WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:04.000 Mystery House. 00:04.000 --> 00:07.000 Mystery House. 00:07.000 --> 00:12.000 Mystery House. 00:12.000 --> 00:17.000 Mystery House. 00:29.000 --> 00:31.000 Mystery House. 00:31.000 --> 00:34.000 That strange publishing firm owned by Dan and Barbara Glenn, 00:34.000 --> 00:37.000 where each new novel is acted out by the Mystery House staff 00:37.000 --> 00:39.000 before it is accepted for publication. 00:39.000 --> 00:42.000 Mystery House. 00:51.000 --> 00:53.000 Hi Dan. Hi Barbie. 00:53.000 --> 00:55.000 Where are you? Greetings everybody. 00:55.000 --> 00:57.000 You're all up in your parts, are you? 00:57.000 --> 01:00.000 Yep. Say, this is a mighty squirrely story in this family, isn't it? 01:00.000 --> 01:03.000 Of course. That's why we think this story will make a hit. 01:03.000 --> 01:06.000 Readers don't enjoy reading about ordinary folks. 01:06.000 --> 01:08.000 They like the unusual. 01:08.000 --> 01:10.000 That's right, Barbie. The more unusual, the better. 01:10.000 --> 01:12.000 I disagree on that, Mr. Glenn. 01:12.000 --> 01:15.000 It's the straightforward, direct approach that wins friends. 01:15.000 --> 01:17.000 For example, listen. 01:31.000 --> 01:33.000 Okay, Tom. Set the scene. 01:33.000 --> 01:36.000 Murder in Paradise. 01:36.000 --> 01:40.000 The first act opens in the palatial home of the late Happy Harris, 01:40.000 --> 01:43.000 tremendously successful publisher of inspirational books. 01:43.000 --> 01:47.000 His daughter has just admitted a newspaper reporter to the living room. 01:47.000 --> 01:50.000 Let's see. You'd be Hope Harris, wouldn't you? 01:50.000 --> 01:52.000 Yeah. Won't you have a seat? 01:52.000 --> 01:56.000 Thanks. Where's everybody else? The rest of the Happiness Boys? 01:56.000 --> 01:58.000 The Happiness Boys? 01:58.000 --> 02:01.000 Sure. Didn't you know that's what they call your family? 02:01.000 --> 02:05.000 Well, I never thought about it, I'm sure, but I don't like it. 02:05.000 --> 02:08.000 I hope you'll remember that when we granted you this interview for your paper, 02:08.000 --> 02:13.000 you agreed there'd be nothing sarcastic or cruel about...about father. 02:13.000 --> 02:17.000 Don't worry, kid. You know, old Happy Harris was a fabulous character, 02:17.000 --> 02:19.000 any way you look at it. 02:19.000 --> 02:23.000 Tell me, honest now, was all that happiness and light on the level? 02:23.000 --> 02:26.000 Didn't the old boy ever get sore on Nash's teeth or throw things? 02:26.000 --> 02:29.000 My dear sir, happiness is a state of mind. 02:29.000 --> 02:33.000 There's never any reason for making yourself unhappy by losing your temper. 02:33.000 --> 02:36.000 It's a matter of self-control, and anger is a sign of weakness. 02:36.000 --> 02:38.000 It's one of the worst vices of mankind, 02:38.000 --> 02:41.000 and the Harris Publishing Company has always driven to... 02:41.000 --> 02:44.000 Hey, hey, wait a minute. Don't give me the sales talk from the book catalog. 02:44.000 --> 02:49.000 But, honest, didn't the fact that Happy Harris made himself a million bucks from inspirational books... 02:49.000 --> 02:51.000 Oh, I hate that word, inspirational. 02:51.000 --> 02:56.000 Didn't that have maybe a teeny weeny bit to do with this happiness act? 02:56.000 --> 02:59.000 Father was the most sincere man who ever lived. 02:59.000 --> 03:04.000 His whole life was a shining beacon, an inspiration to the world to follow the happy life, 03:04.000 --> 03:06.000 to think happy thoughts... 03:06.000 --> 03:09.000 Okay, okay, I'm sold. I believe you. 03:09.000 --> 03:13.000 Boy, he certainly sold his idea to this family, if you're any example. 03:13.000 --> 03:16.000 Most guys would be sore as all get out of some of the cracks I made about your man. 03:16.000 --> 03:18.000 Anger is a sign of... 03:18.000 --> 03:20.000 I know. A sign of weakness. 03:20.000 --> 03:24.000 It hurts the person who exhibits it, and it hurts the person who has to listen to it. 03:24.000 --> 03:26.000 If you refuse to listen, then... 03:26.000 --> 03:28.000 Oh, mother, this is Mr.... 03:28.000 --> 03:30.000 Joe Corning from the Herald, Mrs. Harris. 03:30.000 --> 03:37.000 Oh, I suppose you're here to get a story about the Happy Harris family carrying on the Harris Publishing Company, 03:37.000 --> 03:40.000 continuing to bring inspiration to the world. 03:40.000 --> 03:41.000 Something like that. 03:41.000 --> 03:46.000 The happy children and the happy mother all joining together to bring sunshine. 