“Well, let’s put it this way. When did you last see that automobile on the nineteenth of the month?”
“The last I saw of it was about noon on the nineteenth. I...”
“Where?”
“In front of my house on Maple Grove Street in Beverly Hills.”
“Can you fix the time exactly?”
“It was shortly before noon. I don’t know the exact time.”
“And when did you next see it?”
“On the morning of the twentieth when I was asked to identify it.”
“Do you know — or did you know in his lifetime — a broker named Adler Greeley?”
“Yes, sir. Adler Pace Greeley.”
“Had you any business dealings with him?”
“He had handled a few transactions for me — stocks and bonds.”
“Had you seen Mr. Greeley on the nineteenth?”
“No, sir.”
“And had you given him any permission to use your car?”
“No, sir. Certainly not.”
“Where is your residence on Maple Grove, Mr. Homan?”
“Twenty-five-nineteen.”
“Can you describe that residence — just tell us exactly what it is?”
“It’s a Spanish-type house with patio, swimming pool, and the things that go with it. I’m a bachelor. I do much of my work at home. I have this house so that when I wish to get away from the studio and avoid all interruptions, I can work there. I also do quite a bit of entertaining.”
“That is what I was getting at. This is a large house?”
“It is, and it isn’t. The rooms are rather large. The place is well designed. It’s not — well, not what you would call a poor man’s house.”
“That’s the point, Mr. Homan. It’s a house which requires a large staff of servants?”
“No, sir, it does not. I have a woman who comes in and does cleaning by the day. I have a combination chauffeur and general handyman who takes care of my wants. I have a Filipino houseboy who mixes drinks, does odd jobs, and keeps the place straight. The woman who does the cleaning comes in twice a week. When I am entertaining, I arrange with a caterer to take charge of everything.”
“But I understand, Mr. Homan, that on the nineteenth, you were alone in your house.”
“That is right.”
“Can you explain how that happened?”
“I was working. I didn’t want to be disturbed. I shut myself in my study. When I work, I settle down to work. I concentrate on it. I don’t want anything else to disturb me. I don’t even eat at regular hours. I work until I realize there’s something wrong, then I stop and take stock. Usually I find I am either hungry or tired or both. I shall get something to eat, perhaps snatch a few minutes’ sleep, and go back to work. I keep an electric coffee percolator on my desk when I am working and drink hot coffee at frequent intervals.”
“But I would like to know specifically about the nineteenth, Mr. Homan. You see, the claim has been made that Mr. Greeley was driving your car at the time of the accident.”
“Preposterous.”
“Never mind that, Mr. Homan. I have covered Mr. Greeley’s movements on that day to place him in San Francisco at five-fifteen in the evening. Now I want to show that your car couldn’t have...”
Mason said, “This conference between counsel and witness is rather unusual, Your Honor.”
Hanley said, “I am merely trying to save time.”
“No objection,” Mason announced. “I only wanted to suggest you proceed in the regular manner.”
Hanley said, “Mr. Homan, will you tell us just what you were doing on the nineteenth and where your car was on that day — or over such an interval of time as you know where it was?”
“I was working on a very important production. I didn’t want to be disturbed. I had been working on that script almost uninterruptedly for forty-eight hours.”
“At your studio or at your residence?”
“At both places. I left the studio on the afternoon of the eighteenth. I came to my house, told both the Filipino and my chauffeur to take time off, that I wanted to be completely and absolutely undisturbed. I locked myself in and went to work.”
“And stayed at your bungalow?”
“No, sir. I went out for dinner about midnight on the evening of the eighteenth, and worked until about four o’clock in the morning, then I slept until seven o’clock, got up, took a shower, shaved, had coffee, and went to work. About eleven I drove to a restaurant where I had something to eat. Then I returned and went to work. It was then a little before noon.”
“Did you have occasion to look for your automobile?...”
“Objected to as incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial,” Mason said. “It makes no difference as far as the issues in this case are concerned, and it may be an attempt to prejudice the defendant by proving another crime.”
“I will stipulate that the purpose of the testimony will be limited solely for the purpose of showing the whereabouts of the car,” Hanley said.
“On the strength of that stipulation, I will permit the question to be answered,” Judge Cortright ruled.
“Answer the question.”
“Yes, sir. About four o’clock in the afternoon I wanted to take a short drive to get some air. I had been working straight through and suddenly realized I was fatigued. I went out to get my car and drive up around Mulholland, Drive. My car was gone.”
“And what did you do with reference to trying to locate your car?”
“Objected to as incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial,” Mason said.
“Objection sustained.”
“I think you may inquire,” Hanley said with a little nod to Mason.
Homan got up and started to leave the stand.
“Just a minute,” Judge Cortright said.
“Aren’t you finished with me?”
“Mr. Mason has the right to cross-examine.”
“Oh,” Homan said and turned inpatient eyes toward Mason.
“Just a few questions,” Mason said, “in regard to the nature of your work, Mr. Homan. When you are concentrating, I take it that you are very irritated at interruptions.”
“Very.”
“You answer the telephone?”
“No. I disconnect it.”
“How?”
“I have a little switch at the telephone. It was especially installed to cover my needs.”
“You do, however, occasionally put through a call?”
“Very, very occasionally. The nature of my work is something that the ordinary man can hardly appreciate. It represents the very essence of concentration,” and Homan glanced up at the judge.
“Now you can’t recall any single instance, any isolated facts which would account for Mr. Greeley taking your car.”
“Absolutely not. I am satisfied Mr. Greeley did not take my car.”
“And during this period that you were concentrating, can you recall having made any telephone calls?”
“No, sir. I made none.”
“Now,” Mason asked casually, “what was your business with L. C. Spinney in San Francisco?”
Homan stared at him.
“Can’t you answer the question?” Mason asked.
“I don’t understand it. I haven’t any business with Mr. — what was the name?”
“Spinney, L. C. Spinney.”
“I haven’t any business with Mr. Spinney in San Francisco. I have never heard of the man. I remember now, you mentioned his name to me once before.”
“You didn’t call him on long distance on Tuesday and again on Wednesday?”
“Certainly not.”
“And he didn’t call you?”
“No.”
Mason said, “Now, Mr. Homan, this may be exceedingly important. Please bear in mind that the records of the telephone company can be consulted and...”
Homan snapped his fingers, the quick gesture of a nervous man who has an idea pop into his head.
“What is it?” Mason asked.