Perry Mason: The Case of the Defiant Daughter

Call.

To emergency, staff, please.

I'm getting nothing.

He's gone.

Pack it up.

Take him out.

Yeah, I'll give a call right now.

You don't have seats on the flight to Vegas?

No,

the 5 O'clock flight's no good.

I need to leave as soon as possible.

Oh, never mind.

I'll drive.

What's going on?

How come you're home?

Uncle Peter is dead, Melanie.

He shot himself.

Oh, God.

You know, I got a call from a neighbor at work.

He took him to the hospital and it was too late.

You know, he didn't even leave a note.

Dad, you did everything you could.

It's not your fault.

I know.

Listen, Melanie.

I want you to go to St. Louis and stay with your mother for a while, okay?

Why?

Why?

I'm supposed to spend the summer with you.

No way.

I gotta leave.

I can't leave you here by yourself.

Why do I have to go to Mom's?

Can't I just stay with a friend or something?

No, no.

Come on, help me out, all right?

Your plane leaves at 6.45.

It's your flight number.

Take a ticket up at the airport.

You know how to do that, right?

Yeah.

Now, shuttle's coming to get you at 5.20.

Here's some money.

Dad.

Dad.

M-A-L-A-N-S-K-Y.

Ken, there are two rooms.

The other room's under the name of Mason.

Perry Mason, my room overlooks the pool, yours overlooks the golf course.

You're going to have a terrific time here.

I will if we change rooms.

But this is a hot ticket, you know.

If I hadn't represented Billy Landown as the horse, we never would have gotten ringside seats.

Believe me, Perry, you're going to love it.

Ken, relax.

I will love it.

Will that be check or credit card, Mr. Nolansky?

No.

Uh, credit card.

Here.

I'll wait over there.

Right.

Perry, Mason.

Mr. Stewart.

Well, you in town for court or the fight?

Same thing sometimes.

What about you?

Well, I hope to draw some blood at the poker table.

I hold a private game here every year.

You may have read about it.

Everybody's read about it.

Or was that the whole idea?

Well, my guests don't complain.

You'd be surprised what a little free publicity can do for a business.

Or for a career.

Perhaps you should consider joining us this year.

Thank you, no.

Enjoy the flight.

All set.

Looks familiar.

Who was that?

Richard Stewart.

PR guy?

Yep.

Friend?

Nope.

Oh.

I just thought I saw an old friend of mine.

Richard Stewart?

Yeah, Mr. Stewart.

Is he a guest?

Still having his famous poker game?

I really couldn't say, sir.

You were going to speak off and eat these when I wasn't looking, weren't you, Mark?

All 300 calories, all 840 milligrams, all 15,000 pounds.

They're just peanuts for playing out loud.

No, Mark.

They're poison.

Maybe I was saving them for you.

Oh, maybe I'll take them.

Gentlemen, it looks terrific.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Okay, everybody, dig in.

Ken, you can't play poker on an empty stomach.

Well, Ken, but it's not as much fun that way, I can tell you that.

Hey, looky, you know, I don't know why you fellas are so upset with the Japanese.

Their money's just as green as everybody's.

You know, if they didn't run the oil business the way they did at ours,

you'd think differently, too.

No, you see, you automobile boys, you dropped the ball.

You know, as fascinating as all this is, why don't we just get started?

So is Cliff, yes, sir.

He was late last year, too.

Man's totally irresponsible.

Probably takes drugs.

Well?

All those showbiz people do.

They used to accuse me of making gross generalizations.

Senator, listen, when you were in office, nobody could figure out what you were saying.

Hola.

Housekeeping.

Sorry I'm late, gentlemen.

I had to sign about 100 autographs on my way to the elevator.

Some guys won't do it, but somehow I just cannot say no.

So I am.

Are you still in that TV sitcom where you play the wrestling coach in that girl's school?

Hey, it's our eighth season.

What can I say?

I'm not complaining, but there is nothing like the laughter from a live audience.

Present company accepted.

David Benson.

Peter Benson's brother.

You remember Peter Benson, don't you?

Oh, yes.

He committed suicide today.

Yes, I was told.

Yeah.

You know, because of you, he spent the last two years watching everything that meant anything to him go down the drain.

You put that bullet through his head.

So now you're gonna put one through mine, is that the idea?

You're damn right I am.

I'm very sorry about what happened to your brother, David.

But he shot himself because he was emotionally unstable.

I know that.

You know that.

This isn't gonna solve anything.

I don't think that you really want to pull that trigger.

That's it.

Hit him where it hurts the most when he least expects it.

That's just like a politician.

At least I wasn't just standing there.

Get me security.

Jay, get off the phone.

Hang up.

What are you gonna do with him?

I'm gonna give him back what he came in with.

And then I'm going to suggest that he go.

And I'm going to pretend this never happened.

Right, David?

Richard, don't you think you should report this to the police?

I don't want them involved.

I don't need that kind of publicity.

No, none of us do.

Oh, I'll drink to that.

Let's play poker.

Too bad you didn't pull the trigger, David.

Who is this?

How'd you know that?

I've got something on Richard Stewart that you could use to great advantage.

What are you talking about?

What?

Be at the north end of the Desagrande parking lot in 20 minutes and I'll tell you.

David Benson?

Sorry I'm late.

Look, I can't talk long.

How would you like to see Richard Stewart go to prison?

I'd love it.

Who are you?

I used to be his mistress.

I heard things, lots of things.

You know, about the way he does business, the people he does business with.

Anyway, I quit my job for him and he put me up in this real nice condo.

Then about a month ago, he drops me just like that.

Left me out on the street.

I want to get even.

Then why don't you just go to the police?

Look, Stuart cut me off without a cent.

You know, he left me drowning in bills.

I just need some money.

How much money?

About $20,000.

What?

Hey, your brother's dead because of Richard Stuart.

I'm giving you the chance to put him away here.

Yeah, but I don't have $20,000.

This is Vegas.

It's pocket change to people around here.

Get it.

I'll call you tomorrow.