03:46.000 --> 03:48.000 Mother, please, see, Mr. Corning... 03:48.000 --> 03:52.000 I never fell for the happiness gruff Mr. Corning. 03:52.000 --> 03:56.000 It's a mighty handsome living, but if I had known I was marrying a smile, 03:56.000 --> 03:58.000 I don't think I'd have done it. 03:58.000 --> 03:59.000 Mother... 03:58.000 --> 04:00.000 I know, Hope. 04:00.000 --> 04:03.000 Your father's scarcely cold in his grave. 04:03.000 --> 04:07.000 Well, I've lived in an atmosphere of perpetual joy for so long, 04:07.000 --> 04:10.000 it's a relief to be able to grouse about something, 04:10.000 --> 04:14.000 not to have to smirk at everybody every time I go out in public. 04:14.000 --> 04:16.000 You can't imagine what a wonderful thing that is. 04:16.000 --> 04:18.000 Mother, this man's from the newspaper. 04:18.000 --> 04:20.000 I know. 04:20.000 --> 04:23.000 Mr. Corning, you can tell your readers that henceforth, 04:23.000 --> 04:26.000 I am the scholar of the Harris Publishing Company. 04:26.000 --> 04:28.000 High chief scholar. 04:28.000 --> 04:30.000 I'm going to stick out my tongue at people. 04:30.000 --> 04:32.000 I'm going to get into nasty argument. 04:32.000 --> 04:35.000 Well, if it isn't my sunshine. 04:35.000 --> 04:38.000 Oh, Jeff, dear, I'm so glad you got here. 04:38.000 --> 04:40.000 See if you can do something with Mother. 04:40.000 --> 04:43.000 This is Joe Corning from the Herald, a reporter. 04:43.000 --> 04:45.000 Yeah, you know, I write. 04:45.000 --> 04:46.000 How do you do? 04:46.000 --> 04:48.000 Don't get upset, Hope, darling. 04:48.000 --> 04:51.000 Mother's just suffering a reaction to Dad's untimely death. 04:51.000 --> 04:53.000 I've got a lot to know about it, Jeff. 04:53.000 --> 04:55.000 Trying to irritate me, Mother? You can't do it. 04:55.000 --> 04:59.000 Listen, my boy, I handled you when you were a squalling brat, 04:59.000 --> 05:01.000 and I liked you better then than I do now, 05:01.000 --> 05:04.000 with that synthetic smile spread all over your mouth. 05:04.000 --> 05:06.000 You see, Jeff, she's a... 05:06.000 --> 05:08.000 If you kids had an ounce of gumption, you'd stand up for your rights. 05:08.000 --> 05:09.000 No, Mother. 05:09.000 --> 05:11.000 Don't you now, Mother Meade. 05:11.000 --> 05:13.000 You don't get up on your hind legs and howl, 05:13.000 --> 05:16.000 Junior's going to take the pennies right out of your piggy bank. 05:16.000 --> 05:19.000 I take it Junior's your eldest son? 05:19.000 --> 05:22.000 Yes, and Happy left him more than a trick grin. 05:22.000 --> 05:25.000 Junior had some of Happy's larceny. 05:25.000 --> 05:30.000 You see, Junior was with us when Happy and I were pitching books at county fairs 05:30.000 --> 05:35.000 before we'd hijacked the natives out of enough money to go into the publishing business. 05:35.000 --> 05:37.000 Mother'd like to start a quarrel, Mr. Corning. 05:37.000 --> 05:39.000 You see, Junior's the eldest of the family, 05:39.000 --> 05:41.000 and naturally he's entitled to head up the company. 05:41.000 --> 05:43.000 We're all perfectly happy about it. 05:43.000 --> 05:47.000 Count me out if you're taking that statement for publication, Mr. Corning. 05:47.000 --> 05:50.000 You may quote the elder Mr. Terrace as saying, quote, 05:50.000 --> 05:55.000 We put no pennies on Happy's eyes because we were afraid Junior'd get them. 05:55.000 --> 05:57.000 Mother! 05:57.000 --> 06:00.000 Oh, I wonder who that could be. 06:00.000 --> 06:03.000 Well, I'll see. But I won't smile at him. 06:03.000 --> 06:05.000 What's gotten into Mother anyway, Hol? 06:05.000 --> 06:08.000 I don't know. Oh, it's Mr. Keller. 06:08.000 --> 06:14.000 Yes, he hasn't smiled in 50 years and the best man with a doll in the city, Mr. Corning. 06:14.000 --> 06:15.000 Corning? 06:15.000 --> 06:16.000 Howdy-do. 06:16.000 --> 06:19.000 Hi. You're a treasure of the Harris Publishing Company, aren't you? 06:19.000 --> 06:20.000 What's left of it? 06:20.000 --> 06:22.000 Now, Keller, you know business is wonderful. 06:22.000 --> 06:25.000 The country's gone absolutely mad on inspiration literature. 06:25.000 --> 06:27.000 Yes, that's just it. It's a bad sign. 06:27.000 --> 06:31.000 They buy the books because they want to get happy, and they're already getting happy. 06:31.000 --> 06:33.000 And the next thing you know, we'll be in bad shape. 06:33.000 --> 06:36.000 What we need right now is a good line of tearjerkers. 06:36.000 --> 06:37.000 Junior here with the papers yet? 06:37.000 --> 06:38.000 What papers? 