The Postman Always Rings Twice Page #6

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I was gonna ask questions,

but since you signed that...

...the less you know, the better.

Uh, just once more:

I'm handling this.

And that means, whatever I do,

I'm handling it.

- But, Mr. Keats--

- I'll see you in jail.

Or, which is the same thing,

in municipal court for the arraignment.

Hold it, please!

Hold that.

- Thank you.

- Thanks.

This way. Thank you.

Quiet, please.

The court is again in session.

- The People v. Cora Smith.

- Stand.

Cora Smith, you're charged with

the murder of Nicholas Smith.

And the attempted murder

of Frank Chambers.

Steady. I'm handling it.

Your Honor, we waive

preliminary examinations...

...since we intend to plead

guilty to both charges.

Quiet! Quiet, please!

We're ready to appear in superior court

as soon as you can file your information.

We'll be prepared to arraign the defendant

in superior court at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.

So ordered. There'll be a short recess.

Hold it.

I...

We...

We've been double-crossed, Cora.

That lawyer, Keats, he's nothing

but a police stool pigeon.

I've been double-crossed, not you!

I see it all now. I see why

I had to drive the car, not you.

And that other time,

I had to do it, not you!

- That's not so.

- Oh, yes, it is!

I used to say to myself I fell for you

because you were smart.

Now I find out that you are smart!

Double-crossed, ha! I'll say I was.

You and Keats fixed it so

that I tried to kill you too.

That was to get you clear!

Then you two fixed it up

to plead me guilty!

Well, listen, Mr. Frank Chambers...

...when I get through, you'll find out

there's such a thing as being too smart!

Get out of here, you stool pigeon.

Why, what's the matter, Chambers?

I told you I was handling this.

When I get my hands on you--

So you...

...you and this man.

This so-called man.

You two framed me so I would

get it and he would go free!

He's not gonna squirm out of it.

He was in this mess as much as I was...

...and I'll tell the world!

- I wouldn't do that.

- He's not gonna get away with it!

He's not going to get away with anything.

I'm gonna tell it all right now!

- Just let me handle--

- You handled it before! Now I'll handle it.

I'll tell the district attorney

you want to confess.

You the lady who wants

to make a statement?

That's right. A statement.

Okay.

- Cora--

- This will be...

...a full and complete confession

of how...

Go ahead.

Of how Frank Chambers and I

deliberately planned...

...and carried out the murder

of my husband, Nicholas Smith.

Frank Chambers and I

are equally guilty.

Although it was Frank who smashed Nick

in the head before the car went over.

That's all. Except...

... I didn't know anything about

that $10,000 insurance policy.

Anyway, we didn't do it

for that reason at all.

That's it.

All right. Sign here.

I'll put you out of business.

There must be a law, even for lawyers.

You know the district attorney fooled

you into that confession, don't you?

And you fell for it, both of you.

He got you working

against each other.

- Don't you see?

- You bet I see.

He got nothing from me,

so he started in on you.

- And right away you turned yellow.

Yellow?

Yellow is a color you figure on

in a murder.

And nobody figures it better than

Kyle Sackett. That was his trump card.

Once he tricked you into

signing that complaint...

...he knew no power on earth could

keep you from turning on him.

That way, he gets you both.

If you knew all that, why didn't

you stop me from confessing?

Oh, I tried.

I tried, but nobody

could have stopped you.

However, now that you've

got it off your chest...

- Kennedy.

Yes, sir?

That confession Mrs. Smith signed,

what did you do with it?

I gave it to Jimmy White to lock

up in your safe, like you told me to.

That's all.

You mean he's not from

the DA's office?

A plainclothes dick

if I ever saw one.

He used to be a dick.

But he's not a dick anymore.

He works for me now.

He's my gumshoe man.

With the DA using high-pressure tactics,

I had to fight fire with fire.

Since you were due to spill the beans,

better to do it to my man, not Sackett's.

- Why, you--

- That's why I said we'd plead guilty.

To stop everything cold in that courtroom

before you blew your topper.

- Then the DA's got nothing against me.

- You're not even under arrest.

Oh, sure. He goes free,

and I get tossed in...

- ...for murder and attempt!

- Unless...

- Unless you let me handle it.

- Ha!

Listen, my girl...

...you're still in trouble.

Because we don't know what evidence

Sackett's got against us.

From now on,

speak only when spoken to.

And in that court tomorrow, try and look

as young and innocent as possible.

And remember,

I'm the only hope you've got.

Time's up, young lady.

Cora Smith.

Is that your true name?

Yes.

Cora Smith, you're charged in

information number 19-X5-27 in the...

...Superior Court of California

on two counts.

Count one, murder of Nicholas Smith.

Count two, attempted murder

of Frank Chambers.

Your Honor, we waive further reading.

- Very well.

- Are you ready to plead?

We are.

To count one, murder of Nicholas Smith,

how do you plead, guilty or not guilty?

- Not guilty.

- What?

If Your Honor please...

...my client protested her innocence

from the beginning.

I didn't believe her.

In her best interest, I urged her to plead

guilty and ask for the court's mercy.

But with later developments...

...no other course is open to me

but to plead not guilty to both charges.

Will the district attorney consent to a brief

conference, with the court's permission?

Kyle...

...you're bluffing.

You gambled on getting a confession,

and you didn't get it.

I know you haven't got one iota

of evidence against her...

...and without witnesses, you'll never

prove it couldn't have been an accident.

Dismiss that phony attempt charge...

...change murder to manslaughter,

and we'll plead guilty...

...providing you give a recommendation

for leniency.

If Your Honor please...

... I move to dismiss the charge

of attempted murder...

...and to permit her to withdraw

her plea of not guilty...

...for the purpose of

entering a new plea.

Motion granted.

I'm informed by defendant's counsel...

...that she will enter a plea of guilty

to the charge of manslaughter.

I feel this plea will be satisfactory to

the people and in the interest of justice.

That's correct, Your Honor.

Very well.

Cora Smith, to the crime of manslaughter,

how do you plead?

Guilty.

Guilty.

Your Honor, we waive time for sentence.

We're ready for sentence now.

It is the sentence of the law

and the judgment of this court...

...that you be confined in the state

institution for women at Tehachapi...

...for the term prescribed by law.

If Your Honor please, I recommend

leniency be granted this defendant.

It seems to me that considerable leniency

has been given this defendant already.

May we approach the bench

and explain the facts to Your Honor?

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