Perry Mason
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Paul Drake is in a tight spot.
Lyle McCutcheon is feeling uncomfortably close to the light, but this isnt his first time at the rodeo.
He knows how to turn that light back on his enemies.
Something more sinister than even Perry Mason & Co. couldve sniffed out is happening with this case.
The public obsesses over the fake conspiracy while the real one continues.
As always, the puzzle box mutates, and the illusion grows until it absorbs life itself.
But the bark of his pessimism clouds the vision of his ideals, such as they are.
And hes mad, passing that energy onto his son as they ride horses over the weekend.
Luckily, our girl Ginny Aimes is riding at the same stables.
Monday morning rolls around, and Mason and Della meet up at the office.
Dellas also hot off her romantic weekend retreat at Anita St. Pierres once and future Airbnb in Palm Springs.
The reconciliation is short lived, though.
Drake comes to the office just as Masons about to give him a new line of inquiry.
He drops the gun on the table and says, They did it.
Great noir image there: weapons hidden behind layers of steel and paper.
The layer cake of the American metropolis.
We cut to Mason & Co. visiting the Gallardo boys in jail again.
Masons seething, his resting pessimistic idealism bubbled over into venomous, self-righteous anger.
Mateo gives them a new story.
They saw McCutcheons car and figured theyd hit the jackpot, so they held him up.
Rafael went over to grab the money, and McCutcheon wouldnt give it.
He grabbed for Rafael, who yelled at Mateo to do something.
So Mateo shot him.
How did we miss it?
None of this makes sense, Drake says in the next scene.
I know what youre thinking, Della tells Mason, and you cant step off this case.
The hell he cant, Mason retorts.
Im not representing killers.
Hes an impulsive dude.
But Della and Paul dont have that luxury.
Theyre much more skilled at, and used to, the inevitable art of compromise.
Is this an example of the illusion of justice?
The brothers plead guilty and get life with a chance of parole in 20 years.
And just as Della and Paul said they would, Burger and Milligan arent taking the bait.
Because believe me, it reads like a bad pulp novel).
Still, they turn him down with an understandable level of confidence, and Mason leaves defeated.
Whats it all mean now?
No, thats whats off.
Everything perfectly lined up just like the DA had it.
Moving target, one perfect shot.
The plot is too damn pretty.
Sounds like the Gallardo boys were doing a lot of target practice for something.
What were they preparing for?
What role were they playing and in whose illusion?
And feed, if only for survival.
Business is slow at the Morocco.
But why bring it in?
Californias lousy with vegetables right now.
When Anita picks up Della for Palm Springs and says, You saved me.
I was just pretending to write, I think this most times someone hits me up to do something.
Any writer worth their salt is more proficient in the art of pretending to write than writing itself.
The act of lifting the pen has a long-ass tail of diversions.