06:38.000 --> 06:41.000 You'll find out what papers. Freezing us all out, he is. 06:41.000 --> 06:43.000 What? What do you mean? 06:43.000 --> 06:46.000 Slick little devil slipped out and bought up stock. 06:46.000 --> 06:48.000 Scared the folks in the plant into selling to him. 06:48.000 --> 06:51.000 Got proxies from some of the others to conserve the estate. 06:51.000 --> 06:52.000 So he said... 06:52.000 --> 06:54.000 What? What's this all about anyway? 06:54.000 --> 06:58.000 Gave me a showdown with that nasty smile on his face. 06:58.000 --> 07:02.000 Said he was taking over following this meeting and I wouldn't be needed anymore. 07:02.000 --> 07:05.000 Said he'd be able to handle the money himself. 07:05.000 --> 07:07.000 Did he say anything about me, Keller? 07:07.000 --> 07:11.000 He said the company couldn't afford to pay salaries to the family. 07:11.000 --> 07:14.000 And he wasn't going to have it said he'd let the family ruin the business. 07:14.000 --> 07:19.000 Talked about his responsibility and maintaining the family tradition and name and... 07:19.000 --> 07:21.000 Yeah, sickening, that's what it was. 07:21.000 --> 07:23.000 Now don't get excited, Mr. Keller. 07:23.000 --> 07:25.000 If Junior said that, he had a reason for it. 07:25.000 --> 07:28.000 He must be trying to arrange things so that we'll all have more money. 07:28.000 --> 07:29.000 Isn't that right, Jeff? 07:29.000 --> 07:31.000 I... I suppose so. 07:31.000 --> 07:34.000 Well, sure, we trust Junior implicitly. 07:34.000 --> 07:37.000 A fine pair of nitwits you raised there, Nellie. 07:37.000 --> 07:40.000 I don't know what that louse Junior is the best of the lot at that. 07:40.000 --> 07:45.000 Mr. Keller, the Harris family has a national reputation for living the good life, 07:45.000 --> 07:47.000 for following the golden rule. 07:47.000 --> 07:49.000 Now I don't care what you say about me, but you've no right to... 07:49.000 --> 07:52.000 Hey, wait, that sounded like a shot. 07:52.000 --> 07:53.000 A revolver shot. 07:53.000 --> 07:54.000 From Junior's study. 07:54.000 --> 07:56.000 I didn't even know he was home. Come on. 07:56.000 --> 07:58.000 Oh, it must be an accident of some kind. 07:58.000 --> 08:00.000 I don't think Junior's even there. 08:00.000 --> 08:02.000 The rest of you stay back. No use taking any chances. 08:02.000 --> 08:03.000 Oh, Harry. 08:03.000 --> 08:05.000 Well, if somebody's been shot, he won't get away. 08:05.000 --> 08:06.000 Now fast, anyway. 08:06.000 --> 08:08.000 Stay back, all of you. 08:08.000 --> 08:10.000 Junior? 08:10.000 --> 08:12.000 Yeah, I'm afraid he's dead. 08:12.000 --> 08:14.000 Shot right through the temple. 08:14.000 --> 08:16.000 Then must be suicide. 08:16.000 --> 08:18.000 Poor kid. 08:18.000 --> 08:20.000 Happy just gave Jeff and Hope the front. 08:20.000 --> 08:22.000 The glad act. 08:22.000 --> 08:24.000 He gave Junior the works. 08:24.000 --> 08:26.000 Poor unhappy kid. 08:26.000 --> 08:28.000 Stop it. You've no right to talk that way. 08:28.000 --> 08:30.000 Junior was a fine upright man. 08:30.000 --> 08:33.000 For his own mother to even think such thoughts about him. 08:33.000 --> 08:36.000 When he's given his own life to save the company for us. 08:36.000 --> 08:38.000 I'm afraid that's a bad guess, Hope. 08:38.000 --> 08:40.000 Why? What do you mean? 08:40.000 --> 08:42.000 You think he killed himself because... 08:42.000 --> 08:44.000 Wrong. He didn't kill himself. 08:44.000 --> 08:46.000 That shot we heard didn't kill him. 08:46.000 --> 08:48.000 Couldn't possibly have killed him. 08:48.000 --> 08:50.000 But it had to. 08:50.000 --> 08:52.000 It was only one shot. We all heard it. 08:52.000 --> 08:54.000 Look, Jeff. This will probably make you very unhappy. 08:54.000 --> 08:56.000 But the body's cold. Feel it yourself. 08:56.000 --> 08:58.000 I...I couldn't. 08:58.000 --> 09:00.000 Blood's coagulated around the wound. 09:00.000 --> 09:02.000 Oh, stop it. You've no right to say such gruesome things. 09:02.000 --> 09:04.000 No? Listen. 09:04.000 --> 09:06.000 I was shot by someone after the fingers had stiffened. 09:06.000 --> 09:08.000 Nobody ever held a gun like that in this world. 09:08.000 --> 09:10.000 Junior Harris was murdered. 09:10.000 --> 09:12.000 But that's not possible. 09:12.000 --> 09:14.000 Maybe it isn't possible, but it's happened. 09:14.000 --> 09:16.000 And you happiness kids are in for the jolly of life. 09:16.000 --> 09:18.000 Why? What do you mean? 09:18.000 --> 09:21.000 I mean that these papers here on this desk are what Keller was talking about. 