter.
Go ahead, Susan, say it.
Let's get this out in the open.
Listen, Susan.
Myra cares for you whether you believe it or not.
But she also cares for Amy as she should.
All right, then let her prove it.
I have a solution that will make everybody happy.
If she's not too prejudiced to accept an idea of mine...
What is it?
You say you're dissatisfied with the way the schools are being run.
You want to ensure Amy's education without hurting us.
Then send her to a private school.
What?
You say you care about me, then prove it.
You could be protecting Amy's education without antagonizing Alan's best customer.
And he can still withdraw his letter of resignation.
Susan...
You're oversimplifying...
All right, if you don't want to pay for it, we will.
With the commissions Alan could make from Frank Bennett alone, we could afford it.
You mean you're willing to pay Amy's tuition in a private school?
Certainly, gladly.
If this will end the fighting with Frank Bennett, we will do it gladly.
That's very generous of you, Susan, but...
It's not generosity, it's survival.
If we have to pay to send you to a private school, then no matter what it costs, we'll do it.
Anything to end this squabbling between Myra and Bennett.
Now, will you leave Myra out of this? She's not responsible.
Please, let me send Amy to a private school, so we can save something out of all this.
There's just one thing, Susan.
I won't go.
You'll go if you're told to go.
Tell her. Tell her it's settled and she's got to go.
In other words, you think that if we accepted your offer of sending Amy to a private school, that would settle the whole problem?
Of course.
All right, what about Amy's friends?
What about the schoolchildren who don't have such generous sisters?
Who's going to fight for them?
I can't be concerned about that.
Well, I think you should. That is the principle I'm talking about.
I have to keep us from going under. Let somebody else fight for them.
That's what everybody says.
Let somebody else.
But they don't do it, and somebody has got to do it.
Do you think we like fighting? Do you think we're heroes?
We're not. We don't like trouble.
We don't like fighting, but if I have to fight, I will.
And I must.
Then you won't accept my plan.
We can't.
Amy, if you would agree, maybe that...
Susan, I don't want to go away.
I've got my friends here.
Myra, you're my last hope.
Myra, if you would, please.
But Susan...
You will? For me, you will?
No, Susan, dear. I just can't.
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The Secret Storm