Perry Mason

Hey, pal! Hey.

Hey, hey, hey! Pal!

- (INDISTINCT CHATTER) - (CUTLERY CLATTERING)

- (MEN CHUCKLE) - (CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)

Fire! Fire in the kitchen!

Fire! Fire! - (FIRE ALARM BLARING)

Morning, Walt.

Who are you?

Good morning, Mr. Mason.

I'm Marion Kang, your new secretary.

- My what? - Would you mind signing in?

Bronson Secretarial School taught us

it's of the utmost importance to keep a record of who...

Yes, I hired a secretary.

Because as I've said forever, we need someone

to answer the phone, take notes, keep the books.

- We couldn't even afford... And if I'm out there

doing Marion's job,

well, I can't be in here with you doing mine.

That was our deal.

I'm in here with a seat at the table.

Well, you're gonna have to sell the table

to pay for her.

The last of EB's debts were paid off

on the first of this month.

And what's left over from what you contributed

from the sale of the farm, plus our current clients,

- such as they are... - (KNOCK ON DOOR)

We have... Come in. Just enough to pay the monthly,

plus pay for a secretary.

Thank you.

The house is in Mr. Burkhardt's name,

so we'll need to refile it to joint ownership,

so it will go directly to Mrs. Burkhardt

if he passes away first.

And all proceeds from the second survivor

will be split equally among their three children,

Theobald, Bruna, and Engleberta.

Beautiful names.

I'm sure none of them have tried to boil a child in a fairy tale.

Bruna will be bequeathed the table clock

and the swan vase.

Engleberta and her mother's daisy brooch.

Theobald, his father's beer stein collection.

Oh, Theobald, you are one lucky son of a bitch.

- Hey. What?

Can we focus, please?

- I am. You're the one

who suddenly wanted to give up criminal law and only do civil.

- This is civil. - You're the one who said

civil work kept firms in business.

- I'm just being practical. - Since when?

- What time is court tomorrow? Nine.

Nine a.m.

Practical.

A practical person would own a date book.

- I don't need one. - (KNOCK ON DOOR)

- I have a secretary. - (DOOR OPENING)

These came for you. - Thank you.

Thank you, Marion.

- (FOOTSTEPS RECEDING) - (DOOR CLOSING)

Doing all right?

- Hey. - (BREATHES SHAKILY)

Thanks for being a good sport.

Of course. (COUGHS)

It was... (INHALES SHARPLY)

- Different. (COUGHS) - (CHUCKLES)

I'm working on the boat tonight. (CLEARS THROAT)

Will you be there?

Uh, maybe.

Listen...

do me a favor.

Wait ten minutes after I leave...

then you can go.

- (SEAGULLS SQUAWKING) - (WAVES CRASHING)

Old Fashioned and a Reuben sandwich, George.

Yes, sir.

- Hey. - You were done with it.

You only read the funnies anyway, Cliff.

Hi. Dad!

- Darling. Darling. (KISSES)

- What'd you boys find? - (CHUCKLES)

- It's a seahorse! Yeah.

Oh, that is neat.

I ordered the boys creamsicles. Do you want one?

Uh, I just ordered myself something.

Hello, Father. (SIGHS)

Where were you, Brooks?

I've been here.

Can't remember the last time you came down to the club.

The place never really turned out how I envisioned

when I started it.

Though it is a beautiful view.

Quite remarkable just how far out into the ocean

you can see boats from here.

It wasn't supposed to be that big of a deal.

We were just trying to sabotage the Luxe,

not destroy it.

And the fire got a little out of control.

Wouldn't it have been smarter to sabotage it during the day

when it's not packed to the gills with witnesses?

I'm sorry, Dad. I...

- What can I say? I'll fix it. - No.

No more fixing, Brooks.

It's over. You need to step back.

- But I just... Back from your position

in the company. Back from your gambling interest.

Back from your bullshit with the baseball team.

The baseball team is coming.

We... We've got four cities showing real interest.

I'm close on this one, Dad.

I'm really building something meaningful.

Building takes a firm foundation, Brooks.

Your dabbling in every little folly

is anything but that.

It's as solid as a sandcastle.

Did I tell you I got

at least 20 companies that want to advertise at the stadium?

I've got Chesterfield,

- uh, Goodyear... Brooks! Stop!

Take my advice and walk away.

Spend time with your boys.

Concentrate on your charity work.

That's a perfectly admirable legacy.

Hey.

Mr. Mason.

How... How did you get in here?

Do you believe that I will?

- What? - (COUGHS, CHOKES)

Do you be... that I... (CHOKES)

- (COUGHS) - Believe what?

"Dear Mr. Mason, when will I be fully cleansed?

I continue to ask God for guidance,

"but I fear He is turning His back on me."

"Dear Mr. Mason, what did we win in court?

What's my freedom worth? My boy Charlie is still gone."

"Dear Mr. Mason, today would've been.

Charlie's second birthday. I desperately want to join him."

"Dear Mr. Mason, do you believe that I will be fully forgiven?"

"Dear Mr. Mason..." "Dear Mr. Mason..."

All rise.

You may be seated.

Sorry. - Why are you limping?

Hmm? I'm not.

Mr. Purtell, exactly how many years did you work

at Sunny Market?

Uh, seven years. Three of those as a manager.

And how would you say the owner, Mr. Gryce, treated you?

He was a tough boss.

Uh, did your pay increase very much

when you became manager?

- Barely. And yet,

you're the one who helped design the layout

of Mr. Gryce's stores,

- isn't that right? - That's right.

And since then,

the stores have seen an increase in sales

of a staggering 60 percent, even in these times.

But did Mr. Gryce ever give you credit for your design?

Did he compensate you in any way?

No and no.

- Did you talk to him about it? I did.

And he told me if I didn't like it,