09:21.000 --> 09:23.000 All legal. 09:23.000 --> 09:26.000 You three were frozen out of the firm as neatly as it's ever been done. 09:26.000 --> 09:30.000 Which gives you pretty good motives for bumping him off. 09:30.000 --> 09:33.000 Do you think that we'd actually kill our own brother? 09:33.000 --> 09:35.000 Whoever did it didn't do it for laughs. 09:35.000 --> 09:39.000 And if you're hunting for a motive, you folks had a pretty good one. 09:39.000 --> 09:43.000 Oh, Lordy, it's a relief to hear a young man talk some sense for a change. 09:43.000 --> 09:45.000 The police are going to give you folks the worst. 09:45.000 --> 09:47.000 Yes, and me too. 09:47.000 --> 09:50.000 I suppose they'll hound and badger me so that life's miserable. 09:50.000 --> 09:52.000 I can just see him pestering me. 09:52.000 --> 09:55.000 You. You, Mr. Keller. You could have killed him. 09:55.000 --> 09:58.000 Because he said he was going to take over your job. 09:58.000 --> 10:00.000 To save your job and for revenge. 10:00.000 --> 10:02.000 Look, Hope. From what that reporter fella says, 10:02.000 --> 10:04.000 Junior was already dead when I got here. 10:04.000 --> 10:06.000 That's just it. When you got here. 10:06.000 --> 10:08.000 None of us knew Junior was here. Why? 10:08.000 --> 10:11.000 Because you killed him and lugged him in through the window. 10:11.000 --> 10:15.000 Then you tiptoed out, closed the window, and came around to the front door. 10:15.000 --> 10:18.000 Junior's study door was closed so naturally we didn't see or hear anything. 10:18.000 --> 10:20.000 After I closed that window you're speaking of, 10:20.000 --> 10:23.000 how do you figure I got it locked from the inside? 10:23.000 --> 10:25.000 Pretty good trick. 10:25.000 --> 10:28.000 I... Why, it is locked, isn't it? 10:28.000 --> 10:32.000 Yes. And that shot after I was here with you folks. 10:32.000 --> 10:34.000 You know I'm no ventriloquist. 10:34.000 --> 10:36.000 Hope. Yes, Jeff. 10:36.000 --> 10:39.000 You were in the living room alone when the reporter came, weren't you? 10:39.000 --> 10:40.000 Why, yes. 10:40.000 --> 10:44.000 Naturally I couldn't know anything about Junior's being here because I was upstairs. 10:44.000 --> 10:46.000 Mother wasn't here either. 10:46.000 --> 10:48.000 But it's quite obvious that he did come in. 10:48.000 --> 10:50.000 Probably before the reporter. 10:50.000 --> 10:52.000 And if he decided to tell you what he'd planned... 10:52.000 --> 10:54.000 If he decided... Jeff. 10:54.000 --> 10:56.000 Are you trying to say that I murdered him? 10:56.000 --> 10:58.000 I'm saying it's a possibility. 10:58.000 --> 11:02.000 Why, you... Listen, you... you namby-pamby. 11:02.000 --> 11:05.000 If you think you're going to pin this murder on to me, you've got another guest coming. 11:05.000 --> 11:07.000 I'm simply saying what could have happened. 11:07.000 --> 11:09.000 Well, you just go right ahead. Keep talking, Jeff. 11:09.000 --> 11:11.000 Try to get me into all the trouble you can, 11:11.000 --> 11:13.000 and when you get through I'll show you what trouble really is. 11:13.000 --> 11:15.000 You want to be nasty, do you? 11:15.000 --> 11:18.000 Well, okay, brother dear, I'll be nasty too. 11:18.000 --> 11:22.000 I'll tell them about that cute little scene I heard between you and Junior last night. 11:22.000 --> 11:24.000 Oh, so you're an eavesdropper, are you? 11:24.000 --> 11:26.000 You bet I'm an eavesdropper. 11:26.000 --> 11:29.000 And why wouldn't I be with a couple of two-faced hypocrites for brothers... 11:29.000 --> 11:32.000 brothers who'd rob me blind if they got the opportunity? 11:32.000 --> 11:34.000 Well, I don't know that you're such an angel yourself, Hope. 11:34.000 --> 11:36.000 I suppose you weren't trying to pull a fast one with Junior. 11:36.000 --> 11:37.000 You lie! 11:37.000 --> 11:39.000 I suppose you didn't tell him you'd cooperate with him in every possible way, 11:39.000 --> 11:41.000 and that between the two of you... 11:41.000 --> 11:44.000 I said I'd cooperate because I had to, or lose everything I had. 11:44.000 --> 11:46.000 He was a rotten, no-good, tricky cheat. 11:46.000 --> 11:49.000 And the only way anybody could protect himself was to work with him. 11:49.000 --> 11:51.000 Sure, against Mother and me. Why, you... 11:51.000 --> 11:53.000 At least I didn't threaten to kill him. 11:53.000 --> 11:56.000 I guess that'll hold you for a while. 11:56.000 --> 11:59.000 You mean... you heard your brother threaten to kill Junior? 