One Doris contacts Della to convince Perry to handle a case for friend Claire involving car theft/manslaughter. Although Perry says not our kind of case, Perry goes forward. In truth, Claire was a hitchiker in a car stolen by intoxicated Mr. Greely, who causes the death of poor truckdriver Albert Lowell. The prosecutor Harold Hanley gives Claire the third degree, not believing her story but not testing her blood alcohol. Perry correctly infers that the car owner movie producer Heywood knows the "thief" Greely although Heywood denies this to Perry. Claire makes bail. Perry stashes her in a hotel; Greely finds it, but Greely ends up dead in the room. Good news for Claire is no more car theft/manslaughter. Bad news: murder. Perry looks into Heywood go-fer Ernie Tanner., using a volunteering Doris as bait. Claire is in custody. Tanner gets shot/killed while Doris is getting Tanner coffee. The key pivot is feathers from the pillow used as a silencer. No gun is recovered and Claire could not have done it (in custody).. Tragg gets some great lines. Mason to Heyward on stand: you may have all the time in the world. The last two minutes are the best when Perry asks Tragg to describe Perry. When Tragg finally sees what Perry already figured out, Tragg says Oy gewalt. An interesting counterpoint to Tragg's earlier: I like to live dangerously.
This first season Perry still has some rough edges. As to the plot, Perry elsewhere remarked murder is always senseless. The three deaths here were especially so.