11:59.000 --> 12:01.000 Certainly did. 12:01.000 --> 12:04.000 And they weren't smiling, either one of them. 12:04.000 --> 12:07.000 Just a minute, Mr. Corning. Are you leaving? 12:07.000 --> 12:10.000 Yep. Sorry, but this is too good a story to pass up. 12:10.000 --> 12:15.000 Talk about your sweet angles, murder in paradise, happiness kids, tear each other's hair. 12:15.000 --> 12:16.000 I'll be back with the police. 12:16.000 --> 12:18.000 Just a minute, Corning. 12:18.000 --> 12:20.000 Take your hand off that doorknob. 12:20.000 --> 12:22.000 Mother, you... where did you get that gun? 12:22.000 --> 12:24.000 Never mind where I got it. 12:24.000 --> 12:27.000 You might as well make up your mind to stick around a while, Corning. 12:27.000 --> 12:29.000 But my story, I... 12:29.000 --> 12:33.000 We've got close to a million dollars in the Harris Publishing Company, Corning. 12:33.000 --> 12:37.000 And you're not blowing the company sky high with that kind of a story. 12:37.000 --> 12:38.000 Sit! 12:38.000 --> 12:39.000 Sorry, Mrs. Harris. 12:39.000 --> 12:41.000 Mother! 12:41.000 --> 12:44.000 Sit, Mr. Corning. 12:44.000 --> 12:47.000 Next time, I might not try to miss. 12:47.000 --> 12:50.000 When you fool around with a million dollars, 12:50.000 --> 12:53.000 you don't play for laughs. 13:14.000 --> 13:18.000 Not many clues on the identity of Junior Harris' murderer, are there? 13:18.000 --> 13:22.000 Well, the tangle will all be unsnarled in the second act of tonight's story. 13:42.000 --> 13:46.000 And now, Act Two of Murder in Paradise. 13:46.000 --> 13:48.000 The scene is Junior Harris' study. 13:48.000 --> 13:52.000 The warm-up, which reads, You can be happy, is a skew. 13:52.000 --> 13:57.000 Joe Corning, the reporter, seems to have resigned himself to staying around a while. 13:57.000 --> 14:01.000 It's pretty obvious that two guns played a part in Junior's murder, isn't it? 14:01.000 --> 14:05.000 One to kill him, and one to fire that shot we heard from the living room. 14:05.000 --> 14:06.000 I... 14:06.000 --> 14:08.000 Why, yes, I guess that's right. 14:08.000 --> 14:11.000 And we found two guns, haven't we? 14:11.000 --> 14:12.000 What are you driving at? 14:12.000 --> 14:14.000 There's nothing so mysterious about it, is there? 14:14.000 --> 14:16.000 I said we'd found two guns. 14:16.000 --> 14:20.000 The one in Junior's hand, and the one Mother fired in your general direction when you tried to leave. 14:20.000 --> 14:23.000 Listen, you lousy little brat, if you're trying to mix your mother... 14:23.000 --> 14:25.000 Oh, let him alone, Keller. 14:25.000 --> 14:27.000 Go on, Jeff, darling. 14:27.000 --> 14:29.000 What was it you were going to say? 14:29.000 --> 14:32.000 You had another gun, and there were two guns used. 14:32.000 --> 14:33.000 That's right. 14:33.000 --> 14:36.000 Then your gun could have been the one that fired the shot we heard from the living room. 14:36.000 --> 14:39.000 You could have had it hidden in here, rigged up some way to go off later. 14:39.000 --> 14:42.000 Look, I'm about ready to take a poke at you. 14:42.000 --> 14:47.000 I've seen some fourth-rate heels in my time, but one who tried to stick his mother in a murder case. 14:47.000 --> 14:49.000 Oh, don't get so indignant, Keller. 14:49.000 --> 14:51.000 This makes me very happy. 14:51.000 --> 14:52.000 Happy? 14:52.000 --> 14:57.000 I've seen him smile so much that it's a real pleasure to see him getting nasty. 14:57.000 --> 15:02.000 And I can't begin to tell you how pleased you made me feel, Hope, when you screamed and snarled at Jeff. 15:02.000 --> 15:06.000 Mother, please, you shouldn't talk that way. 15:06.000 --> 15:08.000 Jeff deliberately accused you of... 15:08.000 --> 15:10.000 I know. Murder. 15:10.000 --> 15:12.000 But it doesn't mean anything, dear. 15:12.000 --> 15:14.000 Well, of course not, but that gun... 15:14.000 --> 15:16.000 Worrying you too, is it? 15:16.000 --> 15:21.000 Well, remember, I fired a shot to persuade Corning to stay. 15:21.000 --> 15:22.000 Yes. 15:22.000 --> 15:24.000 Here, Corning, I'll open it. 15:24.000 --> 15:26.000 See if more than one shot's been fired. 15:30.000 --> 15:32.000 No. Only one shell missing. 15:32.000 --> 15:34.000 Been fired just once. 15:34.000 --> 15:39.000 But I'm interested in hearing more about your little fight with your brother last night, Jeff. 15:39.000 --> 15:42.000 The one where you said you would kill him. 15:42.000 --> 15:45.000 Well, I... I guess I did say that all right. 15:45.000 --> 15:48.000 I suppose we might as well get one thing cleared up. 15:48.000 --> 15:51.000 We all knew what Junior was pulling on us. 15:51.000 --> 15:54.000 Dad had left Junior a little more stock in the company than the rest of us, 15:54.000 --> 15:56.000 because he wanted Junior to head the firm. 15:56.000 --> 16:00.000 Junior used his position to work a squeeze play on the rest of us. 16:00.000 --> 16:02.000 He called a family meeting for this afternoon. 16:02.000 --> 16:05.000 And you all admit you knew what he was doing? 16:05.000 --> 16:06.000 Yeah. 16:06.000 --> 16:10.000 We worked things to get you in here for this interview this afternoon as a last resort. 16:10.000 --> 16:11.000 We had Mother call you. 16:11.000 --> 16:12.000 I don't get it. 16:12.000 --> 16:16.000 Well, we thought if we all gave out stories to the press about the family 16:16.000 --> 16:20.000 and how we trusted Junior and knew anything he was doing was for our best interests, 16:20.000 --> 16:24.000 well, we thought we might shame him into changing his mind. 16:24.000 --> 16:27.000 Dad was always scared to death of bad publicity. 16:27.000 --> 16:29.000 He said it could ruin our kind of a firm. 16:29.000 --> 16:30.000 Good, Joe. 16:30.000 --> 16:32.000 That's why he brought us up the way he did. 16:32.000 --> 16:36.000 We were supposed to be living testimonials to the power of his happiness crusade. 16:36.000 --> 16:38.000 So you tossed your little problem to me, huh? 16:38.000 --> 16:39.000 That's right. 16:39.000 --> 16:43.000 Well, it looks like one of you had a lot more effective way of handling it. 16:43.000 --> 16:45.000 Couldn't it have been some outsider? 16:45.000 --> 16:46.000 Don't be naive, Hope. 16:46.000 --> 16:48.000 Of course it was one of us. 16:48.000 --> 16:51.000 You're not going to be able to keep the story out of papers forever, Mrs. Harris. 16:51.000 --> 16:54.000 How about giving me a break and letting me get back to the office? 16:54.000 --> 16:57.000 You'll get the story before anybody else does. 16:57.000 --> 16:59.000 And you'll get it the way we want it. 16:59.000 --> 17:01.000 Let's see. 17:01.000 --> 17:06.000 The suicide story would stand up if it weren't for that pesky shock we heard. 17:06.000 --> 17:09.000 Or did we hear it? 17:09.000 --> 17:11.000 I heard it, Mrs. Harris. 17:11.000 --> 17:15.000 Did you hear it $10,000 worth? 17:15.000 --> 17:17.000 Ha ha ha. 17:17.000 --> 17:19.000 I don't buy off, Mrs. Harris. Sorry. 17:19.000 --> 17:22.000 Somebody could have killed him with robbery as a motive, 17:22.000 --> 17:25.000 coming in through the window and going out the same way. 17:25.000 --> 17:27.000 It wasn't for that lock. 17:27.000 --> 17:32.000 I suppose it would hurt anything to just give it a little jiggle, maybe. 17:32.000 --> 17:36.000 If you want to tackle with the evidence, Keller, you'll be able to read all about it in the Herald. 17:36.000 --> 17:40.000 Look, we're not going to get anywhere until we find out about that second shot. 17:40.000 --> 17:43.000 Even if you won't let me leave, you've got to let me call the police. 17:43.000 --> 17:44.000 You really have to, Mother. 17:44.000 --> 17:45.000 I do. 17:45.000 --> 17:49.000 Oh, well, there's no way out of it. 17:49.000 --> 17:51.000 Go ahead. 17:51.000 --> 17:55.000 Just a minute. 17:55.000 --> 17:57.000 Mrs. Harris showed us a gun. 17:57.000 --> 17:59.000 She fired one. 17:59.000 --> 18:03.000 I wonder if anyone else in this room has a gun, a revolver that's being hidden. 18:03.000 --> 18:05.000 That's preposterous. Why should anybody? 18:05.000 --> 18:07.000 I'm going to search the rest of you before I call the police. 18:07.000 --> 18:08.000 How about you, Jeff? 18:08.000 --> 18:09.000 I... 18:09.000 --> 18:10.000 No. 18:10.000 --> 18:12.000 See here, you're no policeman. You can't... 18:12.000 --> 18:13.000 I think maybe I could. Now hold still. 18:13.000 --> 18:15.000 See here, you've no right to... 18:15.000 --> 18:17.000 Oh, try to slug me, will you? 18:17.000 --> 18:18.000 Ouch, my wrist. 18:18.000 --> 18:21.000 Search him, cover quick. 18:21.000 --> 18:22.000 Okay. 18:22.000 --> 18:24.000 That'll do any good. 18:24.000 --> 18:26.000 Well, I'll be doggone. 18:26.000 --> 18:28.000 A revolver, Jeff. 18:28.000 --> 18:29.000 Hmm. 18:29.000 --> 18:31.000 Bullet missing from it, too. 18:31.000 --> 18:33.000 See here, Corny, you have no authority. 18:33.000 --> 18:35.000 Forget the authority, Jeff. 18:35.000 --> 18:39.000 I guess now maybe I can call the police. 18:43.000 --> 18:46.000 No, listen, I had the gun with me. 18:46.000 --> 18:48.000 We heard the shots from in here. I couldn't possibly have... 18:48.000 --> 18:51.000 Hello? Captain Heron, please. 18:51.000 --> 18:53.000 Captain Heron? 18:53.000 --> 18:55.000 Ah, this is Joe Corny of the Herald. 18:55.000 --> 18:57.000 Yeah. 18:57.000 --> 18:59.000 Say, there's a guy out here at the Happy Harris place 18:59.000 --> 19:02.000 has a nice little puzzle for you to solve. 19:02.000 --> 19:04.000 Yeah. 19:04.000 --> 19:07.000 How he managed to commit a murder. 19:07.000 --> 19:10.000 They've got him covered so he can't get away, but... 19:10.000 --> 19:16.000 Hurry. 19:21.000 --> 19:25.000 It's perfectly terrible to think of Jeff in jail. 19:25.000 --> 19:27.000 They had no right to take him. 19:27.000 --> 19:30.000 That policeman didn't have any idea how Jeff could have fired the gun. 19:30.000 --> 19:31.000 He didn't. 19:31.000 --> 19:32.000 What? 19:32.000 --> 19:33.000 But you told the police... 19:33.000 --> 19:35.000 I know, I know. 19:35.000 --> 19:38.000 But I think your brother was telling the truth about that revolver. 19:38.000 --> 19:40.000 Well, then why did he... 19:40.000 --> 19:41.000 Didn't you ever notice? 19:41.000 --> 19:44.000 A murderer lays low until somebody else is arrested. 19:44.000 --> 19:46.000 Then he gets brave. 19:46.000 --> 19:48.000 And if he doesn't do anything, we'll never catch him. 19:48.000 --> 19:50.000 This way there's a chance. 19:50.000 --> 19:52.000 But who do you think... 19:52.000 --> 19:53.000 I'm not saying. 19:53.000 --> 19:56.000 Mother and Mr. Keller. 19:56.000 --> 19:58.000 No, they wouldn't do such an awful thing, either of them. 19:58.000 --> 20:00.000 Awful thing? 20:00.000 --> 20:03.000 Look, he was a great A-heel and he deserved exactly what he got. 20:03.000 --> 20:07.000 The charming Junior Harris, the papers always said. 20:07.000 --> 20:09.000 But as charming as a rattlesnake. 20:09.000 --> 20:11.000 Then you knew him. 20:11.000 --> 20:14.000 No, and I got along very nicely without knowing him. 20:14.000 --> 20:17.000 Mother, Mr. Keller, where have you been? 20:17.000 --> 20:18.000 I've been worried about you. 20:18.000 --> 20:21.000 I'm quite able to take care of myself, Hope. 20:21.000 --> 20:24.000 We've been engaging legal counsel for Jeff. 20:24.000 --> 20:26.000 And they're quite encouraging. 20:26.000 --> 20:28.000 Expect to have your mouth in a couple of hours. 20:28.000 --> 20:29.000 Oh, but that's wonderful. 20:29.000 --> 20:32.000 They say the police haven't a prayer of holding him. 20:32.000 --> 20:34.000 Something will probably go wrong, though. 20:34.000 --> 20:38.000 Red tape or some fool thing will keep us from getting him out right away. 20:38.000 --> 20:40.000 Well, I wish you luck. 20:40.000 --> 20:43.000 And it's high time I was getting back to the office or I'll get scooped on my own story. 20:43.000 --> 20:46.000 Oh, just a minute, Mr. Corning. 20:46.000 --> 20:47.000 Eh? 20:47.000 --> 20:50.000 I've admired your stories in the Herald so much. 20:50.000 --> 20:53.000 So many of them are signed. 20:53.000 --> 20:56.000 Oh, I get all byline knowledge, sure. 20:56.000 --> 21:00.000 Well, that's why I asked for you when I called this morning. 21:00.000 --> 21:03.000 That and one other thing. 21:03.000 --> 21:04.000 Yes. 21:04.000 --> 21:08.000 I was snooping through some of Junior's desk drawers late yesterday afternoon, 21:08.000 --> 21:12.000 and I ran across some letters from a Julia Corning. 21:12.000 --> 21:14.000 The name isn't common. 21:14.000 --> 21:17.000 Is she your sister by any chance? 21:17.000 --> 21:18.000 Why, I, uh... 21:18.000 --> 21:22.000 It'd be quite easy to check, Mr. Corning. 21:22.000 --> 21:24.000 Yes. Yes, she's my sister. 21:24.000 --> 21:26.000 It's relatively threatening. 21:26.000 --> 21:29.000 That's the second reason I asked for you. 21:29.000 --> 21:31.000 You understand, don't you? 21:31.000 --> 21:33.000 Then you think... but... 21:33.000 --> 21:36.000 I never even met the guy and had no desire to. 21:36.000 --> 21:38.000 Oh, I knew what Sis thought of him, sure, but... 21:38.000 --> 21:41.000 I wanted to see what you'd do, Mr. Corning, 21:41.000 --> 21:43.000 before you'd try to blame for the murder. 21:43.000 --> 21:46.000 I wanted to give you enough rope to hang yourself. 21:46.000 --> 21:49.000 That's why I didn't say anything about Sis before. 21:49.000 --> 21:51.000 Look, I didn't kill him. 21:51.000 --> 21:52.000 I had nothing to do with it. 21:52.000 --> 21:55.000 I never laid eyes on him until I opened the door of that study. 21:55.000 --> 21:58.000 I think the police ought to know about this. 21:58.000 --> 22:01.000 I don't see why you didn't tell them sooner, Nellie. 22:01.000 --> 22:02.000 This is soon enough. 22:02.000 --> 22:05.000 Will you go to the police station quietly, Mr. Corning? 22:05.000 --> 22:07.000 Remember, I'm a pretty good shop. 22:07.000 --> 22:10.000 When I missed you before, I did it deliberately. 22:10.000 --> 22:13.000 I'll be hanged if I let you drag my sister into this mess. 22:13.000 --> 22:16.000 She's had enough unpleasantness out of this family without you... 22:16.000 --> 22:19.000 An over-speech, Mr. Corning, but not too convincing. 22:19.000 --> 22:20.000 Come along. 22:20.000 --> 22:21.000 Oh, no. 22:21.000 --> 22:23.000 If you think you're going to involve her in this mess, you're wrong. 22:23.000 --> 22:24.000 Get wrong. You're not... 22:24.000 --> 22:25.000 Stop it! 22:25.000 --> 22:26.000 Oh, well... 22:26.000 --> 22:29.000 You see? I don't always miss Corning. 22:29.000 --> 22:31.000 My... my arm. 22:31.000 --> 22:32.000 Get me to a doctor, quick. 22:32.000 --> 22:34.000 They have a doctor at the police station, I imagine. 22:34.000 --> 22:36.000 Come on, Keller. You better take him in. 22:36.000 --> 22:38.000 But you can't go like that, Mother. You'll need your coat. 22:38.000 --> 22:39.000 Never mind my coat. Come on, Keller. 22:39.000 --> 22:40.000 But it's chilly out. 22:40.000 --> 22:42.000 We've got to hurry before he loses too much blood. 22:42.000 --> 22:43.000 Come on. 22:43.000 --> 22:44.000 It won't take a second. 22:44.000 --> 22:45.000 Your coat's right over here in the clothes cart. 22:45.000 --> 22:47.000 Hope, I said no! I don't want my coat! 22:47.000 --> 22:49.000 You're going to take it anyway. Here... 22:49.000 --> 22:53.000 There's a hole in the pocket and a burn streak down... 22:53.000 --> 22:54.000 Grab her, Keller, quick! 22:54.000 --> 22:56.000 You! You! You! You! 22:58.000 --> 23:00.000 I'm surprised at you, Nellie. 23:00.000 --> 23:02.000 Stop aiming that thing at me. 23:02.000 --> 23:03.000 Get it, Hope! 23:03.000 --> 23:04.000 I... I have... 23:04.000 --> 23:06.000 But I don't understand. 23:06.000 --> 23:07.000 Look in the coat pocket. 23:07.000 --> 23:09.000 Don't let her get her hands on it. 23:09.000 --> 23:10.000 Hmm... 23:10.000 --> 23:13.000 A revolver with pieces of broken matchsticks 23:13.000 --> 23:15.000 wedged in behind the trigger. 23:15.000 --> 23:19.000 And there's a bottle with some water in it and no cork. 23:19.000 --> 23:21.000 And the inside of the pocket is all wet. 23:21.000 --> 23:22.000 Okay. 23:22.000 --> 23:25.000 And I put the matchsticks in behind the trigger. 23:25.000 --> 23:27.000 Not firm enough to make it go off. 23:27.000 --> 23:28.000 Not quite. 23:28.000 --> 23:32.000 The bottle was full of water when I stuck it in the pocket on its side. 23:32.000 --> 23:35.000 I knew the water'd eventually expand the matchsticks. 23:35.000 --> 23:38.000 When they swelled up enough, the gun had to go off. 23:38.000 --> 23:40.000 Pretty cute. 23:40.000 --> 23:44.000 You knew nobody'd expect a shot to be fired from a clothes closet 23:44.000 --> 23:47.000 and that it'd sound the same as if it came from the study. 23:47.000 --> 23:49.000 It did. You all fell for it. 23:49.000 --> 23:52.000 But it was supposed to be suicide. 23:52.000 --> 23:54.000 Didn't want to get anybody into trouble. 23:54.000 --> 23:57.000 You were here in case anything went wrong. 23:57.000 --> 23:59.000 To be the fall guy. 23:59.000 --> 24:01.000 And you were my undoing right from the start. 24:01.000 --> 24:03.000 But... when did you kill him? 24:03.000 --> 24:05.000 Early this morning. 24:05.000 --> 24:07.000 I told you and Jeff he'd left to see the lawyers. 24:07.000 --> 24:10.000 Oh, your own son. Your own flesh and blood. 24:10.000 --> 24:12.000 No, Hope. 24:12.000 --> 24:15.000 I always told Happy he was wrong about that. 24:15.000 --> 24:18.000 None of you kids was Nellie's, really. 24:18.000 --> 24:21.000 And Happy, he thought it'd make better publicity 24:21.000 --> 24:25.000 not to mention his first wife had walked out on him and got a divorce. 24:25.000 --> 24:29.000 He wanted to make folks think he'd always had a happy family. 24:29.000 --> 24:34.000 Happy? I've been kept miserable for years by one smirking hypocrite. 24:34.000 --> 24:38.000 I wasn't going to let another one cheat me out of the money I'd earned. 24:38.000 --> 24:41.000 All right, Keller. Take me in. 24:41.000 --> 24:48.000 The boy reporter better come along, too.